Bahrain: A new martyr in the struggle against the Al Khalifa dictatorship – Bahrain Freedom Movement

Ali Jassim, 31 was taking part in a peaceful demonstration today, on the Day of Martyrs, when he was mercilessly attacked by members of the Al Khalifa Death Squads.

He was left for dead. His family took him to the hospital. But it was two late. Ali Jassim was murdered by these vicious troops who have been instructed to maim or kill Bahrainis.Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, has now entered the books of historyas one of the most vicious dictators of the Middle East. Few monthsago, a young man, Abbas Al Shakhouri, was killed by his death squads.No one has been arrested or charged for his murder. Two other youngmen were also murdered by Hamad’s killers; Mahdi Abdul Rahman (July2006) and Mohammad Juma’ Al Shakhouri (2001). The last martyr of theintifada, Nooh Khalil Al Nooh, was killed by Hamad’s death squads. Innone of these cases the killers were either arrested or tried. In2002, Sheikh Hamad issued his notorious Law 56 that decreed impunityto killers and torturers.Today’s murder happened on a day of enormous activities in most partsof the country. The people were commemorating the Day of the Martyrsto mark the day when in 1994 the prime minister, Sheikh Hamad bin IsaAl Khalifa, gave orders to the security forces and riot police to uselive ammunition against peaceful demonstrators. Two Bahrainis werekilled; Hani Khamis and Hani Al Wasti. Since then the people havecommemorated 17th December as the Days of the Martyrs. This year,however, the activities dominated the whole country. The activitiesstarted last week when the people commemorated the first anniversaryof the demise of Sheikh Abdul Amir Al Jamri. On Thursday night 13thDecember, the security and riot forces attacked a peacefuldemonstration wounding and arresting several young men. In manyvillages, the people declared their intention to take part in today’sdemonstrations and pickets. The walls in Al Malikiyya, Karzakkan,Sitra, Al Ekr, Sanabis, Jidhaf and Duraz were covered with anti-regimeslogans. Coupled with several pickets by the unemployed over the pastfew weeks, the situation has become volatile. What made the situationworse, has been the interview that the prime minister, Sheikh Khalifabin Salman Al Khalifa gave to the Kuwaiti, Al Siyassa, in which hestood by his repressive policies of the nineties and said that he wasready to use the same policies again. The absence of any sign ofremorse convinced the people that they were dealing with a monsterwhose thirst for blood has no bounds.The cold-blooded killing of Ali Jassim has turned the country into apolitical inferno. Bahrain is now bracing itself to a winter of furyas the people of Bahrain have become more blatant in their rejectionof the Al Khalifa rulers who have occupied their land and enslavedthem for so long. There are now voices calling for an end to thisbloody and black era. Calls have been made to the United Nations tointervene in support of the people of Bahrain especially in the lightof the continued demographic transformation being implemented bySheikh Hamad and his clique.Today’s events have overshadowed other events such as the crackdownagainst demonstrators in many parts of the country, the arrest andtorture of many youth and the maltreatment of detainees. One youngman, Sayyed Ahmad from Sanabis, was subjected to horrific treatmentlast week for taking part in a peaceful demonstration in his town.During his interrogation at the torture chambers, he was repeatedlybeaten on the same wounds sustained during the demonstration. When hecomplained to the prosecution, he was told the police were acting inself-defence. This lack of any respect of human rights has causedenormous distress among human rights activists. Today’s events havealso caused distress to many. Those who saw the martyr, Ali Jassim,during his post-mortem, were horrified by the extent of his injuries.Photos were taken of the body of this young and healthy young man. Theinjuries reflected deep enmity and lack of respect of the human soul,and is likely to lead to more protests and demonstrations by thepeople.Bahrain Freedom Movement

17th December 2007 (Day of the Martyrs)