Bahrain: Deeper crisis on 35th anniversary of independence

Following the submission last week of the largest petition to the Office of the United Nations Secretary General, calling for a new democratic constitution, a new phase in the struggle has begun.

 While the Al Khalifa regime has attempted to downgrade the significance of the petition and its implications, the situation in that troubled island will not be the same again. The ruling family may have some political games over the past five years, and may continue to do so in the short term, but on the medium to long term, the balance of power in the country is set to change in favour of the people’s demand for democracy and good governance. The petition is likely to open up a wider public debate within the country as well as among those with interests in the affairs of Bahrain. It is now clear security cannot be achieved in the world without institutionalising democratic practices and eradicating despotism and dictatorship. The regime in Bahrain is a hereditary dictatorship, which, in recent years, has codified tools of repression. It has legalised totalitarianism and killing on political grounds.

The move to internationalise the plight of the people of Bahrain coincides with the 35th anniversary of independence which falls on 15th August when the British withdrew from the Gulf in 1971. That withdrawal was conditioned by the writing of the first contractual constitution in 1973. A National Assembly was subsequently elected in accordance with that constitution which was the source of the legitimacy of the Al Khalifa rule. The prime Minister, Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, moved swiftly to end the brief democratic experiment after the people’s representatives refused to endorse the notorious State Security Law. The National Assembly was thus dissolved on 26th August 1975. For the following 25 years the country passed through the bleakest period in its history and has never recovered from the absolute hereditary dictatorship since then. In that period, the people of Bahrain suffered on every level, with enormous human suffering including arbitrary arrests, torture, extra-judicial killings and banishment.

Since the present ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa assumed power upon the death of his father in 1999, the country has been plunged in a darker period with absolute rule by Sheikh Hamad who has concentrated all powers in his hands. He has even given himself discretionary powers to change the demography of the country through the granting of Bahraini nationality to foreigners. In the past few months several draconian laws have been imposed in the country, which are harsher in nature and consequences than the notorious State Security Law.

The last of these is the Terrorism Law which widens the concept of terrorism to include peaceful opposition to the Al Khalifa dictatorship. It has now been ratified and is expected to be put into effect shortly after the forthcoming pseudo-elections for half the members of the Shura Council, which is a powerless body created to safeguard the interests of the ruling family. Several human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Article 19 and the International Commission of Jurists have protested against this draconian law, but to no avail.

It is our view that the international community should take action against this ancient regime that has attempted to deceive the outside world about the reality of its policies and aims. As scores of political prisoners languish in Al Khalifa torture chambers, the feelings of the citizens are becoming more volatile as anger sweeps across the country. With the submission of the largest-ever popular petition to the United Nations, the world community is urged to listen to the grievances and demands of the people of Bahrain who aspire to rid themselves of this hereditary dictatorship. It is time for action, if insecurity in the region is to be averted. The Al Khalifa rule is providing fertile grounds for more outburst of public anger on one hand, and for extremism and terrorism among the “new Bahrainis” imported from the heartlands of Al Qa’ida. Let us join hands together against absolute despotism and hereditary dictatorship.

Bahrain Freedom Movement
23rd August 2006