The fourth and final session of parliament in this term has started today, Oct 1st, 2005. To my mind, Oct 31st would have been a more auspicious date for its inauguration.
Still, time goes by and as per my simple calculation, there are approximately 378 days left in the life of this parliament, one that has miserably failed to meet the most basic aspirations of Bahraini citizens. In fact its main success so far is the increase in racial and sectarian tensions.
But what are they to do? For the most part we got the dregs of society elected, including convicted criminals representing us in those hallowed chambers; from women molesters through to cheque bouncers passing by imbeciles who have convinced themselves that they have the abject authority to act in my name and yours to protect us from ourselves not only in this life, but to them the much more important next one.
What have they actually done over the past three years that would guarantee they will now create miracles and move mountains in this final year of their tenure to improve the quality of life of Bahrainis? Find real solutions to real problems? Much more likely what we will see over the coming year is more restrictions of citizens rights, more curtailment of freedoms of expression and personal freedoms and more segregation.
After all, aren’t they the ones who have condoned Big Brotheresque State control. Didn’t they equate victims with their torturers? Didn’t they conveniently disregarded the plight of thousands who have suffered in the past at the hands of State Security laws and officers who still roam and rule the earth with impunity.
Aren’t they the ones who have allowed inordinate control of political societies in the hands of government officials and object to the name “political parties” because of their evident narrow interpretation of a religion already besmirched by their likes hiding in caves or smuggled into countries to blow innocents up because they decided those human beings are unworthy of their exclusive god, yet describe perpetrators of terror as heroes?
They have had and will undoubtedly continue to have press release and sermon diarrhea that do nothing more but increase the already insurmountable racial and sectarian tensions the end result of which cannot be too far from collecting tattered body parts off the streets of these fair and once peaceful, cosmopolitan and moderate isles.
They will continue to encumber current and future generations of Bahrainis with restrictions; chief amongst which, and the only law awaiting birth without much ado in this final year of their useless existence being the right of assembly, or to name a spade a spade, the abortion of the remainder of so called freedoms.
What else can we hope to see from this collection of reprobates in this final year?
More fiscal irresponsibility, more chasing away of economic capital, more abrogation of responsibilities, more uncompetitiveness, more unemployment, more crime, more escape from the reach of the law by continuing to enjoy parliamentary immunity, and more personal gratification and feathering of nests, and the requirement by law to address them as “Your Excellency.”
378 days to go.
