The Bahraini opposition in Britain has called on King of Bahrain, Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, to resort back to enact the constitution of 1973 and to stop violations of human rights which it says that the citizens of Bahrain are exposed to.
The opposition indicated in a press conference held at the upper house, and under the patronage of Lord Evepry of the democratic liberals party, and the attendance of Jeremy Corpin, the labor parliament member, that the flagrant violations of human rights in Bahrain include racial discrimination between Arabs and non-Arabs.
The opposition also demanded ending discrimination against women, and to halt what it called alienating the greater majority of the Bahraini society from governmental and higher posts.
In a statement, the chairman of the Bahraini center for human rights, Abdul Hadi al-Khawajah, said that the reforms introduced by the government are positive, but not enough, especially in the area of enhancing values of equality, justice, the state of the law and honoring human rights.
Source: Arabic News
click “full article” for some pictures
Comments
Islamists and human rights
The Bahrain Human Rights Centre as ever makes some very relevant points about discrimination against women and shia which needs to be addressed urgently, but these protestors pictured aren’t from any sort of human rights organisation – what they are is Islamists of the Bahrain Freedom Movement wrapping themselves up in the “human rights flag” in order to gain sympathy. Its a very dishonest protest because if these guys were anywhere near the levers of power Bahrain would be having its human rights protected by gangs of mutawa who would guard “public morality” like the BFM’s supporters did outside Nancy Ajram’s concert.
Bahrain opposition calls for restoring back the constitution of 1973
You know something, I agree with you. Every time I see, hear or read something written by Dr. Saeed Al-Shehabi I feel that he’s got some hidden agenda. I will never vote for any Islamist party or individual, and this you can hold me to. I hate polititions (not people) who can only talk in black and white, haram and hallal. I will elect the person whom I see and feel that (s)he’s fit for the job and want to modernise the country without having to blackmail everyone and every idea and slant it to an islamist ideology.
I hope Dr. Saeed Al-Shehabi stays in the UK for some time yet. He’s not really needed here.
However, I do condone this demonstration even if it was disguised as the worst that it can do is bring these issues to the fore. Maybe forcing the hands of people in the government to really take notice and start the process of healing.
Just reading the King’s interview with the local papers brings hope and optimism, yet I think he failed in really answering the question of freedoms of expression. If he very simply can steam-roll the parliament and give his blessings for veiled women drivers, I’m sure he could give out his instructions to over-haul with immediate effects the archaic press laws we have in Bahrain.
He could also prove without a shadow of a doubt that he is a leader intent on correcting the past by starting the process of reconcilliation; by asking his uncle to resign, bring the torturers to justice and open a real dialogue to reconcile the differing and opposing views vis-a-vis the 1973 and 2002 constitutions.
We can only live in hope…