This is not a picture that would tug at the heart strings of people like Jassim Al-Saidi and Mohammed Khalid, both sworn to disrupt any move by the Al-Wefaq Islamic Society to discuss or propose any law. Mohammed Khalid is on record by swearing that he will “not let Al-Wefaq touch the Defence budget even at the expense of his own decapitation” which is rather naive coming from a politician whose primary function is to oversee government spending and ensure its transparency.
Neither is that a picture that would sooth the various nay-sayers who somehow got it into their heads that the only reason that Al-Wefaq has joined the political fray is to perform a mass walkout within the first few months of parliament’s convening and create chaos in the country and make it unmanageable.
It is a good picture however, and I realise that these are early days yet, which sends out signals of hope to the community that good things can be expected from what is essentially a divided sectarian chamber but which recognises that these sects have lived side-by-side for centuries in Bahrain; hence, there is every chance that they could peacefully coexist for the next four years and work together for the good of Bahrain. So there is every reason to at least be cautiously hopeful.
This is a picture taken at a banquet held by Al-Wefaq to honour newly elected MPs. All have been invited, 30 turned up, 8 apologised for various reasons while two – the ones mentioned above – boycotted the dinner which says a lot about what is expected of them in the next four years. The whole parliament should be wary of them and not allow itself to be drawn into unnecessary and useless fights initiated by those two.
If the warm smiles are anything to go by, then I am rather optimistic that even without the liberals being present in parliament to calm potential sectarian misunderstandings or all out fisticuffs, that these two parties are going to play nice and hopefully concentrate on issues germane to our country.
The picture shows Al-Wefaq’s Shi’i leader Shaikh Ali Salman on the left warmly greeting the Salafist party Al-Asala’s spiritual leader Shaikh Adel Al-Mo’awdah at the banquet; some people might have regarded the two as arch enemies, but either this picture proves otherwise, or they are consummate politicians! Flippancy aside, there have been various indications in the past that the two would work well together, there have also been reports of the two meeting even during Wefaq’s parliamentary boycott. There are several other pictures in Al-Wasat this morning, and one even showing a broadly smiling Wefaq MP warmly greeting Sami Al-Buhairi who is a naturalised Bahraini of Yemeni descent. (link is a pdf file)
The same could not be said about Al-Menber’s relationship with either; however. They have run a very dirty and insidious election campaign which ensured their presence in this parliament but which has lost them all hearts and minds of the public. But instead of attempting to fix relationships, the Menber leader Salah Ali (who is popularly referred to now as one of the many GVC MPs) squarely accusing Al-Wefaq of planning to create strife within parliament so that it too would be dissolved as was the case with the 1973 parliament! I am glad however that the person who stood up to him was not from Al-Wefaq, but actually Menber’s elections partners Al-Asala’s president Ghanim Al-Buainain who shot that hypothesis down and seconded what Ali Salman declared in that Al-Wefaq has more in common with Al-Asala and even the Muslim Brotherhood’s principals than their disagreements, and that he is confident the no one willingly entered parliament simply to “walk out”.
Since the elections, Al-Wefaq has impressed me. They did not engage in mudslinging as has Al-Menber, they have sent out good signals to everyone, they have taken the time to immediately thank their constituents and visit all the community religious and society leaders, they have visited various leading businessmen in order to allay their fears, they have created the opportunity to bring all MPs together for dinner and discussions, they have not publicly demanded the Speaker’s chair nor did they bicker with other parties on which committee or position they would insist on, but worked on all of these issues quietly; thus, showing their political acumen and astuteness. I do hope that they will carry on in the same track. They’ve even invited Al-Menber to their functions and I suspect wanted to show them that they are ready to turn a fresh page in their relationship going forward. I just think that the last part – unfortunately – is a wasted exercise on those people.
There is a lot to do over the next four years, and the less useless fighting they have, the more efficient parliament is going to be and, hopefully, the more chances there will be to fix the disasters of the last parliament.
Comments
I gotta hand it to Al-Wefaq, they seem to be playing their cards right. I just hope that they are not just playing the crowd, and will politic effectively. I would love for them to push Al-Menbar into a self-destructing death spiral early on.
Al-Menber’s death spiral started in earnest on Nov 25th when the Bahraini people found out how they got their wins.
Al-Wefaq is a great group, and I really think that they will play a big part( a good one) in the parliament.I believe that Al-Wefaq will make some positive changes in Bahrain.Al-Wefaq are also supporters of Wa’ad.
You can see Abul,Ebrahim Sharrif, and Al Naimi talking,laughing,and shaking hands with members of Al-Wefaq here:
http://www.alwefaq.org/wefaq/modules/content/index.php?id=56
This goes for those who were accusing Al-Wefaq ppl of being “politicaly incompetent”. I am not accusing anyone specificly anyway..
“They” are not naive enough to fall for smiles and laughs from other parties too, so don’t worry..
Although they are the biggest party in the parliment, they decided to include all the other parties in the decision making, a move that will embarres the government if it had to stand in front the face of the MPs and their people. It will show the government as if it is the one who is making the fuss and boycotting democracy.
If this goes well (and looks it will) for Wefaq, Asala & the Independents, then yes it “Parliament might actually work!”
I think the government will praise this union as it will benefit all the people of Bahrain.
This will lead definitly to a “switch” in places as the Wefaq/Asala/Independents will become the next goverment’s (friends) while Mohammed Khalid & Al-Saidi will absoultly 100% find themselves the “most hated” & “black sheep” of the society.
Salah Ali knows he is losing his grip on the Menbir/Asala union & what makes it even worse the “stupid” & childish behaviour of his “stupid” member who thinks that the governemt would clap for him this time. Let him know that the government doesnt need him to control it’s grip on the country and this self-seclusion method he is using is very benificial for the people of Bahrain as it will keep him away from the decision makings and discussions.
What a stupid move to boy-cott this meeting. You just signed the loss of your party for any major position in the upcoming 4 years of parliment and showed your disrespect to 30 MP’s who will label you as a “stubborn-moron-hairy blacksheep”
And so is Saidi, people who will object to such union is either a “stupid” or “incompetent politician” or maybe both. Well, he thinks the government loves him too but in fact, the government loves a “stupid” & an “incompetent politician” to be present if it wants a (play) for the people and the media to watch.
When this new Parliment comes and means serious business, it’s “Hasta lavista suckers”
Ali Salman is how old … mid thirties? I am impressed. Because, he, at his age, shows more political acumen than people twice his age, with much more exposure …
I am going to be watching him and Al Wifaq very very carefully … Its gonna be an interesting 4 years ..
actually .. its going to be an interesting time in Bahrain’s history. Ali Salman and Al Wifaq are not a 4 year stint .. Salah Ali may disappear in 4 years … this dude won’t. Nor will what he stands for.
Its like Fadlallah and Nasrallah in Lebanon… the show will go on …
He’s actually 42! I know, he doesn’t look that old. The way of life I guess. If you have a chance, read his extensive interview here, I love the last part of the interview in which he declares his income:
كي٠تعيش الآنومنيدÙÂع تكالي٠معيشتك؟
ليس سرّاً أنالشيخ عبد الأمير الجمرييدÙÂع لي٢٠٠دينار شهرياً، والشيخ عيسى قاسم يزوّدنيبالمبلغ Ù†ÙÂسه، وهذه هيكل ØÂاجاتيالشهريّة.
He gets a monthly salary of BD400 ( $1,058 ), half from one cleric and the other half from another cleric and he’s happy as can be. This was in response to his interviewer’s question on how he currently makes his money. I don’t think the interviewer was prepared for such a detailed disclosure! Salman implies that he is going to donate the rest of his parliamentary salary as he doesn’t need more than what he currently subsists on.
That’s on one side, on the other you see Jassim Al-Saidi suddenly sporting a gong on his wrist that must have cost a couple of thousand dinars, judging by the picture. I must dig it up and post it…
Here’s Ali Salman’s CV if you’re interested.
did u see hiss interview with Sawsan AlShaer on tv two nights ago? he was actually very impressive. she did her darned best to antagonize him but he was a cool cucumber. very impressive, except for his response when she asked about women MPs.
they can do a great job, just don’t bargain with our freedoms.
despite his young age, he is much more mature than anyone else I’ve seen in a while.
whether the expert pools they will draw from really do have the expertise to grasp the issues or are overestimated, however, will remain to be seen.
sorry, that was me
he said he only has a high school education
I believer that his direct exposure to the British Politics during his exile in the 1990s has enriched his experience. I also believe that he does not speak for himself alone. He is the represestative of the moderate opposition run by the Olamaa Council so he has to go through every detail he has to show. Good Luck to him and the rest of the MPs.
hmmmmm …. sexy eyes … at least he’s better looking than saidi and the rest of them … he trims his beard .. and he is in better shape than al mawadeh et al …
CWT, he’s actually gone through 3.5 years of University, when he had that moment of revelation that he wanted to become a cleric, hence his departure to Qum, and then exile to the UK.
Maroon Alras has an excellent biography on him that you might want to read.
amusing. just a few years ago ali salman was being called a violent extremist islamist iranian-puppet. that was when he refused to play according to the rules of the al-khalifa dictatorship. now that he has fallen in line, everyone is singing praise of him as the wise moderate politician. open your eyes people
Educate us “a girl” don’t leave us hanging. What have you got against him that would change our views again to doubt the man?
why does everyone think he has fallen in line? i dont think he has at all .. i think he is upping the ante!
i think he is going to give everyone a real run for their money. just look at lebanon .. look at the standoff there … fast forward bahrain a few years … and … *drum roll* …
the show must go on …
viva las al wefaq \m/ 😎 \m/
He looks pretty young.
41. looks younger but comes across very well. pleasant, wordly and unruffleable. soft spoken. patient. has a warming effect on people (as in one warms to him).
( a piece of trivia: also referred to by many various aged female villagers as “ilgamar” 😕 )(i swear. i heard it myself, accompanied by draws of breath!!)
Mahmood,
do you have a plan for who is going to replace these santacons when the so called “festive” season is over?
methinks some “thobicons” and “abayacons”?
:-# :undecided: :-X :rolleyes: :blush: 😥 :happy: 😉 😛 😡 😆 😎 😕 😯 🙁 🙂 😀
that was fun!
I realy feel happy to see this photo . I just wish always bahrain people will be one hand to improve and develop this great island .
What do you think he means by this?
Women can do a much better job than men becuase they are generally great at multitasking. I know like men there are exceptions but generally speaking women can be better even at physical work than men.
We should encourage our eomen to be taxi drivers, bus drivers, builders, contractors, architects etc….Let us get rid of this male dominance….we need more energetic, enthusiastic and forward looking women……
:happy:
I bet Ali Salman never thought himself to be regarded as a sex symbol! With draws of breath too? Where’s George Clooney from all this?! 😀
As for the Santacons, I have a few “sets” which are delivered with the original plugins, I might go back to the “green men” again, unless we get some other funky things to take over from them… nice idea isn’t it? Christmas is a GO!
Mav,
sorry, i didn’t write that very well. he didn’t say that, that was me commenting, worried about the 40 taking liberties with our freedom. what he actually said was that women didn’t get elected because people are still not ready to elect them.
which is ironic, when you think that his group managed to activate all kinds of women to go out into the atreet and demonstrate against the family law. if they have the ability to brainwash people to go out and demonstrate against their own rights, surely they can also get them to vote for women if they wanted to. and it is not as if their male candidates were all so amazing that they would do a better job as parliamentarians than any woman.
thanks for your vote for confidence for women, though..
mahmood
now, how did i know you were going to comment on that?! i swear it is true. there were a bunch of them standing next to me as a demonstration/funeral passed by and he passed by and there was a sudden collective intake of breath (yes, really) and a couple of chest slaps (aza style) (yes, really) followed by (hakoo je ilgamar, je) accompanied by a couple of (umreeeeee’s) (i swear it is true) eat your heart out George Clooney :-X :-X
Well, Munira Fakhro put paid to that social misconception so completely that anyone who raises that flag from now on needs his head examined or slap him with a “Munira Stick”.
And to think that Munira isn’t an Islamist but a left-leaning liberal, and taking into account the huge votes that the Wa’ad gentlemen got, the “Bahrainis aren’t ready to elect liberals” has also become a defeated social misconception too.
The only reason that the above 5 didn’t win was absolutely NOT because “the normal Bahraini” wasn’t ready to elect them, but simply because the government and their stooges (GVC MPs) were so scared of them that they couldn’t afford to allow them to win!
i don’t think that group is viewed as liberals as much as outspoken opposition, with nothing to lose, hence nothing to fear, and who also happen to be savvy with western international media. which would make them more dangerous than your run of the mill local opposition, no matter how large their local power base, because they will not be harnessed.
Do you mean by “they” the Wa’ad crowd? If so, then I would disagree with you, as I believe that there is no way that the likes of Abdulrahman Al-No’aimi,Ibrahim Sharif, Munira Fakhro, Sami Siyadi et al are just “outspoken opposition”. This would mean that they’re just trouble makers hell bent on destruction rather than fighting for a better future for Bahrain and Bahrainis.
not at all. being outspoken does not imply that they would be doing anything destructive for the sake of it, or even speaking out for the h*** of it. if they saw something they felt was wrong, however, i think they would speak up. and would be difficult to force into compliance, i think. hence, they would be more difficult to manage than others who are part of an organized group with whose leader you can negotiate with.
example.
say you are PTB (powers that be) and I am HOB (head of bloc), and there are a couple of OIOs (outspoken independent opposition) out there. now, you are worried about me and my bloc, but the bloc will probably vote as HOB directs them to. This gives the bloc power from numbers, but it also makes it possible to negotiate with them through HOB. HOB has many objectives, expected of his highly visible party from his huge support base, and is expected to deliver something. he will therefore be amenable to some bargaining. PTB offers HOB something important he can go back with to the people and HOB relents somewhat on some issue PTB isn’t ready to give up. HOB ensures bloc behaves a certain way, and the result is a win-win situation. people happy, HOB reasonably happy for the time being, bloc members happy, and PTB prospers for another day.
this is therefore a situation PTB can manage, as long as HOB does not have controlling interest of the entire voting body. in fact, if the bloc is large but not controlling, that’s good because that means you have even fewer HOBs to deal with, less hassle, fewer compromises.
now enter OIO into the scenario. OIO is socially responsible and wants whats best for country. OIO will have opinions and will not be told how to think. OIO will also be outspoken with said opinions. If OIO is financially independent, that is even worse because OIO has less to lose. when you, PTB, are faced with a situation when OIO has decided to be outspoken about something that can stir up trouble and garner support from HOCs or even from a large fan base among the general public, what can you do about it? guided by OIO’s own vision of what’s best for the country and its people, through discussion with others within and without the body, OIO is guided by his/her conscience rather than any group membership, and although OIO feels socially responsible, what concessions can you offer OIO to get off your back? if OIO had an achilles heel, as i mentioned in a previous post, that would render OIO manageable. if not, PTB might be up the creek without a paddle. and even if PTB can find some way to rein in OIO, PTB will have to do it on an individual basis almost, (OIO by OIO), just to get them to stop winding up the other people inside the P and outside. PTB would then be in a very unpleasant position of bargaining with individuals who cannot guarantee anything substantial (such as a guaranteed number of votes as HOB would) in return, beyond themselves willing to let “this one slide”. tedious and not very palatable for PTB.
It seems to me, therefore, that from where PTB is sitting, dealing with HOBs is a much less unattractive activity to be involved in than dealing with strong OIOs, especially OIOs with a large fan club, as long as HOBs do not command a majority. If they did command a majority, of course, it would be GAME OVER for PTB.
And why should the PTB have control of all the levers? Remember that in a normal democracy, the PTB are only put in that position by the OIOs and HOBs in the first place and held accountable for all of their actions.
Your scenario only works in Bahrain because of the skewed constitution and widespread gerrymandering and election (alleged) fraud.
It is as if the first two out of three conditions are not enough! PTB should have left OIOs and HOBs to be fairly elected, because regardless of who gets elected, they still have the appointed chamber, the bylaws of both chambers, the constitution and ultimately the king’s veto powers.
What PTB have done is taken control of ALL the levers rendering even the semblance of democracy and democratic institutions completely useless.
So I don’t agree with you. OIOs would have been extremely good for the parliament and Bahrain, regardless of levers. At least their voice and their fights would have made people think and ask the right questions on their own.
We are not disagreeing.. I am stating how it looks from PTB’s perspective. absolutely some of them (OIOs) would have been better than good, and yes, that is precisely why PTB has behaved in this way in order to continue to hold the strings. because in PTB’s eyes…
a risk too high for PTB to take..
ok, now my brain hurts.. :-X
p.s. your santacons are gender biased. one OUT OF SEVENTEEN??! even if we assume some confusion about sexual identity and perhaps a couple of sheilas going for the stone-cold-steve-austin look, you still end up with about ten too many. how did she (the token number 3 from the left) manage to get on anyway? dugongs? :-X
😆 😆 😆 dugongs 😆 😆 😆 love it!
unfortunately I do not have any artistic ability in drawing, so I have to depend on others and take these “bundles of icons” as they come!
cwtn …
the woman santa is fun, sexy and the only one with lipstick. its quality, not quantity that counts.
😯
(btw, i like this dude … the way his eyes just go big and small .. reminds me of the women who were checking out el gamar!)
😆 I somehow think that if there is a vote, that the Santacons would definitely be a permanent feature here!
I don’t know how to do them, but I would pay someone to do a “Wahabi” set… there is no way you would get synonyms to anything resembling a smiley or grin or anything of the like!
a wahabi set would come with a trojan horse that would be like a virus that would go into your hard drive, take it over, and destroy whatever music, video, photo files u have in there. it would then attach itself virally to every thing that comes out of your outbox and start infecting others as well .. in a matter of seconds. the computer would then flash every 5 minutes telling that its time to pray .. and then flash every 2 minutes telling you NOT to think about s*x, dr*gs and rock and roll .. defeating the purpose obviously.
no mahmood .. no wahhabicons .. please!!
how ’bout we get nancyajramicons? 😉
😆
I couldn’t put it better myself even if I tried. So no Wahabicons for now then.
hey mahmood, think i should create a wahabi icon set :p?
don’t you think there’s enough of them around? you want us to leave here too?
:-X :-X