Bahrain protests

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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Re: Bahrain protests

Does it matter where I live? Do you think the media outlets of the world are conspiring against bahrain, siding with iran/shias to show the coverage? That's what some folks here are insinuating. Youtube is full of hand held video of anti govt protesters in hundreds of thousands. THEY ARE REAL! I promise they are.

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Re: Bahrain protests

from dawn.com. dawn and geo have correspondents in manama.

http://www.dawn.com/2011/02/27/protest-marches-jam-bahrains-capital.html
Protest marches jam Bahrain’s capital

MANAMA: Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters are streaming through Bahrain’s diplomatic area and other neighborhoods as demonstrations against the kingdom’s rulers show no signs of easing.
At least three processions Sunday paralyzed parts of the capital Manama.
Some of the marchers claim that authorities still hold more than 200 political prisoners despite the release of about 100 political detainees last week. There are no reports of violence.
Nearly two weeks of protests and clashes have left seven people dead in the strategic island nation, home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet.
The embattled monarchy is seeking talks with opposition groups. Government spokeswoman Maysoon Sabkar says there is no deadline for the offer of dialogue.

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Re: Bahrain protests

Guys, Bahrain protests are the part of the wave spreading across the Middle East. These protests are based on lack of economic opportunities to a section of the population. They are not sectarian in nature.

**Is the unrest in Bahrain simply about religion?
**
No, says Kinninmont – protesters in Bahrain are both Shiite and Sunni. “A lot of people in Bahrain feel quite offended by reports that present a simplistic picture of Sunni versus Shiite,” she says.
“What most of the protesters are calling for are not about religious issues. Most are demands for greater economic opportunities – jobs, housing and political rights.”
She continued: “Protests stem from a population who feel they are being treated as second class citizens, not because they have different interpretations of the Quran.”

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Re: Bahrain protests

I thought that was obvious... I dont think there has ever been a conflict that at its core hasnt been about some sort of economic issue.

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Re: Bahrain protests

With due respect Dr. Lulworth! there are many many vidoes on youtube & FB etc which showing pro-govt as well as anti-govt protest. Pro-govt supporters are approx 300,000 who attended (both sunni+shia) if compared with anti-govt protestor in response to the political upheaval.

I pray all muslim from any sector may live with peace.

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Re: Bahrain protests

Where are you getting these figures from? thanks.

dr.

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Re: Bahrain protests

despots helping each other to suppress popular uprisings.

Saudi Arab sends tanks to Bahrain: report

Updated at: 2104 PST, Tuesday, March 01, 2011

CAIRO: Saudi Arabia has sent some 30 tanks for Bahrain which were sighted late Monday along the King Fahd causeway linking the two countries, witnesses say, Egyptian newspaper reported.

Pro-democracy protests in Bahrain have shown no sign of decline after almost two weeks. The protesters are demanding the resignation of the government, constitutional reforms and the king s abdication.

Witnesses said that the causeway was blocked as “15 tank carriers carrying two tanks each were heading towards Bahrain,” Egypt s al-Masry al-Youm daily reported in its latest edition.

Given the popular protests in the Persian Gulf kingdom, the transfer of the military hardware from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain seems highly unusual, commuters traveling along the 25-km causeway said.

The development follows a decision by the Bahraini military on Saturday to withdraw their vehicles out of the capital s Pearl Square after a deadly police attack on protesters, a condition the opposition had set to begin talks.

Massive protests in Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy s Fifth Fleet in the region, have shown no sign of a decline after almost two weeks.

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Re: Bahrain protests

just tanks.. i was expecting some lethal chemical weapons.. :chai: ..

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Re: Bahrain protests

Its definitely sectarian.
Otherwise even USA does not give as much oppurtunities to its citizens as Bahrain does.

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Re: Bahrain protests

wow. bold claim. so Bahrain allows its citizens to replace its rulers through a system that reflects popular opinion?

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Political naturalization in Bahrain

Bahraini passports handed out illegally to foreigners in an attempt to change the demographic set up of Bahrain.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-991981630797627023#

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Re: Bahrain protests

Please foreign origin Bahraini residents heed my advice for your own future in that country.

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Re: Bahrain protests

something was to give after the Great Satan's representative Robert Gates visited Bahrain..........apparently the message was to bring to use pile of toys that the Great Satan has been selling to the "ally" kings and dictators since they are source of.... ahem ahem........."peace and stability in the region".....

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Re: Bahrain protests

“but there is no uprising, only a dozen few of these are rioting. etc etc.”

shameless. both what the Gulf countries are contributing to, and what the posters on this thread are implying. I wasn’t angry before as I didn’t even know what was happening. But after reading what people on these boards here were saying about there being no real protestors and then actually reading what’s happening. It sickened and saddened me.

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Re: Bahrain protests

Is it not funny what you wrote?

One side of the story ... so, what are two sides in one country? Shouldn’t a country have one side ... that is people of that country ?

There used to be days (in near past) when there were two sides of a country almost in every country, one was ruled and other was rulers ... but this division that still exists in Arab countries collapsed elsewhere when people got awareness. Days when people used to get exploited by Kings from foreign lands (invaders) or local Kings are gone (or going), as this system was nothing but exploitation of masses by few.

Lions share? What lion share when all belongs to them and there should be no share? People of that land do not have to share any job or resources but if they give jobs or resources to foreigners than that has to be in charity because locals are not interested in them and are willing to accept foreigners. Even thugs and thieves have countries, and whatever they do, they still have, rather should have, more right on jobs and resources of that country then foreigners.

As for taking side, obviously I would side with anyone fighting for their right. If Americans start thinking they have less right then some Americans ruling them and protests against their ruling oppressors, my support would be with those Americans. I would like to support anyone fighting for their rights and exploitation just like I would expect others to side with Pakistanis if Pakistanis stand up against someone in their country exploiting them ... regardless of their cast, colour, sect or creed.
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Re: Bahrain protests

Who are those 300,000?

Local and Foreign exploiters sharing the exploits of King and are worried that any up-rise in the country would endanger their own life and property?

Can’t you see that there is no pro-government supporter in Bahrain, they are only King-supporter or supporter of exploitation ... as present day meaning of government means people governing on behalf of people, not agents/thugs of King governing on behalf of King, and in Bahrain there is rule of King, so those in government (or in other words ... pro-govt) are only thugs and agents of King.

I am pretty sure that once King would fall, these pro-king supporters would get killed or would disappear to their own countries or in other ‘Arab Kingdoms’ if they are Bahraini pro-king supporters

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Re: Bahrain protests

protester shot in the face. not graphic, as it was a stun gun or a rubber bullet.

Man these people are really paying the price of freedom. With Saudi troops (who knew such a thing existed?) invade Bahrain to save the king from his own people. And Bahrain signed the no fly zone resolution against libya. How about a no fly zone in bahrain?

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Re: Bahrain protests

Fauji Foundation headhunts for Bahrain’s security units

By Saba Imtiaz
Published: March 11, 2011

The Overseas Employment Services (OES) of the Fauji Foundation is recruiting hundreds of ex-servicemen to serve in the Bahrain National Guard (BNG).

Advertisements in an Urdu language daily and on the OES website state that the BNG “immediately” requires people with experience and qualifications as anti-riot instructors and security guards.

While an official at the Fauji Foundation said there were 800 vacancies and 6,000-7,000 applications had been received, another at the OES said there were 200 to 300 vacancies and a number of people had been selected.
The advertisement states that a BNG delegation is visiting Pakistan from March 7 to March 14 to recruit people from the following categories: officers (majors), Pakistan Military Academy drill instructors, anti-riot instructors, security guards, and military police as well as cooks and mess waiters. Civilians were required as security guards, while the rest of the categories required experience in the military or security forces. The requirement for anti-riot instructors was NCOs (non-commissioned officers) from the Sindh Rangers or officers of an equivalent rank from the Elite Police Force.

The official at the OES also said that Bahrain’s army had recently recruited ex-servicemen from Pakistan. In December, the OES advertised positions for retired Pakistan Army doctors to serve in the King’s Guard.

The Fauji Foundation was set up in 1954 and serves as a trust for ex-servicemen and their families. It is believed to be among the largest industrial conglomerates in the country.

Bahrain tensions
Pakistanis serving in Bahrain’s security forces were reportedly involved in a crackdown on protestors in Manama in February in which seven people were killed and hundreds injured. Some injured protestors told the media that the police who beat them up spoke Urdu.

“They are uneducated, don’t speak Arabic and are difficult to communicate with,” said Maryam alKhawaja, the head of the Foreign Relations Office at the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, about the Pakistanis serving in the anti-riot police.

“Mostly they are Baloch. One story I heard from a witness was that a Baloch refused to shoot a protestor at close range, despite orders from his superior, because he was saying Allah o Akbar. The high-ranking officer, who was Bahraini, took the Baloch’s weapons, beat him and then shot the protestor himself.

According to Reuters, opposition activists estimate that up to half of Bahrain’s approximately 20,000-strong national security apparatus is made up of Sunnis from Pakistan, Jordan and Yemen.

Recruiting security personnel from these countries and any moves to naturalise them is viewed by the opposition as a way to increase the Sunni demographic, given that at least 70 per cent of Bahrain’s population is Shia. Thousands protested in Manama earlier this week against any move to give citizenship to Sunnis serving in the military.

“We can’t tell whether there has been an increase in Pakistanis (in the security forces) since the government refuses to give us any numbers on political naturalisation,” said alKhwaja.

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Re: Bahrain protests

You are just proving my point, its only a sectarain demand of having a ruler of a particular sect, otherwise, everything a state is supposed to do for its citizens, Bahraini government has been doing.

BTW i have friends who have forsaken US citizenship for citizenship of these states who do not allow replacement of rulers.

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Re: Bahrain protests

Where did I demand a ruler of a particular sect? You said the state provided citizens opportunities that Americans didnt have. Firstly what opportunities does it provide? Secondly why is providing a government representative of its people NOT a responsibility of the state?

[quote]

BTW i have friends who have forsaken US citizenship for citizenship of these states who do not allow replacement of rulers.
[/QUOTE]

Thats good of them, but its anecdotal and not relevant. And honestly there are probably many more Bahrainies/Middle Easterners who take on Western/US citizenship than the other way round, so thats a bad argument to begin with.