A few things I have noticed recently in the local papers, particularly Al-Wasat, which is filling me with anticipation and hope that the reforms train is not stopping and has now gathered enough public momentum that it can’t even be derailed without dire consequences:
1. There are open cries to bring corruptors to book, naming and shaming those who have been exposed as is the case of the former head of the Housing Bank.
2. There is open encouragement to participate in the 2006 elections, rather than boycott. An interview with a leading Shi’ite cleric in Lebanon who has immense following in Bahrain stopped short of issuing a Fatwa for Bahrainis to participate and vote in the forthcoming elections, warning them that all they have achieved by boycotting the parliamentary elections is just being sidelined by the establishment. This was followed today by Dhiya’ Al-Mousawi’s direct plea to participate in the forthcoming elections as well as Mansour Al-Jamri’s editorial piece urging the same and warning of the ineffectiveness of “hot air” by the boycotters.
Unfortunately, both Al-Mousawi and Al-Jamri seem to have fallen from grace with the populace, most of whom are Wefaq members or sympathisers who have mounted immense besmirching campaigns against the two journalists.
3. Another reporter is encouraging people to just start writing letters of objection directly to any particular minister if they have an issue with his ministry, even the prime minister. He (Abbas Busafwan) was furtive in his suggestion however.. you can almost visualise him ducking as he’s ending his column!
These are excellent and healthy signs. We have not seen this before, at least not encouraging citizens to write their complaints on an individual level, rather than collective petitions which have proven to be too sensitive and bitter for the government to swallow. Objecting as an individual is more personal and I bet will have much more force.
We can start sharpening our pencils immediately by demanding that justice be served in the various aspects of Bahrain.
a) We can demand that the case against the former head of the Housing Bank proceeds through the courts and if convicted should be stripped of his wealth and imprisoned. We can write to the Minister of Works and Housing for this issue.
b) We can write to the president of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee MP Ahmed Behzad to demand that justice to be served by immediately releasing all non-violent prisoners from the Adliya prison on bail, and they be presented to a speedy trial. Further, put in place mechanism that ensures quick and just trials are the norm, rather than the exception. I see no reason why not write to the Minister of the Interior as well on the same issue.
Comments
Re: Winds of Change
I think that is a generalisations. I do not think Bahrainis listen to everything the “Mullahs” tell them any more than any one else does. I think Bahrain, like all Muslim countries, take the opinion of their religious leaders seriously, but in the end I think they choose for themselves what is best for their country.
Malik
Winds of Change
It’s not that Bahrainis wait for the Turbans to tell them what to do or think. Although I will not argue that we have our fair share of bleating sheep. The more astute ones realize that it’ s better to find someone else to wave the flag and fall in behind it than to wave it yourself.
Because the state was less likely to nab a mullah than a journalist, mullahs ended up with the de facto responsibility of voicing political opinions. This is one of the reasons that press freedoms are vital, so that clerics do not set the tone for political activism anymore. Also a clerical opinion used to travel faster along the grapevine than a newspaper column or TV broadcast.
In years past, voicing ones opinion would always happen with furtive glances and whispered tones. Old habits die hard but I hope that the people will learn to find their own voice. Again, as the media and the authorities open up, the more discerning of the populace will take their cue.
Re: Winds of Change
Written “Because the state was less likely to nab a mullah than a journalist, mullahs ended up with the de facto responsibility of voicing political opinions. This is one of the reasons that press freedoms are vital, so that clerics do not set the tone for political activism anymore. Also a clerical opinion used to travel faster along the grapevine than a newspaper column or TV broadcast. ”
Spot on! It is the same all over the Middle East. With no press freedom or freedom of speech the only place left to voice dissent is in the mosques. Another way that the dictators there can refuse to reform by pointing to religious extremism. It is their refusal to allow open debate and free speech that have caused things to move in this way. Allow freedom of speech and free and open political debate and support for the extremists will slow down. It will not go away, but it will slowly dry up.
Malik
Re(1): Winds of Change
Malik I beg to differ. Bahrainis have always held whatever is told them by clerics as gospel truths. They happily followed like good sheep follow a shepherd, unencumbered with thought or analysis. It came from a turbanned one, so what is there to disagree with?
There are some people I personally know who hang pictures of these clerics in their living rooms!
So no. The situation on the ground here in Bahrain is that the vast majority would rather sheepishly follow, rather than think for themselves, hence the huge popularity of a purely sectarian societies like Al-Wefaq, Al-Eslah, Asalah, and various others dotted around the island.
Winds of Change
In another move showing the direction things are going, the CP and PM’s courts are both financing Al Wefaq’s annual conference, at which Majeed Al Alawi and former Lebanese PM Salim Hoss are the keynote speakers. The full details are in the Gulf News at: http://www.gulfnews.com/Articles/RegionNF.asp?ArticleID=146340
It’ll be interesting to see what sort of reception Al Alawi receives from his former buddies, especially in the light of this speculation about ministerial changes, also in today’s Gulf News:
http://www.gulfnews.com/Articles/RegionNF.asp?ArticleID=146339
Re(2): Winds of Change
I agree with you Mahmood, but doesn’t this mean that we have to start by reforming the schools and start encouraging the students to think freely on their own.
and also encourage them to be independant..
[Modified by: Bugs (Bugs) on January 04, 2005 05:21 PM]
Re(3): Winds of Change
Without a doubt, yes. The education system we have now in the Arab world is largly irrelevant, put in place by demogogues and religious leaders, rather than by people who intimately know, or at least can forecast the job market requirements when students leave schools and colleges.
The way that students are taught too is completely irrelevant. We can no longer do the “three Rs” and expect that we can compete in the real world, let alone think for ourselves and choose our own path.
Re: Winds of Change
Ouch! A scorpio’s sting hurts!
Scorpio…I am really think today. Can you put one and one together and explain to me why Al Wefaq is getting such support?
Re(1): Winds of Change
Everyone’s got a price!
Winds of Change
Shock! Horror! Shame!
Tried e-mailing the honourable MP whose address has been supplied here and guess what I get:
“This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification
Delivery to the following recipient failed permanently:
abahzad@nuwab.gov.bh
Technical details of failure:
PERM_FAILURE: DNS Error: Domain name not found”
Those jokers certainly can’t get anything right or can they? Who are they fooling?
Winds of Change
From My pespective I consider that the parliament we have in Bahrain a Mickey Mouse parliament with no legitimacy, but I Would rather recommend the people to participate than to boycott because it’s better to see some Moderates or Liberals holding posts in the elected chamber than to see Al Saidi & co running the show.
but I have a Question why do people in Bahrain always listen to what the Mullahs tell them? why dont they try to listen to them selves for a change?……
[Modified by: Bugs (Bugs) on January 04, 2005 05:18 PM]
[Modified by: Bugs (Bugs) on January 04, 2005 05:19 PM]
Re(2): Winds of Change
Scorpio…
How come the Premier met Al Wefaq’s Ali Salman today???
Re(3): Winds of Change
Ah, they launched the petition for constitutional changes again…
News from the grapevine
They met? Sounds like something’s on the verge of being worked out for ’06. As far as I can see the opposition and the government aren’t far away anyway on reaching an agreement on the main sticking point: the future role of the Shura Council, with from what I’ve heard the opposition ready to keep the same parliamentary structures but reduce the upper house’s size to 20 members.
Winds of Change
One of the most fundamental cornerstones of a good democracy is good accontability – and that is contingent upon a good (legal) opposition .. plus a good media ..
we have a ways to go ..
JJ
Winds of Change
So true JJ. Another important part is getting the people involved. Enact an INCOME TAX in Bahrain and watch people DEMAND accountability and a good opposition will follow as well. Few things get people interested faster in something than when they themselves are paying for it.
Winds of Change
I personally quite like the income tax scenario. I just wonder who would resist more, the leadership, or the people …
JJ
Re: Winds of Change Yikes INCOME TAX!!
Yeah Jasra you will like the income tax scenario until the income tax spurs a sales tax, a meals tax, a tax for your phone, INTERNET, electric, water, property and then the dreaded TOLL tax for driving on a bit of highway. Much like blazing the Causeway to Saudi except on a “local” level.
Then as in ALL governments that levy “income taxes” the MONSTER it creates is NEVER FULL. It wants MORE and MORE. Often such terms are used as “it is for the children” to justify and pursued the masses to accept them. Before you know it near 50% (or more)of what you earn is passed to a bunch of asswipes who can’t understand why you should be upset about paying MORE. Trust me they just don’t GET IT. Think the clowns you have now are coming up with ways to blow MILLIONS of BD? Just wait! Taxes show that money is the root of all evil with elected officials.
Then JUST when you think you have the BEAST tamed as a person some asshat sends you a notice from the TAXING Authority wanting to AUDIT your income and taxes. Yep… Time to call a lawyer and your CPA.Yep you will need a CPA. WHY? You didn’t think figuring out how to file your taxes was going to be easy did you? NEVER!!! Your tax code will grow to be larger in volume than your penal code is. Now you need a TAX COURT as well. It is even worse when your in business. Taxes may or may not be in the future for Bahrain. If they are HOLD THE THIEVES off as long as you can.