Al-Watan is at it again

Sectarianism in this country continues to increase, alhamdullillah, propagated by newspapers and writers specifically created and well funded for the purpose, as exposed in that report which we are not allowed to mention. Since its publication it seems the paper that carries the illustrious name of “The Nation” has increased the spread of its poison; is this the in response to it feeling death closing by and thus wants to spread as much hate as possible before that certain eventuality?

Whatever it is, the only way to defeat such sectarianism is not to give in to it and expose it wherever and whenever you encounter it no matter how small the incident is. The more exposed this poison gets, the better the community as a whole will be for it because what will be done is raising the community’s collective awareness of the problem and forcing everyone to think of better ways to tackle the issues and hopefully goading us to realise that the only way forward in this spic of a country is to embrace tolerism and realise that the others might be right in their views too.

Therefore, I would like to thank both Lulu and Gardens of Sand for exposing Al-Watan and its sectarian content and ideology whose only motive in personally attacking a member of parliament is sectarian. The MP was simply standing for what she believed was right, a position that she shared with the opposition in parliament which happens to be composed of a Shi’a majority.

Comments

  1. Haytho

    http://www.alwatannews.net/Alwatan/PDF/07-03-2007/أخبار%20الوطن-Black/10.pdf

    I guess on this page is found both the reporting and poem that are said to be ‘offensive’ or ‘secterian’ (poem? Is it? Not by Arabic standards anyway, amongst which is the need for rhythm and sensuality إذا الشعر لم يهززك عند سماعه/فليس جديرا أن يقال له شعر, of which it has neither. But that aside: –

    The MP-by-default has not switched sides. The whole thing is done by design and cannot be declared innocent of wise calculation. Because it is obvious that, actually, it pays not only that MP herself to vote the way she did.

    Suffice it to say that even if she stayed dug in in the final voting, at least 21 votes are needed to defeat the decree law. If need be, Dhahrani’s will no doubt swing the final outcome for it to pass. So while no harm is done to the true constituents of the MP by default, at least some good would be garnered by her and them from her voting as she did/reported.

    Now, was either of the reporting or the poem in Alwaqt NP setting another new low for Alwaqt NP, as has been suggested? I will hold to the contrary, as usual. Can anyone please pin down/home in on the offensive parts/paragraph(s), just in case my ‘sieve’ was not fine enough?

  2. SoulSearch

    Its obvious why a paper like Al-Watan would say print propoganda poetry like this. Anyway, people in Bahrain are always divided into Sunni and Shia. The Sunnis are expected to be “Mowaleen” and the Shiites are the “Mo3aradha” but they forget that there are some Sunnis who can disagree with some views while some Shiites love the government’s views on many things.

    Sad but true. This is the main problem in Bahrain, in my opinion. I wish we could just lay aside our differences and be Just Bahraini!

    Love,
    SoulSearch

  3. ray

    Hi Mahmood
    I regularly visit your blog.
    I am not one for conspiracy theories ‘cept of course Area 54 and Princess Diana not forgetting who hoarded all the Islands frozen sprouts after Christmas leaving me with none until March (I suspect he was mainlining them) and of course Nostradamus did predict that Bahrain would run out of 1/2 kilo packs of boneless skinless chicken breasts in the New Year no these things can be predicted by the flight of bumble bees, no what really intrigues me for which I have no way of foretelling is why I cannot access blogs through links from your page on recent posts of a “certain” nature of which we all know very well, and so instead of Lulu and Golden Sands I’m going to read the entrails of an ant to find out if the sun will rise on October 40th.

  4. Bernie

    I’m loath to comment on Bahraini items because I just don’t know enough however, this sounds like a classic case of divide and conquer by parties who would benefit from such tactics.

  5. arab sunni

    Its obvious, there are more shia in the sheikhdom of bahrain than sunnis, if they were arab shias, then its ok, but these are ajamis – or iranian shias who arrive in the country and start breeding like theres no tomorrow.
    That is why bahrain are dishing out passport to yemenis and are encouraging them to bring their families.

    Whether you like it or not, sunnis will always loathe the shia and shia will always loathe the sunnis.

    And lets not forget that the shia iranian tried to overthrow the ruler of bahrain in 1994!!!

    And from inside sources 😉 :
    It is a fact that the shia or any iranian will not attempt to overthrow the government again…For the sole reason that the arab sunni policemen had been given a licence to “kill when threatened”. And believe me, they wont have a problem with it.

  6. Pingback: Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » Bahrain: Newspaper Accused of Spreading Sectarianism

  7. Haytho

    If it is true that:

    arab sunni policemen had been given a licence to “kill when threatened”. And believe me, they wont have a problem with it.

    …. has the word ‘threatened’ been defined? What words or acts would represent a ‘threat’ which gives lawful use of power to kill?

    …. of course, I take ‘kill’ to mean cause death, marghiah, موت, finitto, send to the ‘hereafter’!

    Also, what’s ‘inside sources’? and is this ‘shoot to kill’ thing reserved for Shiah at large or only Iranian Shiah, so if the ‘threat’ comes from a Bahraini Shia the police would not shoot, but they would do so if it comes from a Bahraini ‘Ajami’?

    I think # 5 smells of hatred, dividing and sectism!

  8. Haytho

    Often times, magnifying or shrinking an object allows better cognizance of it. Having found the ‘poem’ to be a mumbo jumbo and having failed to understand it directly in the Arabic language, I made an effort to see if getting into it through my own English approximation of its meanings, I ended up with the following ‘matter’. I do not claim this “stuff” or the original version of it make a cohesive and digestible reading. But, I though it might be worth sharing but labeling it as pure ‘trivia’. Here it is: –

    It was said that, when desirous of a happy marriage take a wife from Duraz, Manamah or Banijamrah. But the Southern electioneers did not heed this wisdom and put in a Southern woman. They pampered her, but pampering did not work. No sooner than the first change in weather she jumped the fence.
    (A gaud in Arabic is young fat camel) Latifa Elgaud did not win in 2002 but in 2006 she changed areas and won unchallenged as her rivals were ordered to withdraw. She bit the hands which paved her way to winning. But by that she is only asking for troubles, oh how can she support the turbaned men in the voting! And defeat the “Majority”. True that a thin (poor) husband is far better than a gaud (meaning camel, see above – also in this context it means a considerable fortune in traditional nomadic ‘money’ in the old days). But it is seriously doubtful that she’d ever be rewarded. Oh, no, she would received loud, temporary lip service.
    As from yesterday the number (19) will be significant to more than the Bahai’s, for (Latifa + Alwefaq) equaled 19 now. Hence 19 would now be preferred to scores of new ‘others’.
    What an unwelcome move from Latifa! But can she ever be settled where she jumped. Does she think that she over grew her shoes? True it is that, sometimes the groomed can become more skilled than their mentors; yet this is no more than an utter case of arrogance!

  9. can we talk

    if they were arab shias, then its ok, but these are ajamis – or iranian shias who arrive in the country and start breeding like theres no tomorrow.

    WTF???!!!
    it is obvious that you don’t know this country at all, have never stepped into a village, what ARE you talking about??? yes, the majority are Shia but they are NOT from anywhere else. they were born here, their great forefathers have always lived here, and they do not have loyalties to any other country. get real!

    Whether you like it or not, sunnis will always loathe the shia and shia will always loathe the sunnis.

    more hateful c**p! most people do not even know the difference between the two. many people go about their lives never thinking about sects, and it is only when some pot stirrer starts labelling that they become sectarian. for most people, their sect may be more about a social life than any religious thing. what makes you think there is so much hatred? why would they hate each other? are they so different? are you judging everybody by your own sectarian standards?!

  10. jasra jedi

    ‘arab sunni’ ..

    its interesting that you called yourself an arab sunni. because no self respecting bahraini, whether persian, arab, shia, sunni, male or female, would ever espouse some of the bs that is coming out of your fingertips onto the screen ..

    besides, if you think that defining yourself as an arab and as a sunni, then why dont you leave the UK my friend and buy yourself a one way ticket to Riyadh? Or, if you have guts,go and fight for your ‘arab sunniness’ in Baghdad?

    hypocritical armchair coward facist …

  11. Sara

    Being in Bahrain only a short time, it has become apparent to me rather quickly that a majority of the people I have encountered both Bahraini and from the neighboring countries (all of Sunni faith) perpetuate sectarianism…

  12. M

    hypocritical armchair coward facist …

    Well, don’t hold back, JJ; tell us how you really feel. BTW, remind me to never REALLY piss you off.

  13. jasra jedi

    M,

    I was having a bad hair moment at the time.

    Now, I am not so sure I would even honor the idiot by responding to him.

    I do apologize if I offended your sensibilities. No real man would ever really limit himself to an armchair war. Or so I am told.

    May the force be with you.

Comments are closed.