Bahrain: Dictator received by Cameroon, detested by exiles as new martyr killed
On 17th August 16-years old Hussam Al Haddad from Muharraq was martyred by regime’s forces. He was shot by members of Death Squads which are run and managed by the dictator’s palace.
He was seriously injured after being shot in the back with a shotgun. Images of his horrific wounds in the back indicate that he was running away from police, not confronting them as they claim. This is extra-judicial killing ordered by the dictator himself. Two days earlier he had addressed the people threatening the adoption of “iron-fist” policy against demonstrators calling for regime change. Within 48 hours of that threat a young man, full of life, was wasted. This is a crime that had been committed with cold blood by regime’s forces which showed no remorse after their murderous onslaught against a Bahraini youth. Alkhalifa crime did not stop there. During the funeral of the martyr on Tuesday, people were mercilessly targeted by police using chemical and tear gases. More than ten people were arrested and tortured on the spot.
Yesterday a handful of Bahraini activists were briefly detained by police as they protested against the dictator as he met British PM, David Cameron. Outside Downing Street the activists ran towards the official car carrying the dictator who had spent about 40 minutes with Mr Cameron.
They shouted slogans against Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa who was summoned by London for a strong rebuke at his failure to implement any meaningful reform. The whole world has now realised it is dealing with a regime that is so detached from the idea of reform that it could not be trusted to implement its promises of constitutional changes. Bahrainis have not stopped their daily and nightly demonstrations. Day in day out they have organised themselves into a formidable force that has challenged the collective onslaught by the regime’s forces.
Meanwhile Amnesty International called on the British Prime Minister, David Cameron to “make it crystal clear that the UK will not stand idly by while Bahrain proceeds to lock up its dissidents”. It said reforms in recent months had been a “facade”. Human Rights Watch has accused Bahrain’s police of continuing to beat and torture detainees, including minors. UK Government has all along supported the corrupt Alkhalifa family unreservedly. It has failed to condemn outright its crimes of torture and extra-judicial killings even after the publication of the Bissioni report, and refused to meet representatives of the 14th February Revolution. In addition to sending John Yates, the disgraced former Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner who was forced to resign his post following the phone-hacking scandal a Scotland Yard team had been dispatched to Bahrain. Since they arrived ten weeks ago, repression has intensified.
Yesterday the Government of Bahrain was reported to have spent or allocated at least US$ 32.5 million for the services of eighteen different London and Washington DC based companies, to improve its image in the Western media, since the start of pro-democracy protests last February. This is according to a new project called PR Watch launched on Thursday by research and activist group Bahrain Watch. The ongoing goal of PR Watch is to monitor and document the activities of each public relations company working for Alkhalifa family. Some staff of these companies were present at a special seminar held on Thursday at the House of Lords and chaired by Lord Avebury. The annual seminar which had been held over the past 15 years to mark the Independence Day, was addressed by Lawyer Mohammad Al Tajir, human rights activist Yousuf Al Mahafdah, Hussain Abdulla of the US-based Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain and Professor Rodney Shakespeare. A torture victim, Sayyed Ahmad Al Wadaei highlighted the torture inflicted on him during his detention last year.
Also yesterday, Frontline Club, which is one of the main bastion for London-based journalists held a special seminar on Bahrain chaired by Brian Whittaker, of The Guardian. It was addressed by Mohammad Al Tajir, Marc-Owen Jones, a researcher at Durham University and Carla Ferstman of Redress.
Various aspects of Bahraini Revolution were debated. The failure of the Alkhalifa regime to undertake any real reform was also highlighted. Special images were displayed.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
24th August 2012