Everybody’s hope, the king’s reform program’s success, is hanging in the balance due to various issues shaking Bahrain. What has started in 2001 with king Hamad releasing all prisoners of conscience, and his affirmation that this will never happen again in Bahrain, one which will hold the rule of law and its fair application at the head of its priorities, is about to come crashing around us, signaling the end of the belief in such reforms.
The various things happening here are not helping this country and its people in the slightest; the parliamentary elections gerrymandering attempts, the direct and indirect support extremist Salafis and other Islamists are getting from the government against national figures, the iniquitous distribution of land, wealth, opportunities and electoral districts, the marginalisation of the Shi’a, the abject refusal of the government and the ruling family to face the consequences of the Bandargate scandal or even honestly initiate a thorough and impartial investigation into its claims, the continuation of those implicated in the scandal to continue to roam the Earth with impunity and their continuing employment in sensitive government positions unmolested, the restrictions exerted by law on freedoms of speech and assembly, the closure and/or blockage of websites, and various other ills which have surfaced over the last four years.
Now we get to know that not one, but two Bahrainis have been detained (Arabic) by the security forces under the guise of “incitement and distribution of illegal pamphlets calling for an unauthorised demonstration.” Both appear to belong to the Haqq splinter opposition movement who are boycotting the forthcoming elections.
The demonstration refers of course to the one announced by political activists a few days ago to demonstrate against the government not opening an investigation into the Bandargate scandal this afternoon in Manama.
This further strengthens my belief that the government is trying to hide facts, or rather, acknowledges the fact that it has been caught with its pants down and are desperate now to cover up by using force, threats of force, coercion and that infamous Press & Publications Law of 2002 to do so.
Gentlemen, this is not how things are resolved.
Release Dr. Mohammed Saeed Mattar and his compatriot immediately!
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update 061117@1409: a Free Mohammed site has been started. Go there please for latest info. The site doesn’t work very well in FireFox, but should work ok with IE. That’s stupid “Jeeran” for you. The other person detained is one Hussain Abdul Aziz Al Habshi.
Comments
I would like to congratulate Bahrain on having political activists that are able to rock the boat while the rest of the region is ….well just is,
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BCHR & HAAQ Movement & a group of Political and human rights activists as well as religious figures issued a public call Today to for Bahrainis to participate in a demonstration Today calling for Release Dr. Mohammed Saeed Mattar and his compatriot immediately & boycott the elections 2006.
Release Dr. Mohammed Saeed Mattar and his compatriot immediately .
Release Dr. Mohammed Saeed Mattar and his compatriot immediately .
Release Dr. Mohammed Saeed Mattar and his compatriot immediately .
And
boycott the elections 2006 .
boycott the elections 2006 .
boycott the elections 2006 .
:yes: :yes: :yes: :yes: :yes: :yes: :yes: :yes:
Honestly, Haq is not a political movement …. it is more of a militant movement. They have been and are responsible for numerous events that made many Bahrainis extremely upset. They have and continue to use violence, and advocate a “No Sunni ….Just Bahraini” stance, which I am assuming we all object to. I consider myself someone who believes in reform, and change. I want equal opportunity for Bahrainis, but we have to acknowledge that there are people on the left and the right that are extreme, whether they are Haq or Al-Qaida loyalists … The last thing I want to see is more violence, less tourism, less investment…. we have moved a long way since 1999 and we have a longer way to go… but I don’t want this place to turn into another Iraq.
any news on today’s demonstration please?
The government made a big mistake in trying to silence you my friend. Bahrain was pretty much off my radar till then. However I have been paying much more attention to Bahrain since I learned about you. Thank Sand Monkey. Regardless of how much cooperation some regimes give the US in the war against Islamofascist we cannot and should not turn a blind eye to human rights abuses in those countries.
Nicely put my friend. Haha.. I see you haven’t been silenced! This is the spirit. There are questions which need answers and keeping quiet doesn’t seem to work!!
I am very sorry that freedom is being suppressed in Bahrain.
I suggested once before that you tune into and listen to Alex Jones. This would be a GOOD thing for you!
Thank you.
—Dan
Suppress freedom, silence liberals, and be united with Islamic extremists: that’s the definition of a newly born democracy in the region. Congratulations to the west for such a a HUGE achievement!
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Maybe I am just dumb, but what pray tell is the benefit for the government to support religious extremism. Perhaps they wish to make the same mistakes that the US made when they created Bin LAden and Sammam and Noriega.
Wow, history does repeat itself?
Poor Bahrain, bites the dust on Nov 25…….I need a stiff one……donw boy down…’was talkin about a drink…sheeesh…horny lil bastard….