Sep 99

SEPTEMBER 1999

Bahrain: A fresh repression campaign following rescheduling of a UN visit
Sheikh Hassan Al-Qaidoom, 28, was arrested on 28 September, upon his return from Syria back across the causeway linking Bahrain to Saudi Arabia. Sheikh Al-Qaidoom had suffered from several arrests and torture in the past four years. The torturer specialising in his case is Adel Flaifel. This torturer was quoted by many detainees that he will continue to challenge any international monitoring system to stop him from torturing Bahrainis. The security forces attacked Malkeyya on 26 September and arrested several citizens including: Seyyed Hashim Kadhim Al-Alawi, Seyyed Ahmad Ali, and another young person. These persons had recently been released as part of the 320 people package announced by the new Amir. Many of the 320 had been re-detained by the security forces and over 90% of those who had been released are being persecuted by the interior ministry who is blocking their return to their previous employment. Also, the security forces attacked Abo-Saiba and arrested Seyyed Shakir Abdul Majid, Ali Yousif Ali, and Hassan Abdul Nabi . Reports from inside Bahrain revealed that the British master-torturer, Ian Henderson, has undertaken a new recruitment strategy. Several security officers from the same colonial background had recently been added to his senior staff. Some of these were recruited by him in Singapore. Similarly, it was revealed that one of the torturers traveled to London several months ago and used the compound of the Bahraini Embassy in London for recruiting some corrupt individuals to work as informers. Concerns are mounting regarding the conditions of Mr., Abdul Wahab Hussain, Mr. Hassan Mushaima’a and Sheikh Hussain Al-Deihi. Their health conditions have deteriorated following intense torture sessions. These and other leading detainees are in their cells for more than three and a half years without charges. The government was going to release them last month, but all plans for releasing citizens had been shelved following the success of the government in delaying a UN Working Group visit that was scheduled to visit Bahrain and inspect the jails on 20 October. The visit had been re-scheduled to take place in October 2000. The government hopes that it will have an extra year to repress and torture Bahrainis without international pressure. Bahrain Freedom Movement 30 September 1999

Fax: (44) 171 278 9089

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Bahrain: The government is violating at least 23 Articles of the constitution
The pro-democracy figure and member of the dissolved parliament, Mr. Mohammed Jaber Sabah, wrote an article, which appeared in Al-Quds on 24 September on the issue of the recent formation of a “Citizens Complaints Committee”. The latter was formed by the prime minister last month. Mr. Sabah explained that articles 74 and 74 of Bahrain’s Constitution require that such a committee be the responsibility of an elected parliament for monitoring the executive power. To have this committee as part of the government means that it will have no independent powers and will be part of the PR exercise of those in authority. Mr. Sabah said that the government is violating no less than 23 Articles of the Constitution. It was reported that a group of Al-Bu-Ainain tribe has migrated to Abu Dhabi protesting at the way the government has imported tribesmen from the Syrian Desert and settled them near to Al Bu-Ainain tribe in Askar and Jaw villages, south of Bahrain. It is also reported that skirmishes and clashes between the Bahraini children and those of the imported people are on the increase in Rifaa, Jaw and Askar. The minister of housing stated to the local press that his ministry is initiating a plan for constructing several schemes for tourism in Hawar islands. He said that a US consultancy firm has been appointed for the planning of projects such as a Golf playground, a hotel and chalets. The International Court of Justice is examining the case of Hawar whose sovereignty is disputed by the neighbouring State of Qatar. Students at the University of Bahrain issued a statement enquiring why has the government been advertising in media outside Bahrain for recruiting teachers while many Bahraini graduates are without jobs. The statement pointed out to the corruption involved in the importation of outside people. In one case, a high-ranking official imported an Egyptian dancer and employed her as a teacher to cover-up his true intentions. On 16 September, a 17-year boy from Abu-Saiba’a, Hussain Abdul Nabi, was arrested and dragged to a wall carrying slogans calling for political reforms. The security men started beating the young boy in front of the wall to force him to confess that he had painted the slogans. The person was taken to the Budaya Police Station and tortured for one day before being released. He was only released when it had been proved to them that the boy was an illiterate who could not read and write. The slogans in question were written in Arabic and English.

Bahrain Freedom Movement 27 September 1999

Fax: (44) 171 278 9089

Bahrain: Delaying the UN team visit heralds a new wave of repression The government of Bahrain has been encouraged to continue its violations following its success to delay the intended UN team visit by one year. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention was supposed to visit Bahrain next October. However, the Bahraini government attempted to suspend the visit on the pretext that the new Amir will need time to remedy the situation. The visit of the UN team was re-negotiated to take place in October 2000. This explains why the government halted the release of detainees and why it had re-embarked on a new wave of atrocities. It is hoping to play with time and to continue repressing the nation. The detained pro-democracy leader, Mr. Abdul Wahab Hussain was transferred to the military hospital on 21 September suffering from exhaustion and drop in blood pressure. The health condition of Mr. Hussain has continuously deteriorated in the past weeks. Mr. Hussain and hundreds others are in detention without trial or charges for more than three years. The government of Bahrain has intensified its violation of human rights in the past two months. The new Amir has done nothing to remedy the situation and the autocratic premier together with his terrorist forces have embarked on new waves of atrocities. On the other hand, the interior ministry summoned one of the women who had suffered detention for two times in the past three years. Ramlah Mohammed Hassan Mohammed Jawad, 21, was summoned on 6 September by the notorious torturer Abdul Salam Al-Ansari. The torturer interrogated the young woman and informed her that she will be repeatedly interrogated in the coming period. This method of torturing follows the attempt by the Ms. Hassan and other women to submit a letter to the Amir calling on him to release their husbands and relatives. The Bahraini interior ministry released Mr. Abbsa Darwish, the person who had been handed over by the Kuwaiti authorities, after failing to identify a single reason for the handing-over. The Kuwaiti authorities are ill-treating the dispossessed Bahrainis as a means for satisfying the ruling family in Bahrain.

Bahrain Freedom Movement 23 September 1999

Fax: (44) 171 278 9089

Bahrain: Autocratic premier tightens his grip on the country
The family of the detained personality, Omran Hussan Omran, was released on bail following the savage attack by security forces on their house (in Bani Jamra) on 13 September. All the children were bean by the torturers following an incident on 12 September when a police jeep that was besieging the area was accidentally hit by a harmless item which was thrown by the 4-year old child of Mr. Omran. The savage security forces terrorised the entire family by demolishing the two main gates of the house and ransacking the contents of the house. University students started their classes on 18 September amid tense atmosphere created by the military environment imposed on the campuses. The military personnel controlling the campuses have started intimidating the students. In the mean time, the Bahrain Defence Force opened its military college with several hundreds of officers enrolled in large numbers. The enrolment to this college is reserved to members of tribes imported from outside Bahrain for the sole purpose of oppressing the nation. The autocratic prime minister left the country for the first time since the death of the late Amir. Having re-established his control of the situation with a tighter iron fist, the prime minister felt comfortable to leave for a holiday. The influence of the autocratic premier is now stronger than before and the local press is more controlled by his racist stooges than ever before. One of the stooges intensified his racist remarks against the people of Bahrain with the hope of creating sectarian tension inside the society. To his disappointment, none of what he (and others like him) writes in the press is creating the desired results.

Bahrain Freedom Movement 20 September 1999

Fax: (44) 171 278 9089

U.S. Department of State Annual Report on International Religious Freedom for 1999: Bahrain

BAHRAIN

Section I. Freedom of Religion The Constitution states that Islam is the official religion; however, while the Constitution also provides for freedom of religion, the Government does not tolerate political dissent from religious groups or leaders, and subjects both Sunni and Shi’a Muslims to governmental control and monitoring. Most world religions are represented in the country, and their followers generally practice their faith privately without interference from the Government.

The population is overwhelmingly Muslim. Citizens belong to the Shi’a and Sunni branches of Islam, with Shi’a constituting over two-thirds of the indigenous population. However, Sunnis predominate because the ruling family is Sunni and is supported by the armed forces, the security service, and powerful Sunni and Shi’a merchant families. Foreigners constitute 35 to 40 percent of the total population. Roughly half of resident foreigners are non-Muslim. Christians and other non-Muslims including Jews, Hindus, and Baha’is are free to practice their religion, maintain their own places of worship, and display the symbols of their religion.

Bibles and other Christian publications are displayed and sold openly in local bookstores that also sell Islamic and other religious literature. Some small groups worship in their homes. Notable dignitaries from virtually every religion and denomination visit the country and frequently meet with the Government and civic leaders. Religious tracts of all branches of Islam, cassettes of sermons delivered by Muslim preachers from other countries, and publications of other religions are readily available.

However, proselytizing by non-Muslims is discouraged, anti-Islamic writings are prohibited, and conversions from Islam to other religions, while not illegal, are not tolerated well by society. Both Sunni and Shi’a Muslims are subject to governmental control and monitoring. During 1998 the Government closed a few mosques and Ma’tams (Shi’a community centers) to prevent religious leaders from delivering political speeches during their Friday prayers and sermons.

The High Council for Islamic Affairs is charged with the review and approval of all clerical appointments within both the Sunni and Shi’a communities, and maintains program oversight for all citizens studying religion abroad.

Public religious events, most notably the large annual commemorative marches by Shi’a, are permitted but are watched closely by the police. There are no restrictions on the number of citizens permitted to make pilgrimages to Shi’a shrines and holy sites in Iran, Iraq, and Syria. However, stateless residents who do not possess Bahraini passports often have difficulties arranging travel to religious sites abroad. The Government monitors travel to Iran and scrutinizes carefully those who choose to pursue religious study there. There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report. The political dynamic of Sunni predominance has led to incidents of unrest between the Shi’a community and the Government, including during the period covered by this report. For example, in October 1998 police detained up to 20 young men following demonstrations against the Government over the death of a Shi’a man who died from injuries he allegedly received when police

detained and tortured him in 1994.

Also during the period covered by this report, the Government held in detention hundreds of Shi’a for security-related crimes such as treason. In June 1999, the Government gradually began freeing incarcerated individuals as part of an Amiri decree calling for the release or pardon of over 350 Shi’a political prisoners, detainees, and exiles, including politically active Shi’a cleric Abdul Amir Al-Jamri. By the end of the period covered by this report, as many as 700 persons still remained in detention. There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners during the period covered by this report whose imprisonment could be attributed to the practice of their religion. There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United States, or of the Government’s refusal to allow such citizens to be returned to the United States.

Section II. Societal Attitudes

Although there are notable exceptions, the Sunni Muslim minority enjoys a favored status. Sunnis receive preference for employment in sensitive government positions and in the managerial ranks of the civil service. Shi’a citizens are not allowed to hold significant posts in the defense and internal security forces.

However, the Amir recently opened up employment to Shi’a in the Bahrain Defense Force and the Ministry of the Interior, two bodies in which Shi’a had been denied employment during the past four years. In the private sector, Shi’a tend to be employed in lower paid, less skilled jobs.

Educational, social, and municipal services in most Shi’a neighborhoods, particularly in rural villages, are inferior to those found in Sunni urban communities. In an effort to remedy social discrimination, the Government has built numerous subsidized housing complexes, which are open to all citizens on the basis of financial need. In order to ease both the housing shortage and strains on the national budget, in 1997 the Government revised its policy in order to permit lending institutions to finance mortgages on
apartment units.

The Government has declared the Shi’a religious celebration of Ashura to be a national holiday. In a gesture of conciliation toward the Shi’a community, the Amir donated rice and lamb to some 500 Shi’a community centers for the 1999 Ashura. Converts from Islam to other religions are not well tolerated by society (see Section I).

Section III. U.S. Government Policy

An official written dialog takes place between U.S. Embassy officials and government contacts on matters of religion. One such example is the memorandum received by the Embassy each year from the Government in response to the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for Bahrain.

Bahrain: Collective punishment for a family
Since his release on 8 July 1999, the house of Sheikh Al-Jamri and the entire neighbourhood of Bani Jamra were put under siege by some eleven security check points. Jeeps full of armed police drive though the streets and avenues. The neighbour of Sheikh Al-Jamri is Omran Hussain Omran, who had been in detention without trial since January 1996. The 4-year old son of Mr. Omran was playing with his twin 7-year sisters on 12 September in front of their house. The kids were throwing harmless items at each other, and one of these items hit a police jeep that happened to be passing-by. In the middle of the night of 13th September, and while the family was sleeping the security forces attacked. They smashed the front gate of the house and then the main internal door of the house. They terrified the entire family and beaten the eldest son Hussain (23 years) together with the 19-year son Redha in front of other members of the family. They ransacked the house and turned it upside down. Then, the police turned to the twin 7-year girls and the 4-year old toddler and started harassing. At the end of this ordeal, Hussain and Redha were handcuffed and taken to the Budaya Police Centre for further torturing. The following morning, a relative went to the police station to enquire about what happened during the night only to find out that the entire family was to be dragged to the police station. The mother is suffering from back problems and her husband is inside the jail, and now the entire family is subjected to torture and interrogation. Bahrain Freedom Movement 17 September 1999 Fax: (44) 171 278 9089

The Kuwaiti authorities hand-over a citizen to the torturers in Bahrain The Kuwaiti authorities handed the Bahraini citizen, Abbas Darwish, 34, to the torturers in Bahrain on 14 September. Human rights activists, including members of parliament, campaigned against the handing-over. However, the Kuwaiti authorities have always sacrificed dispossessed Bahrainis for satisfying the dictators in Bahrain. Mr. Abbas Darwish, 32, (from Abu-Saiba’a) who is married to a Kuwaiti woman and had lived for many years in Kuwait was arrested by the Kuwaiti interior ministry when he visited the passport section to renew his papers. This is not the first time the Kuwaitis have oppressed dispossessed Bahrainis. Last year several Bahraini were sentenced to five years imprisonment for possessing pamphlets calling for the restoration of parliament in Bahrain. Four years ago, the Kuwaitis detained a Bahraini (married to a Kuwaiti woman) and handed him to Bahraini authorities. Bahrain Freedom Movement 15 September 1999 Fax: (44) 171 278 9089

Bahrain: Al-Ayyam demands money from community centres Last month the information minister decided to dismiss one of his deputies, Mr Abdul Hassan Ibrahim Abu Hussain, following the rejection of the latter to accept the misinformation campaign led by the Egyptian advisor to the ministry, Seyed Abdul Adhim Al-Baboli. Mr. Abu Hussain (the only Shia deputy minister in the government) was responsible for convincing many of the Shia community to open their centres for mourning the late Amir who died on 6 March. He also sponsored the publication of statements and adverts on behalf of the Shia community centres in Al-Ayyam newspaper. Now, and after the dismissal of Mr. Abu Hussain, Al-Ayyam newspaper contacted the Shia community centres and demanded that each pay BD 400 ($1068) in return for the publication of adverts of mourning. The heads of community centres replied that those adverts were instigated and published by Mr. Abu Hussain as part of a gesture to calm down the situation and open-up a new page in Bahrain politics. Nabil Al-Hamar who was made an advisor for the new Amir controls Al-Ayyam and his decision to reverse that of Mr. Abu Hussain can not be innocently explained. Mr. Al-Hamar announced on 11 September that he will launch a special web page for glorifying the Amir, the prime minister and crown prince. It is believed that he is intending to counter what the prime minister did when he ordered one of his stooges (Tawfiq Al-Hamad) to publish a book glorifying the prime minister only and ignoring the Amir and his sons. The Economist Intelligence Unit said in its 2nd Quarter Report: “the Amir authority is being challenged by the PM”. “The personal ties between the two leaders (Amir & PM) are poor.” “A power struggle is likely to take place”. Another large fire was reported on 9 September. The fire was in Karbabad Road in front of Seef Mall. There were burnt tyres on the main road and the heavy traffic in the area was affected. MEED magazine said on 10 September that the Bahrain Navy has given a contract worth 12m dollars to Luerssen Werft of Germany to re-fit a petrol boat for the Bahrain Navy. The government is spending lavishly on a military boat at a time when there is an acute budget deficit mounting 160 million dinar ($427m) in 1999. Military news in the local media increased since 6 March. Frequently, there is news about some military activities as if Bahrain were preparing for a confrontation. Members of Saudi-based Dowsari tribe are being granted free Bahraini passports and many of them are being asked to record their residence addresses in Hawar islands, although they might not reside permanently in Bahrain. Detainees are protesting at the way they are being treated after every visit. A new rule requires that they are stripped totally after each visit on the pretext of looking for possible leaked items. The detainees are refusing to meet their families for this reason and have been protesting for several weeks. The US State Department issued the first annual report on religious discrimination throughout the world. It reported the following on Bahrain: “The Constitution states that Islam is the official religion; however, while the Constitution also provides for freedom of religion, the Government does not tolerate political dissent from religious groups or leaders, and subjects both Sunni and Shi’a Muslims to governmental control and monitoring. Most world religions are represented in the country, and their followers generally practice their faith privately without interference from the Government”.

Bahrain Freedom Movement 12 September 1999

Fax: (44) 171 278 9089

Bahrain: Scores of arbitrarily detained citizens to be rushed through courts The detained Sheikh Ali Al-Sadadi was brought before a court on 6 September. Al-Sadadi was arrested earlier in the year as part of the repressive campaign aimed at silencing the nation. In the court, he was accused of delivering sermons calling for political reforms and release of the then jailed Sheikh Al-Jamri. The session was adjourned until 3 January 2000. It is believed that the government will be rushing scores of citizens through the courts so that when the UN team visits Bahrain for investigating arbitrary detention, it could be said that the arbitrarily detained citizens are being tried. It is reported that a team from the Red Cross (ICRC) is visiting Bahrain as part of their inspection process. Torturing has increased in the past month and several citizens had been transferred to military hospital suffering from ill-treatment. The military officer controlling the University of Bahrain has issued an order for raising extra taxes from those accepted to enter the University. All new entrants must pass a medical check-up (that lasts few minutes) and pay fees ranging between BD10-20 ($$27-54) before entering the university. The interior ministry announced on 6 September that the Amir had “pardoned” a member of the ruling family, Naser Majid Naser Al-Khalifa, who fled to Qatar with his helicopter three years ago. He had been sentenced by a military court -in absentia- for a long period of imprisonment. The ministry said that Mr. Al-Khalifa had returned to Bahrain. The journalist Ali Saleh raised the issue of the citizens who are denied from their rights for citizenship. He said in Akhbar Al-Khalij (6/9/99) that “we have to admit that we have a problem regarding the “bedoon”, those people who have not been given passports”. It is worth noting that the government has started an ethnic cleansing policy as from this month to deny the children of these people education and healthcare. Moreover, parents of newly-born babies must pay BD100 ($267) as a tax for birth. At the same time, the racist government is opening-up three large schools for the children of the mercenaries who had been imported from the deserts of Syria and Arabia. The torturer, Abdul Aziz Atteya-Allah Al-Khalifa, stated to local papers that the individuals who had been appointed by the ministry of interior as “mukktars” would work closely with the security forces for maintaining law and order. He confirmed that the main role of these people would be to act as guards responsible for monitoring the situation. A government source was quoted by Al-Jazeera Satellite TV saying that the fire, which gutted part of the Central Market in Manama on 6 September, was caused by an “electric fault”. The fire took four hours to extinguish.

Bahrain Freedom Movement 7 September 1999

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Bahrain: Al-Baboli leads a misinformation campaign while citizens are tortured
Differences on the way to conduct a massive misinformation campaign resulted in the striping of a deputy of information minister from his authority. Abdul Hassan Abu Hussain had fundamental differences with the Egyptian advisor (who controls the ministry of information) Seyed Abdul Adeem Al-Baboli. Al-Baboli has embarked on a campaign for turning all news about human rights upside down. In the past, the ministry kept silent about all matters concerning human rights. For the past three months, this policy was changed. All newspapers are ordered to publish false statements attributed to human rights organisations. These false statements say that human rights organizations “are very happy about respect of human rights in Bahrain”. This daring campaign of misinformation followed the failure of the government for creating a fictitious organisation to glorify dictatorship. A London-based Iraqi individual was charged with issuing press releases under a fictitious name of a human rights organisation glorifying the dictators in Bahrain. Since the failure of this Iraq individual, Al-Baboli took over those tasks and ordered the two national newspapers to publish fictitious statements that had never been uttered by any respected human rights organistaion or leader. News from inside the jails indicated that the pro-democracy leader, Mr. Abdul Wahab Hussain had been subjected to intensive torturing. As a result of this ill-treatment, he had been transferred to the military hospital. It is reported that he had developed problems in the blood and even his eyes had been affected and he cannot read easily. It is worth noting that Sheikh Al-Jamri (under siege in his village of Bani Jamra) had been prevented from receiving necessary medical care for his left ear, which suffered from the torture he had been subjected to during his detention. Several detainees have been subjected to intensive torturing in the past weeks. Mahmood Al-Halwachi and Mohammed Khatem had both been transferred to solitary confinement following their protest against their ill-treatment. Similarly, Ali Al-Asfoor and Sheikh Sadiq Al-Durazi are being tortured for their request to have their cases looked into. Shakir Jasim Mazal, 32, from Daih, is in detention for more than three years without charges. His health condition had deteriorated and is frequently suffering from comma. The prison authorities refused all requests from the prisoners of conscience to release him.

Bahrain Freedom Movement 5 September 1999

Fax: (44) 171 278 9089

Bahrain: A further backward step by tribal autocracy The announcement of the interior ministry that it appointed 18 “mukhtars” individuals for monitoring the Capital came after all hops for reforms have been dashed. This move further proved to the nation that the outdated tribal mentality is still living outside this age. The 18 individual appointed by the interior ministry on 31 August are as follows: 1. Faisal Al Dousary – Responsible for monitoring the following areas: Diplomatic Area, Beit Al Quran, Exhibition Avenue and Hoora; 2. Ali Al Khozae – Responsible for monitoring the following areas: Government House, Manama Port, Ras Roman, Al Thawawda and Al Awadhi; 3. Mansoor Rajab – Responsible for monitoring the following areas: Al Fadhel, Al Hatab, Kanoo, Bab Al Bahrain and Busora North; 4. Hameed Al-Nooh – Responsible for monitoring the following areas: Central Market, Naim, Suwaifiya, Al Hussaini area; 5. Hassan Al Asfoor – Responsible for monitoring the following areas: Seef area and Karbabad; 6. Hussan Al Bu Ainain – Responsible for monitoring the following areas: Guest Palace, Shura Council, Al Wihda Club, Gadaibiya, Andalus Garden, Telegraph Area and Al Khedour Mosque; 7. Adel Al Safar – Responsible for monitoring the following areas: Al Hadada, Sinkiki, asection of Al Hammam, Busora South, Al Mokharqa and Al Zararei; 8. Ali Mahmood – Responsible for monitoring the following areas: Hotat Abul, Sunni Cemetry, Salmaniya Garden, Al Sijad and Salmaniya North; 9. Farouk Hussain – Responsible for monitoring the following areas: Gaful, Water Garden, Borhama Ain Gasari and Al Salhiya; 10. Ali Habib – Responsible for monitoring the following areas: Shaikh Hamad Palace, Ramada and Gulf hotels area and Gudaibiya South; 11. Khalid Al Mahmood – Responsible for monitoring the following areas: Umm Al Hassam North, Adliya, Al Mahooz and Umm Shadum; 12. Mohammed Ammadi – Responsible for monitoring the following areas: Salmaniya Eskan area, Pepsi industries, Salmaniya Medical Complex and North Sukaya; 13. Mohammed Al-Saad – Responsible for monitoring the following areas: Zinj village and New Zinj; 14. Salim Al Mannai – Responsible for monitoring the following areas: South Sukaya, Abu Ghazal, a section of south Zinj, Ahli Club and area overlooking Tubli Bay; 15. Abdul Aziz Al Bassam – Responsible for monitoring the following areas: Umm Al-Hassam, Umm Al Hassam Eskan and Abu Asheera; 16. Ibrahim Dhahi – Responsible for monitoring the following areas: Salman port, Industrial Area, Al Guraifa, Old Juffair and Nabih Saleh island. 17. Hussain Bukanan – Responsible for monitoring the following areas: Sanabis,Sanabis Eskan and Exhibition Centre area; 18. Mohammad Bukhammas – Responsible for monitoring the following areas: New Juffair, Al Fatih Mosque, Juffair Dome, Bahrain Museum and Bahrain Club; According to a decree issued b the late Amir in June 19996, Bahrain was divided to four estates. The governor of each estate would nominate thirty appointed individuals (mukhtars) to monitor the area designated for them. The decree stated five objectives for the monitoring scheme. Objective No. 3 is to guarantee “order and security of the area”. Objective No 4 is to guarantee the “loyalty” of the people in these areas. On 2 May 1997, a member of the ruling family, the torturer Abdul Aziz Atteyat-Allah Al-Khalifa, was appointed the Governor of the Capital. On 21 February 1998 another police officer and member of the ruling family, Isa bin Ahmed Mohammed Al-Khalifa, was appointed as the Governor of Muharraq. By this announcement, the medieval tribal autocracy moved another backward step to reverse Bahrain’s governance to the period before 1923. Before 1923, the ruling Al-Khalifa family used to segregate the country into estates. Each estate used to be arbitrarily governed by a member of the Al-Khalifa family (sheikh). This sheikh used to appoint individuals for monitoring the names of people and for passing information about the community. Each sheikh used to have a group of terrorists called “fedaweyah” which were used for imposing the arbitrary rule of the feudal sheikh. The “fedaweyah” have also returned these days in the form of the imported mercenaries from the deserts of Syria and Arabia.

Bahrain Freedom Movement 1 September 1999

Fax: (44) 171 278 9089

September 1999

24th anniversary of the dissolution of the National Assembly

An opportunity about to be missed

Despite the government’s attempts to divert the attention from the real problems in the country, it is now clear to the observers and the people that the lack of political reforms are the main ingredients of the ongoing tension. Indeed the human rights crisis is an important dimension, but it is a direct result of the policies of repression adopted by the present prime minister, Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa. He is adamant on forestalling any attempt to cause any change of the status quo. When the new Amir came to power last March following the demise of his father, some hopes were expressed that the “new” era would herald substantial changes in the country. Indeed the ruler’s circles seemed to be in a business mood and were spreading countless rumours that things would improve in a dramatic fashion. Columnists in local news papers were encouraged to involve themselves in heated discussions on vital matters such as the Constitution, elections and reforming the bureaucracy of the state. All have now gone with the wind. The Amir seems to have succumbed to the will of the prime minister who has won theday, once again. This reminded the people that the elderly prime minister would fight his battles to the end even with his immediate next of kin. Few leaders in the world would go that far. The 51st session of the UN Sub-Commission on Human Rights has reaffirmed the impression that all was not going on well in Bahrain. Several human rights activists and organisations who took part in the session allocated a good deal of their prime time to the case of Bahrain. All of them emphasised that the situation in Bahrain was serious and that enormous efforts were needed to bring it to the international standards. The government of Bahrain dispatched one of the largest delegations by any country. Its members were active in misinforming people that everything in the country was going to be changed. There is now a consensus among NGO’s and observers that unless the core of the problem be tackled the situation will remain volatile. The People of Bahrain have been lobbying for their constitutional and democratic rights for almost a quarter of a century, whilst the prime minister has adopted not reformist policy ever since the constitution was suspended and the National Assembly dissolved in 1975. The fact of the matter is that the political situation has remained stagnant for the whole of that period, and that the absence of the will to reform the old regime is at the heart of the problem. On 25 August the people of Bahrain marked the 24th anniversary of the suspension of the Constitution and the dissolution of the National Assembly. The mood was grim and the morale of the people with regards to the promises offered by the Amir after his accession to the thrown were low. Despite the initial optimism that Sheikh Hamad would initiate the reform process, the hopes of the people were dashed when they failed to materialise. The lack of any legal framework for proper reference makes it difficult to deal with a political situation. The people of Bahrain aspire for a good governance through the Constitution. The prime minister believes that any dialogue or compromise with the people is a sign of weakness. This is the attitude of an illegitimate ruler whose position is not regulated by an accepted law. The new Amir took up his post after his father’s death on the basis of the Constitution and considers his position constitutional. However, he should have the courage to invoke the suspended articles of the constitution which were suspended during his father’s rule. He will then reign over a country in a fully-constitutional framework and will conduct the affairs of the country without fear from others. His sudden capitulation to his uncle is a worrying factor. Bahrain needs a strong ruler. Sheikh Hamad can be that ruler only if he takes a historic decision to reinstate the constitutional rule. By this he will gain the confidence of people and the respect of others. During the session in Geneva, the feelings among the activists and experts was that the Amir had been dwarfed by the prime minister who succeeded in staging a coup against him by obstructing his plans. Many people are still questioning whether Sheikh Hamad will still fulfil his promises and initiate the process of reforms. The regional politics have moved in favour of a more representative government, and any step in that direction will strengthen the position of the country that takes it. Bahrain deserves a good government. Sheikh Khalifa has proven himself to be incapable of upholding the rule of constitutional law, and that only under great pressure will he undertake some steps such as the release of some detainees. The 25th year of the crisis has now started. The people of Bahrain are serious about their demands and will leave no stone unturned in their endeavour to achieve them. It is obvious now that the despotism of the prime minister may be cracked under international pressure as has happened with regards to the ratification of the Convention Against Torture (CAT). He was forced to concede defeat in the face of the international outrage as expressed by the historic resolution passed by the UN Sub-Commission on Human Rights two years ago. The European Parliament’s resolution that year further complicated the situation to the prime minister. It is now up to the international community to act once again with resolve to force him to abandon his despotism and accept the popular demand for political reforms. The Amir will do well if he takes a more decisive stand on the issue. Failing that, more difficult times will lie ahead for both the people of Bahrain and the Al Khalifa family. This is what no one wishes to see. Friends of the Al Khalifa family can play a significant role in bringing home to the prime minister that his dictatorship is doomed and that he must give way to younger entrepreneurs. The opposition whether inside or outside the country will not cease their peaceful campaign for democratising the country. They are supported worldwide by freedom-loving individuals, organisations and even official bodies. If the promises given in Geneva this year, for example, are seen as only a delaying tactic, more severe retribution will follow later. Everyone believes that reforms are a must and will prevent the domesday scenario. Bahrain Freedom Movement 1 September 1999

Fax: (44) 171 278 9089