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 Bahrain fugitive officer seeks fair trial-paper

MANAMA, May 19 (Reuters) – A Bahraini intelligence officer who fled abroad after authorities launched a probe into his financial records denied fraud allegations in remarks published on Sunday and said he would return if guaranteed a fair trial.Bahrain has asked Interpol to help track down Colonel Adel Flaifel, the first high-ranking officer to be investigated for fraud since the Gulf Arab state launched landmark political and economic reforms in 2001.”What was published about me is all lies…I am not indebted to anyone,” Flaifel told the pan-Arab al-Hayat newspaper, adding the government had frozen his bank account as well as those of his wife and children.”This is wrong and marginalises constitutional justice…I will not return to Bahrain before the administrative decisions are lifted. I call on his Highness the King to intervene in the case and ensure a just trial,” he told the daily by telephone from an undisclosed location.Flaifel violated a travel ban earlier this month days after the Interior Ministry launched the investigation.He also denied allegations by a London-based opposition group, the Bahrain Freedom Movement, that he was responsible for the torture of Bahrainis during sectarian unrest in the country in the 1980s.”There was no torture or deaths. This is propaganda by the opposition during the unrest. I am ready to face any judicial committee or government body on these charges,” he said.Bahrain suffered sectarian unrest in the 1980s and 90s, mostly instigated by Muslim Shi’ites protesting against their minority Muslim Sunni leaders. Then ruler, Sheikh Isa al-Khalifa, ordered many of the activists jailed.Shortly after taking power from his father in 1999, King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa emptied prisons of political activists and allowed others to return from exile.

China, Bahrain Issue Joint Press Communique

BEIJING, May 18, 2002 (Xinhua via COMTEX) — China and Bahrain expressed satisfaction over the development of their friendly relations of cooperation and voiced willingness to expand cooperation in various field, according to a joint press communique issued Saturday.Prime Minister of Bahrain Sheikh Khalifa Bin Sulman Al-khalifa made an official visit to China from May 16 to 18 at the invitation of Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji.During Khalifa’s visit, Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Li Peng, chairman of the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress, met with him on separate occasions. Premier Zhu and Khalifa held talks.Relevant departments of the two countries had signed pacts on the avoidance of double taxation and tax evasion, cooperation in labor services and training, cultural cooperation, an agreement on the founding of China-Bahrain council on commerce and a memorandum of understanding on setting up a center of Chinese investment and economic services in Bahrain.The communique said that the two countries are satisfied with the development of their friendly relations of cooperation over the past 13 years since they established diplomatic relations and agreed that further expansion of cooperation is the common desire of the two governments and peoples and is in the interests of both countries.Bahrain reiterated that the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing all Chinese people and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, according to the communique.Both countries stressed the importance of safeguarding the security and stability in the Gulf region, reiterating that all issues, including the Iraqi issue, left over from the Gulf war should be resolved in a fair and reasonable way through political negotiations within the framework of related resolutions of the United Nations Security Council so as to realize long-term peace and stability in this region.Both sides expressed deep concerns over the worsening situation in the Middle East and condemned Israel for abusing force against Palestine, stressing that the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people should be guaranteed.Both sides called on parties concerned to resume talks as soon as possible and urged the international community to further bear responsibility in promoting peace.The two countries stressed their support to the Middle East peace process and said they would continue to push for a just, all- round and long-term settlement of the issue on the basis of the Resolutions 242 and 338 of the U.N. Security Council and the principle of “land for peace”, according to the communique.

Both sides expressed satisfaction with Khalifa’s achievements during his China visit and his meetings with Chinese leaders, which they believed will boost the two countries’ friendly relations of cooperation in various fields.

Bahrain’s appeal court reduces sentence of Briton

18 May 2002

By ADNAN MALIKAssociated Press WriterMANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — The High Appeal Court reduced the sentence Saturday of a Briton convicted of killing an American in self-defense, ruling that he serve five years in prison instead of seven.It was the second time that Richard Mechan, 35, of Gloucester, has had his sentence reduced on appeal.The High Appeal Court upheld his conviction for the manslaughter of Marshall Earl Emmons, 31, of Tucson, Arizona, who died on Jan. 6, 2000 of a deep chest wound sustained in a fight near a swimming pool in a housing compound.The panel of three judges did not give a reason for the reduction in a five-minute address to the court, but it said Mechan’s sentence would include the time he has already spent in prison. He has served nearly two and a half years.Mechan, who wore a black suit and yellow tie, appeared to be unhappy with the ruling. When police officers approached him as he was speaking to a British diplomat afterward, he raised his voice and said: “Don’t come near me when I’m talking to the British Embassy’s staff.”The prosecutor told him after the court adjourned that he could appeal again to the Court of Cassation. But Mechan replied: “I don’t want to go along with the judicial process anymore.”In his first trial that ended in July 2000, Mechan was sentenced to 15 years for stabbing and killing Emmons. A year later, an appeal court reduced the sentence to seven years, but Mechan’s defense attorney re-appealed the sentence, arguing the crime was committed in self-defense.

In January, the Court of Cassation allowed the second appeal to proceed. am-jbm

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By Neville Dean, PA NewsA Bahrain court was today re-considering the case of a British man serving a jail sentence in the Middle East for stabbing an American.Richard Mechan’s father, Terry, said he was confident his son would be freed when the court makes the new ruling.Richard, 36, a computer expert and father-of-one from Gloucester, was originally jailed for 15 years for stabbing to death Marshall Emmons, 31, of Tucson, Arizona, in Bahrain in January 2000.He said he had lashed out at Mr Emmons, a colleague, with a kitchen knife in self-defence after being attacked.His sentence, for manslaughter, was reduced by the Manama High Court of Appeal to seven years — but that decision was later rejected by Bahrain’s Supreme Court and they asked the Appeal Court to look at the case again.At today’s hearing the court could either reimpose the original 15-year sentence, reduce it in length or acquit Mechan.Terry Mechan, who has always maintained that his son acted in self-defence, said he was hopeful his conviction would finally be overturned.”There can be no other verdict than acquittal because he was denied his right to a fair trial,” he said.”I cannot see them coming up with any other verdict. If they come up with time-served that will not be acceptable. If he is not set free, the legal fight will carry on.”He said he would ask his MP to raise the matter in the House of Commons if his son was not acquitted, and pledged to continue his campaign until his name was cleared.Mr Mechan, who is not travelling to Bahrain for the judgment, said the British Embassy would inform him of the result.A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said it was expected the hearing would take place some time today.

Islamic candidates dominate Bahraini municipal poll…

17 May 2002

By ADNAN MALIKAssociated Press WriterMANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — Islamic candidates swept to victory in municipal council run-off elections in Bahrain, a result that displayed the strength of conservative politics as one of the Gulf’s most Western-looking nations embarked on democratic reform.Candidates favored and backed by groups espousing a conservative vision of Islam and believe it should have wide influence over politics and society swept both the first round and second rounds of voting.Islamic groups said their candidates won more than 10 of the 20 remaining seats Thursday, in polls that attracted 55 percent of more than 90,000 eligible voters. In last week’s first round polls, about two-thirds of the 30 seats decided went to candidates backed by various Islamic societies.Official results are expected to be announced either Friday or Saturday.”This is a victory for Islam and the Islamic groups,” said Salah Ali, chairman of the Al-Menbar Al-Islami political society, a majority Sunni Muslim organization, which claimed at least eight seats in the second round, following a similar result in the first polls.Liberals in Bahrain credit the conservatives, who have pushed for political reform and have established networks for charitable and social activities, with being well organized.”We are Muslims and Islam, which teaches us to be kind to each other and help each other, is the way forward,” said successful candidate Abdel-Majid Mohammed, 34, at a polling station in Muharraq, east of the capital, Manama. Mohammed, a part-time social worker, has links with the Shiite Muslim-led Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society.Al-Wefaq-backed candidates won at least 18 of the 30 seats in last Thursday’s first round. At least two more candidates supported by other Islamic organizations won seats last week.Men captured all last week’s seats. Women, who voted and ran for office for the first time in Bahrain, failed to win a single first round seat or make it to Thursday’s run-offs.Islamic groups from Shiite and Sunni sects had been backing favored candidates by urging communities to provide them with financial support during their campaigns or by promoting them at social gatherings.Though Shiites hold a slight majority in Bahrain, the ruling family is from the mainstream Sunni sect of Islam. Bahrain’s shift toward democratic reform followed a deadly Shiite-led uprising in the mid-1990s that held as its key demand the return of an elected parliament.The municipal elections are another step toward transforming Bahrain from a traditional emirate to a constitutional monarchy with a Parliament.Last year, Bahrainis approved a reformist national charter in a referendum. In February this year, Sheik Hamed declared a constitutional monarchy and scheduled Oct. 24 legislative elections. But the new Bahraini parliament is to be partly appointed and final authority in the country still will rest with the king.Bahrain is one of the most socially relaxed countries in the Gulf — alcohol is legal, bars and nightclubs are popular and Western culture has been largely welcomed.The tiny Gulf kingdom is a close U.S. ally and home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, but lately has seen rising anti-American sentiment as anger over U.S. support of Israel grows throughout the region. Outside Manama, towns and villages tend to be more conservative and religious.It became independent from Britain in 1971 and last held elections for a representative body in 1973 when people voted for the National Assembly, which was dissolved two years later.———-On the Net:Election results at http://www.bahraintoday.net

BAHRAIN: POLLS OPEN FOR SECOND ROUND MUNICIPAL …

MANAMA, May 15, 2002 (QNA via COMTEX) — Bahrain’s 20 polling stations will open this morning for the second round contest involving 40 candidates who made it to the second round of the municipal elections.The elections executive director, sheikh Ahmed bin Ateyatalla Al-Khalifa, revealed that in case of a draw, candidates running for the same constituency will be chosen by casting lots under the supervision of the heads of the polling stations, according to Bahrain News Agency (bna).Sheikh Ahmed said that the votes, which are expected to surpass 90,000, will be tallied and announced at the polling stations. The final results will be officially announced shortly after in a press conference held by the justice and islamic affairs minister.The elections executive director said that a staff of almost 800 Bahrainis will be involved in carrying out preparations for run-off races. He pointed out that the increase in workers at the polling stations reflected their expectations for a high voter turn out in the second round of elections.

“The second round of elections will provide an opportunity for people who didn’t participate in the first round, to step up and vote” he said, urging every eligible voter to maintain a positive attitude in this important historic event.

Candidates favored by Islamic conservatives dominate

16 May 2002By ADNAN MALIKAssociated Press WriterMANAMA, Bahrain (AP)– The choice for Bahrainis voting Thursday in municipal council run-off elections was largely among conservative Muslim candidates, whose success thus far has displayed the strength of conservatives as one of the Gulf’s most Western-looking nations embarks on democratic reform.Candidates favored and backed by groups who espouse a conservative vision of Islam and believe it should have wide influence over politics and society swept the first round, winning about two-thirds of the 30 seats decided in last week’s municipal election.Most of the 40 men contesting the remaining 20 seats Thursday also are backed by various Islamic societies on the island. Run-offs were being held for seats for which no candidate received more than the 50 percent vote in the first round. Voters were choosing between the top two vote getters in each constituency.Liberals in Bahrain credit the conservatives, who have pushed for political reform and have established networks for charitable and social activities, with being well organized.”We are Muslims and Islam, which teaches us to be kind to each other and help each other, is the way forward,” said candidate Abdel-Majid Mohammed, 34, at a polling station in Muharraq, east of the capital, Manama. Mohammed, a part-time social worker, has links with the Shiite Muslim-led Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society.Candidates supported by Al-Wefaq won at least 18 of the 30 seats in last Thursday’s first round. At least two more candidates who were supported by other Islamic organizations also won seats last week and Islamists expected the trend to continue.All the 30 seats last week were captured by men. Women, who voted and ran for office for the first time in Bahrain, failed to win a single seat in the first round or make it to Thursday’s run-offs.More than 90,000 people were eligible to vote in Thursday’s polls. Electoral officials said turnout was good. Voting went smoothly from 8 a.m. (0500 GMT) to 6 p.m. (1500 GMT) at 20 polling centers. Results were expected late Thursday in all the races.Islamic groups from Shiite and Sunni sects had been backing favored candidates by urging communities to provide them with financial support during their campaigns or by promoting them at social gatherings.Though Shiites are a slight majority in Bahrain, the ruling family is from the mainstream Sunni sect of Islam. Bahrain’s shift toward democratic reform followed a deadly Shiite-led uprising in the mid-1990s that held as its key demand the return of an elected parliament.The municipal elections are another step toward transforming Bahrain from a traditional emirate to a constitutional monarchy with a parliament.Last year, Bahrainis approved a reformist national charter in a referendum. In February this year, Sheik Hamed declared a constitutional monarchy and scheduled legislative elections for Oct. 24. But the new Bahraini parliament is to be partly appointed and final authority in the country still will rest with the king.Bahrain is one of the most socially relaxed countries in the Gulf — alcohol is legal, bars and nightclubs are popular and Western culture has been largely welcomed.The tiny Gulf kingdom is a close U.S. ally, home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, but lately has seen rising anti-American sentiment as anger about U.S. support of Israel grows throughout the region. And outside the Bahraini capital of Manama, towns and villages tend to be more conservative and religious.Bahrain became independent from Britain in 1971. It last held elections for a representative body in 1973 when people voted for the National Assembly. That assembly was dissolved two years later. am/db

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16 May 2002MANAMA, Bahrain (Reuters) – Bahrainis went to the polls Thursday to elect the remaining members of the Gulf Arab state’s municipal councils after voting last week failed to determine the winners of 20 seats.Forty candidates were contesting the second round of the landmark election, seen as a first step in democratic reforms that aim to end decades of sectarian tension and give ordinary Bahrainis, particularly Shi’ite Muslims, a bigger say.The 40 failed to win the required minimum of 50 percent of the votes in their constituencies on May 9 in the first round of the election, which was the kingdom’s first for 32 years and was also contested by women for the first time.According to the kingdom’s election law, the top two contestants in each constituency have to contest a runoff vote if the initial election does not determine a winner. Officials said they expected 90,000 voters to cast their ballots on Thursday.Thirty members were elected last week for the advisory body, whose main role is submitting recommendations to the government on education, health and social welfare.The five municipal councils will each have a head appointed by the government and 10 elected members.The municipal poll will be followed by parliamentary elections in October — Bahrain’s first since its late ruler, Sheikh Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa, disbanded the first assembly in 1975, just two years after it was elected.

REUTERS

Bahrain interior ministry identify Bahrainis detained in Guantanamo

16 May 2002

By ADNAN MALIKAssociated Press WriterMANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — A Bahraini Interior Ministry delegation visited the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and identified four Bahrainis, including a member of the royal family, as among the suspects detained there, pro-government newspapers reported Thursday.Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Yousef Mahmood said the Interior Ministry delegation returned Wednesday, according to the reports in local English and Arabic-language newspapers. He was quoted as saying that the detainees, including Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, a member of the royal family, were well looked after and in good health and spirits.The reports did not include the part of Bahraini names that refers to the grandfather, making it impossible to immediately determine in the large Al Khalifa extended family how closely related the detainee is to the island’s king. The other three detainees were identified as: Juma Mohammed al-Dossary, Adel Kamel Abdullah and Salah Abdulrasool al-Balushi.Two other Bahrainis, identified as Abdullah Majid al-Nuaimi and Isa Ali al-Murbati, also suspected of having ties with Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida organization, are being detained at the Kandahar base, the newspapers said.Interior and Foreign Ministry officials could not be reached for comment on the reports. But the local newspapers, which often serve as a mouthpiece for the government, reported earlier that the delegation was visiting the base to identify Bahrainis detained there and assess their condition.Mahmood said that the Foreign and Interior ministries would continue to conduct contacts at various levels until the detainees returned home to their families.Bahrain, though it has close ties with U.S. and serves as a base for the U.S. 5th Fleet, wants its citizens returned and repatriated. Kuwaiti officials also have said they had received American permission to visit the naval base in Cuba to check up on its citizens.Many Arabs went to Afghanistan to join al-Qaida and support the former Afghan leaders of the Taliban, whose strict brand of Islamic rule and protection of bin Laden angered many nations. The United States blames bin Laden for the Sept. 11 attacks. Since the U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan began in October, U.S. forces have captured numerous Arab fighters.am-sjs

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MANAMA, May 15 (Reuters) – Bahrain said on Wednesday four of its nationals were among suspected al Qaeda and Taliban members held at a U.S. base in Cuba.It was the first official account of how many Bahrainis are detained at Guantanamo Bay naval base, where more than 350 suspects captured during the U.S.-led Afghan offensive have been held.Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Youssef Mahmoud told the official BNA news agency that a Bahraini team had met the four and that they were being treated well.”Bahrain’s contacts….will continue at all levels until all captives return to their homeland,” Mahmoud said, adding that two other Bahrainis were detained in Afghanistan.The Gulf Arab state is a close ally of the United States and hosts the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet.The United States has waged its anti-terror campaign in Afghanistan to flush out Saudi-born dissident Osama bin Laden and members of his al Qaeda network, which Washington blames for the September 11 attacks on the United States.

POLITICS-BAHRAIN: WOMEN’S POOR SHOWING TEACHES …

DUBAI, May 15, 2002 (Inter Press Service via COMTEX) — The failure of women candidates to win even a single seat in Bahrain’s landmark municipal election last week has been called “shocking” and “humiliating,” but it also shows how efforts to create a larger role for women must go way beyond election day.Many in the region say the results of the May 9 poll — in which all 31 women out of the 302 contestants lost — were predictable.Some candidates said they did not know what to expect from the election, and some voters said they did not really want big changes.Candidate Afaf Al Hamer from Central Governorate had said she was “very excited” about running although she was not sure of winning in one of the most contested electoral districts, according to the Bahrain Tribune on polling day.After the results were officially announced, another candidate, Saba Al Asfour, said that women had only themselves to blame, since many willingly submitted to their male relatives’ choices of who to vote for.Women last voted in council elections in the 1950s, but had never before been allowed to run for office in Bahrain. They won this right under reforms launched with a referendum on a National Charter approved in February 2001.The level of turnout at the polls — the first since 1957 and the first with women candidates — was 51.28 percent of Bahrain’s 238,636 registered voters out of a total population of 650,000, with women’s participation recorded at 51 percent.While two men were elected unopposed, a runoff poll of the top two candidates in 17 constituencies — where no one got more than 50 percent of the vote — is scheduled for May 16. But all the contestants are men.Bahrain’s Information Minister Nabeel Al Hamer cast his vote for his sister Afaf and said “women are much better organizers than men.”But his views hardly impressed others, reflecting the deep roots of societal attitudes that view women as having mainly a domestic role and as not capable in politics, which were not going to be changed overnight by the fact that women could now vote.”Men are more capable and also women will never be totally dedicated to their post because they have to take care of their kids and their husbands. They can’t be taking care of society as well, so I didn’t vote for one,” said Fatma Mubarak, a female voter, in an extensive report in UAE’s Gulf Today after the poll.Engineer Abdullafit Al Sadeh said most of the female candidates running in the election were not “dedicated activists” and that is why he did not vote for any of them. “They don’t have the time that our men do,” he explained.Candidate Laila Abdallah Mahdi, a nursery school administrator in Riffa, said that the reluctance of women to vote for female candidates was due to a lack of confidence.Others added that the poll showed that while it was one step forward, much has to be done to improve the quality of this newfound right.”Although women in Bahrain are better off than their sisters in other Gulf countries, we still have a long way to go to achieve our rightful position in society,” said Bahraini human rights activist Ramla Jawad. “We’re still discriminated against, and unfortunately, sometimes by our own sex,” she added.”To my disappointment, voters didn’t even bother to look at the candidates’ election programs. I am truly shocked,” said Saba Al Asfour, who only managed to get 115 votes — three percent of the 3,776 votes in the Northern Governorate’s fifth constituency.In a Gulf News report on May 12, she stressed the need for “a total re-evaluation of the whole electoral process” by analysts and women activists in Bahrain.She argued that a strategy is needed to ensure that women voters understand the political process. As it, many voters entered polling stations lacking the slightest idea of what the municipal councils are all about.Then there was what she referred to as the “instructions of some religious leaders.””Some religious leaders played a major role in promoting many male candidates. And in trying to avoid committing sin if they ignored those diktats, large numbers of voters, especially in rural areas, voted blindly for certain candidates. Of course, all of whom were men,” Saba added.In the Bahraini daily Al Ayam, commentator Sawsan Al Shair also preferred to look at the election results not from the social perspective but from the religious viewpoint.She said “religious organized groups” such as the National Islamic Wefaq (Harmony) Society and the Islah (Reform) Society emerged as big winners only because they understood the rules of the game. “They ran shrewd campaigns using all available means to promote their candidates,” all of whom were men, she added.But what shocked Saba more is that Bahraini women themselves did not appear to trust women candidates. “I am sorry to say it but the fact is that they didn’t think we were qualified to occupy the offices we were running for,” she said.That is no surprise because men and women in the region have yet to understand democracy, which is at a nascent stage, says Mona Masood, a political science graduate and an editor at a publishing firm in the UAE.Identifying social reasons for the women candidates’ poor performance, Masood, who has been following developments in Bahrain closely, said: “A contest with 300 male candidates against only 31 females is no contest at all.””More importantly, many of the winners are deserving because they are qualified to serve in the councils. That they were known in their wards gave them the edge over the women,” she explained in an interview.”Women are still socially and religiously restrained in the region. For example, if a household wants to get any government work done, the wife usually turns to the husband,” she added. “A woman still believes that the man is more capable to fight for her rights.”But others say this is an attitude found in many parts of the world, not just the Middle East. “Why just the region? It is an attitude that has no nationality, race or religious specificity,” said Sara Al Ameri, a student at the American University of Dubai. “The leadership may be progressive, but the society is still lagging behind.”Knowing well that the poll results have disappointed many women, King Sheikh Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa’s wife, Sheikha Sabika Al Khalifa, said in a statement that women should continue their struggle to gain a presence on the political and national scenes.

With the just-concluded civic polls a dress rehearsal for the restoration of parliament in October, the defeat of women candidates and the calls for reassessment may yet go a long way in changing societal attitudes and ensuring better results in the coming election.

A. Khalaf: Local polls in Bahrain (on 9 May 2002) ­ a royal triumph

Earlier this month, Bahrainis went to the polling stations for the first time since 1973, when leftists and other opposition groups won a majority of seats in elections to a National Assembly that was dissolved before it could complete its first term.

The May 9 municipal elections were seen as a dress rehearsal for next October’s more controversial polls to choose members for a new, restored and restructured Parliament.

Both votes are part of the package of political reforms initiated by King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa since he came to power in March 1999. The reforms have been carefully crafted as a series of royal concessions or makrama. They included granting women their political rights, relaxing restrictions on freedom of association and allowing Bahrainis a limited level of political participation.

The reforms began in earnest in February 2001, with a general amnesty to political prisoners and exiles, the reinstatement of activists sacked from public-sector jobs, the lifting of travel restrictions on dissidents and the abrogation of state security laws.

As part of the process, Bahrain was constitutionally upgraded from an emirate to a kingdom.

These measures helped rejuvenate Bahraini civil society and spawned a profusion of new social and political associations formed by various shades of the island’s elite. Elected municipal councils and a partly elected bicameral Parliament form central components of the reform package.

Yet, turnout at the May 9 election to five 10-seat councils was remarkably low. Only slightly over half of the 240,000 eligible voters ­ all Bahrainis over the age of 21, plus an undetermined number of Gulf Cooperation Council nationals (from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and the UAE) permanently resident in Bahrain ­ cast their ballots. Another source of disappointment was the failure of any of the women candidates ­ 31 out of 306 ­ to gain election.

Liberal and leftist candidates were also conspicuous among the losers, while those fielded or supported by Alwefaq National Islamic Association, a coalition of Shiite clerics, networks and individuals, did best. In most constituencies Alwefaq defeated its rivals by a convincing majority. Sunni religious organizations gleaned most of the seats in their areas.

The failure of liberals or leftists to win a single municipal seat may be partly explained by their failure to present themselves as a viable alternative to candidates supported by the regime or by clerical establishments. The poor showing by women, including those fielded by Alwefaq and other religious groups and networks, while disappointing, is not really surprising in a male-dominated political culture like Bahrain’s. In most cases, women candidates had to run against male candidates from the same political organization.

To these religious groups, and particularly to Alwefaq, their electoral triumph comes as a vindication. For they have been under immense pressure from their rank-and-file and supporters to extricate themselves from the royal reform project. Feelings of frustration with it have been growing, and were expressed in many ways. This is a serious development that no one, least of all King Hamad and the senior Shiite clerics, can afford to brush aside.

Disillusionment has been growing among the very groups who trusted the clerics’ call to trust the emir. Bahrainis from all walks of life have expressed discontent, such as in marches and sits-in by the unemployed and other disadvantaged groups. While these may be dismissed as “untimely” manifestations of restlessness, they have nevertheless set off alarm bells.

The results of the municipal elections should be viewed in light of other, behind-the-scenes, arrangements between King Hamad and community leaders.

At the tail end of April, a meeting was held between government representatives and four of the most senior Shiite clerics. Dr. Hassan Fakhro, the most trusted royal advisor on political affairs ­ together with Information Minister Nabil al-Hamer and Cabinet Affairs Minister Mohammed al-Mutawa ­ met with Sheikhs Isa Qassim, Abelamir al-Jamri and Abdullah al-Ghuraifi and Ayatullah Najati.

According to leaked accounts, the stormy meeting began with the royal envoys voicing their appreciation of the clerics’ role in maintaining calm on the streets of Bahrain despite the use by security forces of live ammunition against demonstrators marching near the US Embassy in the capital Manama to protest against American support for Israel’s incursions in the West Bank. They were particularly commended for their conciliatory statement following the death of a young protester shot by riot police.

Sheikh Qassim, the most influential of the clerical quartet, replied that they issued the statement because they wanted to give the reform process another chance, even though they were beginning to lose faith in the sincerity of the other side.

They were certainly concerned, he continued, with safeguarding civil peace and public safety, but they were not sure if the government was similarly committed to keeping its promises.

Among the grievances voiced during that tense meeting was the charge that the government is playing the sectarian card and trying to derail the democratic process through gerrymandering. Bahraini political activists of all shades have criticized the authorities for redrawing the map of electoral constituencies in such a way as to moderate, if not totally eliminate, the effects of the Shiite numerical majority in most regions of the island state.

The clerics told the royal representatives that they and their political surrogates were finding it difficult to induce people to participate in the municipal elections. They emphasized that they had done their utmost to persuade their followers to vote, but that there was strong resistance to going along with what was being perceived as a farce.

While it was not directly stated, the royal envoys were left in no doubt that the four clerics felt unwilling to do the same for the parliamentary elections. The message was simple: while they could overlook the limited powers of the municipal councils, they could not accept the limitations imposed on the elected Parliament.

The proposed bicameral system is to give equal legislative powers to the elected and appointed chambers of Parliament, each of which is to have 40 seats. The government delegation suggested the king would be willing to accept an amendment to the three-month-old constitution halving the appointed chamber’s seats to 20. This was rejected by the Shiite clerics, who insisted that the unelected chamber be stripped of its legislative mandate.

True to his reputation as an astute tactician, King Hamad sought to appease his Shiite clerical critics by springing two surprises on the eve of the May 9 municipal elections.

First, he let it be known that the government would compensate hundreds of Bahrainis for salaries lost while they were detained in connection with the political unrest of the 1990s. Government employees who had been held without trial for up to three years will benefit. This concession was extended to other victims of state abuses. Last week, Alwefaq set up a committee to gather details of claims by victims of human rights violations during the last decade. The declared purpose is to present these lists to “the authorities” for appropriate compensation to be considered.

King Hamad’s second surprise was an announcement just before polling day that all members of the Bahrain Defense Force, the National Guard, the police and the security services would be ineligible to vote. The sudden removal of this solid bloc of some 15,000 Sunni voters must be seen as a grand conciliatory gesture to the Shiite clerics and as an attempt to offset their fears about the “doctoring” of the electoral constituency map.

Yes, religious candidates won most seats in all five municipal councils in Bahrain, but the man happiest at the outcome is King Hamad. It remains to be seen whether his moves on the eve of the municipal elections will also pre-empt a boycott of the parliamentary polls.

Abdulhadi Khalaf is a Bahraini academic who teaches Sociology of Development at the University of Lund, Sweden. He wrote this commentary for The Daily Star

Bahrain says 51.3 pct turnout in municipal vote

 MANAMA, May 11 (Reuters) – Bahrain said on Saturday slightly over half of all eligible voters had cast their ballots in landmark municipal elections seen as a first step towards democratic reforms in the Gulf Arab state.The May 9 poll, which women contested for the first time, was part of the kingdom’s efforts to end decades of simmering sectarian tension and allow ordinary Bahrainis, particularly Shi’ite Muslims, a bigger political say.Male candidates have won 30 of the 50 contested seats, although their female counterparts walked away empty-handed. The remaining seats will be decided after a second round of polling on May 16.

The municipal elections, the first in three decades, will be followed by a parliamentary poll in October to usher in the kingdom’s first elected assembly since 1975.

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ABU DHABI, May 11 WAM, 2002 (QNA via COMTEX) — A United Arab Emirates (UAE) newspaper today described Bahrain’s municipal elections as a success and a significant test for the new atmosphere of political development in the kingdom.The Dubai-based English daily Gulf News said: “The success of Bahrain’s municipal elections is a tribute to the willingness of the Bahraini people to embrace change and reform, and to the initiatives started by their ruler, His Majesty the King, Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Twenty eight seats were decided on Thursday, and the remaining 20 seats will need run-off elections, which are due to be held on May 16.”The elections were a significant test for the new atmosphere of political development in the country, and the active participation of opposition figures and former dissidents was an important step in reaffirming the country’s revived social stability. Bahrain is working hard under its ruler to build trust and cohesion between the various elements of society, and all recognize that this is vital for the success of the country’s ambitious development plans.”The active participation of women in the voting and in standing for office was a welcome development. Of the 306 candidates, 31 were women.”It was disappointing that none of the women candidates won a seat in this election, but it is heartening that several of them have spoken of standing again, and plan continued and increased participation in the future.”The municipal elections were Bahrain’s first in 45 years, and were seen by the government and Bahraini society as a whole as the precursor for the October parliamentary elections. The political makeup of the new municipal body is not clear yet, and may not even be relevant since municipal elections are often won on more community or personality issues.”However, the participation of all strands of society in last week’s elections, the good turnout, and the peaceful way in which the day passed off, has created a wholesome outlook,” concluded the paper.Copyright (C) 2002 QNA. All Rights Reserved.

Bahrain boycotts Al Jazeera

May 11, 2002 (Al-Bawaba via COMTEX) — Bahrain said it would no longer allow Qatar’s “Al Jazeera” satellite news channel to report from the kingdom, accusing it of seeking to “harm Bahrain” and having links with Israel.Al Jazeera “deliberately seeks to harm Bahrain,” said Information Minister Nabeel Al Hamer who added that the kingdom had not responded to Al Jazeera’s request to send a team to cover Thursday’s municipal elections.

“We believe (Al Jazeera) is suspect and represents the Zionist side in the region,” he said. “We will not deal with this channel because we object to its coverage of current affairs. It is a Zionist channel, penetrated by Zionists,” said the minister.

Bahrain says 51.3 pct turnout in municipal vote

MANAMA, May 11 (Reuters) – Bahrain said on Saturday slightly over half of all eligible voters had cast their ballots in landmark municipal elections seen as a first step towards democratic reforms in the Gulf Arab state.

The May 9 poll, which women contested for the first time, was part of the kingdom’s efforts to end decades of simmering sectarian tension and allow ordinary Bahrainis, particularly Shi’ite Muslims, a bigger political say.

Male candidates have won 30 of the 50 contested seats, although their female counterparts walked away empty-handed. The remaining seats will be decided after a second round of polling on May 16.

The municipal elections, the first in three decades, will be followed by a parliamentary poll in October to usher in the kingdom’s first elected assembly since 1975.

Bahrain extends reforms to intelligence agency

MANAMA, May 10 (Reuters) – Bahrain has taken steps to tighten control over its intelligence agency as part of landmark reforms to promote democracy in the Gulf Arab state, local media and diplomats said on Friday.A decree issued by King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa on Thursday set up the National Security Agency affiliated with the prime minister’s office, replacing the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation at the Interior Ministry, they said.The now-disbanded Directorate had faced charges of involvement in torture and fraud. Opposition activists and the exiled Bahrain Freedom Movement accused it of torturing suspected dissidents, mainly belonging to the majority Shi’ite Muslim community, since the early 1980s.The new body would be given the task of preserving national security in Bahrain, the Gulf’s financial hub, by monitoring activities threatening it, the decree said, without giving further details.Diplomats said the move was part of reforms launched by King Hamad to reunite the small island state by pardoning political prisoners, allowing exiles to return and scheduling the first parliamentary elections after nearly three decades.”Its aim was to have more control on the intelligence by the prime minister’s office,” one diplomat told Reuters. “It’s a positive not a negative step.”One of the Directorate’s senior officers, Adel Flaifel, reportedly fled Bahrain recently after authorities launched an investigation into his financial dealings. Bahrain has asked Interpol to track down Flaifel.

The reform of the intelligence agency coincided with the country’s first local elections in 32 years, in which women were allowed to run for the first time.

Women fail to win in landmark Bahraini election

By Abbas SalmanMANAMA, May 10 (Reuters) – Women candidates failed to win seats in Bahrain’s landmark municipal elections, hailed by officials and the opposition as another step towards democratic reforms in this small Gulf Arab state.Bahrain last held municipal elections 32 years ago.The revival of the polls, which women contested for the first time, is part of the kingdom’s efforts to end decades of simmering sectarian tension and allow ordinary Bahrainis, and particularly Shi’ite Muslims, a bigger political say.Justice Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalid al-Khalifa, announcing the poll results at a news conference early on Friday, said male candidates had won 30 of the 50 contested seats. The remaining seats will be decided after a second round of polling on May 16.The government will still appoint the heads of the five municipal councils, each with 10 elected members.Polls closed at 6 p.m. (1500 GMT) on Thursday. Some 306 candidates, including 30 women, had taken part in the election.”Women had the same chance as everyone else,” Sheikh Abdullah said. “The results reflect the will of the people.Women in Bahrain, a relatively liberal Gulf state where the Sunni Muslim al-Khalifa family rule over a Shi’ite Muslim majority, were given the right to vote in the 1920s. But it was only this year that reformist King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa decided to allow them to stand in elections as well.”It is said that e don’t have any women in the councils but the result is representative of all sects, social or otherwise, in Bahrain,” Information Minister Nabil al-Hamar told reporters. Hamar’s sister, Afaf, was one of the candidates.”My advice to the women is that they need to be more enthusiastic and work harder at ensuring they succeed at the parliamentary elections,” he added.Political analysts described this poll as a dress-rehearsal for October’s parliamentary elections — Bahrain’s first since its late ruler, Sheikh Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa, disbanded the first assembly in 1975, just two years after it was elected.The poll also highlights the gap between the political system of Bahrain, the poorest Gulf Arab oil producer, and that of its ultra-conservative neighbour and regional superpower Saudi Arabia, where decision-making remains firmly in the hands of the ruling Al Saud family.WOMEN CANDIDATES NOT SURPRISED AT RESULTUnlike other women in the Gulf, Bahrainis work alongside men in finance, education and public affairs. But traditions and preconceptions about their role in a male-dominated society appeared to work against them in this election.Most female candidates had not expected to win, and said they were running in the election to “set an example.””It’s enough that we’re the pioneers and that by doing this we’ve made it easier for other women,” said Mikiyah Ibrahim, who was running for office in the wealthy Riffa district.Official turnout figures were not immediately available but Hamar said he expected turnout to be in the range of 50 percent.Officials put the number of eligible voters at 238,633.Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Sulman al-Khalifa hailed the poll as another step towards democracy in Bahrain.Most Shi’ite opposition leaders praised the election, but they also criticised the government’s management of the process.Mansoor al-Jamri, a prominent activist, said the powers granted to the municipal councils fell far short of expectations. The councils will submit proposals to the government on education, health and social welfare.He also accused the government of gerrymandering by allocating an equal number of seats for all constituencies regardless of population size.”It’s not a very big prize for the Bahraini people but it certainly means better conditions than the degradation of before,” he told Reuters. “It’s a good starting point.”Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, was racked in the 1980s and 1990s by unrest instigated by Shi’ites disgruntled at their rulers and their economic situation.Unemployment is among the highest in the region and in 2001 hit a record 5.2 percent.Bahrain’s current ruler, Sheikh Hamad, has tried to reconcile the rifts by launching political and economic reforms since he took office after his father’s death in 1999.

REUTERS

Women Vote in Bahrain for First Time

10 May, 2002

By ADNAN MALIKAssociated Press WriterMANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — Voters cast ballots Thursday in Bahrain’s first election for representative bodies in nearly 30 years — another step in the Gulf nation’s transformation from absolute monarchy to democracy, and the first time Bahraini women were allowed to vote and run for office.However, no women were elected to any of the 50 municipal seats up for grabs, said the information minister of this tiny Gulf state. Of some 306 candidates, 30 were women.”I am personally very sad. The government and king will also be very disappointed because they (the female candidates) have run very aggressive election campaigns,” said Nabeel Al Hamer, the minister.In a region ruled mostly by autocrats, scenes of Bahrainis clamoring to cast votes were striking. Men and women waited in long, separate lines in keeping with the country’s conservative Islamic traditions.Male candidates won 28 of the 50 open seats, Justice Minister Sheik Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa said early Friday. The other 22 seats went to a runoff, which was to be held next week. There were no women who made it into those runoff races.Officials said turnout was heavier than expected, but did not immediately release voter figures.More than 200,000 residents were eligible to vote, including citizens of neighboring Gulf Cooperation Council states and foreigners owning property in the kingdom. Bahrain has a population of about 650,000 people. Of some 306 candidates, 30 were women.One female candidate, Badriya Ali, said she felt exhausted but exhilarated after greeting voters throughout the day at a polling station in Hidd, about 12 miles from the capital.”I am totally exhausted and nervous, but it’s all fun,” said the 42-year-old mother of five who ran against five male candidates. “The competition was tough, but I think I have received a lot of support today and God willing I will win.”A candidate needs to acquire more than 50 percent of the votes in their districts to be elected.Thursday’s leap toward democracy was being closely watched throughout the Gulf. Bahrain’s eastern neighbor, Qatar, is the only other Gulf Arab state that allows women to run for office. Kuwait also holds elections, but bars women from running for office.Bahrain’s municipal elections were part of a process initiated by the king, Sheik Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, last year to transform the Gulf island nation from a traditional emirate, where he held absolute power, to a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament.”This is the first light and we hope that it leads us to a brighter future,” said Hassan Mushaima, a former dissident who voted in Daih, south of the capital. “It was a great experience and we are eagerly looking forward to the parliamentary elections.”Bahrain, which became independent from Britain in 1971, last held elections for a representative body in 1973 when people voted for the National Assembly. That assembly was dissolved two years later.Soon after Sheik Hamad succeeded his late father as ruler of Bahrain, he commissioned a National Action Charter providing for a parliament, an independent judiciary and a body to investigate public complaints.In mid-February, a year after the charter was approved in a nationwide vote, Sheik Hamed declared a constitutional monarchy and scheduled legislative elections for Oct. 24. The king, however, will appoint one of the houses of the bicameral legislature, allowing him to control lawmaking.Shiite Muslim political activists have expressed reservations about this move.During the mid-1990s, Shiite Muslims, who form a slight majority in Bahrain, staged a violent campaign for political reform and restoration of parliament, triggering a government crackdown. More than 40 people were killed in the unrest. The ruling Al Khalifa family hails from the mainstream Sunni branch of Islam.”This is the starting point for democracy,” said former dissident and Shiite leader Mansoor al-Jamri after voting Thursday in Saar, about six miles southwest of Manama.Bahrain is aligned with the West and is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.——On the Net:

Bahrain government Web site, “www.bahraintoday.net.”

Landmark municipal elections held in Bahrain

10 May, 2002

By ADNAN MALIKAssociated Press WriterMANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — Voters cast ballots Thursday in Bahrain’s first election for representative bodies in nearly 30 years — another step in the Gulf nation’s transformation from absolute monarchy to democracy, and the first time Bahraini women were allowed to vote and run for office.Despite the excitement surrounding the polls and the participation of female candidates, the tiny Gulf state’s information minister said no women were elected to any of the 50 municipal seats up for grabs. Of some 306 candidates, 30 were women.”I am personally very sad (that no women were elected). The government and king will also be very disappointed because they (the female candidates) have run very aggressive election campaigns,” Nabeel Al Hamer told The Associated Press.The Justice Ministry is expected to announce final election results early Friday.In a region ruled mostly by autocrats, scenes of Bahrainis clamoring to cast votes were striking. Men and women waited in long, separate lines in keeping with the country’s conservative Islamic traditions. Officials said turnout was heavier than expected, but did not immediately release voter figures.More than 200,000 residents are eligible to vote, including citizens of neighboring Gulf Cooperation Council states and foreigners owning property in the kingdom. Bahrain has a population of about 650,000 people.”Let me in, let me in!” shouted a bespectacled Maryam Mohammed Yousuf, 80, at a polling center in the capital Manama that failed to open on time. She stood in line leaning on a metal walking stick and a younger female relative, her wrinkled face just visible through her black chador. Most of the women voters wore the head-to-toe robe.”As a loyal citizen I’ve been waiting for this opportunity all my life,” Yousuf said after she was at last able to vote. “This is a new birth for the nation, this is very, very, very, good.”Thursday’s leap toward democracy was being closely watched throughout the Gulf. Bahrain’s eastern neighbor, Qatar, is the only other Gulf Arab state that allows women to run for office. Kuwait also holds elections, but bars women from running for office.Bahrain’s municipal elections are part of a process initiated by the king, Sheik Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, last year to transform Bahrain from a traditional emirate where he held absolute power to a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament.”This is the first light and we hope that it leads us to a brighter future,” said Hassan Mushaima, a former dissident who voted in Daih, south of the capital. “It was a great experience and we are eagerly looking forward to the parliamentary elections.”Soon after Sheik Hamad succeeded his late father as ruler of Bahrain, he commissioned a National Action Charter providing for a parliament, an independent judiciary and a body to investigate public complaints.In mid-February, a year after the charter was approved in a nationwide vote, Sheik Hamed declared a constitutional monarchy and scheduled legislative elections for Oct. 24. The king, however, will appoint one of the houses of the bicameral legislature, allowing him to control lawmaking. Shiite Muslim political activists have expressed reservations to this move.During the mid-1990s, Shiite Muslims, who form a slight majority in Bahrain, staged a violent campaign for political reform and restoration of parliament, triggering a government crackdown. More than 40 people were killed in the unrest. The ruling Al Khalifa family hails from the mainstream Sunni branch of Islam.”This is the starting point for democracy,” said former dissident and Shiite leader Mansoor al-Jamri after voting Thursday in Saar more than 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) southwest of Manama.Bahrain became independent from Britain in 1971. It last held elections for a representative body in 1973 when people voted for the National Assembly. That assembly was dissolved two years later.

The island state is aligned with the West and is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.

Shi’ites give Bahrain polls a guarded welcome

 By Miral FahmyMANAMA, May 9 (Reuters) – Members of Bahrain’s Shi’ite Muslim opposition praised the government for holding landmark municipal elections on Thursday, but many said the Gulf Arab state had much to do before becoming a full-fledged democracy.About 65 percent of native Bahrainis are Shi’ite Muslims, but the island state has been ruled by the Sunni Muslim al-Khalifa family for two centuries. Bahrain’s last municipal polls were held 32 years ago.”It’s not a very big prize for the Bahraini people but it certainly means better conditions than the degradation of before,” Shi’ite activist Mansoor al-Jamri told Reuters. “They’re being asked their opinion, and even if it doesn’t have teeth, its a good starting point.”Like many other Shi’ites, Jamri — the son of noted Shi’ite cleric Abdul-Amir al-Jamri and co-founder of the Bahrain Freedom Movement — left Bahrain during the 1980s, and settled in London after the government started to crack down on the opposition.Many more were imprisoned, while others went into self-exile in protest. Bahrain’s current ruler, King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, has tried to ease sectarian tensions by launching political and economic reforms in the last three years.He even asked the military and police, dominated by Sunni Muslim loyalists, not to vote in this election to ensure they did not irk the opposition, officials said.ACCUSATIONS OF GERRYMANDERINGSheikh Ali Salman, another top Shi’ite cleric, described the polls as a positive step, albeit a limited one. “Municipal councils are really not effective but overall, the process is positive,” he said. “This needs to be followed up by more democratic steps.”The five municipal councils will each have a head appointed by the government and 10 elected members. They will act primarily in an advisory capacity, submitting recommendations to the government in such areas as education, health and social welfare.Thursday’s voting precedes parliamentary polls in October. Opposition members said they hoped the government would avoid some of the “mistakes” it had made in this poll, such as allegations of gerrymandering in the five constituencies.Each constituency has one council. Jamri and Salman said the distribution was illogical and unfair, as it did not take into account population size and geography.”The government imposed sectarian divisions, mainly against the Shi’ites,” Jamri said.”I just find it unfair that an area with 14,000 people gets the same representation that an area with 200,” Salman added.Not all opposition members, however, are unhappy at the government’s performance. Majeed al-Alawi, another activist who spent 20 years in exile in Britain, said the time had come for Bahrainis to support their reformist leaders and heal the historic rifts in their society.”This is a small step, but it’s a major one for the progress of the country,” said Alawi, who now runs the independent think tank, the Bahrain Centre for Studies and Research.”We need to support these moves, and try and advise the government, rather than criticise its mistakes. We have a lot of wounds from the past and we need to get over them for the good of Bahrain,” he added.

FACTBOX-Facts and figures about Bahrain

 MANAMA, May 9 (Reuters) – These are the key facts about Bahrain, which votes in municipal elections on Thursday.:POPULATION: Official 2001 estimate puts population at 651,000 — 245,000 of whom are foreigners, mainly Asian workers from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Philippines.RELIGION: Islam is the state religion. About 65 percent of the 406,000 indigenous population belong to the Shi’ite sect which is dominant in Iran. The ruling family belongs to the Sunni sect which is followed by 90 percent of the world’s one billion Muslims.AREA: 711 sq km (267 sq miles) consisting of 32 islands. The main island is Bahrain, connected to Muharraq, site of the international airport, by two causeways.Bahrain is linked to Saudi Arabia, its main ally within the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council, by a 25-km (15-mile) causeway opened in November, 1986. The capital is Manama.ARMED FORCES: The army is composed of 8,500 men in one armoured brigade with two infantry battalions and one each of tanks and special forces. It has one armoured car squadron, two artillery squadrons, and two mortar batteries. The navy is 700-strong with two corvettes, four fast-attack craft with Exocet surface-to-surface missiles and seven patrol craft. The air force has 1,500 men with 12 F-5 and 12 F-16 fighters and 16 helicopters.ECONOMY: Bahrain, the least wealthy Gulf oil producer, is seeking to diversify its economy to reduce reliance on oil revenues which still provide the government with about 60 percent of its income. Oil production in 2001 was about 39,000 barrels per day from its own offshore fields. Some experts predict recoverable reserves of 150 to 200 million barrels will run out within 20 years. It also receives the entire production of 140,000 bpd of a shared offshore field with Saudi Arabia.Bahrain purchases most of the crude processed in its ageing 250,000 bpd refinery from Saudi Arabia via an undersea pipeline.Bahrain broke with long-standing tradition in July 1991 and passed a law allowing 100 percent foreign ownership for firms which want to set up light manufacturing plants. During the same year the government set up a development bank for local entrepreneurs to help boost economic activity.Since the $1.2 billion Bahrain-Saudi causeway was opened, many new hotels have been built in the island state, raising the number to around 80 and making Bahrain a regional tourism centre, mainly for other Gulf nationals taking advantage of its relaxed social environment.Bahrain’s offshore banking centre is another mainstay of its economy, but a worldwide recession coupled with loss of confidence in Arab banks following the Gulf crisis and BCCI scandal reduced the number of Offshore Banking Units.Unemployment remains Bahrain’s chronic problem. Officials in 2001 estimated unemployment at 5.6 percent of the total workforce of 308,400, 59 percent of whom are foreigners. The jobless represent 13.7 percent of the native workforce.MODERN HISTORY: The ruling Khalifa family came to Bahrain from the Arabian peninsula in 1782 and the following year expelled the Persians, who had taken over Bahrain from the Portuguese during the early 17th century.In 1861 Bahrain signed a friendship treaty with Britain placing it under British protection. It gained full independence in 1971 after a report by a U.N. mission found Bahrain’s Arab population did not support an Iranian claim to the island.It is the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet.A assembly was elected in 1973 but dissolved two years later following disputes between leftists and government backers. The government then appointed a 40-member consultative Shura council in 1993 which gives its views on laws drafted by the cabinet.Anti-government protests by Shi’ite Muslims broke out in December, 1994, after the arrest of a young Shi’ite cleric, Sheikh Ali Salman, for distributing leaflets calling for restoration of parliament.In 2001, King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa launched political reforms, proposing a national charter which calls for an elected parliament alongside an appointed Shura council by 2004, an independent judiciary and a constitutional monarchy.King Hamad has also pardoned all political prisoners as well as activists in exiles, most of whom had returned to their country. He also abolished two emergency laws, the State Security Court and the State Security Law, a key demand of the opposition.In February, 2002, Bahrain officially changed its status to a monarchy. Now called the Kingdom of Bahrain, it will have its first municipal elections on May 9, the first in more than three decades, in which women have the right to stand for office and vote.In October, Bahrain will hold its first parliamentary elections in 27 years. But a consultative body appointed by the King will have legislative powers on par with the newly-elected parliament.Bahrain is a member of the Arab League, the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Islamic Conference Organisation and the Organisation of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries.King Hamad’s eldest son, Sheikh Salman bin Hamad, is the crown prince and armed forces chief. The Prime Minister is the Emir’s uncle, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Sulman al-Khalifa.

Voting starts in landmark Bahrain election

 By Miral FahmyMANAMA, May 9 (Reuters) – Bahrainis trickled to polling stations on Thursday to vote for the first time in 32 years in municipal elections that are seen as furthering fledgling democratic reforms in this Gulf Arab state.Fifty voting stations opened at 0800 a.m. (0500 GMT) throughout Bahrain, a relatively liberal island state where the Sunni Muslim Al Khalifa family has ruled for more than two centuries over a Shi’ite Muslim majority.Witnesses said turnout was relatively low in the early hours of the first day the official two-day weekend.The revival of the polls, which women will contest for the first time, is part of the kingdom’s efforts to end decades of simmering sectarian tension and allow ordinary Bahrainis, and particularly Shi’ites, a bigger political say.Bahrain last elected municipal councils in the 1960s. Analysts describe this poll as a dress-rehearsal for October’s crucial parliamentary elections — the kingdom’s first since its late ruler, Sheikh Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa, disbanded the first assembly in 1975, just two years after it was elected.Bahrain’s 238,633 eligible voters have until 6 p.m. to pick one of the 306 candidates, including 30 women, who are vying for 48 seats in the five, 10-member councils.The heads of each of the five councils, which will be responsible for services in their constituency, will still be appointed by the government.”We’re all learning in this process,” elections executive director Sheikh Ahmed bin Ateyatallah al-Khalifa told reporters late on Wednesday. “Municipal elections are very important since most people don’t really care about politics, they care about roads, services and healthcare.”More than 1,500 officials will monitor the computerised voting process, which even opposition candidates say leaves little room for manipulation. Votes will be counted at the stations and results are expected to be announced by midnight.Sheikh Ahmed, however, said the poll’s final results could only be announced after the second round of elections on May 16. Candidates must gain at least 50 percent of the vote to become out-right winners otherwise they must contest the second round.OPPOSITION URGES BAHRAINIS TO VOTEFor weeks, Bahrainis have been urged to vote by their officials, the media and even opposition Shi’ite clerics, despite their reservations about the powers given to the municipal councils and the distribution of the seats.Officials expected voter turnout at 70 percent, a relatively high level compared to municipal elections in the West.”The municipal elections are a positive step. It’s an experiment that offers limited scope for political participation but it is positive,” said opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman who recently returned to Bahrain after six years in exile.Bahrain, home to the U.S. navy’s Fifth Fleet, was wracked in the 1980s and 1990s by unrest instigated by Shi’ites disgruntled at their rulers and their economic situation.Unemployment in the Gulf’s poorest oil producer is among the highest in the region and in 2001 hit a record 5.2 percent.Bahrain’s current ruler, King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, has tried to reconcile the rifts by launching political and economic reforms since he took office after his father’s death in 1999.King Hamad pardoned political prisoners and brought back many of those who were exiled. He also put the reform plan to a national referendum, Bahrain’s first since its 1971 independence from Britain, to garner popular support.Eligible voters include Bahraini men and women aged 21 years and above and nationals of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman who are permanent residents and own property. The government has also set up a website for the polls (www.bahraintoday.net) with live broadcasts of the voting.

REUTERS

Bahrain inches towards democracy with landmark poll

By Abbas SalmanMANAMA, May 8 (Reuters) – Bahrainis go to the polls on Thursday for the first time in 32 years to vote for municipal councils at a landmark election seen as a test for democratic reforms in this Gulf Arab state.Bahrain has been ruled by the Sunni Muslim al-Khalifa family for 200 years. Municipal elections were last held in the 1960s. Since then, council members have been appointed by the rulers.The revival of the polls, which women will contest for the first time ever, is part of the kingdom’s efforts to end decades of simmering sectarian tension and allow ordinary Bahrainis, and particularly the Shi’ite Muslim majority, a bigger say in the affairs of their country.Official statistics show that 306 candidates, including 30 women, are vying for 50 seats, 10 in each of Bahrain’s five governorates. Although the council members will be elected, their leaders will still be appointed by the government.The May 9 poll also precedes Bahrain’s first parliamentary election in 27 years, which will be held in October.”This election does not represent Bahrain becoming a liberal, democratic country in the Western sense, but it is an important and genuine step towards opening up the political system and should not be underestimated,” said Daniel Neep, Middle East director of London’s Royal Services Institute.”It would be interesting to see whether these political changes will be able to accommodate the opposition.”HIGH UNEMPLOYMENTBahrain, a relatively liberal Gulf state where the U.S. navy’s Fifth Fleet is located, was wracked in the 1980s and 1990s by unrest instigated by Shi’ites disgruntled at their rulers and their economic situation.Unemployment levels are among the highest in the Gulf and last year hit a record high of 5.2 percent.In 1975, Emir Sheikh Isa bin Sulman al-Khalifa dissolved the first elected parliament two years after it was set up, and replaced it by an advisory Shura Council that he also chose, which sparked off even more unrest.Bahrain’s current ruler, King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, has tried to reconcile the rifts by launching political and economic reforms since he took office after his father’s death in 1999.King Hamad pardoned political prisoners, abolished emergency laws and brought back many of those who were exiled. He also put the reform plan to a national referendum, Bahrain’s first since its 1971 independence from Britain, to garner popular support.But protests erupted again last month. Most were led by Shi’ite Muslims denouncing Israel’s military offensive against the Palestinians, but analysts said the demonstrators appeared to be airing other grievances.”The Israeli situation appears to be a catalyst. People are charged about internal issues, such as unemployment,” a Gulf diplomat said.OPPOSITION GIVES GUARDED WELCOMEOn Monday, the monarch urged Bahrainis to take advantage of the reforms. “Every vote in these and other elections is a step forward to represent the people’s will,” he said.More than 237,000 people can vote in the poll. They include Bahraini men and women aged 21 years and above as well as nationals of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman who are permanent residents and own property.The government has also set up a website for the polls (www.bahraintoday.net) with live broadcasts of the voting.Opposition members have given the election a guarded welcome, with some saying it falls short of their expectations for full-scale political participation.Others have criticised the even-handed distribution of seats, saying it does not reflect the size of each constituency.”The election will herald the re-initation of political openness,” said Mansoor al-Jamri, an activist who returned home after 15 years in exile. “(But) the present authorities given to the municipal councils… fall short of the promised reforms.”Analysts said that although Bahraini women enjoy a relatively high-profile in the Gulf state, they do not expect many female candidates to win council seats.”Because of the nature of the Muslim conservative Bahrain and their bad campaign skills, I think only one or two women winning seats for the councils,” one observer said.

Some candidates, however, are hopeful. “Women have the ability to compete with men,” said Badriya Ali, 42. “I am optimistic and my chances are high,” the former banker told Reuters. “I don’t see any barriers.”

Bahrain interior ministry delegation visiting Guantanamo

7 May 2002

By ADNAN MALIKAssociated Press WriterMANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — A Bahraini Interior Ministry delegation is visiting the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, hoping to identify Bahrainis being detained there and assess their condition, local pro-government newspapers reported Tuesday.Bahraini officials and the Bahrain Human Rights Society have said at least six Bahraini citizens were being detained by the U.S. military — three in Afghanistan and three in Cuba — on suspicion of having ties with Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida network.Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Yousef Mahmood said the Interior Ministry delegation arrived at the base Monday after receiving U.S. permission for a visit, according to the reports in local English- and Arabic-language newspapers.Interior and Foreign Ministry officials refused to comment on the reports. But the local newspapers often serve as a mouthpiece for the government.According to the newspapers, Mahmood said the kingdom has been asking U.S. and Pakistani governments as well as organizations such as the International Red Cross about the fate of Bahraini detainees and how it can repatriate them.About 300 men of various nationalities were being held at the U.S. base in Cuba.Kuwaiti officials announced Monday that the United States had granted the Gulf emirate permission to send a delegation to check on its citizens, numbering 10, in detention at Guantanamo Bay. No date had been set for the visit, which a senior Kuwaiti foreign affairs official, Sheik Mohammed Al Sabah, said came with U.S. conditions.He declined to disclose the conditions. The Bahraini newspaper reports did not mention any conditions. Kuwait and Bahrain are two close U.S. allies in the Gulf.

Many Arabs went to Afghanistan to join al-Qaida and support the former Afghan leaders of the Taliban, whose strict brand of Islamic rule and protection of bin Laden angered many nations. Since the U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan began last fall, American forces have captured numerous Arab fighters.

Bahrain team at Guantanamo to see captive nationals

06 May, 2002

MANAMA, Bahrain (Reuters) – Bahraini officials have arrived at a U.S. base in Cuba to inspect the condition of nationals held among suspected al Qaeda and Taliban members, the official Bahrain News Agency reported Monday.The agency did not say how many Bahrainis are detained at the Guantanamo Bay naval base, where 384 suspects captured during the U.S.-led Afghan offensive are being held.A local newspaper said in March three Bahrainis were held in the base and three others were possibly arrested in Afghanistan.The Gulf Arab state, a close ally of the United States, had sought “information about the detainees and exerted efforts to repatriate them,” the agency quoted a Foreign Ministry official as saying.The official said the team would “inspect the situation of the prisoners” but did not say if it would seek an extradition.The United States has waged its anti-terror campaign in Afghanistan to flush out Saudi-born dissident Osama bin Laden and members his al Qaeda network, which Washington blames for Sept. 11.

Bahrain is home to the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s fifth fleet.

 Bahrain’s king calls for nation to vote freely

06 May, 2002

MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — Bahrain’s king, Sheik Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, has urged his people to vote in Thursday’s local elections — the first in nearly 30 years — with “every sense of freedom and responsibility.”Addressing the nation on television on Monday, the king said the municipal polls are not “less important” than the legislative elections due to be held in October.”The solid roots and foundation of democracy exist at home, school, district, village and town and shall grow through interaction with these roots,” Sheik Hamad said.Bahrain, which became independent from Britain in 1971, last held elections in 1973 when people voted for the National Assembly. The parliament was dissolved two years later. A Central Municipal Council was established in 1973, but its members were appointed.Appealing for a high turnout in Thursday’s polls, the king said voting was a duty because “democracy will not survive without practicing it and the spirit of citizenship is re-inforced only through adhering to all rights and obligations.”He wished success to the 306 candidates running for 50 municipal seats and said they should pursue the elections in a “spirit of fair competition.”Women can also vote and run for office for the first time in these elections.About 237,000 residents are eligible to vote. They include citizens of the neighboring Gulf Cooperation Council states and other foreigners who own property in the kingdom. Bahrain has a population of about 650,000 people.A team of 1,500 election workers, including judges, teachers and technicians, will oversee the polls.Bahrain is aligned with the West and is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.

The elections are part of the process initiated by the king last year to transform the Gulf island nation from a traditional emirate of absolute rule to a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament.

Bahrain, Thailand to establish free trade zone

May 6, 2002 (Al-Bawaba via COMTEX) — Bahrain and Thailand are seeking to enhance bilateral trade and investments through the establishment of a free trade zone between the countries and the opening of a Thai commercial center on the island of Bahrain, which will promote and market Thai products throughout the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).Initiatives to operate direct flights on the Bangkok-Manama route and to open an Islamic bank in Thailand with Bahraini investment were also discussed during a meeting held this week between the Bahraini Minister of Commerce and Industry Ali Al-Saleh and his Thai counterpart Adisai Photharamik.

Bahrain exports to Thailand mainly oil and aluminum, while importing Thai garments, air-conditioners, precious stones and jewelry. Bilateral trade totaled $93 million in 2001, up from $79 million the previous year, with Bahraini exports to Thailand accounting for about 60 percent of the total.

Bahrain seeking Interpol’s help to trace fleeing Intelligence officer

5 May 2002

By ADNAN MALIKAssociated Press WriterMANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — A senior Interior Ministry official has fled Bahrain during an investigation into allegations of financial wrongdoing, and the kingdom is seeking Interpol’s help to track him down, according to a ministry statement published Sunday.Pro-government Bahraini newspapers quoted an Interior Ministry statement as saying Col. Adel Jassim Flaifil was being investigated by a special ministry committee which had summoned him Wednesday to brief him on complaints against him.The hearing was supposed to continue Saturday, but committee members were shocked to learn he had fled the country Friday, defying a court order barring him from leaving, local English- and Arabic-language newspapers reported.The ministry statement, according to the newspapers, said the government will work closely with Interpol, the international police network, to arrest Flaifil and return him to Bahrain for trial. Neither the statement nor the newspapers elaborated on the allegations against Flaifil.Interior Ministry officials could not be reached for comment on the press reports, but pro-government local newspapers often serve as mouthpieces for the government.Flaifil is widely accused by Bahraini dissidents and former opposition members who have made peace with the monarchy of responsibility for the torture of many Bahrainis during political unrest of the mid-1990s. Flaifil was a high-ranking officer of Ian Henderson, a Briton also accused of rights abuses while head of Bahraini intelligence.Shiite Muslims led the uprising for political and social reform, in which more than 40 people were killed. Shiites are a slight majority of Bahrain’s more than 400,000 citizens, but the ruling Al Khalifa family is from the Sunni branch of Islam.During the unrest, opposition leaders often accused Bahrain’s security services of using force, detention and torture against dissidents. The turbulence has quieted under King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, who has pardoned more than 1,000 political prisoners since coming to power after his father’s death in 1999 and has allowed exiles to return home.Sheik Ali Salman, a Shiite cleric and a leading political activist, urged independent investigation into how Flaifil was able to flee the tiny island.Mansoor al-Jamri, another exiled dissident who returned to work within the system toward political reform, called Flaifil’s questioning a “victory for the people of Bahrain.”The investigation, “which started on Flaifil’s financial misconduct, should also include torture allegations against him,” al-Jamri said. “There are hundreds of people who have been tortured by him or under his supervision, and such news (of a financial probe) is certainly something to be happy about,” said al-Jamri.Repeated calls to the Interior Ministry went unanswered.am-sjs

Bahrain asks Interpol to find intelligence official

MANAMA, May 5 (Reuters) – Bahrain has asked Interpol to help track down a senior intelligence officer who fled the country shortly after authorities launched an investigation into his financial records, newspapers reported on Sunday.The dailies quoted an Interior Ministry statement as saying that despite a travel ban, Colonel Adel Flaifel had left the kingdom on Friday, two days after a ministry committee launched the investigation.Flaifel is the first high-ranking officer to be investigated for fraud since Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, who took power in 1999, launched landmark political and economic reforms in 2001. The investigation also came a few days before the kingdom is due to hold its first election since the 1970s.A London-based opposition group, the Bahrain Freedom Movement, said in a statement released on Sunday that Flaifel was “responsible for the torture of many thousands of Bahrainis since the early 1980s.”Bahrain was wracked by sectarian unrest in the 1980s, mostly instigated by Shi’ite Muslims protesting against their minority Sunni Muslim leaders. The Gulf island state’s ruler, Sheikh Isa al-Khalifa, ordered many of these activists to be jailed.Shi’ite dissent flared up again in the 1990s, but it was stifled by another government crackdown.

Shortly after taking over from his father, King Hamad emptied prisons of political activists and allowed them to return from exile. He also dissolved two controversial emergency laws with the aim of reuniting the kingdom.

Bahrain: Torturer Flaifel flees the country

The people of Bahrain will be celebrating the news that Adel Flaifel had fled the country on 3 May 2002 following the start of an investigation into his corrupt financial dealings. Flaifel has been responsible for the torture of many thousands of Bahrainis since the early 1980s. He was the most high-ranking Bahraini officer to work for the British master-torturer Ian Henderson who headed Bahrain’s intelligence department between 1966 and 2000.

An official interior ministry statement issued on 4 May said that Flaifel was brought before a committee of high-ranking officers for interrogation on 1 May with relation to complaints submitted by citizens regarding his corrupt financial practices. It is reported that he had inflicted heavy financial damages on other citizens with impunity.

Flaifel has been selling his properties and businesses in the past two months and it is reported that he cashed the sales and transferred them outside Bahrain. It is said that he ran away with money amounting to anything between $25-90 million dollars.

It is not yet known to which country the torturer headed. The official statement said that Bahrain will be requesting his handover via the Interpol. However, the official statement focused on the financial corruption of Flaifel and mentioned nothing about the many thousands of people who were tortured by him and under his command.

Bahrainis ask for information minister’s resignation

4 May 2002

By ADNAN MALIKAssociated Press WriterMANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — About 20 people protested quietly outside the Bahrain Telecommunication Co. on Saturday, demanding the country’s sole Internet provider lift the blockade of opposition and other Web sites the government deems objectionable.Some of the protesters taped their mouths and others called for the resignation of Information Minister Nabeel Al Hamer, blaming him for the first such ban in March on half a dozen Web sites.”The information minister is responsible and we want him to resign for his inability to cope with the democratic era in Bahrain,” said Ali Abdelimam, 24, who runs one of the banned Arabic-language Web sites, www.bahrainonline.org.”We created a place for dialogue and exchange of ideas and now it’s blocked,” said Abdelimam.Before the ban was announced on March 26, Abdelimam said his site had attracted 40,000 visitors daily and served as a forum for debating politics, culture and sports. Despite the blockade, he said his site was still accessible “by other means.” He refused to elaborate, but usually Internet censors in Gulf countries can be bypassed by using foreign-based Internet providers and Web sites.Abbas Mirza, 27, manager of another banned site, www.al-manama.net, said the information minister should resign because he failed to understand the meaning of democracy.”There is no meaning of democracy if there is no freedom of expression,” Mirza said.The banned Web sites carry news and views, often critical of politics in Bahrain.Al Hamer, a longtime journalist and former editor in chief of the newspapers Al Ayam and the Bahrain Tribune, told The Associated Press the ban will remain in place. He invited the protesters to either file a lawsuit or meet him to discuss the issue.”These sites did not represent the freedom of expression. Rather, these sites have been used against individuals in an insulting manner which are not the norm of the custom and tradition of Bahrain,” said Al Hamer.Al Hamer did not say which individuals were targeted on what Web sites, but he said the ministry had compiled files on Internet violations, including offensive language.Al Hamer said that the operators of the banned Web sites had been summoned by the ministry and told to comply with the rules and regulations of the society. But according to al-Hamer, they told the ministry that the operators cannot be responsible for what is published on their sites.”We promote responsible freedom and we are against any other act that violates such freedom,” he said.The ministry warned through articles in newspapers on March 26, the day the ban was imposed, that it will take action against sites that tend to “create tension between people and to provoke resentful sectarianism.””Only Web sites that conform to objective dialogue, raise issues in a civilized and democratic manner and offer information that enrich societies and contribute to their development will be welcomed,” the English-language Bahrain Tribune quoted an unnamed Information Ministry official as saying.In February, Bahrain’s ruler, Sheik Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, initiated wide-reaching political reforms to transform Bahrain from the traditional emiri absolute rule to a more democratic society with an elected parliament.

But local newspapers still follow pro-government policies, and last November the Ministry of Information banned a journalist from writing, claiming his articles incited divisions. In January, a court overturned the ba

14 people withdraw candidacy in Bahrain’s municipal election

4 May 2002

MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — Fourteen people, including four women, have pulled out of the race for Bahrain’s five municipal councils scheduled for next week, an electoral official said Saturday.A total of 306 candidates are now running for 50 seats in the municipal councils, the first polls in nearly three decades in which women can vote and run for office for the first time, said the chief electoral officer, Sheik Ahmed bin Ateyatalla Al Khalifa.Registration of candidates ended April 8 and Thursday was the last day to withdraw, he said.The polls will be run in 50 districts around the country. The candidates require more than 50 percent of votes to win a seat. The candidates had to be at least 30 and include doctors, lawyers, scholars and graduates.Bahrain, which became independent from Britain in 1971, last held elections in 1973 for the National Assembly, which was dissolved two years later. The Central Municipal Council was established in 1973, but its members were appointed.About 237,000 residents are eligible to vote. This includes citizens of the neighboring Gulf Cooperation Council states and other foreigners who own property in the kingdom, Sheik Ahmed said. Bahrain has a population of about 650,000 people.A team of 1,500 election workers, including judges, teachers and technicians, will oversee the polls. Voters will have their ID cards swiped through machines to check they are voting in the right district and not voting twice.Bahrain is divided into five governorates, each with a 10-member municipal council.Bahrain is aligned with the West and is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.

Elections for parliament are scheduled for October, part of the process initiated by Bahrain’s ruler, Sheik Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, to transform the Gulf island nation from the traditional emiri absolute rule to a more democratic society with an elected parliament.

POLITICS-PALESTINE: ARABS AGREE TO REVIVE ECONOMIC BLOCKADE

DAMASCUS, May 2, 2002 (Inter Press Service via COMTEX) — Nineteen Arab countries agreed to reactivate a decades-old economic blockade of Israel, but did not say whether or not any new companies had been added to the blacklist or what concrete measures would be taken to enforce the sanctions.Economic boycott of Israel was agreed to in 1951 but has remained largely inactive and ineffective. It has slackened particularly since the launch of the Middle East peace process in the early 1990s.The Arab nations decided at a three-day meeting in Damascus last week to revive the boycott as a peaceful weapon to boost the Palestinian cause.The meeting was organized by the Central Office for the Boycott of Israel, set up in Damascus 50 years ago by the Arab League with the aim of isolating Israel economically.Representatives of Syria, Iraq, the Sudan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Algeria, Tunisia, Yemen, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Libya, Somalia, Comoros, Morocco, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Djibouti attended the meeting.The decision follows an agreement among Arab leaders at their summit in Lebanon in March that an economic boycott should remain official policy until there is a “halt to Israeli aggression against unarmed Palestinians.”Tunisia, Morocco, Oman and Qatar, which used to have some economic links with Israel, have now responded to resolutions at the Lebanon summit.The boycott is planned at three levels. A primary boycott requires member states of the Arab League to refrain from doing business with Israel. That will not apply to Egypt and Jordan, who have peace treaties with Israel.At the secondary level it prohibits trade with companies which have a branch, agency, factory or plant in Israel. Finally, the so-called tertiary boycott is against firms and countries that do business with Israel indirectly, or have some Israeli links.The Damascus office is believed to have blacklisted more than 10,000 such companies. The list is updated periodically. The Damascus office says several American, Asian and European companies are on the list. No names have been released.For the Arabs, the economic pressure they can bring is just about their only remaining weapon in the absence of military clout to force concessions from Israel.”The participants expressed their conviction that economic boycott of Israel and expanding (the boycott’s) geographical boundaries…constitutes a peaceful, active, legal and noble tool for deterring (Israeli) aggression and bolstering world peace and security,” Ahmed Khazaa, commissioner-general of the boycott office, said after the meeting.Syrian delegate Mohammed Ajami said “officials also agreed on working to expand the boycott to encourage Islamic and European countries sympathetic to the Palestinian cause to adopt similar measures.” Syria has been the chief advocate of the renewed boycott, with the backing of Iraq and Libya.The boycott could cost Israel around $3 billion a year in lost earnings, the Damascus office says. It claims that Israel has lost $48 billion due to the boycott over the last 50 years.Israeli economists assessed in 1991 that Israel had lost $400 million.The once influential Damascus office has held only two meetings since 1993, when the Palestinians signed a peace deal with Israel. Most meetings, due twice a year, could not be held for lack of a quorum.Arab representatives who now want to take these meetings seriously agreed that the next regular decision-making meeting will be held in October.In the Gulf States, leading clerics are urging people to boycott hundreds of U.S. products, ranging from Big Macs to Levi’s jeans, in support of the Intifada.

Several non-governmental and civic organizations, student bodies and professional associations are already urging citizens to buy local and European alternatives to U.S. goods.

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS – THURSDAY, MAY 9
BAHRAIN – Municipal elections that will see women running for office for the first time.

Despite their their opposition to the clauses of the municipal election law and the law regarding the distribution of constituencies, opposition figures inside Bahrain have called on the people to participate in the elections set for 9th of May. Bahrain was the first Gulf country to introduce a municipality in 1919. In 1926 the municipality of Manama was half-elected and half appointed. When the State of Emergency was declared in December 1956, municipality elections effectively ceased.

BANGKOK, May 02, 2002 (AsiaPulse via COMTEX) — Highlights of today’s newspapers:
THE BANGKOK POST

“Bahrain has agreed to be a springboard for exports of Thai products to the Middle East.”

Batelco records $39 million net profits in 1Q 2002

May 1, 2002 (Al-Bawaba via COMTEX) — The Bahrain Telecommunications Company (Batelco) recorded a 16 percent increase in net profits for the first quarter of 2002, reaching $39.2 million, confirmed a company statement. Batelco also reported a 20 percent increase in gross revenues, reaching $121 million during the same period.According to Batelco chairman, Sheikh Ali Bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa, the company’s success is linked to last year’s significant growth in mobile phone users and the simultaneous 40 percent reduction of mobile tariffs and 26 percent slash on call rates.More than 330,000 people in Bahrain now use Batelco mobile services. In 2000, Batelco recorded a total turnover of over 150 million Bahraini dinars ($398 million) and a net profit of over BD 50 million. Market capitalization is of the order of BD 700 million. The company has an average business growth of 15 percent per annum.

The Bahraini government has a 39 percent stake in the monopoly company, with Britain’s Cable and Wireless holding 20 percent and the remaining 41 percent publicly traded. –

Bahrain, bankers optimistic on Gulf Air bail-out

By Abbas SalmanMANAMA, April 30 (Reuters) – Bahraini officials and bankers said on Tuesday they were optimistic that the state owners of Gulf Air will come up with a much-needed capital increase to save the ailing regional carrier from collapsing.Representatives from owner states Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and the Abu Dhabi emirate of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are due to meet in Bahrain on Wednesday to decide on a $272.5 million cash injection for the $800 million indebted airline.”Bahrain is committed to backing Gulf Air because it is a well-established and reputed company,” the kingdom’s Information Minister Nabeel Yacoub al-Hamer said.”We are optimistic that other Gulf Air owners will support the airline, and we hope it will regain its leading position in the industry,” Hamer told Reuters.Unlike Oman and Qatar, Bahrain does not have its own flag carrier while the UAE is home to Dubai-based Emirates airline.Hamer said the owners did not object to the capital rise at last week’s meeting in Abu Dhabi but were likely to seek guarantees from the management that the money would bring the airline out of the red.”No one made reservations. They have asked to consult their governments before they commit themselves,” he said.But Qatari sources said Doha was reluctant to pump more money into the loss-making airline or to sell its stake.Bahrain-based Gulf Air, established 50 years ago, posted a net loss of $98 million for 2000 mainly on fuel prices increases and growing competition. It has not posted 2001 results.OWNERS COMMITTED TO AIRLINE’S SURVIVALGulf Air made international headlines in August 2000 when one of its Airbus A320s, on a Cairo-bound flight, crashed into the sea near the Bahraini capital Manama, killing all 143 people aboard. The crash was later blamed on pilot error.Later that year, the airline said it agreed with insurers to pay $125,000 in compensation for each adult and $75,000 for each child killed in the accident.Analysts said that although it was impossible for the owners to continue injecting money into the airline without getting benefits, their commitment to its survival was very strong.Last year, the four states extended $160 million to Gulf Air to ease its $800 million debt, contain accumulated losses and meet operating commitments after a global economic slowdown following the September 11 attacks. They also gave guarantees last September to cover $2 billion in new war risk insurance.In 1997, they agreed to grant an interest-free loan after Gulf Air asked for 100 million Bahraini dinars to increase its resources and avert a potential default on debts which then stood close to $2 billion.Bankers said Bahrain was relying on oil-rich Abu Dhabi to save Gulf Air from insolvency, but added that Manama would tap the private sector as a last resort to save the carrier.”Bahrain might acquire stakes of other states in Gulf Air if they failed to help because it’s a successful airline. There will be no problem in injecting money capital into it, and I believe the private sector is willing to,” one banker said.Last October, the airline said it would cut up to 450 staff and reduce its fleet to 26 aircraft in 2002 from the current 30 aircraft as part of measures to cut costs.Some bankers, however, say that Gulf Air needs a strong and reliable administration to run its operation. “The industry is growing, but Gulf Air lacks strategic planning, and it must restructure its administration if it wants to survive.”Gulf Air last year appointed international consultant Simat Helliesen and Eichner (SH&E) to make recommendations for restructuring and restoring its profitability, and conducting a comprehensive assessment of its business process and strategies.($1-0.377 dinar)

Arab campaign to boycott U.S. goods picks up steam

By Nadim LadkiAMMAN, April 29 (Reuters) – From cigarettes to Big Macs, a growing number of ordinary Arabs are shunning U.S. goods in protest against Washington’s perceived pro-Israel policies.But a grassroots campaign across the Arab world to support the Palestinians by boycotting everything American appears so far to be having a symbolic rather than economic impact.Arabs enraged by Israel’s crackdown on Palestinians have taken to the streets of Arab capitals in recent weeks in the most widespread demonstrations in decades to demand action against Israel and the United States.Unable to influence the policies of their undemocratic governments, non-governmental and civic organisations, student bodies and professional associations have urged citizens to buy local and European alternatives to U.S. goods.”If all Arabs boycott U.S. goods, we will force the United States to reconsider its unjust policies against Arab and Islamic states,” said one Bahraini calling himself Ali.The United States gives Israel $3 billion a year in aid and sells it the world’s most advanced weapons.”Why should I help the economy of what I see as an enemy when it is destroying the social structure of a fellow Arab nation (Palestinians)?” asked Salem Seif, an Omani banker.Boycott organisers have drawn up lists of companies, mainly American, that are alleged to channel aid to Israel.FAST FOOD SALES FALLAmerican fast-food chains appear to be suffering the most.Managers at KFC and McDonald’s branches in the Omani capital Muscat said sales had fallen by 45 and 65 percent respectively since January.”People have stopped coming like they did last year, mainly to show sympathy with the Palestinian problem,” said a McDonald’s branch manager, who declined to be identified or to give figures.Local McDonald’s franchise owners in a number of Arab states have published advertisements declaring that their staff are all locals and denying giving aid to Israel.In Jordan, McDonald’s went a step further. Marketing manager Nadia al Dairi said the franchise donated 10 percent of all sales in the first half of April to the Hashemite Relief Fund, a Jordanian government charity that gives aid to Palestinians.

>>>In Bahrain, which has seen some of the most violent protests in the Gulf against Israel’s military offensive, many ordinary people have started boycotting U.S. goods following calls by hundreds of protesters during the past three weeks.Bahrain is the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet.”The American offensive against what they say is terrorism was in Afghanistan yesterday, is in Palestine today and we don’t rule out Baghdad being the next target tomorrow, followed by Syria and Lebanon,” one trader said. “For this reason, we are boycotting all U.S. products.”Even in Kuwait, the emirate liberated from Iraqi occupation in 1991 by U.S.-led forces, the boycott call is making waves.”If we get an offer from a non-U.S. firm we will consider it seriously and will now think twice before taking U.S. equipment,” a contractor said. “We will look and see what is available, no matter who is our partner.”

Despite such statements, analysts say U.S. equipment will continue to come to Kuwait, especially military gear.

DOLLARS, MARLBOROS, MEDICINEIn Morocco, the newspapers L’Economiste and Assabah have launched a campaign against the U.S. dollar, printing a headline every day urging Moroccans to avoid using the currency in their business dealings.”Boycott the dollar in your operations for the sake of Palestine. Whenever possible, opt for the euro,” it said.Hamdy el-Sayed said the Egyptian Doctors’ Syndicate, which he heads, had sent doctors and pharmacies a list of U.S.-made medical products with alternative local or European products.”We understand this is not economically effective, because people would continue to buy American goods. This action has more of a symbolic value than a real effect,” Sayed said. Cigarettes are another important target.”I’m a heavy smoker, but I quit smoking Marlboro and am currently smoking a French brand of cigarettes,” said Jordanian Duri Ajrami.Despite the growing popularity of the boycott, not everyone is convinced.Fatima Elouennass, a veiled Moroccan school teacher, said Arabs had become addicted to U.S. goods.”It’s like so many things in life which in fact are trivial, like Coke or a hamburger. But you’re afraid of being branded anti-U.S. or Islamist if you boycott them. Besides, you will never be the cool guy if you don’t consume them,” she said.

“U.S. culture and movies have brainwashed us.”

Bahrain’s king grants cash to former political prisoners

28 April 2002

MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — Former political prisoners who held government jobs during unrest that swept Bahrain in the mid-1990s are being compensated by the king for the income lost during time spent in jail, an activist said Sunday.Last year, nearly 30 Bahrainis demanded compensation from the government for the salaries lost while they were in detention in connection with the unrest led by the Shiite Muslim community campaigning for political and social reforms. The ruling family is Sunni Muslim while Shiite Muslims form a slight majority of the island’s 400,000 citizens.Bahrain’s monarch, Sheik Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, has pardoned more than 1,000 political prisoners since he came to power in 1999. Most of the former detainees have been compensated in the form of checks ranging from 2,500 dinars (dlrs 6,631) to 5,000 dinars (dlrs 13,262), said Hassan Mushaima, vice president of the Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society.The compensations began earlier this month, affecting those who had been detained for up to three years, and held jobs at various government ministries when they were arrested, Mushaima said. He did not offer any other details.Government officials did not comment immediately.The Shiite unrest has subsided since Sheik Hamad succeeded his late father in 1999. He had since commissioned the drafting of a national charter, which calls for the reestablishment of a disbanded parliament, and pardoned the political prisoners.

Municipal polls, Bahrain’s first elections in nearly three decades, will be held on May 9 and followed by legislative polls in October. Women can vote and run for office for the first time. am-hhr