Bahrain: Volatile situation as ruling family undertakes revenge
The situation in Bahrain appears to be entering a new phase as new political polarisations unfold and Sheikh Hamad’s political programme falters.
There are now new fault lines between the people of Bahrain and the ruling Al Khalifa family; and fears are growing that a new campaign of collective punishment against the native majority Baharna. This follows months of non-stop protests and pickets, international negative reports about the government, intensification of repression and sharp rises in commodities.
To face these developments the ruling family has undertaken the following steps:
1- The cabinet, headed by Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, who has been prime minister since 1971, has threatened any public employee if he-she shows signs of non-conformity with policies of the ruling family, oppose its political agenda. The new threat issued on Sunday was so outrageous that it openly threatens Bahrainis with dismissal from jobs if they take part in open protests, rallies or demonstrations. This repressive measure is likely to lead to more attacks on the natives but it is also likely to cause more frustration and could lead to more protests. The future of Bahrain has never looked more bleaker. The cabinet appears also to be putting final touches to plans of collective punishment against the natives in various villages. The Al Khalifa aggression may begin with an onslaught on Al Malkiyya town whose youth have allegedly made few Molotov cocktail to defend the town against aggression by the foreign-staffed security forces. In recent days several towns and villages have been targeted by Death Squads for writing anti-regime slogans and calls for democracy and an end to hereditary dictatorship.
2- The media run by agents of the ruling family has waged a war against the people of Bahrain, and targeted the opposition in the most vicious way.
In today’s Al Watan newspaper, which is the mouthpiece of the regime has labelled the anti-Al Khalifa campaigners as saboteurs, agents of foreign powers and destructive elements. It has named prominent figures inside the country and outside in this campaign without providing the slightest of proofs. Since the country has become a police state theirs are the only voices that are allowed, and those aggrieved have no right of reply to these slanders and unfounded allegations. The ruling family has recently imposed the Press Law that ensures no one gets out of step with the regime.
3- As a prelude to more aggression, the media, instigated by members of the ruling family has repeatedly targeted Bahraini political exiles, especially those residing in UK. The ruling family has been angered by the granting of political asylum to several Bahraini activists by several countries including UK. This is despite the policies of deception adopted by the ruling family aimed at distorting the facts about the real repression inside the country.
4- Ten days ago the ruling family passed harsh sentences against ten people for their activities in opposing the hereditary dictatorship and opposing the authoritarian regime of Sheikh Hamad. Hassan Abdul Nabi, an active member of the National Committee of the Unemployed was sentenced to seven years in jail for organising pickets and protests. Four youth were sentenced to five years: Maytham Bader Jassim Al Sheikh, Isa Al Sarh, Naji Ali Fateel and Mohammad Abdulla Al Singace. Six were sentenced to one year: Ali Ahmad Al Mahdi, Hussain Abdul Hassan Al Khatam, Ahmad Jaffar Mohammad Ali, Hussain Shakir Fardan, Mahmood Hassan Saleh and Ahmad Abdul Hadi Salman.
5- These sentences have outraged the Bahrainis and their supporters especially among the human rights activists. They were seen as a revenge for the continued resistance adopted by Bahrainis against the ruling family which has failed to investigate the crimes of torture. The victims had shown their wounds during the show trial, and challenged Mohammad Al Khalifa, the “independent” judge, to order an investigation. It must be pointed out that Sheikh Hamad had offered torturers impunity from prosecution with his notorious Law 56/2002.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
21st July 2008