I’m not sure what the Ministry of the Interior wants to achieve by its continuous excessive use of force.
If this is their idea of instilling love for the country, they failed; if it is their intention to protect public and private property, they failed, their habitual use of tear gas and rubber bullets and other “crowd control” measures probably damage more properties than demonstrators do; if they want to live up to the “security” label in their name, they failed, you do not provide security by adopting terror tactics; if they want to cow people and dissuade them from talking about or participating in political activities, they failed, you do not do that by intimidation in fact the ministry’s action only strengthens the hand of the opposition and increase their sympathisers when they see images like these.
It is despicable that the ministry whose main task is to “serve and protect” is the very one that does quote the opposite.
The time has come for that ministry and its overlords to take real stock of their mandate and the situation on the ground to reevaluate their role as it is very clear to me that their leadership have lost their compass. It is high time for that compass to be restored and measures put in place to not allow the ministry to simply become a mercenary force whose only task is to the legal terror-mongering branch of government.
Talk. Discuss. Understand what the actual reasons for this discontent and work toward effecting a permanent fix. This is the way the government and the opposition should adopt. Continuous skirmishes will only lead to a further departure of opportunities from Bahrain.
Comments
Dear Mahmood, I like you coz u r frake and I always read what you write but sir this topic is completely wrong and one sided.You dont know what happens when these problems come up we r hit and abused verbally but we dont do anything coz we r ordered soo… the ministry does this when there is no other option….every day in their villages specially near bahrain mall , i am specifically saying this area coz passers can see it. They burn and break public property for no reason just to create mischief, what happened during F1 this year, the day it started they started creating problems, why r they doing this to their own country , its their land. We policemen r hit and abused verbally why. And for your kind information bahrain police is the most linient one, can u push a policeman in saudi or elsewhere in the gulf . Can u abuse or say bad words to a police man else where they spit on police push us and say bad to our mothers which r non but their own. WHY? You think we cannot be extremists like them.. we can and we r well trained we can do lot more then what you can imagine but we dont… we r low towards all this coz we r peace loving and these mischief makers are non but our own young guys like me who r being shown the wrong path. Come to both sides and then decide who is right and who is wrong , come and see it for yourself… when it comes to roits in the fields..
May i just ask how old is this kid?
What kind of harm might come out of this kid in the picture?
What could he possibly have done to deserve a beating like this?
Poor kid
For those who have not participated in demonstrations, i have. And in each and every one, it was always the riot police to hit first. But yet, the news papers (who kiss the governments arse day and night) put us to blame if we react to the attacks we suffer.
Many years back, while i was still in Bahrain, i participated in a peaceful demonstration at the American Embassy with fellow students. We stood there peacefully, and suddenly one of the policemen hit one of the boys standing up front with a baton on his face. Why? Just why?
And it turned into a really violent riot, where even a policeman was set on fire!
The one by the central market, where if you remember, the police did attack 1st, and the king even removed minister of interior immediately the next day, and replaced him!
Is that not enough proof who begin the violence?
And of course, news papers like the GDN will report it against the demonstrators. They create the violence, and then the victims are also at fault in the end.
The demonstration in Ras Romman, which turned into a riot. A peaceful demonstration, who even Shaikh Ali Salman and Isa Qasem were there, and we marched peacefully, young and old, and expressed our opinions. No one insulted the riot police, or attacked the British Embassy. We turned around, and ended our march peacefully at the mosque, they left, and as we returned to the back door of the embassy to protest, we saw the police get closer to us, and were walking towards us, and then tear gas comes flying from the back towards us. Everyone panicked, especially because there were women against us! And they ran. The riot police chased us to the main road, and young people began to fight back, and it broke into a riot.
And what did they write in the papers? Rioters clash with riot police near the embassy. And i still have a copy of the paper for that incident.
We cannot express freedom of speech “which we were promised” and if you did, you would be inciting hatred against the “regime”.
Funny really, but then again, this is Bahrain.
Now this will create a chain of more demonstrations that will wreak even more havoc. And it will backfire into the face of the victim as well in the end, and the demonstrators will be labeled as “causing instability in the kingdom’s security and slowing down the development of Bahrain’ which also affect the cash flow of the pockets of the Hamours.
if police uses excessive force against “legal” authorised protesters then its a big problem .. but go to anywhere in the civilised world … if the protest is not legal. the police has the rights to stop it.
it will make more sense to criticise the gov. body which gives the green or red lights to protests. but as for police work… they are doing great job. and they been patient for so long.
i was in legal protest in Scotland and know how the police behave… very kind and helpful… and i saw what happen in Edinburgh in an illegal protests in the G8 summit days, they same police was so aggressive and blood was everywhere. same happened in Genoa Italy, US. so instead of us giving the heads up for our hardworking policemen for their dedication to establish order in the country, we are accusing them for something that is not in their hands in the first place.
“Continuous skirmishes will only lead to a further departure of opportunities from Bahrain”
exactly ,… i blame the people who are flaming these problems and brainwashing these kids to do all this awful things…. u want ur needs to be dealt with … there are legal panels … go to parliament . discuss do whatever u want legally …. why all this mess, burning cars, burning policemen throwing acids on police and terror!!!
Author
mahmood, you of all people would know that the law is never ever applied in this land. You are promised freedom of speech, but how many times have you been sued, had your site blocked and the rest of the things they do defame you?
Once again, welcome to Bahrain!
You gotta love the government spammers.
I almost forgot, your only crime was practicing your constitutional right, promised to you by the king and the national charter.
part a. is about meeting privately and protests are not a private matter.
part b. permits the assemblies under the rules and conditions laid down by law “what are they!! … and why don’t lawmakers try to change them if these laws are not in the benefit of the citizens?? .. .
!!!
“but the purposes and means of the meeting must be peaceful and must not be prejudicial to public decency”
now tell me what happens in budaiyah highway , sitra, snabis comply to this !! …
and please don’t rewind the tape on police started it… its a kidz talk ! yah police will through a molotov on its own car , will burn a police man , through acid and burn tyres and cylinders ! …
What do you expect? A pat on their shoulder? So it’s mighty fine for them to break, burn and swear at whoever but please for the love of god do not do anything to them, they are a bunch of rageful youth. Yeah yeah yeah go on and burn anything in sight and beat up anyone who opposes you.
This has got to stop and in a place where you are promoting equality and democracy, you get pro and anti things. But don’t get upset if someone opposes you because you will definitely get someone who will oppose you. Like it or not.
Please stop being one sided, for the record, I am NOT with anyone but don’t make it one sided.
I am a Bahraini. I would like people to ID my as a Bahraini, not as a Sunni or a Shia. I am against what is taking place against the “Shia” population in Bahrain by the government.
However, Shia in Bahrain have a long way to learn on how to to deal with such a government. Shia in Bahrain need first to get their act straight, within each other, then to put their hand with each other to find a peaceful way, yet powerful, to let the government understand that what it is doing is wrong.
Man, I can’t see a light at the end of the tunnel.
This country was founded on sectarian discrimination. Everyone knows it, and in every country in this world, the Shia are oppressed. It is a fact! And this is not new, this has existed since the time of Imam Ali!
I am not trying to stir anything up here. But i speak of facts.
Throughout history, we have been marginalized. Why?
In Ashoora, people put up stalls preaching to people to hold hands with our Sunni brothers, and help build this country and rid it of sectarian hatred and discrimination. And there was the distribution of the No Shia No Sunni, Just Bahraini buttons as well. I was proud to see people wanting to work hard to create equality between people. And at another stall, they were demanding that the justice of the people who were tortured be served.
I leave the country, and return here only to read in the GDN website that 2 activists were arrested for “inciting hatred against the regime, and using the Ashoora period to attract supporters”. Now, if asking people to be united and work together for a better future is inciting hatred against the government, then what good is there that we can do to make equality existant in Bahrain?
Or maybe its just the government does not want to provide equality?
I can’t help my self to anything but agree with you, I love Bahrain it has been my country and my great grandfathers country for so many years, but i fear that it really has no future since all of this rage is filling up the air in the country.
crimes
riots
people being thrown to jail for no reason
NO JOBS
NO CHEAP FLATS (housing problem)
No beach
no night life
no freedom of religion
no freedom of speech
what happened to the great country that i knew once?
would i be blamed if i said i don’t want my kids to be born in this environment??
poor kid why was he beating up? for what reason? at his age i don’t think that he is that harmful. unless he is a part of this secret society which is aided by a foreign country which wants to destroy the whole universe starting from Bahrain. (it is illogical)
Hey you guys, shut up before America realizes that Bahrain is run by a bunch of dictators, and they will come with their “war on terror” crap and invade the country and say we have weapons of mass destruction and that they are freeing us from the tyranny of the rulers and all the crap that follows, and not to mention, that they will come to fight for the freedom of America as well.
Do you not just love Bahrain?
This whole situation sucks,
I have never attended one of these peaceful demonstrations for just this reason;
Firstly, if you look at the peace keepers / officers on duty at such events, you would immediately grasp that the majority if not all of them are actually not Bahraini. They are imported bullies. This shows distrust by the Government towards its citizens.
A Police man’s job is to Serve & Protect. It’s just unclear who they are serving or protecting, definitely not the public.
Authorities present at peaceful rallies should never ever and under no circumstances use force.
The government should realize that there are lots of frustrated youths out there who are fed up of the empty promises, the non existence of a transparency government on ALL matters and a lack of progressive initiatives aimed at enhancing people’s lives.
Lands are being sold off to foreigners, jobs exported, the list goes on and on; through all of this people are expected to shut up and not express their frustrations (even if it is a given right by the LAW of the land).
At some point the government pushes and frustrated people push back.
I loathe violence; violence only begets more violence.
The next time a rally is held, it should be broadcast live and from all angles, on the BTV satellite channel. Then we will know who the real liars are.
No one would then be able to coverup / falsify the events that occurred.
CX
As I recall, under the public gatherings law, any gathering greater than 5 people needs to get ‘authorised’. I was in the demo during the F1, that did not get ‘authorised’ and saw what happened. People were pretty pissed off that they weren’t allowed to protest, and the goons were there ready to attack you if u were walking along in a group of 3 or more people. Needless to say our eyeballs got dissolved in tear gas. Why?
I can understand the anger vented against the foreign goons who embody everything that is wrong with bahrain.
You’ve hit the nail on the head. What is happening and why? Any answers?
Amartya Sen gave a speech at the Melbourne Town Hall in May 2001.
“Global Doubts as Global Solutions”
The world needs more interaction – not less. To recognize this is the very opposite of an invitation to become a well-frog, a kupamanduka. The first step is to ask the questions that have to be asked. To dismiss, as is often proposed, the doubts that the protestors raise on the ground the answers given by the protesters are crude and inadequate would be quite the wrong response. Doubts and protests do not have to be exactly right to be productive and fruitful. Their most immediate function is not to allow under-examined but critically important questions to pass by, in Francis Bacon’s words, “lightly without intervention.” We must do better than that. We owe it to the world.
Salman: Everyone knows it, and in every country in this world, the Shia are oppressed. It is a fact!
Salman, do try to calm down a bit. In Western countries, Sunni Muslims are harried and persecuted in the same way as the Shia. Everybody who is a Muslim is hated and oppressed as a Muslim and as a potential terrorist. When the tough lads come to lambaiste you as a Muslim, they will hardly know the difference between Shia and Sunni. 🙁
I know: it is not much of a consolation. 🙁 Mahmood, did the poor lad lose an eye? It sure looks so. 🙁
i don’t know… i can’t help but to blame both sides. i see these young, violent youths… many of them go to the school down the street from us. they are nothing but trouble. i do not dare to drive my car when they’re getting ready for school, on break or whatever they take or out of school. they get in the roads, refuse to let me pass and taunt me more or less… just daring me to move my vehicle. it’s ridiculous and i hate it.
we’ve had riots in our neighborhood and i’ve seen how some of these protesters act. i wouldn’t want to be the police or anyone nearby. they take great joy out of creating havoc… and expect not to have anything done to them if they behave this way.
i think some areas of society here has no limits. they think they can take what they want, do what they want, act as they want and there should be no consequences. this isn’t how life is.
in the states if you had ppl throwing stones and such at riot police, they’d be arrested and maybe even beaten… if the police could get away w/ it. i disagree w/ excessive force, but i also disagree w/ ppl thinking that their children or family can do no wrong and when these ppl are arrested they protest, go down to the police station, or anything humanly possible to get these ppl released.
it’s all a crock if you ask me…. i wonder if it’ll ever end.
i agree w/ what was in the GDN today… ppl can’t expect to have things handed to them on a silver platter. it just isn’t like this… life isn’t that easy. maybe families need to change they way they are raising their children. but again, i can’t see it happening.
A learner of Arabic,
I speak of the arab and muslim nations, and not the western countries.
They consider us terrorists here in the West, forgetting their history and past of the savage conquering they had done? And even today they carry on their acts of invading countries.
Before they speak of Jihad, let them look in the history books and learn about something called the Crusades.
Now, back to our lovely land of equality, Bahrain.
Crying shame! I hope he recovers completely!
Next week G8 Summit takes place in Heiligendamm, Germany not far from my hometown. I wish we don’t have to see pictures like this!
My government is currently doing it’s best to cut down our right for assembly and freedom of expression. They spend 12,000,000€ for a fence around the summit site, positioned 30000 policemen and tried to prohibit demonstrations so a few “leaders of the world” can produce their verbal diarrhea.
My respect for the people in your country that stand up for human rights!
Salman,
The west are not the only ones who invade other countries.
Really… I get so tired of everything being blamed on America.
To continue this way… things will never change here because no one wants to take any responsibility. And it’s a good way to take the focus off of what is really happening in this part of the world. It’s easy to point fingers…
“in every country in this world, the Shia are oppressed.”
Only in the Middle East, I think, not everywhere in the world.
” Talk. Discuss. Understand what the actual reasons for this discontent and work toward effecting a permanent fix. This is the way the government and the opposition should adopt. Continuous skirmishes will only lead to a further departure of opportunities from Bahrain.”
True, could not agree more. We have to realize though that we are still experiencing the sensitivities caused by years of the “state security” law. There is a lack of trust between the population and the police. The fact that most of the police, especially riot police, are not Bahraini and the new restrictive public gathering laws are adding to this. It will be long before a trust can be established between the people and the government, the ministry of interior in particular.
It took all of15 posts before someone threw
AMERICAS NAME INTO THE BLAMING POOL. Right on!
lets not distort the facts here, i saw a video of AHK’s speech that night and two possible words i would use to describe it are “inciting hatred!”
i have no sympathy for the kids who grafitti other people’s property, orattack police either. where the hell are their parents??
the job of the police is not to be popular with the public, and it is not particularly to protect citizens who did not follow the law and get permission for their gathering. it is to protect the public at large.
at the end of the day, they are just doing their job, and frankly lately it seems that the police dont have the authority to do anything. whatever they have been instructed from above, clearly they are too lenient with criminals now which makes criminals unafraid.
let us see what happens to the local (who has already been identified) who beat another local male in a parking lot a few days ago and left him still fighting for his life. repeatedly kicking someone and causing internal injuries due to a simple disagreement? this lack of fear and this makrama business is making criminals unafraid to go out and commit crimes, they are NOT afraid of the police anymore. is this right?
i say, whenever people commit crimes, arrest them, no matter who they are, try them and if they are guilty, even if they are police, put them away, so that the rest of us can be safe.. keep the makramas, and let the rest of us earn our living.
Pingback: Global Voices Online » Bahrain: Police Excessive Use of Force
Um Naief,
Who went to America, and made it their own, and left its true people with nothing?
How much of Africa have the European countries invaded? Bahrain itself was a British colony!
There is no justice in Bahrain. Never was, and never will be!
i see these young, violent youths… many of them go to the school down the street from us. they are nothing but trouble.
I’m afraid that that problem is not limited to Bahrain either. In fact, sometimes I tend to think that one major flaw which modern society has just about everywhere is that there is no place for young men, in any country. They are full of testosterone and unfulfilled expectations, and end up making some kind of trouble – in a way, both Middle Eastern terrorism and Western urban gang culture are part of the same problem. Young women? Them you can always marry off (in the Middle East) or they can always find a lover somewhat elder than themselves, who already has an education and a job (in the West). It’s just young men who are left in the limbo.
And let me add: the trouble with young men can never be solved by police violence. Maybe contained for some time, but not solved.
Salman,
You really need to stop focusing on the past. Ok… these things happened… why keep focusing on them. This is why things are soooo slow to change. Some ppl just can’t let go. I’m part Native American Indian but I don’t focus on this. I could, but what’s the point? Life is to be lived… what’s the point in blaming someone else for your problems?
Why is it that you guys have to constantly bring the west into everything? It’s time to focus on the issues in this part of the world…. if you’re from this part. I truly do not believe that Bahrain’s problems have anything to do w/ the fact that they were occupied by the British. I mean… come on. What a stretch is that?!!! The blame rests on the shoulders of the guys that are causing this crap. the ones that expect everything to be handed to them on a silver platter… including jobs, money, homes… you name it, they expect it. Life isn’t like this.
Um Naief,
Typical response; why can’t they just be ‘good poor obedient buggers’ in the words of Nido blog. The poor are uncivilised, dumb and ungrateful…get rid of them, it’s all the parents fault; who are also uncivilised, dumb and ungrateful. Just leave us rich folk to enjoy our nice cosy compounds and sushi.
Um Naeif, stick to the toilet humour, i beg you.
Just me,
please…. get a grip.
i never said anything about poor my dear… for i know lots of wealthy that believe and raise their children to believe that all should be handed to them on a silver platter.
what makes you believe i live in a compound and eat sushi?
might wanna check your facts….
but.. you did get one thing right.
A very informative article from wikipedia about riots:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riot
It shows both responses usually occur when a riot goes out of control.
I hope and pray to Allah for speedy recovery of Mr Ali and Inshalla he will regain his eye sight as wel.
I would like to recall an incident which happened during formula 1 . Two of my friends (Indian’s) were stopped and beaten and there company car was trashed by so called peaceful demonstrations . Both of my friends are married and one of them have three month old baby.I wish I had some photo to show , my friend still have plaster on his fingers and the wound from stabbing still there . The car is been cancelled and the insurance company are not willing to give any thing as it was not insured for PEACEFUL GATHERING OR DEMONSTRATION !
What did they do to desrve this type of beating , after 10 to 10 shift ?
Come on Mahmood don’t encourage our youngster to do these type of things . You are an educated person I am sure you can help them or teach them that this is not the way things can be solved .
The police Bahrani or non Bahrani are doing there job to protect us.
I hope and pray to Allah that he keep us away from evil.
Yes yes, Just Me has the solution. All the poor and working class people are to be exiled, and the rich and wealthy remain in Bahrain.
That way we will have no one complaining that they do not have jobs, or a good income to keep up with the inflation. There would be no reason to moan, because all will live a perfect life. No crime as well, what else do you want?
I guess that means me and my family are out of the country if they apply that.
The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer, as easy as that.
And Um Naief, you seem to forget that influence Britain still has on Bahrain? Ever heard of someone called David Henderson? Or better known as Butcher of Bahrain?
And young hooligans are everywhere, not just in Bahrain. At least in Bahrain, it is not as bad as it is in the west. Here you cannot have guns, or mobs and mafias.
People who come from outside Bahrain, have not seen the REAL Bahrain. What you see is the nice buildings, and the shiny windows of the sky scrapers, and the so called development. Come with me, i will take you inside Bahrain, and show you its true side.
Seen how well built the Diplomatic area is? Take a stroll inside Ras Romman, and look inside, and tell me if a country with all the natural recourses cannot offer to provide a better shelter for its people.
Heck, im still trying to accept how the houses are still standing!
When it came to Muharraq, the Prime Minister was ready to build them houses, and gave orders for the houses to be built immediately, with a very short time limit as well! Now, what about the houses in the rest of Bahrain? The villages where people are suffering everyday?
Or is it everyone for himself?
Let me tell you something, and let this be something that all can read :- If you have not experienced the suffering and poverty that most of Bahrain is suffering from, you will not understand what the whole issue is about.
The day you fall into their position, you will know how upset and frustrated they are, because you will be too.
And yes, violence is not the solution. But can you give us a better one? If the government is not hearing the cries of the suffering people, how else do you get their attention? Hmm?
Salman: Just correct the info it’s Ian Henderson not David, and for more info about him click on the link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Henderson_%28Britain%29
I love this site
ASKAD,
Thank you brother for correcting me, yes, it is Ian Henderson. I must have gotten carried away while typing.
Either way, a man who lives in Devon now, enjoying the green grass fields, and the luxurious mansions he owns, and walks away without being held accountable for the crimes he had commited.
Alas, his day will come, and he will be judged by the Almighty.
Yet another victim of the security forces found today
http://www.bahrainrights.org/node/1254
A Bystander gets shot in his eye with a rubber bullet
http://www.bahrainrights.org/node/1253
Bahraini citizen beaten severely, used as human shield
http://www.bahrainrights.org/node/1248
Citizen was beaten, his head was kicked
http://www.bahrainrights.org/node/1246
Author
and until the Almighty intervenes, we still have this to talk rationally about:
please be my guests. Concentrate on the real issues and let the sectarian divide aside together with personal issues. It is our responsibility, all of us, to at least think of solutions which we might adopt and adapt to our situation to make our country better. Pointing fingers won’t solve anything.
The basic fact is the absence – or perceived absence to some – of social justice and reparations for past injustices. How might we tackle these issues? How can we guide the powers that be to consider these issues and help them resolve them to Bahrain’s benefit?
This is something that i normally try to forget, but for some reason it keeps popping back… In relation to the damage suffered (physically/mentally) to the young lad, and the other guy in the Al-Wasat paper, they say…. ايقولونthat force or rather excessive force is normally used when the arrestee resists, or otherwise demonstrates a threat or attack. In Gods name does this guy look like he could put up a fight… I can assure you that he most probably got bullied at the خباز que a few times.
I myself have been a victim of police abuse, I thank God that I had never been tortured or beat up like our poor friend, I only got slapped around hard, spat at, verbally abused (the kind of abuse that makes you retaliate no matter how insignificant you are) and I have witnessed an absolute abuse of the police uniform. To add to all this I was released, and as I walked out of the station, I get re-arrested again by an incoming police patrol.. Talk about bad luck… The funny thing about it all is that I was just driving through when a riot broke out…
Some say it’s a one sided story or an isolated event, in normal circumstances I would agree of giving the other side the chance to clarify, but when this is a normal every other week occurrence… come on buddy.. snap out of it, and wake up… It’s 2007 and not 1994. Whatever happened to ethics, human feelings??? I have heard crap (infact lots of it), but these incidents are becoming regular. A blast from the past, just like the ex-girlfriend you did’nt want to see.
More interestingly, lets see how those MP’s play this one out… or more dust to be brushed under the carpet.
violence is not the solution. the following are just a few suggestions off the top of my head:
1. study. learn. as i assume you are doing in the UK now. study as much as you can, everything you can, and beside studying, educate yourself. learn so that you can contribute to the betterment of your country.
2. if you are studying, i dont know how you are supporting yourself, either you are working or you have a scholarship. work. take any job. don’t look down at any job, as long as it is honest and decent. if everyone does that nobody will be unemployed. when you take a job, work hard, do your best and earn whatever dinars you are paid, no matter how few and you will move up.
3. support people who work to change the unfair laws of the country by peaceful means. if you youself can be one of those people, even better.
4. when you have kids, raise them to know right from wrong, and educate them so they have better chances than you, so they understand their responsibilities and dont expect handouts.
4. be part of the solution instead of part of the problem.
5. recognize opportunities and make the most of them. get rid of the huge chip on your shoulder. nobody owes you anything and life is not fair. get with the program. some people dont have money, some people dont have parents, some people dont have legs, some people dont have eyesight, some people are born with AIDS. that doesnt mean they cant contribute or that they have the right to get angry at people more fortunate than themselves.
many successful people come from very humble beginnings. its not impossible.
and, if you dont love this place enough to do that, you can always move to another country where you think your life will be better. most probably, life wont be so easy there either.
p.s. almost all of us are working class , that doesnt even mean anything today.
when did this happen? was it recently?
around 1995… Nothing has changed, believe you me…
I still believe in the concept that one hand can’t clap, but still we have a long way to go before things get any better..
wow, lots of responses. Legal or illegal, the matter of police force should be restrained at all times. Crowds can take on a mind of its own so to speak, but as you said Mahmoud, when engaging people in civilized discourse, than all of it can be prevented.
There are parties who have real or imagined grievances and no matter what your opinion is of those grievances, listening goes a long way.
You are right Mahmoud, in all that you say. I do not agree with Dibujante that the legality makes it ok. For one thing, the G8summit are a bad examples as even in Germany recently, the G8 gov’ts are very proactively aggressive in quelching opposition.
Good luck with the situation. Cool heads usually prevail, but it takes more than a few of them to do so..
you ought to go in politics Mahmoud.. your logic and down to earth and your ‘Just Bahraini’ is an excellent platform for change. As much as you might say ‘I’m not a politician’.. it takes a non-politician, to make politics pallatable for the general people.. you already have name recognition..think about it.. (assuming that you could run for office)
Ingrid
And I did not even comment on the poor boy in the picture!! I hope he will not be permanantly injured in his eye, it looks pretty gruesome!
Ingrid
Dear Mohd
One feels only ashamed of what our “mercenary system” has succumed to. This fellow “Saeed Alkhayat” was not even part of any demonstrations when he was beaten by thr riot police. He was a bystander at the wrong place and wrong time.
le’t praise the king and love the government
Whoever still goes around saying all these protests are peaceful is either living in a dream world, or just an outright liar.
If any of these kids came near my family, I would literally beat the living shit out of them, the last thing on my mind would be wheather he is shiaa or sunna.
I will not let anyone approach my family in a threatening way during those gatherings, and don’t joke around, they are just waiting for the call to turn nasty.
Threaten me and I will be filled with fear. Filled with fear, I will not care about your safety.
I’d rather be in jail for crippling 10 threatening kids than have one of those sons of bitches harm a hair on any of my children.
I have already made this decision and there will be no hesitation.
Anon
Get a life!
Ignorance is one thing and ….. is another
Salman,
You say
I think you meant protectorate.
The devil, my friend, is always in the details. Even in riots.
jj
you’re back?!!! 🙂
Salman,
I understand your points… and where you’re coming from… but I still believe that ppl live too much in the past here. I know that ppl have been promised things and then not been given what they feel are their rightful dues… but that doesn’t mean you don’t try to better yourself and get what you want thru hard work and a willingness to make a difference.
I know this may be off the topic in a way… but you ask for solutions to problems… I don’t have any real solutions.. but I believe that education and hard work is one key to being successful. Many ppl spend too much time staying out all night, especially during holy periods, instead of getting sleep and concentrating on their work… but even before this, you have families that keep their children up all night and then send the children to school the next day. the kids are falling asleep and how can one comprehend and learn when they’re exhausted all the time? how can you ever hope to be successful and to try and make a difference if you don’t have an education? yes… some ppl are so poor that the children can’t go to school… ok, what about taking a job that one may consider to be beneath them in order to bring money in? anything to try and better oneself and make one’s situation better.
instead… ppl bitch about what they aren’t getting and expect hand-outs. maybe if ppl stopped bitching and tried bettering themselves, you’d see more coming your way. maybe there should be a law to keep kids in school.. instead of all the skipping. where are the parents? why is this allowed?
i know that i have worked w/ lots of bahrainis and the majority of them were lazy. sorry to say it, but it’s the truth. in govt jobs, they can’t be fired and so many take so much for granted because of this. maybe if more ppl were given chances and rewarded for their hard work and fired if they didn’t work, you’d see more jobs available for the ppl who are actually wanting to better themselves. i think this is something that should be seriously studied. and… a lot of ppl get their cousins hired, friends and such.. when they have no real experience. why is this happening? why aren’t ppl talking about this? personally, i would demand a change.
ppl need to educate themselves in order to compete for what they want and deserve in the world today.
re: that Ian Hendersen… I know nothing of him but I’ve heard others talk about him. I have heard about a guy from long ago that was here when my FIL was a young boy/man. Bill Graves was his name. I don’t believe in torture or of killing… this solves nothing. And I believe that ppl should be brought to justice for these things, but when you have a govt that is unwilling to do such, what can you do? Rioting will not change it. Sometimes it’s better to let go and move on, even if you don’t forget.
Also, I do believe that Bahrain should offer shelter for ppl in the way of homeless shelters or ways to help ppl learn a skill in order to find a job. Food banks for the poor, and places for the elderly that have no where to go. If I’m not mistaken, I saw something in the paper about unemployment pay coming soon… this is a move in the right direction. I just don’t believe that ppl should expect homes to be given… but I’m sure this is from my culture and the way I was raised.
Ingrid, Jandoe
Anti-globalisation protestors have a well deserved reputation for being very destructive. I stay far away from the demonstration site. I don’t want my car damaged by some ‘peace activist’ .
Salman
Everybody’s ancestors were doing bad things to everybody else’s ancestors. Live in the present, please. With very few exceptions, a country’s problems are due to the people living in it.
here we go again. everything you said was fine, except for this part. it’s a shame that you met so many lazy bahrainis, but i assure you we are NOT lazy. i have a theory about this but that is another topic.
meanwhile, please please people, we are NOT lazy. dont generalize, it is insulting and frustrating to keep hearing this.
This is what happens when you have an x-military (Bahrain Defense Forces) under secretary as a minister of interior.
This is what happens when you bring religion into the question. You have a bunch of bearded characters that talk until they erase the individual judgement of these youths and have them starting trouble. This is nothing that Bahrain needs at the time. If you are in favor of theocratic rantings than you are a supporter of regression and imminent economic implosion. The current economic climate desires stability, which is essential to Bahrain if it doesn’t want to fail against the competition. The ignorant ones that contribute to instability and turbulence are counterproductive and are delt with according to the law.
Wow nice one!
We want more such casualties!!
Keep it up our Police force.
Nice work!!
CWT,
I am studying with family support, who are struggling to fund me, but none the less, thank god for every state i live in. At least i am fortunate enough to be able to just push through.
And the qualification i am going to receive after i graduate will only get me into one job, and i know it is the job i want. But the job i want will not help anyone but myself and the company i work for. In no way will it change the governments treatment of its people.
We need the government to be aware of its unfair actions towards us, and the discrimination they maintain between Shia and Sunni, which we are trying to get rid off, and Mahmood has been doing a great job in helping to bring awareness to the people. We want them to realize their mistakes, and treat us all equal, regardless of our background, sect, family name, position in society, etc.
The force they used to restrain this young lad was unnecessary. This is now how you restrain someone.
In 1996, my uncle, and 2 of my cousins were arrested in Sanabis, along with 7 of their friends, one of whom was a policeman himself, just because they were smiling and joking about, and the police arrested them accusing them of “laughing at them”. It was during Ashoora. They were detained for 3 days, and had the shit kicked out of them, and were tortured. My family went crazy looking for them, because we did not know in which police station they were held. And most of all, my mother, who had raised my uncle as her own son, was on the verge of losing her mind. From police station to police station we went and searched, and we never found him. By then, they were being questioned of “who was with you?”. Who was with them? Their only crime was expressing human emotions?
On the 4th day, a white minibus with reflective tint came by the house, and they dropped them off, and it drove off. Their faces were bruised, their backs were scarred and bruised (and my uncle suffers back problems now from the torture), they suffered internal injuries, every part of their body was black and blue. They were not even recognizable!
Now, all that for expressing human emotion?
I also got bullied by a police patrol a few years ago in Manama, while walking to Naim with my friends. My friend said something funny, and i laughed out loud. And by coincidence, a police patrol car was driving past. They stopped, and the guy in the passenger seat asks me rudely “why were you laughing?” i told him “it is my human right to express my feelings, and i can laugh or cry, and i don’t think anyone has a right to stop me from doing so”. Suddenly they all get down, and they man handle me, and threaten to beat me up right there, and arrest me, and throw me in jail and all their crap. My friends and a lot of old men there came to reason with them. I did not try to though, i dared them to arrest me and to throw me in jail for expressing my right to express my human emotions. Their leader was even threating to slap and kick me all over the floor, and i dared him to do so, and we would see the end of it.
The control room ordered them to let me go, but yet took my details, and even gave me a warning not to repeat what i had done?
That is Bahrain for you! Policemen without brains or logical thinking.
As a riot police, all you do is restrain the rioter, not beat the crap out of him. Hold them down, handcuff them, and detain them and have them prosecuted, providing proof they had committed a crime. And at least now they bring their camera man, so at least they can for once provide hard evidence against you during prosecution.
I think this whole issue is going off course to personal issues… Let’s not forget the victim here… All I can say is that all (including the police) should exercise restraint and learn to respect eachother irregardless of religion, creed, race or whatever.. Last but not least the POLICE should live up to their name…
P olite (the need improvement here)
O bedient (they listen to what they have been told)
L oyal (ofcourse they are, or they would’nt be here)
I ntelligent (hmmm…. Obviously they have not realised it’s 2007)
C ourageous (Yep.. full of muscles, the picture speaks for it’s self)
E fficent (No loose ends here, and the damage is done)
Honestly… the POLICE do need some reform, the old guards need to get out, and the force needs re-structuring… It’s like cancer, if you don’t cut it out it will always remain and the chances of it spreading are definate.
The same goes for the people, parents need to play a bigger and better role in the education and upbringing. There are channels to express discomfort, we have elected MP’s, Ministers are somewhat accountable, we have media, internet, email, and so many other ways to express disagreement.
If we have learnt anything from the era 1994-2001, is violence will get us nowhere, people will get hurt, people will loose property, the country will be unstable, and us Bahraini’s are the ultimate losers.. just as we always are…
Captain Arab,
It has not gone personal, we only spoke of personal experiences of how inhumane the police can be, and living proof, is our dear brother in the picture above.
People get tortured and beaten up, yet the police’s job is to arrest or detain, or control, and prosecute according to the law. Not beat the crap out of people.
Why not detain him if he had done wrong? And prosecute him according to the law?
Or is riot control just chasing rioters with batons and shooting rubber bullets at them? The more violent the riot police will be, the rioters will come back with a stronger force of violence. And it will end no where.
You guys dont know anything on what happens on the roads when roits take place, i have been in roits and we have caught people demostrating and breaking laws for employment and most of them turn out to be employed or young students.etc etc… I hate them… If they r right they will get respect but if you think you will break laws and do what ever you want in this country then you will get what this guy got…. All of you assume stuff by just looking at this picture. Come and see the roits by yourself BUT B U T see the roits from the beginning till then end what happens, dont come and see the ending when they break laws and get hit. see it when they start it and NEVER the police start the hit we have lot other things to do….. You shias hate your own country break your own country. Do you think if you break the laws and go against the government you will be allowed to join the lawmaker… Can a law breaker ever be a law maker no way… ??
I have many shia bahraini friends they dont even mention shia sunni… we r BAHRAINIS and we should be proud of it.. My shia friends never blame the government and they work in good posts coz they worked hard got well educated and made themselves deserve that post. And why do you just look at shias to join police most of the other ministries r only shias and allow them
like bapco, municipality,housing ,batelco,ministry of labour, etc etc…. You dont get jobs in interior coz you have yourself broken the trust.. That is why the lawmakers are outsiders not u. Please understand friends you r in a peace loving country you should thank Allah almighty , its your country you can make it or break it .. choice is yours.
Have you read the response of the ministry of interior affairs at alayam newspaper today?
Some one said that the problem of al khabbaz was exaggerated…
tried to find the link ,,, but the site was hacked again !
Author
Bahraini Citizen, you need to re-evaluate your position and think deeply about the issues you raised as they are all motivated by the hate – sectarian hate – you feel to your fellow Bahraini citizens.
Having you work – as you imply – in the ministry of the interior is rather worrying.
THIS SATURDAY ON CNN ‘INSIDE THE MIDDLE EAST’
POVERTY IN BAHRAIN ❗ ❗
❗ for the CNN show ❗
Show times
Inside the Middle East airs 1st full weekend of every month and the following Thursday.
Saturday (1st Saturday of every month)
0730, 1330, 1830 (all regions)
Sunday (1st Sunday of every month)
1130, 1730 (all regions)
Thursday (1st Thursday of every month)
1330, 1730 (all regions)
(All times GMT)
Salman: People get tortured and beaten up, yet the police’s job is to arrest or detain, or control, and prosecute according to the law. Not beat the crap out of people.
Why not detain him if he had done wrong? And prosecute him according to the law?
Just for the record: I perfectly agree with Salman. Don’t give the lads a lambaisting – give them rule of law.
Seems like buddy boy (Bahraini Citizen) is not from this part of town.. If the police were doing their job, this young man in the picture would be in court answering questions about his actions, and not lying in a hospital bed in pain.
The police (riot police) do not have time or patience and they do not even comprehend the language to investigate, ask questions, enquire, etc… Their job is to sort out the mess, and restore peace.. with batons, rubber bullets, beatup or whatever.. the job gets done.
We love our country, we do not differentiate shia/sunni, we want the best for this country..
If the boy in the picture was a relative or family member of Mr.Bahraini Citizen, his argument would be different. Time for him to snap back to reality, and stop flapping his gums, unless he is an offical spokesman for the MOI. Way to go…. With that kind of attitude, nobody is going anywhere.
If the police do not respect the people, then they will get no respect back. Don’t try to associate your experiences as a whole assumption on all Bahraini’s.. We do not label the whole MOI as disrespectful ignornant f@*#’s – There are professionals who still do their job in the normal routine, following the rules.
Mr.Bahraini Citizen (assuming you are an MOI employee), you have to read your job description again… Your job is to arrest, detain, investigate and transfer to court for the approapiate judgement. Don’t play judge, jury and executioner… The tables will turn one day, as history has proven in many developed countries.
May Allah grant us all peace of mind, and leviate the suffering of those hurt.
A question for Bahraini Citizen :
We know that there are people rioting on every weekend , we’ve seen what they do, and what you’ve mentioned is right ” except for the sabotage ”
But does that justify what you do ? The excessive force ?
And if you want some proof check out this link :
People are still on the stage and tear gas is aimed at them … !!!
Captain arab (at least i hope so), how then do you justify all the destruction, burning and sabotoge if you claim its all motivated by love of ones nation?
until these kids realize that its not smart to throw molotov cocktail, until these kids learn themselves to respect public property, I deem them not worthy of respect.
I dont use excessive force i am the one in the front field facing these people and i know what i am saying,,, You think these extremists tell you ooh come and put me behind bars for a trial, they hit us , who you think are peaceful demostraters – those who will keep ready stones with him do you think peaceful demostraters will keep patrol bombs or gas cylinders with them when they r demostrating…. Its not me its you mahmood who have started this hatred byshowing this picture of bahraini gov which is one side of story. And most of the time when roit police goes to places like these they have already started burning for no reason and blowing cylinders near they own houses….
Dear exclamation again you r seeing the part only when these extremists pass the limit and we unfortunately have to use force… Dont go to a site who belong to those who demostrate go to a neutral site .. i expected mahmood to be neutral but this story above is wrong coz i myself see it everyday myself….
MANAMA: Bahraini youngsters who think the world owes them a living were blasted by Labour Minister Dr Majeed Al Alawi yesterday.
“You want the government to give you houses, you want the best salaries, you all want to start at the top of the ladder,” he said.
“But what you forget is that you also have to make an effort. You cannot start at the top. You have to work your way up.”
Many young Bahrainis are “misfits” in the working world, outpaced by foreigners who single-handedly do the work of three or four of them, he told the Young Arab Leaders Summit, at the Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel and Spa.
But Dr Al Alawi said Bahraini youngsters were not solely to blame for what he called “disaster in the making”.
“We as a nation have to take a large part of the blame. We have been complacent to let it reach this stage,” he said. Dr Al Alawi urged youngsters to seize the opportunities that surround them.
I think you guys know who Dr Alawi is!!!
Author
Bu hussain:
You’re right of course. Violence is not the answer. But let us find out why it has become the norm so that we can get to the source of the problem and treat it. What we (Bahrain) has done so far is either offer a useless Panadol to treat a cancer. To my mind there has not been any real attempt by the government, yes, the government, as it is the stronger side in the equation; hence, has much more responsibilities and as it is a unit against a disparate “rabble” it behooves it to act with more compassion and the need to understand.
I was caught up in one of these skirmishes, had rocks thrown at my car while driving and I don’t need to talk about my childhood where much more violent demonstrations were the norm in our neighbourhood. They are ugly, like any act of violence. It is a scary situation that no one needs to experience to fully appreciate what is happening.
Wise men however rise above these topical situations and look at them from a bird’s eye view in order to fathom a way out.
From my understanding, these “rabble” have demands; some view them as legitimate while others don’t. Our full acceptance or rejection is beside the point really, but they are legitimate as the public discontent is rising and they are gaining support from sides not normally associated with them.
What do you think their demands are, and to your mind, are they legitimate? What can you do to close the gap between their demands and the government’s position?
With all due respect sayyid I disagree with your statement that the government is not acting to improve matters. Now I am not a big fan of the previous administration. However, any person that denies that change has been introduced is not blind in his eyes but blind in his mind. Since 1999, and a full decade has not passed yet, Bahrain has taken strides towards democratization (I’m not implying a full, perfect transition but a reasonable one), minimum wage has been raised from the shit pay people received before that (and there is also the strong likelihood that it will be raised again), Bahrain’s GDP has about doubled since 2000, Bahrain is attracting more and more investment.
Instead being grateful and thanking G-d for these improvements you have people of questionable allegiance hurting OUR reputation by doing foolish things that will not portray their own cause (whatever it is) in a good light. I have been a Bahraini long before any of these characters that claim to be Bahrainis set foot in this country from Al-Hasa. All their slogans, all their protests do not represent my interest.
Lets realize that change doesnt happen overnight people! change is gradual. Let us allow what has changed in the last 8 years to sink in and try to build up on it before all we have and potentially could gain evaporates before our eyes.
WE ALL R ONE AND WE ALL R RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING ON THIS LAND OF LOVE AND ONLY WE TOGETHER CAN CHANGE IT….
Bu Hussain, you’re taking my words out of context, as Bahraini Citizen has done with almost everything in his contributions. I can see that it probably would be best to just agree to disagree to allay any further fissures; however, I find that I must address an issue you raise which displays your prejudice:
If you are trying to prove that you are “more” of a Bahraini than I personally am – owing to the fact that my forefathers emigrated from Al-Hasa to Bahrain – then I am happy that you find that you need to denigrate others in order to feel egotistically happy about yourself.
I am proud of my heritage, and am extremely proud of being a full Bahraini, none of your prejudices are going to take away from the fact that people who have come to this country and constructively intwined themselves in this society and integrated within it.
The second thing that you must address and actually much more important is this:
What gives you the right to divide the Bahrain society of yours and theirs? Apart from the irony of you dishing advice to “them” to behave themselves, which is completely unwarranted, you seem to have given yourself the righteous aura that you are most definitely in the right, and everyone else in the wrong.
There is no doubt whatsoever that steps have been taken toward democracy, as insufficient as they may be, they are an agreed good start. But starts which extend over seven years will soon (if not already) be looked at as nothing more than attempts, just that, nothing serious; hence, my complete opposition to the term “democratic experiment“, just like one can’t be half-pregnant.
Yes we have had great strides as far as investments coming into the country, but if those multi-billion dollar projects are a reality, and they are, why isn’t at least a tiny percentage of that reflected as benefits, honest hard working benefits, to the regular Bahraini?
Oh, I forgot, as far as you are concerned, it is the other Bahrainis here so they shouldn’t be considered. Rifraff and ingrates we are and undeserving too! We should just thank G-d (a very distinct use of the word I might add!) that we are allowed to continue to be paupers!
Can we talk ..
i never left .. was just taking a stroll round the neighbourhood … 🙂
Bahraini Citizen says :
Dear exclamation again you r seeing the part only when these extremists pass the limit and we unfortunately have to use force
So you admit using force at the end , and offcourse , we don’t expect that the read eye of Mr. Al khabbaz just popped out from nothing, it was due to some force !
And not forgetting to say, that Ibrahim Sharif was holding a molotov during his speech ! And Mr. Mushaima’a was burning a tyre on stage, and Jalal Fairuz was throwing stones, therefore justifying the use of excessive force and aiming tear gas and rubber bullets to the people on stage !
To much for change in the country ,,,
OOH please… exclamation…they did not follow the law. If you take the law in hand and create unstability then you will be FORCED to maintain peace .. And by the way they are called security forces…. they secure the country by peace measures if not to deal with people like you using FORCE… Stability of the country is the first priority and i know you dont want to solve issues . By hiting and burning poor security guys who are doing nothing but following orders. you will not get anything. You are wasting your energy in the wrong place , STOP knocking wrong doors. This issue is not an issue of yesterday we all know ..
And because of people like this who are misguided and create mischief , there are lot nice people suffering. And for your kind info those people who r professionals and who have worked hard to make their future they dont need any help from anyone infact the gov needs them. But useless street boys who r not worried about their future will not get anything other then labour work. If higher education is difficult work and study like me and others who r worried about their future. I dont wait for anyone to come and help me. By the grace of Allah Almighty and then my parents who have helped me study in their hard times I dont need anyone . You can make your life better yourself. I know you expect alot from the gov. but dont wait for it to come make yourself strong enough to get it yourself.
Bahraini Citizen speaks quite good english, especially for a riot control policeman. Seems like the government takes educating their employees into beating the crap out of people.
But never good enough to stop the corruption within the government itself.
This young man’s justice will not be served, just as for the young man who got killed by a “stray” bullet, and the evidence that went missing. Nice cover up.
Salman the reason for what I am saying is given above in my comments you dont need to make your own assumptions.
okay so you say that he and any other vandals should be taken to court according to the law, then why emerges another bunch of vandals to demand release of the original group? this leads to a chain reaction and achieves nothing. you basically in this case are dissolving the matter and not condemning their acts as you claim to be.
Watcher,
There is a law in the land, and it should be applied. If you commit a crime, you suffer the consequences, and are prosecuted.
And when you prosecute someone, provide hard evidence of them committing their crime, not just word of mouth, or eye witnesses. So many people have been framed in Bahrain for things they had not done, some lost their lives, some got tortured, some even got exiled! Yet they were prosecuted without a fair trial, and without evidence to back up the accusations.
If this person had done any wrong, use the law to punish him, not by physical abuse. And also, provide proof of his crime. Don’t say “he did, i saw him” that is simply childish. Any video evidence? At least a picture of him participating in a criminal act.
Or maybe because this young man is not the son of a big shot, and that is why no one cares about his justice.
Mr. Bahraini Citizen :
you try to prove that this article is biased and of one sided P.O.V
But why the energy if all what you say here proves us right ?
All what you’ve said is against you actually !
Excessive force is a history of the security police !
exclamation mark,
What he is doing is called self PWN
What’s PWN ?
Author
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pwn
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