The erstwhile shy voices of businessmen scared of losing their custom as well as those of liberals afraid of being labeled kafirs by their Islamist compatriots are being raised. And about time too.
Some 200 luminaries of Bahraini society, sans religionists and MPs, gathered last night at the Gulf Hotel at the invitation of the “Almuntada” (The Forum) society to launch the “We Have the Right” campaign squarely against the voices of extremism in all its forms. The basic message is that we have had enough, we are not scared of your haphazard labeling and we have the absolute right to live as we see fit!
Wow. What an exhilarating message. The only regret I have is that I didn’t attend as I was busy elsewhere. They even told off the Minister of (dis)Information for adopting a Friday Sermonish ideology when he descended on hotels like a tonne of bricks for selling alcohol in Ramadhan and summarily closed those “offenders” for a week directly after Ramadhan, losing those hotels valuable revenue, and Bahrain valuable reputation, and possibly irreparably damaging the foreign investment atmosphere not only in tourism projects, but business in general.
No Islamist from the traditional politicised Islam societies like Al-Wefaq, Islamic Action, Asalah nor Minbar bothered to attend, maybe they weren’t invited, I don’t know, but even with their absence this campaign should be seen by them as the shot across their bows signaling that quite a sizable (and important!) number of Bahrainis are fed up of their antics and blackmail in pushing through legislation or riling a multitude to support their personal views without regard to others’ who share this space with them.
We have the Right, ladies and gentlemen, to live our life how we see fit. You can certainly continue to advice us of the “correct� path if you wish, and we will encourage you wholeheartedly to do so, but please remember that we have the right NOT to heed your advice. It is after all between every single person on this Earth and his God, without any intermediaries.
Comments
I hear raised voices
Next thing you know, there will be a call for mandatory closing of all businesses for prayer and the country will change its name to Saudi Bahrainia. $%$#@ ! Now where am I going to go for a good margarita on the weekend?
I hear raised voices
I wish the liberals involved the people more. They’re up on their ivory towers, talking down to the masses. It would be more effective if they used the conservative religious approach of preaching to the masses.
I hear raised voices
Bravo to those who will stand up against this. Here in the US it’s easy to stand up to the theocracy-minded establishments, because they are jokes anyway.
It takes some cojones to stand up to Islamic theocrats – ’cause they will kill you and get away with it.
I hear raised voices
[quote]
‘Extremists should not dominate politics’
By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
Gulf News, 23 November 2005
Manama:
More than 200 Bahraini liberals have launched an unprecedented campaign “to decry threats to Bahrain’s civil society and individual freedom by waves of extremism, fanaticism, intolerance and intellectual terrorism.”
Business people, intellectuals, politicians and journalists agreed, at a conference organised by Al Muntada Society, on the need to protect civilian rights, which they considered a robust guarantee for social stability, favourable business environment, employment opportunities and protection from fanaticism and exclusionism.
“The government should assume the responsibility of saving people from the onslaught of the extremists,” Al Muntada chairman Adel Fakhro said.
Businessman Farooq Al Moayyad warned against “the grip over the country’s legislative chamber by religious extremists who considered anyone who opposed their views as heretics.”
Islamists dominate political life in Bahrain, both at the Council of Representatives and within the opposition. Islamist societies Asalah (Sunni), the Islamic Bloc (Shiite) and Al Menbar (Sunni) field the highest number of MPs at the elected 40-member Council of Representatives.
The largest opposition society, Al Wefaq, has often promoted a religious agenda, and has recently contradicted its earlier calls for more powers to MPs by stating that only religious leaders had the authority to amend the family law because MPs could “misinterpret the word of God”.
The Shura (Upper) Council, with a strongly liberal majority led by Al Mithaq Society, is perceived as a government-backed liberal bulwark to prevent clerical domination of politics.
Liberals in Bahrain have repeatedly criticised the MPs for trying to impose a restrictive social agenda on the country and curtailing freedoms.
“Bahrain’s business reputation is being eroded by the pressure exerted by extremists on personal freedoms. The whole democratic experiment is being threatened by the misuse of religion for political purposes,” Al Moayyad said at the conference.
[/quote]
http://www.gulfnews.com/Articles/RegionNF.asp?ArticleID=194191
At last they’ve decided to emerge from their ivory towers.
I hear raised voices
“I wish the liberals involved the people more. They’re up on their ivory towers, talking down to the masses. It would be more effective if they used the conservative religious approach of preaching to the masses.” – Dude, are you from Bahrain? You don’t know how these MPs function. They threaten and blackmail. You make it seem like its such an easy process. These Men of Honor (the liberals) are doing all they can to stand up and speak out, which is Not easy at all! Remember, all they could do now is wait until elections time and then take action!
Ahmed
I hear raised voices
Standing ovation, Mahmood!
I love reading your blog, and comment rarely, but you made me belt out a loud “YES!” when I read your rant.
-Faithful reader in the southern U.S.
I hear raised voices
I would fully support such a campaign…the only issue I see with this is that in order for it to be successful it has to reach grassroots Bahrainis. They have to feel like tey are a part of such a campaign and that it is not an elitist effort to tell them what is good for them. Unfornately, most Bahrainis are not very well educated and actually don’t know what is good for them…they blindly follow what any religious leader tells them and no amount of campaigning will solve this problem. The solution to this lies in a better education system.
Tariq Khonji
http://www.tariqkhonji.com
Re: I hear raised voices
[quote]These Men of Honor (the liberals) are doing all they can to stand up and speak out, which is Not easy at all! Remember, all they could do now is wait until elections time and then take action![/quote]
I’m not convinced that the Bahraini liberals are doing all they can to stand up and speak out. Al Muntada was formed sometime last year but this is the first time I’ve heard something about them since that time. And whatever happened to the “[url=https://mahmood.tv/index.php/blog/1349]million dinar war chest[/url]” that some businessmen announced in January for a lobbying group to counter the Islamist MPs? So far I have seen the liberals do very little other than holding a few meetings to denounce the Islamists. I’m waiting for them to take some real action.
Earlier this month Ghada Jamsheer and others held a demonstration to support the family law proposal. I would have expected everyone that calls him or herself a “liberal” to show up at this event… but there was a turnout of just 200 people !! (At least two of them were maids brought by their employers). Now that was probably the biggest protest by “liberals” that Bahrain has seen in recent years (is that sad or what), but their protest was eclipsed by the thousands of women who showed up for the Islamist protest at the other end of town. So obviously the liberals have some work cut out for them.
The liberals just don’t have grassroots support because they aren’t involved in grassroots activism. Whenever there is a political, social, or human rights issue, the Islamists are immediately on the scene announcing their positions and showing the people that they care. The liberals leaders hardly ever show their faces. The NDAS, Minbar Dimoqrati and a few other MPs have been doing a better job recently, showing up at demonstrations about the family law, the malkiya wall and torture. But still they have nothing on Al Wefaq. Moreover I still don’t see a concrete plan by Al Muntada or any liberals about how they will achieve their goals.
Many of the “liberals” just don’t seem to be in touch with the masses. A tiny example is that Al Muntada held its recent meeting to campaign against extremism at the Gulf Hotel!! The Gulf Hotel is a nice place for those business men to launch new products, but it might have been more appropriate for a meeting like this to be held at one of the social clubs of Bahrain which are less elitist. This is just a very small indicator of a much bigger problem among the liberals of Bahrain.
The liberals really need to do more to speak up for their cause and get involved in real activism. Many of them are businessmen so they may be hesitant to “rock the boat” (especially if they see Islamists holding huge demonstrations). Nonetheless the businessman are the most influential people in Bahrain to effect change, and they need to consider long term gains over the threats of immediate short term losses. The 2006 elections are coming up soon and they have a lot of work to do from now if they want to see any success.
I support and encourage al Muntada and the liberals, and I hope they are able to bring about some real change…. but I’m afraid will remain sceptical until I see more than words from them.
I hear raised voices
“And whatever happened to the ” million dinar war chest ” that some businessmen announced in January for a lobbying group to counter the Islamist MPs?” – I commented on this issue at an earlier date, in any case, I would be more than happy to respond again. The MPs objected to this at first saying that it is unconstitutional! However, these businessmen have found a way to get around that by creating a fundraiser in order to support other businessmen to enter into the upcoming parliamentary elections.
“Many of the “liberals” just don’t seem to be in touch with the masses.” – This point is very true and has been raised by many! I am sure you will be seeing many more businessmen trying to reach out to the community especially with the nearing of the parliamentary elections. The businessmen can hold more protests and meetings, however, you must understand that this is a little too late. I believe that the best way to having their voices heard is by encouraging influential business leaders to enter parliament! I know that you will see many more businessmen and women run for the upcoming parliamentary elections. Also, I truly believe that these businessmen are already reaching out to the community, as we speak, in order to get as much support possible!
Tariq Khonji has this to say, “Unfornately, most Bahrainis are not very well educated and actually don’t know what is good for them…they blindly follow what any religious leader tells them and no amount of campaigning will solve this problem. The solution to this lies in a better education system.” – This is exactly right, and hopefully as the Bahraini educational system strengthens, then more moderates and liberals will be seen on the field!
Sincerely,
Ahmed
Re: I hear raised voices
I’d _love_ to see a liberal demo by the well-to-do of Bahrain.
Imagine the chants: “What do we want? Gradual change!
When do we want it? In due course!”
Yalla, la? It’s that or Bahrainistan.
Scott
Re(1): I hear raised voices
Brilliant Scott! Simply brilliant! 😆
Now you deserve a coffee 😉
Re(2): I hear raised voices
[/quote]Now you deserve a coffee [quote]
Excellent. If we can do coffee, then coffee’s on me :^)
scottreadsyou@yahoo.com