Protest against Bahraini Al Khalifa threats against activists and Shias in front of Intercontinental Hotel – London

Hundreds of Bahrainis are languishing in torture cells; most of them in incommunicado detention. Extreme forms of torture have been adopted to subdue the pro-democracy activists, as the ruling family engaged in an all-out war against the natives, both Shia and Sunni  Muslims. The policies of extermination implemented by the regime have led to a polarized society that could not flourish, stabilize or progress. As the oil revenues are plundered by the ruling family, economy has become a tool against the people, and failed to adapt to modern standards of fairness, productivity, inclusiveness and competitiveness. It too became a tool of repression against the natives as concepts as “equal opportunity”, “equitable distribution” and “professionalism” entrenched enterprises in the hands of senior members of the ruling family.

The ongoing political turmoil has diminished trust in the stability and security of the country. Senior local businessmen have complained of continuing downturn in the economic cycle as foreign businesses felt deepening unease. No country can reach good standards of economic liberalization when it is ruled by absolute dictatorships, or when repression becomes the norm. Expatriates have contacted the opposition to express their outrage at the scenes of riot police and Death Squads roaming the streets, engaging in endless battles with stone-throwing, tyre-burning youth whose despair has pushed them to these acts. The opposition has become speechless as families of detainees demanded strong actions against the torturers of their beloved ones. The images of extreme forms of repression, ransacked houses of political suspects, mutilated bodies of youth kidnapped by members of the Death Squads, have seriously undermined the official claims of a plot to overthrow the hereditary dictatorship. The lack of access to detainees, the incommunicado detention of hundreds of Bahrainis by the Al Khalifa have convinced many that the situation in this troubled country may have reached the point of no return. Although the opposition has remained humble in its demands, the public is becoming increasingly adamant that this antiquated hereditary dictatorship has no place in a modern society.

Camouflaging repression and authoritarianism with masks of democracy has also failed to impress the expatriate community whose members are in touch with the natives as work colleagues or employees and many have expressed sympathy with the victims of what has now widely known as state-terrorism. Instead of heeding the calls to modernize and adapt to modern standards of democracy and respect of human rights, the Al Khalifa have engaged many public relations and media bodies to market their “democratic” credentials. They have plundered people’s wealth on trivial exercises including seminars, conferences, field trips, media outlets and political bodies. The aim is to sustain the daily attacks on the natives who have, themselves, made great successes especially with independent world media, human rights bodies and international NGOs. The Al Khalifa have failed drastically to convince even their closest friends that there has been a coup plot against their rule. At a press briefing on 15th September, Philip J. Crowley, the US Dept of State said: We are in touch with Bahraini authorities and have expressed our concern. At the same time, we have confidence as Bahrain evolves that you don’t have to make a choice between security and democracy, and that this is the message that we’re sending to the government”. When asked: “Do you have any reason to believe the government’s claim that these opposition figures were trying to sort of arrange a coup against the royal family?”. His answer was: “I don’t know that we’re aware of any information along those lines”.

The political programme that aimed at wiping out the natives has now come to an end. Furthermore, the revenge attacks by these dictators against the Bahrainis under the pretext of “uncovering a plot” to overthrow this hated regime, have also failed to dislodge the opposition from its position of challenging the illegitimate Al Khalifa rule. The blood of the victims of state-sponsored terrorism is now threatening to defeat the enemies of mankind; those whose motto has always been: kill to survive!

{gallery}/2010/06/London-protest{/gallery}