MAR 95

PART 1

PART 2

PART 3

PART 4

PART 5

The Al-Khalifa Lose in Manama and in The Hague

Experts in Failures

Mar 95

Three months into the popular uprising in Bahrain and there seems little prospect of an imminent end to the strife. Whilst the government attempts to quell the suggestion that there must be a serious address to the internal conflict, the people are in no mood to compromise their central demand; the re-instatement of the Constitution. To this effect, February has been a month of relative calm, but by no means a period of collapse of the popular opposition. The calm is largely due to the advent of the holy season of Ramadhan in which Muslims observe the worship of fasting. However, there were numerous activities, and the militancy of the people has not abated. It became a familiar scene in towns and villages to read on the walls signs that say: “See You After Ramadhan”.

The self-declared truce was broken by women’s demonstrations on three days (11-13th February) in front of the High Court at the Diplomatic district in Manama. Many women took part in those demonstrations which were demanding the release of the prisoners and the restoration of the Constitution. The rallies were attacked by riot police and some ladies were injured. More were summoned by the Ministry of the Interior which is running the repressive show of force, and were reprimanded, threatened and made to sign undertakings not to participate in future expression of opinion. The students of the University of Bahrain also ventured a strike on three consecutive days (12-14th February) in protest on the continuing crack down by the security forces on the people.

This degree of people’s resolve is an indication of the extent of the resilience of the opposition. It was anticipated that the continued detention of up to 2000 people and the campaign of arrests, intimidation and blackmail by the security forces might lead to the collapse of the opposition. On the contrary, the leaders of the uprising are showing an extremely courageous stand by insisting on the main demand for the restoration of the Constitution.

The government has been remarking to some audience that it was ready to release the prisoners in return for a total cessation of anti-government activities, but the leadership of the uprising has refused to compromise on the main issue. The process of intimidation and provocation by members of the special branch, headed by the British officer, Ian Henderson, has continued unabated, with routine break-ins, arrests and deportations. But defiance by the people has been received with admiration from outside the country. Young men and women are awaiting the opportunity to go onto the streets to protest and if need be, humiliate the government. But the leadership of the uprising is taking a cautious policy by offering the government the chance to reflect on the people’s demands in its ample time. The hope is that the events of the last three months have convinced the Al Khalifa family of the seriousness of the people in their demands, and that the harsh treatment of the people by the riot police has not weakened their resolve to press their demands.

There have also been numerous developments outside the country. Now that the picture of the internal situation has been exposed to the outside world, there appears to be a growing interest in the Bahraini affairs by outside powers. Western governments with long-standing cordial relations with the government of Bahrain have been pressing on the Al Khalifa family the need to establish a dialogue with the opposition. The Bahraini government has been told of the possibility of the situation getting out of control in the future if it persists in its refusal of the just and moderate demands of the opposition. Incidents where procrastinating monarchs had been swept away by constitutional movements were mentioned to them in order to bring home the idea that a negotiated settlement of the crisis was the only solution available to the authorities.

On 15th February, the European Parliament passed a resolution calling on the government of Bahrain to restore the constitution, release the prisoners, and respect human rights of its own citizens. It also calls on the British government to order Ian Henderson to leave Bahrain. This step is significant since it has exposed the internal situation in Bahrain to the European countries in a way not experienced before. It is a serious development since it means depriving the government of Bahrain of the prestigious position of an ally of the West it has enjoyed all along. It also confirms the total failure of the Al Khalifa’s foreign policy. It is now known that the visit of the Bahrain’s foreign minister to London in January to press the British government to refuse the asylum application of the three deportees has not achieved its declared goal. The British government has left the case to take its own course within the international and national rules and regulations.

The issue of Ian Henderson, accused by the Bahraini people of his heavy handedness in dealing with the detainees, ordering their torture without mercy, is now in the spotlight of the British politics. There is a growing pressure on the HM Government to distance itself from his action. Furthermore, Lord Avebury, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Human Rights Group, has introduced a bill to ban British citizens serving in the secret service of other countries. There are press reports that the veteran torturer is preparing for his eventual return to Britain, and has advertised for a butler and a maid to run his house in the British country side. Whether this is true or false, the fact remains that his departure from Bahrain is one of the important demands of the people of Bahrain.

Mr. Henderson, however, has remained adamant in his repressive policies ordering more detentions and torture. The photographs of victims of his torture have shocked the British politicians who saw them recently. One of them said: “This is an affront to civilised society. We should be ashamed that these wounds have been inflicted by the order of one of our citizens”. It is because of these inhumane policies that the people of Bahrain would like to see an immediate end to the reign of terror unleashed by the British team leading the public security apparatus. Whether Mr. Henderson acts on the orders of the Bahraini royal family with or without secondment from the British government is immaterial. He is viewed by the people of Bahrain as if he represents the Bristish interests in Bahrain.

The government of Bahrain now feels it is cornered. Its situation is made even worse by the loss of the case long debated by the International Court of Justice at the Hague. On 15th February, the Court ruled in favour of Qatar’s submission, that it (the Court) is empowered to take up the case of the border dispute between the two countries. The Bahraini delegation boycotted the final session prompting criticisms from diplomats. The failure on the outside front, coupled with internal policy failures have embarrassed the government in front of its own people. The prime minister, Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, has received several blows in recent months in addition to his own personal illness. He admitted in a recent interview with the dailies “Al Ayyam” and “Al Seyassah” that the recent disturbances have sickened him. Despite this, he attempts to express uncompromising stands towards the demands of the opposition. He is angry towards other GCC states which have refused to give him more money to salvage the situation, knowing that he would blunder any financial help, and will use it for personal benefit. There seems to be little prospect of an eminent end to the internal strife in Bahrain as long as the mentality of its government remains uncompromising. This could herald serious developments for the ruling Al Khalifa family, an eventuality that could be averted only by rational behaviour. The rule under the constitution is good for everyone including the Al Khalifa. We hope they understand this fact.

The sunday Times: Henderson Days Are Over British Colonial Hero Tortures Bahrainis The Sunday Times of 5 February 1995 published an articleby Jon Swainentitled “Gulf dissidents accuse colonial hero of torture” wid new revelations about Ian Henderson. Many thousands copies of the article have been circulated by Bahrainis inside Bahrian: At six in the Morning, while Bahrain slumbers, Ian Henderson, the most powerful but elusive British citizen in the Gulf, is already up and about. He seldom varies his routine. Rising with the sun, he begins his day wide coffee and a sharp bout of exercise. Then he settles down to his work: ensuring that law and order is maintained in the Gulf island state. It is becoming a taxing pb, as an increasingly restless opposition takes to the streets to demand democracy. It is hard to know, though, how this blue-blazered, balding colorual figure of 67 is beanng up: security-coTlscious to the degree that he is seldom seen in public, he alxnost never allows himself to be photographed; when he does, he invariable hides behind sunglasses. “He is illusive like the Scarlet Pimpernel,” said a former diplomat stationed in Bahrain, “a man in the shadows whom we used to hear of but never saw”. Not, perhaps, for a lot longer. Much as he would choose to avoid it, Bahrain’s recent spate of unrest has put Henderson back in the limelight for the first time since he won the George Medal nearly 40 years ago as a colonial police of finer fighting the Mau Mau. Only this time he has become a hate figure, instead of the hero he was in pre-independence Kenya. He is under mounting pressure to retire and leave Bahrain for good. old Kenya hands still recall how, alone and almost always unanned, he made more than 60 trips into the forest to contact the Mau Mau terrorist leaders; Henderson captured Dedan Kemathi, a notorious chief later executed by the British. He came to the Gulf in 1966, when the British installed hiin as head of Bahrain’s intelligence service after quelling a workers’ and students’ uprising the year before. Later, he was recniited by the Bahraini royal family and stayed on to become director-general of security, the key job in which he supervises the entire apparatus from intelligence gathenng and Special Branch work to prisons, coastguards and traffic police. The suppression of street demonstrations last year has made him the butt of anti-government slogans. Since the troubles broke out in December, at least six people -including a policeman- have died; 2,000 have been arrested and seven Shi’ite Muslim clerics have been expelled. The troubles began with the arrest of Sheikh Ali Salman, a Shi’ite preacher who returned from religious studies in Iran to play a prominent part in gathenng 25,000 signatures on a petition demanding the restoration of the Bahraini parliament and the 1975 constitution. The ruling Al-Khalifaroyal family is deeply suspicious of Iran’s objectives in the Gulf and fears the spread of Islamic fundamentalism. Consequently, it identified Salman as a troublemaker and he was forcibly deported with other clerics, He is now in Britain and has applied for asylu n. The opposition accuses Henderson of mastennindmg a ruthless campaign of repression, including torture, arbitrary detention and forced deportations. One opposition newspaper described him as “British quasi-colonial ruler of Bahrain”, and questioned why a British citizen should wield such influence nearly 25 years after Bahrain’s independence. It is a question Lord Avebury, diee human rights campaigner, also wants answered. He has written to Douglas Hogg, the Foreign Office minister about Henderson. He said last week: “The presence of a British citizen in the top levels of another state’s security forces makes it seem as though we officially support theirmethod of dealing with dissent.” Avebury is seeking ways of amending an 1870 law that prohibits British citizens from enlisting in foreign armies to include British passport-holders serving in foreign security forces. HoweverUK officials say that as Henderson was not seconded to the state by the British government but worked there for the Bahraini royal family, this country cannot intervene. Bahraini exiles in London argue that Henderson, seen as the mascot of a regime which detains and tortures opponents, is damaging Britain’s image. He was instrumental in framing Bahrain’s draconian internment laws, which allow security forces to detain suspects incommunicado for three years without charge or trial; and he is the brains behind the recent wave of deportation that included seven young clencs. Amnesty Intemational’s latest report said it was “seriously concerned” by the abuse of human rights in Bahrain. Its delegates have been denied access since 1987. Salrnan, deported last month, said in London that during his interrogation, Bahraini officers had asked him questions from a list written in English. Another exiled said: “There is nothing over Henderson. Everything is under Hendersont’. He added that as many as 20 other Britons worked with him in the leadership of the security services. They did not torture suspects themselves, but ordered it. A friend from Henderson’s days of can bat against the Mau Mau said: “I would find it very difficult to believe that Ian would countenance anything lice that. If there was torture, itwould he going on without his knowledge.” When the sun finally sets on Hendersonts job in the Gulf, he will have a country house in Britain to retire to. This might not be too far from his mind. He has recently advertised for a butler and maid to run his home in the country.

Fr: the Gulf States are Run Like Private Companies The Finanicial Times of 8 February 1995 published an article entitled “Saudies set to change habits of a lifetime”. The article discussed the vitally needed economic reforms that must go ahead if Saudi Arabia is to salvage itself from the drying-up of cash-flow and lunning-out of liquid overseas assets. FT stated that “Like the other Gulf states, Saudi Arabia is in effect a pnvate state company belonging to the ruling family. The heatl of the family owns feee pnncipal assets: oil and gas” Attheend FTconcludes: ‘ The good times are over. Dissent, in the form of what the authorirties have described as seditious pamphlets and unauthgorised public gaLherings, has surfaced in the last six months in Bahrain, Oman and Saudi Arabia itself”. The FT article explains how the Saudi monatch contradicts realities by suggesting that the upcoming econmical tightening measures are temporary. Whey are permenant and will be worse as oil income dwindles more. The uprismg of Bahrain is only the begining. French Socialist Party Supports Bahrain Opposition She French Socialist Party issued a statement on 11 January in support of fee popular uprising in Bahrain. The cornmuniquem issued by the National Secretariate expressed its support for the demands of the Bahrain people for reactivating the constitution and restoring the parliament. The communique also called for fee release of political prisoners, and end to arbitrary detention, torture and forcible deportation. FDIS Condemns the GoveMment The Paris-based Intemational Federation of Human Rights (FII )H) condemned the violation of human rights in Bahrain. In its Arabic newsletter No. 12 (February l995) the FIDH stated that it was concerned at the escalation of oppression that affected thousads of Bahraini citizens and call on the Bahriani gctverrunent to release all political prisoners, restore the parlialnent and allow opponents to function in the open inside Bahrain. The Eighth Martyr of the Uprising is an Infant OnWednesday 8 February, theresidentsof Bilad-al-Qadeem mourned theeighth confirmed victim of the secunty forces. The infant Aqee1 Salman Ali Al-Saffar, one and half year old, was smothered to death by the newly deployed type of gas that causes vomiting and inhalation difficulties, something that was not known in Bahrain before. Thchouseof the infant’s father was filled with this type of poisonous gas last month during the surging of demonstrations. The container that releases the gas carries a note stating that its use is prohibited inside fee United States of America. Lyle other seven victims of the government use of force to quell the uprising are: Hani Abbas Khamis, 24 years old (17/12/94), Hani Ahmed Al-Wasti,22 years old (17112J94), Mirza Ali Abdul Redha, 65 years old(20/lV94), HussainQambar, 18 years old (4/1/95), Abdul Qader Al-Fatlawi, 18 years old (12/1/95), Mohammed Redha Mansoor Ahmed, 34 years old (1 Vll9S) and Hussain Ali Al-Safi, 26 years old (26/1J95).

The Governmetn of Bahrain is Condemnetd in Strasburg The Europeans Are Shocked by the Extent of Opression An historic statement condemning the govemment of Bahrain was proposed and passed by the European Parliament. This move shows the extent of international support for the Bahraini people and their pro-democracy movement’s demands for restoration of the constitution and parliament. The European Parliament passed a resolution (rule 47, ref.: B4-208/95/RC1, B4-276/95/ RC1) on 15 Februaty 1995 on the continued human nghts violations in Bahrain. The Tesolution stated the following: lEe European Parliament A. having regard to the repeated protests since 5 December 1994, in whichlargeparts of the population have been engaged in peaceful protests expressing demands for the establishment of constitutional democracy, the participation of women in the political process, a solution to unemployment, the release of political detainees and pnsoners and the return of all deportees, B. shocked that the Bahrain Government has resorted to tile ruthless use of force by the security forces resulting in several deaths, many injuries, the detention of hundreds of persons and the deportation of pminentpersonalities, C. shocked that the security forces in Bahrain are to a large extent directed by a British officer, Ian Henderson, D. stressing that the Government of Bahrain resorted to the Decree Law on State Securit,v of 22 October 1974, which entitles the Minister of the Interior to detain political suspects for up to three years without trial; recalling that the National Assembly, dissolved in 1975, refused to pass the State Security Law and that, since laws required their approval under the constitutions the State Security Law is of doubtful legality, E. drawing attention to the admission of the Ministry of the Intenor that 400-500 prisoners have been held under the State Security Law, F. shocked by the deaths which have resulted from this repression, and from the repeated opening of fire on crowds of civilians, G. shocked by the fact that the families and lawyers of those injured or detained were not allowed by law to visit them in hospital or in prison,

H. alanned by the numerous reports of torture of prisoners, which in the case of Mr. Husain Qa