Bahrain business is doomed as political crisis and instability continue

While Bahrain is well located for business, tourism and culture, the dictatorial rule of the Al Khlaifa family has led to its doom as a strategically-located for regional and international business. Before this tribe, who had been engaged in piracy, invaded theses islands, Bahrain had been the hub for international dealers in natural peals.

Rulers of other countries had spent holidays among its tropical rainforests, fresh water springs, date palm orchards and its crystal clear sea shores. Gone are the good old days. The country now suffers from any natural fresh water sources; coral reefs have been totally destroyed as a result of the ill-advised policies of sea reclamation to provide more land for the ever-hungry apetite of the sheikhs and princes and the massive fruit and vegetable fields have all but disappeared. Bahrain has lost to Qatar and Dubai as a major business centre in the Gulf region. Many businesses have left in recent years as the extent of corruption by the ruling family was exposed.

What makes the situation even worse is the ongoing political strife that has engulfed the country for the past thirty years. Political prisoners are languishing behind bars on the orders of the self-styled “king” who acts as one of the worst military dictators in the world. He is surround by an army of lieutenants who have no regard to human lives, public freedoms or political openness. The  royal palace runs a large number of Death Squads who act outside the law, killing political and human rights activists in the streets, the latest of their victims is Moosa Jaffar Mulla Khalil whose car was booby trapped by these evil agents. Their victims include Ali Jassim, Abbas Al Shakhouri, Mahdi Abdul Rahman, Mohammad Jum’a Al Shakhouri and Khalil Nooh Al Nooh. All were subjected to extra-judicial killings. None of their killers had been brought to justice, and no independent inquiries has ever been set up.

Bahrain is a country in crisis. The hereditary dictatorship has failed every opportunity to reconcile with the natives, both Shia and Sunni, and insisted on ruling Bahrain with the mentality of military occupation. Members of the Al Khalifa occupy most of the senior political and managerial positions. Out of 28 cabinet posts, 17 are occupied to them. The seminar that is being held now at the Hilton Hotel is chaired by one of their members, Daij Al Khalifa. He is the imposed chairman of the General Organisatio of Seat Ports. The same happens in almost every official body from ministries to directorates or agencies. Bahrain is swamped by the Al Khalifa occupiers who have lived in seclusion from the natives. Bahrainis are now the underdogs of the country especially in light of the political naturalisation programme imposed by the ruler.

The policies of the Al Khalifa occupiers have been condemned by the international bodies including Human Rights Watch, Article 19, Front Line Defenders and others. The recent comments by senior politicians, such as Bill Rammell, the UK’s Minister of State, about the treatment of political prisoners especially those who had been paraded on TV screens, have exposed the extent of violations of human rights by the Al Khlalifa occupiers.

You are requested to support the struggle of the people of Bahrain against these occupiers who have plundered the wealth and land of Bahrain and subjected the natives to horrific tales of abuse, enslavement and terror. Please add your voice to those who call for the unconditional release of political prisoners, a stop to the political naturalisation programme that aims at changing the demographic balance in the country and the drawing up of a democratic constitution to be drafted by the people. Your support is vital to struggle to end oppression and establish justice in the troubled land of Bahrain.

Bahrain Freedom Movement
12 June 2009