Disastrous day for the Al Khalifa and a victorious one for the people of Bahrain
Calls are being made for an urgent investigation into the misadventure ordered by the royal palace in Bahrain last week after it emerged that several people were injured as a result of police aggression. The uprising of Friday 2nd February had shocked the Al Khalifa occupiers and forced them to concede defeat as wave after wave of protesters emerged in various parts of the country not only to challenge their authority but also to declare their rejection of the hereditary dictatorship and its outdated mode of rule.
The uprising was a spontaneous reaction by the people to arrest earlier that day of the two popular heroes: Mr Hassan Mushaime’, the Secretary General of Haq Movement and Mr Abdul Hadi Al Khawaja, the President of the Bahrain Centre of Human Rights. The arrest was an act of aggression against the people of Bahrain by the Al Khalifa occupiers and was allegedly linked to the speeches delivered by the two on Monday evening (20th January) in Manama in which they allegedly blamed the ruler, Sheikh Hamad, for the deteriorating political and economic situation in the country.
The arrest was carried out in a vicious way with armed police adopting harsh tactics to subdue the two public figures. The Al Khalifa’s venture failed disastrously. Not only did they fail to impress the world of the wisdom, legality or wisdom of their crime, but their action became a public relations fiasco. They ended in a similar situation as that of the Zionists after their ill-fated aggression against Lebanon. They were forced to withdraw in humiliation as their position became untenable. From Daih to Sanabis and Jidhafs in the North of the country to Karzakkan and Sitra in the South, the people rose in anger and the position of the Al Khalifa occupiers become so tenacious that a “friendly” big power intervened and told them to release the two public heroes lest they are comprehensively defeated.
The streets of Bahrain became battlefield between the people of Bahrain and the mercenaries employed by the Al Khalifa occupiers. Pickets, demonstrations, fires and slogans became the order of the day. The mercenaries used extensive fire power, including tear gas canisters, rubber bullets and other projectiles. In his press conference yesterday, Mr Hassan Mushaime’ exhibited the wide range of repressive tools adopted by the mercenaries during their early morning assault on his house. The aggression was intended to spread fear in the hearts of the victims and break their will. It has now transpired that these methods failed to produce the intended results, and the aggressors had to back away from their plan.
The people of Bahrain, however, continue to pay the price. Scores of young men were wounded in the clashes between the freedom fighters and the mercenaries, property was damaged and scores were arrested, but subsequently released. The events are yet another indication of the divergence of relations between the two sides, the failure of Sheikh Hamad’s political programme and the continuing strength of the anti-Al Khalifa forces. The regime’s attempt to test the popularity of the opposition leaders has backfired and it is now time that the international community adopt deterrence means against this illegitimate regime in order to end the suffering of the people of Bahrain.
On another level, concerns are growing for the safety of a young Bahraini, arrested by Al Khalifa death squads for the past six weeks. On 26th December 2006, Kumail Hussain Al Manami, 24, from Ma’amir, was arrested following a protest in Duraz. He remained in torture cell without charge or trial. His ordeal has continued for the past six weeks. It is feared that he is being subjected to torture and ill-treatment.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
5th February 2007