American Interference And Life (Part One)

More summer reading by DD

It’s Inappropriate for AI to speak of Shias Freedom of Expression and Association

Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa director, says, the Bahrain government “must not make the same mistake” it made in the February – March period, when “largely peaceful” protests were stopped. He is speaking without correct information. It is just like the Westerners to stick in their noses where they don’t belong. This is “meddling” and a dangerous precedent here.

In the earlier protests, the government waited till the following month, from Feb. 16, until early March, to dismantle the protests. There were found machetes, knives, Molotov cocktails, and iron rods, etc as weapons used against the government police and army personnel. The Shias burned sections of their makeshift ‘tent city’ at the Pearl Roundabout when forced to disperse.

Therefore, telling the King of Bahrain or the government to again allow protests is not any of Smart’s business. If protests seem in any way a disruption to the government, or the normal running of the country, hurt businesses, or affect tourism, etc. of course the government will have to cease the actions. Bahrain is hoping to get the F1 again; it is not going to be possible if the Shiites insist on demonstrating at this time. The local economy is already in worse shape since February and March. Tourism by Cruise Ships and tourism companies’ business has been badly affected. Just as George Bush junior told the Americans, and New Yorkers to “go shopping”, Bahrainis can see the F1 back, if that’s what they want.

While martial law has been lifted, everyone in the society should try to allow some normalcy to prevail in the Kingdom again. We can see that the situation in Bahrain was not what it was in the case of other countries in the Arab Spring. For one thing, this is not an Arab Spring type protest, by Arabs, but a Shiite led protest, with Iranian backed leaders. It is a ‘foreign’ protest, for all practical purposes. Recently, an Iraqi flotilla was planned, but the Iraqis in demonstrations here demanded Iraq’s “hands-off” approach to mediation. It is just another attempt at ‘propaganda’ by Shias not directly involved.

Now some, such as Wefaq are calling for “Shiite and Sunni” demonstrators, “sons of both honored sects”, to join the next planned Peaceful demonstrations to “take their right…of self- determination” AFP. They know full well, however, that the Sunni Muslims do not want to be involved in their demonstrations ‘calling for reform’ (now), which is just a “whitewash”.

The government should allow the people to “’peacefully’ exercise their right to freedom of expression and association”, says Malcolm Smart, of Amnesty International. It’s a little late for that AI, don’t you think? Most likely, there would be less support for these protests than there was in February and March.

Still, Al Wefaq, says the “revolution has and will not end”. AFP