Dec98

December 1998: Fourth anniversary of the uprising celebrated; More attacks on people

1 December: The beginning of December 1998 brought with it news of the mismanagement of the country’s resources. The Bahraini Finance and National Economy Minister, Ibrahim Abdulkarim announced on 1 December that the budget for the years 1999 and 2000 would be around BD1,45 Million ($3.9bn) which amounts to $1.9 bn a year. According to the official figures issued by the Ministry of Finance and National Economy for the 1998 budget, the total recurrent expenditure was around $1.5bn. That is about 80% of the annual budget. The combined expenditure of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Interior amounts to 35% ( 19% and 16% respectively) of the recurrent expenditure. However, the total expenditure on Education, Health and Power amounted to 30% ( 14%, 10% and 6%respectively) of the recurrent expenditure. These astonishing figures clearly outlines the policy of the Al Khalifa regime of utilising the country’s resources to suppress the Bahraini society.

Later in December it was reported that the International Financial Services and Digital closed their offices in Bahrain, while Chase Manhattan Bank (Bahrain Branch) decided to minimise its operation in Bahrain as a first step towards the closure of their offices. Part of their plan is to retain a small office as a representative one with no banking transactions.

1 December: Several British lobbyists and MPs who had visited Bahrain recently were hosted at Café Royale, Piccadilly Central London. The former head of Bahrain Society, Sir Harold Walker, was given an expensive “gift” from the crown prince of Bahrain. Michael Rice has been appointed to head the society, whose patron is Abdul Aziz Al-Khalifa. Members of the society were made to listen to a talk by Ali Matar who had been employed by the Bahraini prime minister to work in the Shura Council.

The Bahraini government sent last week packages of “Rolex watches” as “gifts” to several British MPs who had visited Bahrain recently. The MPs visited Bahrain last September, through Omar Al-Hassan, the pro-dictatorship lobbyist. During their visit they requested to visit one of the many Bahraini jails, but their request was declined.

2 December: Bahrain’s interior minister, Mohammed bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa made a one-day visit to Saudi Arabia. Radio Riyadh said that the purpose of the visit is related to “security matters” and that the delegation accompanying the interior minister met with the head of Saudi intelligence Saleh Al-Khusaifan. It is important to note that the Saudis were annoyed by the way their soccer fans had been badly beaten on 8 November. It is believed that the Bahraini delegation will be apologising formally for beating the fans. Sky Sports, DSF, Dubai and other TV channels have managed to secure a copy of a film that documents the savage beating inflicted on the Saudis.

An important point was stated when mentioning the name of Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Khalifa, who the government of Bahrain stated that he was to replace Ian Henderson last February. Radio Riyadh referred to him as “Deputy of the Intelligence Director, Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Khalifa”. This confirms what the opposition has been saying that Ian Henderson and his long-time executive deputy, Thomas Bryan, are the ones running the show inBahrain.

2 December: Abdul Amir Al-Aradi, an engineer, who was detained several months ago, has reportedly been transferred to the military hospital suffering from exhaustion. Raed Al-Khawajah, Jaber Al-Shu’lah, Jaffer Slail, and Majid Milad, who completed their sentences, released and re-arrested are being subjected tosevere torture. Two ladies (Salwa Hassan Haidar, 30, Hanan Salman Haidar,19) are still being tortured at Isa Town Detention Centre.

3 December: The security forces ransacked a number of houses in Bilad Al Qadim Village and arrested scores of youths, including: Aqeel Al Mulani, 30, Kamil Mirza Abdul Hussain, 20, Jameel Hassan Abdul Hussain, 19, Mohammed Ahmed Al Sa’r, 19.

3 December: The aggressors ransacked the house of Dhiya Al Ghurbal in their attempt to arrest him. The house was brought to ruin and his family were terrified. Although he was not present during the raid, members of his family werethreatened and abused. The raiders told them that the security forces would attack the house the following day and that Mr Al Ghurbal “ better be thereor you will all get punished”.

4 December: European Parliament raises its concerns: Robert Evans, Member of the European Parliament sent a letter to Bahraini Ambassador in London expressing the EP’s concern about the recent human rights abuses that took place in Daih Village. Mr. Evans said “ I have recently been contacted by some concerned constituents regarding the detention of citizens and destruction of property in the village of Daih, west of Manama. Security forces are said to have attacked the village between 2 and 5 November, taking prisoners and destroying houses in the village. Together with Human Rights organisations around the world, members of the European Parliament are extremely concerned about human rights abuses by the security forces in Bahrain. I would urge that any prisoners taken from Daih be released and that attacks on villages ceases.”

4 December: the raiders broke again into Mr. Al Ghurbal’s house and snatched his elderly father, 55, and pointed a gun to his head at the entrance of the house. The raiders told the father that “ if you do not tell us the whereabouts of yourson, your head is going to be blown off”. He told them that he had no knowledge of the whereabouts of his son. The father was then taken hostage in one of the torture centres and was subjected to brutal torture and intimidation. He was then released later on the same day. The father was told that his wife and daughter would be next if he did not hand in his son.

4 December: Human Rights Watch published its Annual World Report 1999 with extensive details about the human rights situation in Bahrain. The report covered serious human rights abuses, including arbitrary detention and prolonged detention and torture, stating that the Bahraini Regime in 1998 “tightened already severe restrictions on the right to freedom of association and freedom of expression.” It went on to say that “ The government continued to rebuff calls by the People’s Petition Committee and other critics inside the country for the release or fair trial of persons detained without trial or convicted by the State Security Court in unfair trials, the return of persons forcibly exiled, relaxation of restrictions on freedom of expression and association, and future elections to a restored National Assembly.”

4 December: The Prime Minister issued a decree to silence loud-speakers in mosques and assembly halls while people perform their daily rituals. The alibi given for the aggressive order was “peoples’ comfort” through the forced stoppage of loud speakers people use during worship periods.

7 December: Another early morning attack on Daih was conducted by the security forces, attacking a number of houses in the area, bringing to ruin itscontents, intimidating and arresting their inhabitants. One of the attacked houses was of Saleh Ebrahim Al Sheikh. Mr Al Sheikh whose brother (Saeed) already in detention, was arrested and subjected to torture in one ofthe torture centres. His brother was brought and tortured before him to force Mr. Al Sheikh to sign false confessions of “ inciting his brother against the government”. He declined to succumb and was released few days later.

7 December: One of the Bahraini lawyers, Mr. Abdulla Hashim, appeared on Al-Jazeera Satellite TV to present his views as part of a panel discussing the GCC Summit. Upon his return, the security forces never stopped harassing him.

8 December: It was reported that Ali Khalifa Al Khalifa (son of the Prime Minister) has embezzled BD 5 Million ($14 m) from the giant communications company Batelco. According to the Al Khalifa rules, no member of the ruling family is liable to prosecution. Such flagrant immunity against prosecution has led members of the Al Khalifa to engage into wide-scale corruption without any deterrent.

8 December: Abdulla Al-Abbasi (Bahraini journalist) wrote an article in Al-Raya of Qatar. He praised the Qatari initiative of introducing more democratic reforms in the State of Qatar. He also criticised a statement usually repeated by some people who attempt to argue that the Arab people are not capable of practising democracy. Mr. Al Abbasi said that the parliament is the conscience of the people and affirmed that the majority of the people wanted to speak out and express their views rather than to overthrow the government (as claimed by the ruling Al-Khalifa family of Bahrain).

9 December: Kufi Annan called for the respect of human rights during his speech in front of the Gulf leaders participating in the GCC Summit that ended on 9 December in Abu Dhabi.

The Al-Khalifa family had its own announcement made public in the local press. Government-controlled press announced on 9 December that the powerless “ Shura Council members yesterday… backed amendments to the1976 law regarding the use of explosives, arms and ammunition, under which people caught with illegal arms and explosives in public places in Bahrain could face life imprisonment. Punishment for those involved in incidents which disrupt safety and security would also be increased to five years and aminimum fine of not less than BD500”.

These laws will be arbitrarily implemented by judges recruited from the ruling Al-Khalifa family or from Egypt. The Egyptian judges are recruited for renewable two-year contracts. The renewal of their contracts depends on their degree ofobedience to the ruling family during the summary trials. The UK Bar HumanRights Committee and the Parliamentary Human Rights Group published a 75-page report last October condemning these trials and the penal code that violate all constitutional and international standards

9 December: Security forces attacked Samahij in a dawn raid. They intruded houses, destroyed their contents, intimidated, beaten and arrested their residents. Some of those arrested included: Hassan Safwan, 20 (He was detained before for one year and a half without trial), Sadiq Abdul Majeed, 19 (His second arrest), Ali Al Zaini, 23. After hours of torture, the youths were brought back to the town and video taped in front of the pro-democracy slogans on the neighborhood walls.

9 December: Security forces broke into, besieged and set checkpoints at the entrance of the Bahrain Training Institute. It was reported that the reason for the attack on the Institute had been the discovery of the some pamphlets calling for reforms and democracy.

9 December: Kufi Annan called for the respect of human rights during his speech in front of the Gulf leaders participating in the GCC Summit that ended on 9 December in Abu Dhabi.

The Al-Khalifa family had its own announcement made public in the local press. Government-controlled press announced on 9 December that the powerless “ Shura Council members yesterday… backed amendments to the1976 law regarding the use of explosives, arms and ammunition, under which people caught with illegal arms and explosives in public places in Bahrain could face life imprisonment. Punishment for those involved in incidents which disrupt safety and security would also be increased to five years and aminimum fine of not less than BD500”.

These laws will be arbitrarily implemented by judges recruited from the ruling Al-Khalifa family or from Egypt. The Egyptian judges are recruited for renewable two-year contracts. The renewal of their contracts depends on their degree ofobedience to the ruling family during the summary trials. The UK Bar HumanRights Committee and the Parliamentary Human Rights Group published a 75-page report last October condemning these trials and the penal code that violate all constitutional and international standards.

10 December: The Bahraini opposition participated in the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration for Hunan Rights inside and outside Bahrain. In Paris, Mr. Ahmed Al Thawathi, addressed an international conference on human rights on behalf of the Bahraini opposition in which he updated the participants on the human rights situation in Bahrain. Moreover, the opposition’s delegation conducted bilateral meetings with delegates of states and international organisations.

10 December: The arrest and torture of people continued to take place as the UN Secretary General visits the region. The following persons were arrested recently: from Dair: Rida Al Walid, 29, Abdula Al Walid, 27, Jassim Al Walid, 19, Hussain Al Walid, 18, Abdula Jaffar Jassim, 20, Mohammed Jaffar Jassim, 19 (was arrested once before). Four of the arrested were released after savage sessions of torture. The other 2 persons: Jassim and Mohammed are still suffering in detention. Also, on 3rd December a number of persons were arrested from Samahij. They include Hassan Safwan, 19 (was arrested twice before), Sadiq Al Kharfush, 19 (was arrested once before), Ali Al Kharfush, 23.

11 December: Dr. Majeed Alawi of the Bahrain Freedom Movement participated in a programme broadcast by the Al Jazeera satellite channel, where he discussed the implications of the indictment of the Chilean dictator Mr. Pinochet in London for crimes involving human rights abuses. Mr Ian Henderson and Mr Thomas Bryan are amongst several British officers implicated in human rights in Bahrain. Human rights organisations are calling for the bringing to justice of these torturers.

12 December: Three mosques in Duraz were vandalised by the security forces. The mosques were Al Sadiq Grand Mosque, Al Ghufran Mosque and Sheikh Hassan Mosques.

12 December: Security forces attacked three mosques in Bilad al-Qadim and ransaked their contents. Copies of Quran, books and other items were smashed in Al-Ammar Mosuqe, Al-Ramlah Mosque and Seyed Yousif Mosque. The attacking of mosques is a routine exercise conducted by the regime as part of its collective punishment and racial discrimination policies adopted.

12 December: The unconstitutional State Security Court sentenced four youths to prison for periods up to 5 years after a summary trial that was held in camera. The sentenced persons were all from Samahij: Shawqi Yousif Ahmed Kharfush, 19 years old, 5 years imprisonment; Haytham Abdula Khalil Ibrahim, 18 years old, 3 years imprisonment; Maitham Yousif Ali Ibrahim, 17 years old, 3 years imprisonment, Hussain Mohammed Ismail Al Hadad, 17 years old, 3 years imprisonment; Ali Hassan Kharfush, 19 years old, 3 years imprisonment.

12 December: Security forces attacked the peaceful residents of Shakhora and committed horrific atrocities. The vicious attack started at midnight, when the security forces smashed their way into the houses and snatched people from their bedrooms. The following people were amongst those attacked, intimidated in front of their families, some of them tortured on the spot, and then taken away to torture centres for further ill-treatment: Abdul Nabi Mahdi Al-Hujairi, 31, Seyed Sharaf Falah Shubbar, 18, Seyed Khalil Majid Shubbar, 19 (a handicapped person), Fadhil Mohammed Salamn, 19, and his brother Reyadh Mohammed Salman, 18.

13 December: The residents of Markh were attacked in the evening, and the followiung citizens were taken away for further torturing: Seyed Habib Ali Yousif, 17, Seyed Jalal Abdul Amir, 16, Seyed Ali Ahmad, 16.

13 December: Security forces arrested a shop owner in Duraz area and accused him of speaking to “foreign journalists”. The person was taken to one of the torture centres for a few hours and then released after brutal torture. Lately, a number of British journalists have visited Bahrain and met ordinary people and toured the areas of uprising where they witnessed the extent of the regime’s atrocities on the Bahraini people.

13 December: Karzakan was targeted by these forces and several children were taken away for torturing: Jaffer Hassan Mulla Ali, 13, Ahmad Mulla Hussain Al-Fardan, 13, Ali Mulla Hussain Al-Fardan (brother of the latter), 20, Qassim Mohammed Abdul Karim, 17, Ammar Mohammed, 13 (arrested on 15 December). Aqueel Ali, 17, was detained from his parent’s house in Tobli on 20 December.

14 December: Mahdi Saleh Abdul Karim, 24, from Nuaim, was re-detained last week. He had just been released from a 28-month detention. Following his re-detention, he was then taken to the notorious State Security Court, where an Al-Khalifa “judge” sentenced him to 2-year jail sentence on this date, despite the fact that he had spent more than 2 years without any charges or sentences.

19 December: Under an iron curtain, the unconstitutional State Security Court sentenced several people, one of them to a record long term. Mohammed Redha Al-Sayyed Ali, 27, who on 14 November had been sentenced to life imprisonment, was again brought before the security court and had his sentence increased by another 15 years, thus making it a 40-year combined sentence. Another person, Farhad Khorshid, 30, was sentenced to 10 years in jail. Mohammed Abd Ali Jassim was given 15-year jail sentence adding to an earlier sentence of 10 years, hence a total of 25 years.

Several others were also sentenced. Mohsen Ibrahim Al-Shaikh, Seyed Saeed Al-Majed, a person by the name of Abdulla , and another person, all of whom had spent more than two years in jail and were released a short time ago after paying BD 500 ($1335) each, were brought before the said court and sentenced to 2 years imprisonment and payment of BD 500 fine (each). However, they were all taken back to jail despite having spent more than the specified term. The court session, held in camera, was processed under a strict news-blackout.

15 December: Prisoners of cell 8 in the Dry-Dock prison went on hunger strike last week. They demanded their immediate release since they had been in detention for over three years without charge. The persons went on strike included: Yahya Al Haiki, 18, Sitra, Mohammed Ahmed Abas, 20, Fadil Ali Ashur, 22, Muslim Ali Ashur, 17, Jaffar Ali Salim, 18 (also his brother), Ebrahim Ali Hassan, 20 (also his brother).

16 December: Arrest and torture and vandalism of peoples’ properties continue while the regime prepares to celebrate the anniversary of the Amir’s enthronement day .This day re-named by the Bahraini people as the Martyrs Day in commemoration of the start of shooting of a demonstration in 1994 when the first two people (Hani Khamis and Hani Al Wasti) were shot by the security forces. Amongst those arrested recently were Habib Ali Habib Sarhan, 15, Mohammed Jaffar Ali Ebrahim, 14, both from Ikir. Hassan Safwan, 20, Sadiq Abdul Majeed, 19, Ali Al Zaini, 23, all from Samahij.

16 December: Continuing their attacks against the population, the foreign-staffed security forces attacked Malkeyya and Karzakkan and arrested scores of people in random. Amongst the children snatched from their familes in Malkeya were Seyed Hashim Kadhim Al-Alawi, 15, Ahsan Abdul Redha Hassan, 14, Fadhil Mansoor Abbas, 14, Atef Isa, 14 and Abdul Jalil Abdul Amir Helal, 15. The children were beaten in public before transporting them to one of the torture centres. It is worth noting that the car (Toyota –Super) used by the security forces carried a Kuwaiti registration plate.

Fadhel Abbas, 16 year old, was walking with his father near Karzakkan marketplace on 16 December. A police car stopped by them, pulled the young boy towards their car and started beating him in front of his father. Next, they order him to sweep one of the streets while his father was kept watching. The police in the car were not Bahrainis and are thought to be some of those imported by the Al-Khalifa ruling family from the Syrian desert for committing such atrocities.

16 December: Several areas were attacked in the past few days. The following persons from Ma’amir were detained: Hussain Ahmad Abdulla Slail, 24, Shaker Abdul Hasan, Mohammed al-Abbas, 21, and Hani Hasan Saeed Al-Abbas, 22.

16 December: The Bahraini opposition in London picketed in front of the Dorchester Hotel in London to voice their protest against the human rights violations in Bahrain. In the evening (16 December) the opposition held a Press Conference at the House of Lords during which intimate details of the Bahraini regime’s atrocities against Bahrainis were uncovered by the opposition to the press.

16 December: Stan Newens, Member of the European Parliament for London Central sent a plea to the Amir of Bahrain on 16 December urging him to utilise the opportunity for restoring democracy to the country, through a dialogue with the opposition. Mr. Newens said “As I understand it, the opposition’s wishes are to restore the constitution, release all political prisoners, permit exiles to return home, repeal the State Security law and dissolve the State Security Court. While these matters are, of course, for Bahrainis to determine, both the Human Rights Watch and the British Bar Association have published reports on the situation and make practical recommendations which could lead to greater stability.”

17 December: The uprising areas in Bahrain turned the lights off in a peaceful civil resistance in commemoration of the Martyrs Day in the evening. Four years ago, the security forces started shooting down demonstrators killing citizens extra-judicially. The security forces were seen rushing into the areas and set check points at their entrances.

17 December: The following children were arrested in Daih: Hassan Abdulla Fakhar, 14, Maitham Abdul Shaheed, 14, Hassan Jasim Fakhar, 14, Hussain Abd Ali Hasan, 14, and Maitham, 14. The five children re-appeared from their detention in Al-Khamis police headquarters on 23 December. The five exhausted children were forced to depict acts of arson while several security men were filming them. The five, Hassan Abdullah Fakhar, 14, Maytham Abdul Shaheed, 14, Hassan Jassem Fakhar,14, and Hussain Abd Ali Hassan ,14, were very exhausted and evidently tortured. One of them kept crying and calling for help.

18 December: The residents of Muharraq attempted to demonstrate against the bombing of Iraq after Friday prayer. However, the security forces encircled the area and prevented the demonstration. Slogans in other mosques were also raised demanding an end to the bombing campaign against Iraq. On Saturday evening, 19 December, one of Bahrain TV news broadcaster wept and cried at the time of reading news about bombing Iraq.

18 December: In Daih, the security forces stormed the house of Jaffer Al-Khal and arrested. The citizen was tortured from 12.30 am to 2.30 am in the morning before his release. Seyed Jawad Abdulla Sharaf, 15, was arrested in a dawn raid on his parent’s house at 2.00 am on 20 December. Nothing is known about the child.

19 December: The case of the two ladies who had been dragged out of their bedrooms in the beginning of November is now becoming a time-bomb for the autocratic regime. The two ladies, Hanan Salman Haider, 19, and Salwa Hasan Haider, 30, were tortured severely and then taken on a torturous tour in the ruling family’s palaces in Rifaa. The ill-treatment of Bahraini women has taken its toll on the nation. Responding to these concerns, the interior ministry ordered one of its informers, Abdul Monem Ibrahim, to write an article in Akhbar Al-Khalij on 19 December. In this article, the informer said he met the two ladies in jail and they are OK. The families of the ladies and the people of Bahrain demand that independent humanrights organisation should be allowed to meet the two ladies and to inspect their situation.

18 December: The International Secretariat of OMCT requested intervention regarding the situation in Bahrain and expressed its concern for the physical and psychological integrity of at least 93 minors and 209 others arrested in further waves of arrests during the last five months. OMCT called on the Bahraini regime to take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the children held in detention and order their immediate release.

21 December: Reuters reported that the “U.S. Embassy in Bahrain was briefly evacuated after a hoax bomb threat from an unidentified caller, an embassy spokesman said Monday.“Yes, there was a bomb threat yesterday (Sunday). A secretary … received a telephone call saying there was a bomb at the embassy,” the spokesman told Reuters. “People walked out for about 30 minutes. Someone came in here and checked out the building. Nothing was found.”

On the other hand, Al-Hayat newspaper reported on 21 December that a caller with a Gulf-accent telephoned the offices of the newspapers on Sunday to say that American interests in Bahrain will be targeted on Monday mid-day.

21 December: Ali Abdulla Al-Motawwa, 20, from Arad was detained. On the same day, the security forces attacked the house of the following persons in Muqsha’a and detained them: Isa Helal Abdulla, 30, Abdulla Mohammed Ahmad, 38. The latter two were released two months ago after spending more than three years detention.

Falah Al-Falahi, 24, had been detained and tortured by the security forces in 1996. Upon his release in late 1997 he went on to earn a living by opening a shop in Iskan-Aali. Early in December, a group of intelligence officers were waiting for him as he opened his shop in the morning. The officers raided his shop and dragged him for a 2-day torture session. He was told that he is not allowed to earn any living and his shop must remain closed.

23 December: The government’s attempt to stain the image of the lawyer Abdulla Hassim has failed miserably. Mr. Hashim was detained for 48 hours and had been interrogated by the officer Mohammed Jassim Al-Thawadi. No case could be brought against Mr. Hashim, who on 7 December, appeared on the Al-Jazeera Sattelite TV to discuss the GCC summit. On

23 December, about a hundred employees and workers who had been unjustly dismissed from their jobs in Balexco published an advert in Akhbar Al-Khalij newspaper expressing their deepest respect and appreciation of all Mr. Hashim’s efforts in defending their rights. The advert reflected the mood in the nation and the disgust felt regarding the behaviour of the regime towards Mr. Hashim.

24 December: Over the past few weeks the Bahraini regime has stepped up its harassment and torture of the pro-democracy leader Sheikh Al Jamri. Solitary confinement has been used frequently against Al Jamri as he continues to refuse to succumb to the threats and intimidation of the regime. Al Jamri has been in detention since 21 January 1996, during which the regime spared no means of pressure to break the will of the 60 year-old leader, including threatening to harm members of his family if he continued to raise his demands for democratic reforms in the country.

By January 1999, Al Jamri would have completed three years in detention without any sound or plausible excuse. He is being held under the unconstitutional and draconian State Security Law, which empowers the detention of citizens for up to three years without trial or charges.

26, 27, 30 December: The security forces attacked Tobli and disturbed its peaceful residents, snatching Seyed Jawad Abdulla Sharaf, and his two brothers Seyed Jaffer Abdulla Sharaf, and Seyyed Husain Abdulla Sharaf. They also detained Hani Jaffer Isa, Mohamed Abdulla Mohsin, Seyed Jalal Mahmood Sharaf, Sami Ahmad Muftah, Zuhair Hasan Al-Haraj and his brother Mohammed.

27 December: In Sanabis, the mercenary forces attacked several houses and arrested several people, amongst them was Nader Mirza, 32. In Arad, theat tacker arrested two teenagers Hussain Ali Hassan, 18, and Hussain Ali Radhi, 16.

30 December: Salwa Hassan Haidar, 30, Hanan Salman Haidar,19 who had been detained and severely tortured in early November were released on bail of BD 500 ($1335) each. They were held in solitary confinement at Isa Town Detention Centre and subjected to ill-treatment. Their bodies carry the marks and evidence of severe torture.

4 December 98: European Parliament raises its concerns:

Robert Evans, Member of the European Parliament sent a letter to Bahraini Ambassador in London expressing the EP’s concern about the recent human rights abuses that took place in Daih Village. Mr. Evans said “ I have recently been contacted by some concerned constituents regarding the detention of citizens and destruction of property in the village of Daih, west of Manama. Security forces are said to have attacked the village between 2 and 5 November, taking prisoners and destroying houses in the village. Together with Human Rights organisations around the world, members of the European Parliament are extremely concerned about human rights abuses by the security forces in Bahrain. I would urge that any prisoners taken from Daih be released and that attacks on villages ceases.”

British MP’s Notice of Motion:

A motion of concern and condemnation of the continuing human rights violations in Bahrain was signed by a number of British MPs. They included: Jeremy Corbyn, Lynne Johns, Llew Smith, Martin Caton, Alice Mahon and Dr. Norman A. Godman.

The motion stated

“That this House notes the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and also that 16th December is Bahrain’s National Day; is deeply concerned and condemns continuing human rights abuses in Bahrain, such as arbitrary detention without charge or trial for three years, as well as the torture and ill-treatment of detainees, which has resulted in several deaths in custody including that of Nooh Khalil Al Nooh in July this year; regrets the Bahrain government failure to enter into dialogue with the Committee for Popular Petition (CPP) for the restoration of the 1973 Constitution and Parliament; express deep concern at the detention since 1996 of the CPP members Shaikh Abdul Amir Al Jamri and Abdul Wahab Hussain and the harassment by Ministry of Interior officers of CPP leaders Ali Qassim Rabia MP and Shaikh Isa Abdulla Al Jawdar for requesting the submission of the 25,000 strong Popular Petition; and urges Her Majesty’s Government to make strong representations to the government in Bahrain to immediately restore the 1973 Constitution and parliamentary system, to amend the unconstitutional 1974 State Security Act in line with the constitution and international legal standards, to release immediately all political prisoners, and to halt the forcible expulsion of Bahraini citizens and allow the hundreds in exile to return safely to their homeland.”

16 December 1998

Letter from Stan Newns, Member of the European Parliament – London Central

Asement, 92 Ladbroke Grove, London W11 2HE

Tel: 0171 221 0092, Fax: 0171 792 3691

16 December 1998

H H Shaikh Issa Bin Salman Al-Khalifa

Amir of the State of Bahrain

PO Box 555

The Amir Court

State of Bahrain

By FAX: 00 973 668 884

Your Highness

It is now than ten years since -as member of the European Parliamentary Delegation to the Gulf Countries- I visited your country and was honoured to be received by you and a number of your ministers.

As a believer in Parliamentary democracy, I felt I was duty bound, whilst fully respecting the sovereignty of Bahrain, and expressing thanks for the hospitality extended to us, to ask whether there was any intention of reconvening the Parliament which had been dissolved in 1975 and to enquire about human and trade union rights.

In reply your Foreign Minister, His Excellency Shaikh Mohammad Bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa said that our system had been tried but it did not work in Bahrain. He referred to the problems of terrorism and assured us that the country would “take the road which would lead to progress”.

Since then, along with others, I have tried to follow events in Bahrain and in September 1997 I moved a resolution which was carried by the European Parliament. At that time and subsequently I have been in touch with both your Ambassador to the European Union and your Ambassador in London, who have both explained the views of your Government to me.

On the 16 November, I understand that the Amir of Qatar, His Highness Shaikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, addressed the Qatar Consultative Assembly and stated that he intended to form a committee of qualified citizens to draft a permanent Constitution which would contain provision for an elected Parliament and that men and women would both have the right to participate in elections.

I am enheartened by this statement and would like to think progress will also be made in Bahrain.

I very much hope that there will be a dialogue with the Committee of Popular Petition and the opposition which has consistently condemned violence and terrorism on all sides.

As I understand it, the opposition’s wishes are to restore the constitution, release all political prisoners, permit exiles to return home, repeal the State Security law and dissolve the State Security Court.

While these matters are, of course, for Bahrainis to determine, both the Human Rights Watch and the British Bar Association have published reports on the situation and make practical recommendations which could lead to greater stability.

I am writing to you at this juncture in the hope that advantage will be taken of your National Day, 16 December, to address the basic problem and restore democracy after 23 years.

Those of us in the European Parliament who follow the development of events in the Gulf Region are deeply concerned about the people of Bahrain and fervently hope that the country is now on the brink of steps to ensure its people a democratic future.

I would wish to express our gratitude in anticipation of receiving information on these issues.

Yours sincerely

Stanley Newens MEP

CC HE Shaikh Abdul Aziz Bin Mubarak, Embassy of the State of Bahrain, 98 Gloucester Road, London SW7 5JA, Fax: 0171 370 5743.

CC HE Dr Ali Fakhro, Embassy of the State of Bahrain, 3 bis, place des Etats-units, 75116 Paris. Fax: 00 33 1 47 205 575

U.S. Embassy In Bahrain Evacuated In Bomb Threat

07:01 a.m. Dec 21, 1998 Eastern

MANAMA, Bahrain (Reuters) – The U.S. Embassy in Bahrain was briefly evacuated after a hoax bomb threat from an unidentified caller, an embassy spokesman said Monday.

“Yes, there was a bomb threat yesterday (Sunday). A secretary … received a telephone call saying there was a bomb at the embassy,” the spokesman told Reuters.

“People walked out for about 30 minutes. Someone came in here and checked out the building. Nothing was found.”

Bahrain is the base for the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet and also the headquarters of U.N. missions visiting Baghdad to eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction in line with the 1991 Gulf War cease-fire terms.

U.S. officials in the Gulf had before the four-day U.S. and British military campaign against Iraq — which sparked angry reactions and demonstrations in many Arab countries — conducted a review of security measures at American military installations and embassies in the region.

Earlier this month, U.S. embassies in the Gulf warned their citizens against possible “terrorist” attacks over Christmas or the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which began Saturday in most Islamic states.

The London-based Arabic daily al-Hayat newspaper said Monday unidentified callers had threatened to attack U.S. targets and Kuwaiti embassies.

Kuwait has stepped up security for its embassies abroad and deployed armed guards for Western diplomats at home after receiving threats of attacks against its own missions and U.S. targets

Press Conference on Bahrain: Choosing between democracy and chaos

A press conference was organised in the British Parliament on 16 December to commemorate the fourth anniversary (start of the 5^th year) of Bahrain uprising. The conference was hosted by Lord Avebury, the Vice Chair of the UK Parliamentary Human Rights Group with participation from the Bahraini opposition. The conference assessed the situation in Bahrain in the light of recent events and the insistence of the Bahraini government on the use of iron-fist policy against the pro-democracy movement.

Lord Avebury said “We are here to talk about the choice confronting the ruling family in Bahrain. The choice between democracy and chaos. We also commemorate the victims of the last four years, since the great petition and the refusal by the authorities to discuss its demands for a return to the 1973 Constitution and the Parliament. Dozens of people have been killed on the streets, or tortured to death in prisons and detention centres over those tragic years, or executed following trials before the infamous State Security Court.

Yet the demands which are resented so implacably by the ruling family are extremely modest and ought to be fully supported by this (British) government, which claims to be promoting the values of human rights and democracy that we demand for ourselves.

For the first time, this year, Derek Fatchett (the Foreign Office Minister), has said that the authorities in Bahrain should enter into discussion with the leaders of the Committee for Popular Petition, and this is a slight advance on their predecessors who talked about “dialogue” but never said who should be involved.

What we need now is for the Foreign Office to be specific in their approach to human rights in Bahrain as they are in relation to other countries. For instance, there should be a request for our embassy to be allowed to visit Sheikh Al-Jamri who will reach the third anniversary of his detention on 20 January without trial or charges. Sheikh Al-Jamri surely qualifies for some moral support, particularly when you consider the despicable way he was ill-treated when he refused to sign a confession. He was intensively interrogated and roughly treated physically for weeks in April as well as recently. He was then brought before an investigating judge who called on him to sign a prepared statement confessing that he ordered arson and sabotage, and acted on behalf of a foreign power. Sheikh Al-Jamri refused to give in. He is now 60, and has continuing medical problem for which it is feared he is not getting proper treatment.”

Lord Avebury also covered the cases of the Bahraini Lawyers Society and the torturing-to-death of Nooh Al-Nooh last July. The Lawyers Society was dissolved last February when it organised a seminar during which a pro-democracy figure, Dr.Monira Fakhro, assessed the situation in the country. The banning of the Lawyers Society is indicative of the nature of he regime that can not tolerate any margin for freedom of expression. Lord Avebury also called on the Bahraini authorities to come clean regarding the torturing-to-death of Nooh Al-Nooh and to bring the perpetrators to justice

Mr. Abdul Hadi Al-Khawaja of the Bahrain Human Rights Organisation stated “since the eruption of the unrest in December 1994, thousands of citizens including women and children have been arrested. According to the US department of State Human Rights Country Report of 1995, the number estimated was 2,700 detainees. The International Committee of the Red Cross stated in its annual reports for 1997 that its regional delegation carried out 33 visit to 23 places of detention and saw 2,111 detainees, while the Financial Times of 28 May 1998, said that local businessmen, academics and Lawyers put the figure at more than 5,000. Amnesty International said in its annual report of 1998 that “there were continuing reports of systematic torture and ill-treatment of detainees arrested in connection with the political unrest”. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the question of torture stated in his report of 1997 that he “had continue to receive information indicating that most persons arrested for political reasons in Bahrain were held incommunicado, a condition of detention conducive to torture.” He outlined that there were 46 persons who “lost their lives in the last four years in connection with the going unrest”. He continued that ” since the beginning of 1995, more than 400 detainees were tried before the State Security Court and received sentences varied between few months to life imprisonment and death penalty.”

As stated in the 1998 Freedom in the World report issued by the US based Freedom House: Bahrainis cannot change their government democratically. Political parties are prohibited, and all opposition leaders are currently imprisoned or exiled. The Interior Ministry maintains control over most activities through pervasive informant networks. The Bahraini government should guarantee a long term stability and peace, by restoring democracy and the rule of law, by amending all the laws and measures that violate fundamental rights, by halting all practices violating human rights, and by redressing all the victims of human rights violations, and identify those responsible and bring them to justice.”

Dr. Mansoor Al-Jamri of the Bahrain Freedom Movement reflected on the recent budgetary figures announced by the Bahraini government. “Government expenditure reserves 35% for defence and security, while only 30% for health, education and electricity. This is a government that plunders national wealth on importing tens of thousands of Bedouins from Syria and Jordan, on nepotism and on sleaze. The government has recently imported more Egyptian judges for increasing the capacity of the State Security Court and has announced harsher arbitrary laws against the population.

It has been repeatedly said that one of the reasons for the continuation of dictatorship in our region is the fact that the great power of the day has allied itself to certain types of regimes for guaranteeing free passage to India (in the case of Great Britain in the past), or for guaranteeing free flow of oil (in the case of the present US-led hegemonic presence). What goes inside the boundaries of the states has not been an important point for the dominating powers. It is this type of alliance which is fostering dictatorship in the region.

In the case of Bahrain, the ruling family had conceded to popular demands between 1971-75 because of the various external factors in those days. As soon as those factors relaxed, the ruling family returned the country to the type of rule that existed in Bahrain prior to 1923. The State of Bahrain is considered by the ruling family as a private “Estate of Bahrain”, and hence any mention of democracy or accountability threatens this conception.

The dwindling oil resources and the instability of the region might bring some changes in the future. However, a gloomy outlook prevails. This is driven by the nature and attitude of the regime which has yet to recognise the presence of citizens with full political rights in their homeland.

Recently, Al-Hayat newspaper published a back-door governmental announcement about an invitation for Sheikh Mohammed Mahdi Shams Al-Din (the President of the Shia Islamic Counil in Lebanon) to visit Bahrain. Two days ago, a person from the Shia community was summoned by the Ministry of Interior and then asked to visit Sheikh Shams Al-Din with a twisted message. The opposition welcomes any attempt to open up serious dialogue for a peaceful political solution. However, the opposition remains skeptical, as the talk of the government remains to be concentrated on how to continue running Bahrain unconstitutionally and by depending on the use of sheer force to repress the nation.”

Bahrain Freedom Movement

16 December 1998

Fax: (44) 171 278 9089

6 December 98

Private Eye says a crook in the Commons:

The Private Eye has revealed in its last issue some of the sleaze that the Bahraini regime employs to win support in the British Parliament. Private Eye said “A meeting has been called for 1 December by the Britain/Bahrain All Part Parliamentary Group ( joint chairmen: David Wiltshire, Tory, and John Marek, Labour; secretary; Ken Purchase, Labour). The meeting coincides with visit to Britain of Dr. Ali Mutar, of the island’s uninfluential Shura Council. A curious note to the meeting states: “ Hon Admin: Gulf Centre for Strategic Studies”. Can this possibly be the same Strategic Centre for Gulf Studies which paid William Powell, the former Tory MP for Corby, regular monthly amounts which he did not declare, and whose ubiquitous director Omar Al Hassan was thrown out of the House of Commons by Emma Nicholson? Has Mr. Al Hassan managed to get another pass to replace the one he got from Powell? Perhaps the Commons staff should investigate—especially asformer senior clerk has described Mr. Al Hassan as “a crook.” PS: There is no elected Parliament (or opposition political parties for that matter) in Bahrain.”

“The Independent” newspaper (of London) published two articles on 7 December 98 by the newspaper’s Westminster Correspondent, Fran Abrams. The first article titled “Gulf lobbyist and Cook aide runs MPs’ group” was on the front page of the Independent. The second article titled “Britain’s cosy relations with torture state” was on Page 9.

The Independent, 7 December 98

Front page article

By Fran Abrams, Westmister Correspondent

Gulf lobbyist and Cook aide run MP’s group

A senior aide to Robin Cook is running an all-party group of MP’s together with a lobbyist who represents Gulf states with appalling human rights records, The Independent has learnt.

The revelation that Ken Purchase, the Foreign Secretary’s parliamentary private secretary, has given to Omar Al Hassan Access to Parliament raises serious concerns about Labour’s “ethical” foreign policy.

Mr. Al Hassan, who runs a group call the Gulf Centre for Strategic Studies, recently accompanied nine MP’ on a trip to Bahrain. The country has had no democracy since 1975 and dissidents have been tortured and murdered. In the late Eighties, Mr. Al Hassan lobbied for Saddam Hussein.

On their return, the MPs received gifts of watches via Mr. Purchase and were told that it would be discourteous to return them.

Mr. Al Hassan, a Palestinian, is administrator of the All Party Bahrain Group, whose secretary is Mr. Purchase. In 1983 he was dismissed from a job with the Arab League in London after £15, 500 went missing. He now runs the Gulf Centre for Strategic Studies, which works in this country on Behalf of this government.

One MP described Mr. Al Hassan as being “ like Ian Greer without the laughs…I am astonished that Robin Cook is allowing his PPS to fraternise with him”. The MP’s who went to Bahrain with Mr. Purchase were Labour colleagues Lawrence Cunliffe; Lindsay Hoyle; Ashuk Kumar; Dan Norris; Andy Love; and Claire Ward. The Tory MP Nigel Evans and liberal democrat Nigel Jones also went.

Mr. Al Hassan said he had been wrongly dismissed by the Arab League and was the victim of a “ political conspiracy”. He said there was no shame in having lobbied for Iraq during the Eighties.

Mr. Purchase said Bahrain had made immense steps in improving human rights and Mr. Al Hassan past was irrelevant.

The Independent, 7 December 98

Article on page 9

Britain’s cosy relations with torture state

Ministers have maintained close contacts with their counterparts in Bahrain despite the country’s record of torture and extra-judicial killings.

The warm relations between Britain and the Gulf states raise fresh questions about the new “ ethical dimension” which Robin Cook has introduced in Britain’s foreign policy.

Defence Ministers meet regularly through a body called the Bahrain British Defence Committee. Britain has 85 defence staff in Bahrain and members of the country’s armed forces are invited to defence colleges in this country for training.

Bahrain was among a number of countries whose governments were invited to Farnborough arms fair this year. In the 12 moths after Labour won last year’s general elections, 24 export licences were granted for weapons to Bahrain. Exactly what has been sent is not clear but categories for arms approved for sale include the groups which covers small arms, armoured vehicles and surveillance systems.

A European Parliament resolution has called on EU states to ‘ refrain from supplying arms or security support to the government of Bahrain’.

The country, a former British colony, has maintained close links with the UK for years, the of security in Bahrain was a Scot, Ian Henderson, who was responsible for prisons. He has retired and another British ex-serviceman, Colonel Thomas Bryan, has taken his place. He Minister of Interior has recently appointed a British solicitor as his legal adviser on human rights issues. If NATO has gone ahead with bombing raids on Iraq this autumn, British Tornadoes would have taken off from an air base in Bahrain, where they are stationed.

The Foreign Office minister with responsibility for the Middle East, Derek Fatchett, told the Commons last years that the campaigners for democracy in Bahrain were ‘ moderate people with a moderate set of demands” he also raised the issue of human rights in meetings with the Bahraini Ambassador and other senior figures.

However, close links which existed under the Conservative government still continue. As we report on page on today, a lobbyist Omar Al Hassan, now administrator of the All-Party Bahrain Group in the House of Commons and recently took nine MP’s there on a trip.

Although there have been some violent terrorist attacks in Bahrain, most pro-democracy campaigners say they would not condone such acts. They want a restoration of the country’s partially elected assembly, which was dissolved in 1975.

Bahrain has signed the UN Convention Against Torture, but brutal treatment is still used to extract confessions from suspected dissidents. The US State Department has estimated that in 1996more than 3,000 people were detained, but only 117 were convicted. Some 1,500 were still in detention at the end of the year.

Many of those held are children—for example two 12 year-old boys were arrested, beaten up and released in September this year. Their parents were not told where they were. In July a 22 year-old Nooh Khalil Abdula Al Nooh, was arrested, two days later his mutilated body was handed back to his family.

Human rights abuses in Bahrain have been documented by Amnesty International, the US state Department, the Red Cross and the Human Rights Watch group.

Mr. Al Hassan, the lobbyist for Bahrain who run the Gulf Centre for Strategic Studies, said 41 deaths in four years was no worse than the records of Britain, Ireland or the United States. They were really killed by terrorists”. They do every thing against their country. They are co-operating with extremists in Iran and other countries,” he said.

A spokesman for the Bahrain Freedom Movement said Britain’s close relations with Bahrain should be used to apply pressure. “ so far we have seen some good statements from the Foreign Office and especially Derek Fatchett, but apart from that no tangible action was recorded,” he said.

Early this year Bahrain’s Ambassador to the UK, Abdul Aziz Mubarak Al Khalifa, engaged the British lobbyist Sir Tim Bell to co-ordinate protests to the Labour government after it granted asylum to three Bahraini dissidents. In a memo to the Ambassador, Sir Bell said the foreign office was “ actually embarrassed” by the Home Office decision but could do little about it.

He suggested the Bahrainis should use all their contacts to seek meetings with influential figures, including the Home Secretary, Jack Straw.

The Sunday Times ( 13 December 98) revealed an insight into the sleaze the Bahraini government employs to win support in the British Parliament. An article on page 10 titled ” Cook’s aide helps donor in £15m row ” by the Insight columnists: David Leppard, Chris Hastings, Jessica Berry. The Sunday Times, 13 December 1998 Insight By David Leppard, Chris Hastings, Jessica Berry. Cook’s aide helps donor in £15m row A senior political aide to Robin Cook has been accused of “ inappropriate” lobbying on behalf of a Labour donor in a £15m planning dispute. Ken Purchase, Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Foreign Secretary, has been criticised for “dabbling” in the dispute by his own Labour Council in Wolverhampton. The veteran left-wing MP for Wolverhampton North East offered to intervene in favour of an out-of-town shopping centre proposed by the property development arm of the insurance group Sun Life, which has donated £35,000 to Labour. This weekend critics said he might have been acting against the spirit of new government guideline on planning. The rules were introduced last month in the wake about allegations about Allen Meale, the environment minister.

Purchase denied wrongdoing but said he had not read the guidelines.

Documents seen by the Sunday Times show that the MP recently tried to halt a High Court action that the council was fighting against Sun Life. The Sun Life application is to develop 17 acres of brownfield site for the out-of-town shopping centre at Bentley Bridge, Wednesfield, two miles from Wolverhampton city centre. However, it was rejected by the High Court earlier this month after judges found that it did not conform to government planning rules. In recent letters to the council, Purchase took the unprecedented step of offering to negotiate an out-of-court settlement between the developer and the council. Purchase argued that future jobs were at stake and that the cost of forthcoming legal proceedings would be “ formidable win or lose”. But senior council officers say Purchase should never have offered to act as go-between. They claim he was “ misled” by he developers, who exaggerated the costs. In fact, the court rejected the application and £100,000 costs were awarded against Sun Life. The company gave £20,000 to Labour in December 1996 and a further £15,000 in January this year. It has also made donations to the Tories. In a letter to Purchase, obtained by the Sunday Times, Ray Lewis, the council’s director of planning, said that because of the court case “ it would be most inappropriate” for MP to become involved with the council in negotiations. He was supported by John McCallum, the Labour planning committee chairman.

McCallum said he felt the MP’s involvement in trying to lobby on behalf of the developer and intervene in the council’s court case was wrong.

Purchase, the son of a Midland die-caster, remains proud of his working –class roots. But his zealous support for the underprivileged has not stopped him rubbing shoulders with wealthy businessmen and, more recently, with the Emir of Bahrain, one of the world’s richest men.

A recent “ study trip” to the Gulf state opened his eyes to a glittering new world, far removed from his time as an apprentice toolmaker and trade union shop steward.

The emir’s ambiguous attitude to human rights—his regime is said to have detained more than 3,000 dissidents without trial— has not deterred Purchase from accepting gifts of expensive jewelry from the elderly leader, has ruled the desert Kingdom since 1961.

As a secretary of the All Party Bahrain Group, Purchase led nine MPs to meet the Sheikh, hid third trip in two years. Many in the group were later surprised to receive the gift of a watch — said to be worth £2,000 — on their return to London.

Claire Ward, Labour MP for Watford, has returned hers to the Foreign Office. At least two others have given their watches to charity, feeling uncomfortable about taking such a lavish gift. Purchase apparently had no such qualms. Handing out the watches at the House Of Commons two months ago, he told fellow MPs not to worry. It was the emir’s way of showing his thanks.

His words may have raised eyebrows at the Foreign Office, where Cook, his boss, is responsible for promoting new Labour’s so-called ethical foreign policy.

Purchase has always been a hard-working constituency MP, campaigning against job cuts and fighting to support the local economy. It was in this role, he said, that he became involved in lobbying for the developers’ plans. Purchase said he met agents for the deal three times to discuss their plans as the local MP, he was entitled to promote the development. The council is considering writing to him telling him he should not have become so closely involved.

The MP insisted that he had no idea that Sun Life was a substantial Labour donor. He denied that he acted improperly and said that he simply lobbied for jobs.

“ I consort with whoever I want” he said last week, after it emerged that his trip to Bahrain had been paid for by the Gulf Centre for Strategic Studies, a think tank that has in the past supported Saddam Hussien of Iraq.

The Amir violates Bahrain Constitution:

19 December 98: The London-based Al-Quds newspaper published an important article, from Mr. Mohammed Jaber Sabah, member of the dissolved National Assembly. In the detailed article Mr. Sabah said “It is not possible to encircle oneself with misconceptions and erroneous myths and to assume that such things will save the situation from the recurrent and continuing political conflict in Bahrain. Mr. Sabah analysed the Amiri decree (No.4/1975) issued on 25 August 1975 for dissolving the parliament saying, that “examining the details of the decree shows that it is unconstitutional from the outset”. “The constitution of Bahrain does not allow any changing to its clauses before a 5-year period from its enactment (it was enacted in 1973). Therefore to freeze Article 65 indefinitely is unconstitutional beyond the period allowed by the constitution which is 2 months after anydissolution.

Article 65 states “The Amir may dissolve the National Assembly by a decree in which the reasons for dissolution shall be indicated. However, dissolution of the Assembly may not be repeated for the same reason. In the event of dissolution, elections for the new Assembly shall be held within a period not exceeding two months from the date of dissolution. If the elections are not held within the said period, the dissolved Assembly shall be restored to its full constitutional authority and shall meet immediately as if the dissolution had not taken place. The Assembly shall then continue functioning until a new Assembly is elected”.

The continuation of the present state of affair contradicts Articles 65 as well as Article 1 (e) and Article 104. The political struggle goes back to 1920s when the leading figures from all sections of Bahrain society consistently called for parliamentary life, end of sectarianism, local municipality elections, and other civil rights.

Bahrain: The Sunday Times reveals more sleaze

An important article was published on 13 December in the London based newspaper “the Sunday Times”. The article (on page 10) revealed intimate details on the sleaze the Bahraini regime has embarked upon to scrape together support to uphold and bolster its rapidly crumbling image in the British Parliament. The endeavors of the regime in the House of Commons were mentored and charged by MP Ken Purchase, Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the British Foreign Secretary. The newspaper said that Mr. Purchase ” has been accused of “inappropriate” lobbying on behalf of a Labour donor in a £15m planning dispute.” it went on to say that ” A recent ” study trip” to the Gulf state opened his eyes to a glittering new world, far removed from his time as an apprentice toolmaker and trade union shop steward.” The article titled ” Cook’s aide helps donor £15m row” was co-authored by the columnists David Leppard, Chris Hastings and Jessica Berry revealed that many in the All Party Bahrain Group were ” surprised to receive the gift of a watch— said to be £2,000.” It outlined how Mr. Purchase happily accepted the “gift” he received from the Amir of Bahrain whereas three other MPs have either returned the gifts or given them to charity.

Labour MP Claire Ward has returned hers to the British Foreign Office. ” Purchase apparently had no such qualms. Handling out the watches at the House of Commons two months ago, he told MP’s not to worry. It was the Emir’s way of showing his thanks.” Also the Independent newspaper and Private Eye tackled the same issue recently. Mr.Purchase letter to Lord Avebury: In a letter sent to Lord Avebury, Ken Purchase said “In response to your rather veiled reference to Dr Omar al Hassan why do you not make clear what you would like to tell me of? I should say that I have found him to be straightforward and will respected for his work on behalf of Arab people. I had hoped you would have been present at the last meeting of the All-Party Bahrain Group to put your inquiries to Dr Ali Mattar, Deputy Speaker of the Shura Council and indeed to those members who visited Bahrain. The meeting was advertised on the All-Party whip for two successive weeks. Fourteen attended. I have read the report you sent but given the historic and unhelpful rivalries that exist in the region, it is difficult to judge the accuracy and value of the evidence given by the witnesses, or whether the report adds anything to the betterment of understanding between our peoples who it seems to me share a number of interests. There will be a further meeting of the group in the early part of next year. Please feel free to attend.” Anne Miller Replies: In a reply letter to Lord Avebury, Anne Miller of the Middle East Department in the British Foreign Office said ” Thank you for your letter of 29 October to Mr Fatchett enclosing a copy of the above report. I have been asked to reply. Most of the recommendations in the report are consistent with our own concerns. As you are aware, we raise the issue of human rights and constitutional reform with the Bahraini authorities at every opportunity.” Hunger strike in Dry-Dock Prison:

Prisoners of cell 8 in the Dry-Dock prison went on hunger strike last week. They demanded their immediate release since they had been in detention for over three years without charge. The persons went on strike included: Yahya Al Haiki, 18, Sitra, Mohammed Ahmed Abas, 20, Fadil Ali Ashur, 22, Muslim Ali Ashur, 17, Jaffar Ali Salim, 18 (also his brother), Ebrahim Ali Hassan, 20 (also his brother).

More arrests and torture: On 13 December the security forces arrested a shop owner in Duraz area and accused him of speaking to “foreign journalists”. The person was taken to one of the torture centres for a few hours and then released after brutal torture. Lately, a number of British journalists have visited Bahrain and met ordinary people and toured the areas of uprising where they witnessed the extent of the regime’s atrocities on the Bahraini people. Arrest and torture and vandalism of peoples’ properties continue while the regime prepares to celebrate the anniversary of the Amir’s enthronement day .This day re-named by the Bahraini people as the Martyrs Day in commemoration of the start of shooting of a demonstration in 1994 when the first two people (Hani Khamis and Hani Al Wasti) were shot by the security forces. Amongst those arrested recently were Habib Ali Habib Sarhan, 15, Mohammed Jaffar Ali Ebrahim, 14, both from Ikir. Hassan Safwan, 20, Sadiq Abdul Majeed, 19, Ali Al Zaini, 23, all from Samahij. Vandalising mosques:

Three mosques in Duraz were vandalised on 12 December by the security forces. The mosques were Al Sadiq Grand Mosque, Al Ghufran Mosque and Sheikh Hassan Mosques.

Press Conference:

A Press Conference entitled “Bahrain: Democratisation or Chaos” is to take place on Wednesday 16 December, at 6.30pm at the Committee Room 4, House of Lords, Palace of Westminster, London SW1. Nearest underground is Westminster Station.

The conference will debate the prospects of change, modernisation of the political system, civil resistance and the British Government stance on the situation in Bahrain. Speakers will include members of both British Houses of Parliament. Bahrain Freedom Movement 15 December 1998 Fax: (44) 171 278 9089

Bahrain: Protests proliferate in the Dry-Dock concentration camp

The security forces have been encircling the Dry-Dock prison camp in Hidd with riot police aiming their rubber bullets and tear gas at detainees. The protest by the citizens who are crowded in this concentration camp was started on 29 November. Most of the citizens in this camp are held without charges and have been there for years.

When Yehya Ali Ahmad Al-Satrawi requested to know when will he be released after two and half year in detention without charges, the officer refused to respond. Mr. Al-Satrwai started a hunger strike on 29 November, and this action prompted one of the torturers, Walid Al-Dewaisan, to order force-feeding. A group of other torturers and guards raided his cell and started beating him and forcing food inside his mouth. The screams and beating ignited a protest by 160 detainees in the same wing. Then another officer, Ali Al-Thani led an attack against the cells on 2 December, in which 50 detainees were removed from the wing. Intensive interrogation and torture were conducted against the 50 detainees while the others were locked inside their cells and prevented from even going to the bathroom, and this situation continues till today.

The torturers Walid Al-Dewaisan, Ali Al-Thani, Faisal Al-Rumeihi, Ali Al-Rumeihi, Mehanna Al-Nuaimi, Daij Al-Kawwari, and Ali Al-Joder, personally tortured the 50 detainees:

Some of those who were severely treated (and blind-folded for days) are know to be: Makki Salman (from Shakhoora), Mohammed Al-Shoghal (Aali), Nader Salman (Sanad), Husain Al-Basri (Sitra), Hussain Sultan (Muharraq), Hussain Musha’al (Karranah), Mosa and his brother Qassim (from Karranah), Seyed Mohammed (Sar), Seyed Haider (Sar), Mohammed Fareed (Arad), Isa Al-Hayki (Muharraq), Ali Al-Masaken (Muqsha’a), Habib Al-Sari (Duraz), and others.

The fifty detainees are now prevented from receiving family visits and have been subjected to solitary confinement in rota. Seyed Mohammed and Seyyed Haider (both from Sar) are receiving the harshest ill-treatment, and news from the concentration camp speak of continued atrocities by the prison guards. The Dry-Dock camp contains 600 detainees, all without charges or trials, and many of them are teenagers.

Attacks on peaceful citizens continue:

In the early hours of 25 December, the mercenary forces attacked the residents of Karranah. Several houses were raided and several youth who had been praying in a mosque were taken prisoners to Al-Budaya detention centre. Similar attacks were reported in Sadad, Karzakkan, Duraz and Musalla.

On 26 December, Aqil Mirza Abdul-Hay, 30, was detained after a dawn raid on his house. The same person had been detained last year after a similar dawn raid.

The security forces also raided the house of Jaffer Ahmad Al-Ashori, 21, in Daih and turned the contents upside down in search of Jaffer. They were told that the youth died last year and they can fetch him from his grave, if they wished. The person who told them of his death (Hussain Mulla Wahhab Yousif. 25) was taken as a substitute prisoner.

Jamil Ahmad Hassan Al-Bonni, 17, from Iskan Jedhafs, was re-arrested on 27 December. The torture Khalid Al-Wazzan raided his house a day after his release. Upon his arrest, Al-Wazzan shouted at the father of the teenager saying “we believe that your blood is Halal (meaning that you have no right to live) and I will make sure no one releases your son again”.

Ali Ahmad Al-Khudairi, 29, from Northern Sehla, was snatched from his bedroom at dawn on 27 December and taken away to an unknown detention centre. On 29 December, the dawn raiders stormed a house in Iskan Jedhafs and detained Hussain Saeed Zabil, 17, who is believed to be tortured in Al-Khamis police station by Khalid Al-Wazzan.

Bahrain Freedom Movement

31 December 1998

Fax: (44) 171 278 9089

Budgeting for repression

The minister of Finance announced details of the 1999/2000 budget on 29 December revealing some of the information that has spread gloom amongst the people. The annual budgets for 1999 and 2000 have been estimated at BD726m ($1.9bn) and BD772m ($2bn), which are 15% and 23% more than that of 1998. Recurrent expenditure has been reduced from 90% to 80%, a healthy sign from the outlook. However, the finance minister revealed that the primary sectors of electricity, water and transportation would be considered for some form of privatisation. Such a call is not new, but has no weight when studying the practices of the ruling elite and the way they treat Bahrain’s economy and primary projects through insider-dealing and nepotism. All the latter end in more burden inflicted on ordinary citizens and dissatisfaction of business people who can not operate without allocating a certain percentage (of the total value of any project) for one of the key ministers or officials of state.

More worrying to the citizens is the fact that all the sectors that are important to citizens will be affected by the budget while both defence and security will have their lion shares retained and most probably increased. In 1998, the government allocated 19% of expenditure for defence and 15% for security, a total of 35%. On the other hand, education was allocated 14%, health 10% and electricity around 6%, a total of 30%. The same percentages were revealed for health and education, while at the same time the budget has been increased by 15% and 22% for the next two years.

These budgetary figures will result in a deficit of BD320m ($854m), around 22%, for the next two years. The finance minister said the “estimated deficit of BD320m would be met through borrowing from Bahrain financial establishments, Arab development funds and Islamic development banks”.

Allocating at least 35% for defence and security reflect those announced figures only. It is believed that much more than this percentage is expended on importing thousands of Bedouins from the Syrian and Jordanian deserts for an evil-minded project undertaken by the government to affect demographic changes in the country. Several Gulf countries denote money for assisting Bahrain, but most donations are channelled for non-productive, security-related projects. The insistence of the government on militarising the education sector, importing more mercenaries, increasing the capacities of prisons and detention centres, and deploying primary state-resources to repress the nation, all contribute to the worsening of the economic situation.

Bahrain Freedom Movement

30 December 1998

Bahrain: Children tortured; failure to intimidate Mr. Abdulla Hashim

Five children who had earlier been arrested from their parent’s houses in Daih re-appeared from their detention in Al-Khamis police headquarters on 23 December. The five exhausted children were forced to depict acts of arson while several security men were filming them. The five, Hassan Abdullah Fakhar, 14, Maytham Abdul Shaheed, 14, Hassan Jassem Fakhar,14, and Hussain Abd Ali Hassan ,14, were very exhausted and evidently tortured. One of them kept crying and calling for help.

Fadhel Abbas, 16 year old, was walking with his father near Karzakkan marketplace on 16 December. A police car stopped by them, pulled the young boy towards their car and started beating him in front of his father. Next, they order him to sweep one of the streets while his father was kept watching. The police in the car were not Bahrainis and are thought to be some of those imported by the Al-Khalifa ruling family from the Syrian desert for committing such atrocities.

The government’s attempt to stain the image of the lawyer Abdulla Hassim has failed miserably. Mr. Hashim was detained for 48 hours and had been interrogated by the officer Mohammed Jassim Al-Thawadi. No case could be brought against Mr. Hashim, who on 7 December, appeared on the Al-Jazeera Sattelite TV to discuss the GCC summit. On 23 December, about a hundred employees and workers who had been unjustly dismissed from their jobs in Balexco published an advert in Akhbar Al-Khalij newspaper expressing their deepest respect and appreciation of all Mr. Hashim’s efforts in defending their rights. The advert reflected the mood in the nation and the disgust felt regarding the behaviour of the regime towards Mr. Hashim.

Bahrain continues to be affected by the bad policies of the irresponsible government. As a result, more businesses are leaving the country. International Financial Services and Digital closed their offices in Bahrain, while Chase Manhattan Bank (Bahrain Branch) decided to minimise its operation in Bahrain as a first step towards the closure of their offices. Part of their plan is to retain a small office as a representative one with no banking transactions.

Bahrain Freedom Movement

26 December 1998

Fax: (44) 171 278 9089

Faisal Abdul Qader exposed:

28 December: Al-Oroba Club hosted a meeting to discuss the report published by Faisal Abdul Qader, the UNDP resident officer in Bahrain in which he claimed that Bahrain has the top rating amongst Arab countries in caring for its citizens. Faisal Abdul Qader, opened the discussion with a brief explanation on the programmes procedures and goals. This was followed by three topics which included measurement of indicators and their adaptation, the influence of economies on human resources development and the establishment of civil society in human recourse development.

Three other speakers participated in the discussion, Abdalla Al Janahi, Dr Abdulaziz Abul and the lawyer Abdalla Hashim. The three Bahraini speakers informed the UNDP person (who refuses to listen to ordinary citizens) that his figures are fudged and bear no relation to the reality of Bahrain that is trodden with poverty and hardship as well as carelessness towards human issues. They informed him how the official figures are issued in such a way to hide the misery of the situation and can never be taken without verification and validation. One of the discussants informed the UNDP person “is it not obvious how bad the human-related issues in Bahrain are, that even if a citizen were 60-year, he or she would still be afraid to speak his or her mind? “

Two persons were also present in the audience, the torturer Abdul-Aziz Atteyat-Allah Al-Khalifa and the labour minister, Abdul Nabi Al-Shuala.

UN Delegation to visit Bahrain

The Geneva-based “Human Rights Monitor”, (Dec 1998), Issue No. 43, revealed the details of the deal made between the government of Bahrain and the UN human rights experts by summarising what happened during the 50th Session of the UN Human Rights Sub-Commission held in August 1998.

The newsletter stated “Following the adoption last year of a resolution on Bahrain, Mr. Joinet recalled that, in the absence of co-operation by the authorities, it remained necessary to pursue international supervision. Other experts and NGOs supported this position and deplored the absence of transparency by the authorities of this country.” “Just as the Sub-Commission was prepared to proceed with the examination of this draft resolution (on Bahrain, Ms. Hampson asked that the delegation from the country be given the floor before beginning debate on the resolution. In its statement, the Bahraini delegation solemnly reaffirmed the commitment of his Government to respect its international human rights obligations and to retract the policy pursued by his Government, highlighting its co-operation with United Nations mechanisms.

The Bahrainian delegate announced that the Government of Bahrain was studying its reservation regarding article 20 of the Convention Against Torture, premising to withdraw this reservation within one year. He also formally invited the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention of the Commission on Human Rights for a preparatory visit to Bahrain. In light of these development, he asked that the resolution be withdrawn.

Following this statement, Ms. Hampson proposed the withdrawal of this draft resolution, which was then don. Mr. Alfonso Martinez asked that it be made clear that it was the co-authors, and not the Sub-Commission, who decided to withdraw this text”.

The Government of Bahrain may now allow a one-person delegation to visit Bahrain next May and will certainly attempt to delay any detailed examination for as long as possible, thus avoiding its publicly stated obligations in front of the UN human rights experts. Such a move will undoubtedly infuriate human rights experts.

December 98

The intifada begins its fifth glorious year

Light at the end of the tunnel

As the leaders of the six countries comprising the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Abu Dhabi this month, the events in the region will undoubtedly dominate their discussions. The Iraqi crisis is by no means the only major challenge to the stability of the region although it is one of the most serious dilemmas of their embattled alliance.

The absence of a unified stand on this issue has been evident ever since the second Gulf war ended eight years ago. Today, the decision with regards to Iraq is not theirs. Furthermore, the dissenting voices from the within the ranks of the GCC such as those of Qatar, the UAE and Oman have become too loud to be ignored. Material aid for the victims of sanction in Iraq has been openly delivered to Iraq via its sea port of Basra.

On the other hand the recent rapprochement between Saudi Arabia, the largest of the six GCC states and Iran has contributed to the mild tone being used in conjunction with Iran, the largest country overlooking the Gulf. Since President Khatami came to power last year, the relations between the two sides of the Gulf have gone from strength to strength.

Today, Iraq and the dwindling oil resources are the two main common concerns of the GCC and Iran. The anti-Iranian rhetoric which had been in abundance in the eighties have almost evaporated, and mutual relations have improved significantly. The GCC summit may, however, scrutinize Iran for its continued dispute with the United Arab Emirates with regards to the three islands. But the border disputes among the member states of the GCC leave no room for singling out Iran.

One of the most intriguing issues that is likely to cloud the annual gathering of the six rulers is likely to be the internal situation in the each of them. The issue is a sensitive one especially in light of the international focus on the region and the inability of the rulers to introduce the long-awaited democratic changes demanded by large sectors of their societies. The Kuwaitis have a relatively long experience in semi-democratic tradition, and the trend is towards more openness and tolerance of diverse political views. The Saudis are the main player in the region and observers monitor any positive changes towards democratisation. So far, none have been forthcoming, but many observers believe that it is well overdue. They maintain that the Saudis cannot hold out any longer against the introduction of a written code for some form of civil rights. For the past few years the Crown Prince, Abdulla bin Abdul Aziz, has allowed himself to be seen as a saviour for the values of a modern society, an image that is yet to be tested in practice. The traditional forces in Saudi Kingdom are objecting to any serious change whilst many Saudis are looking forward to a more open discourse with regards the internal situation in the Kingdom. Whether Prince Abdulla will be the man of change or not depends on how soon he ascends to the throne, and whether he is strong enough to take up the challenge in the face of resolute forces unenthusiastic for change.

The wind has now blown from the tiny state of Qatar whose maverick behaviour over the past six years have surprised many. Its main satellite television station, known as Al-Jazeera, has exhibited openness to a degree unheard of in the region. It has attracted the wrath of most Arab governments for allowing criticism of their political systems. Opponents of Arab governments including Gulf regimes have appeared on the screens of the Al-Jazeera, a phenomenon that has provoked the rulers.

Now came the latest in a series of initiatives by the active ruler, who replaced his father and attempted to modernise the country’s political system. On 16 November, he surprised everyone when he told a convened meeting of the Shura Council that he had decided to all for the establishment of a permanent constitution that allows for an elected parliament. He said that he had appointed a committee of thinkers to produce a prototype constitution and that it will legislate for free elections to a parliament in which both sexes would participate actively. The involvement of men and women in this process will make Qatar the first Gulf state to do so. In a country that has denied women the right to drive a car, such as Saudi Arabia, the reaction may not be favourable to the idea of democratisation. However many in the Gulf have welcomed this blatant move to the extent that the Chairman of Kuwait’s Assembly, Mr. Ahmad Al-Sa’doun, expressed his joy over the Qatari initiative and told Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Amir of Qatar, that history would “write his name with golden letters”.

The people of Bahrain who have been engaged in a four-years old constitutional uprising, have unreservedly welcomed the Qatari initiative and called on their government to follow suit. However, observers clearly saw the contrast between the Bahraini people who are fighting for the reinstatement of their constitution but are being denied it, and the Qatari people who are offered this substantial concession from the Government without shedding blood for it. They have already witnessed the elections of the Chamber of Commerce, and are planning to take part in the first local (municipality) elections in the country.

Bahrain spearheaded local election in 1919, but the Al-Khalifa of Bahrain stopped such elections more than forty years ago and have refused to reinstate them again. The announcement of the Amir of Qatar that he had decided to draw up a Constitution and hold parliamentary elections contrasts sharply with the daily campaigns of arrests and intimidations being carried out by the mercenary forces employed by the prime minister of Bahrain.

On 17 November, a day after the Qatari announcement, the appointed Shura Council in Bahrain was summoned for publishing a statement calling for more imprisonments and harsher laws against the people of Bahrain declaring “people caught with illegal explosives in public places in Bahrain face life imprisonment in a new crackdown on terrorism”. Cabinet Affairs and Information Minister Mohammed Al Mutawa presented amendments on the unconstitutional 1976 Penal Code, and brought with him the torturer (so-called Governor of the Capital) Abdulaziz bin Attaitallah Al Khalifa, to frighten the appointed and powerless members of the Shura Council. He said “harsher punishment would safeguard Bahrain and guarantee its development”. Moreover one stooge-member, Abdulrahman Abdulsalam, was quoted “Harsher punishment would allow people to become more creative”.

As the people of Bahrain prepare themselves to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the popular uprising that erupted on 5 December 1994, the situation seems more grim than ever before. Thousands of people remain in detention with attacks on women and children, collective punishments, ransacking of houses have become routine, and harsh sentences by the notorious State Security Court are on the rise.

The Qatari initiative have done a great damage to the logic being employed by the Al-Khalifa of Bahrain that democracy and elections are alien to our societies and values. It will fuel stronger demands for the reinstatement of the Constitution especially as the most basic of human rights are routinely abused by the Al-Khalifa. It is an uphill struggle which will surely by won by the people. The fifth year of the popular uprising (intifada) could prove critical for a regime that has been criticised even by governments considered to be friendly with the Al-Khalifa. What the people of Bahrain are sure about is that they will not stand still and accept a situation of repression, flagrant human rights abuses, and denial of constitutional rights.

Bahrain Freedom Movement

1 December 1998

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