US base in Bahrain to double size
By ADAM GONN – Published: May 28, 2010 00:27 Updated: May 28, 2010 00:27

MANAMA: Amid regional turmoil, a US naval base in the Gulf is set for major expansion.

Ground has been broken at the American naval base in Bahrain, home to the US Fifth Fleet, for a $580 million expansion that is estimated to take five years to complete, the US Navy said in a press statement on Wednesday.

“Naval Support Activity Bahrain continues to grow to better support ongoing operations around the region,” said Capt. Enrique Sadsad, commanding officer of Naval Support Activity Bahrain. “This expansion project will not only enhance our ability to support our tenant commands and their mission, whether that be logistics, aviation, theater security, or surface operational support,” Sadsad continued.

“(The) US navy and its allies carry out many maneuvers annually with navies from the region. With these exercises, plus the expected conflict, the new base is more ideal,” defense consultant Brig.-Gen. (ret.) Musa Qallab, told The Media Line.

“It seems the US navy needs better infrastructure in order to fully fulfill the requirement it has for its operations, the new naval base, the US navy and its allies for decades,” Qallab said.

“Regarding the reaction of Iran,” he continued. “They will not accept this provocation. Iran sees Gulf security as something for the Gulf countries and not for foreign countries.”

Mustafa Alani, senior adviser and director of terrorism studies at the Gulf Research Center in the UAE, told The Media Line that the expansions were part of a natural process since the base in more than four decades old.

“It’s actually not forced by political development or changes in the security environment,” Alani said. “It’s forced by the need, because you have to remember this base was established more than 40 years ago. There is a natural expansion; there is a need to expand the building and the space,” he said. …more

Ecclestone meets with Sutil, Bahrain prince in Spain
Monday May 23, 2011 06:48:27 AM UTC

Bernie Ecclestone had meetings with two key people on the sidelines of the weekend’s Spanish grand prix.

Bild newspaper reports that the F1 chief executive met first with Adrian Sutil.

Force India’s Sutil is engulfed in a scandal that endangers his entire formula one career, with Renault team co-owner Eric Lux threatening to press criminal charges.

Bild said Ecclestone summoned Sutil in Barcelona because he “wanted to hear from Adrian the truth about the nightclub incident”.

Sutil was then photographed shaking 80-year-old Ecclestone’s hand.

Also in Barcelona at the weekend was Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, according to British newspapers the Telegraph and Guardian.

He was a guest of McLaren, which is part-owned by a Bahraini state-controlled company, even though the Telegraph’s Tom Cary said the British team “kept their royal visitor under wraps”.

It emerges that as Ecclestone admitted in Spain that the 2011 calendar could be extended into December to make room for a rescheduled Bahrain race, the 80-year-old Briton had a “brief chat” with the Crown Prince. …source

Moody’s downgrades Bahrain to Baa1 with negative outlook
Bahrain: 17 hours, 15 minutes ago

Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded Bahrain’s government bond ratings by one notch to Baa1 from A3, and assigned a negative outlook to the rating. The rating action concludes the review for possible downgrade that Moody’s initiated on 23 February 2011.

Moody’s decision to downgrade Bahrain’s ratings is driven by the following three reasons:

1. The likely adverse effect of the recent turmoil on the country’s growth prospects and its public finances.

2. Continuing increases in the break-even oil price that is needed to balance the budget.

3. A weakening of the fundamental strength of Bahrain’s large banking sector.

The negative outlook on the Baa1 ratings reflects Moody’s continued concern over the recent situation in Bahrain.

Ratings Rationale

The main driver underlying Moody’s decision to downgrade is the significant deterioration in Bahrain’s unrest environment since February. The government of Bahrain has forcibly suppressed an uprising by the Shi’ah-led opposition with the backing of an intervention of armed forces from other member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), most importantly from its neighbour Saudi Arabia. Tensions in the country remain high and there seems little prospect of the underlying causes of the unrest being peaceably resolved, at least over the short term. The unrest outlook is therefore highly uncertain.

Moody’s believes that these events are likely to have damaged economic growth significantly, especially in services sectors such as tourism, trade and financial services. These sectors had previously been championed by the government in its effort to diversify the economy away from oil. The timing and pace of any economic recovery will very much depend on the recent unrest developments. In any case, the negative effect on consumer and investor confidence will likely linger. …more

Bahrain Sunni says opposition must change leaders
By Andrew Hammond
MANAMA | Sat May 28, 2011 3:14pm BST

MANAMA (Reuters) – Bahrain’s opposition must change its leadership for the divided Gulf Arab state to move on with political reconciliation after crushing a pro-democracy movement led by majority Shi’ites, a Sunni cleric said on Saturday.

Sheikh Abdullatif Al-Mahmoud said the democracy movement, which began in February when protesters inspired by uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt occupied a roundabout in Manama, had been hijacked by Shi’ite opposition leaders with a sectarian agenda who were in contact with Iran’s clerical leadership.

Mahmoud led a team of Sunni negotiators coordinating with Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa in talks with the opposition days before Saudi troops entered Bahrain to help the government break up the protest movement and arrest its leaders in mid-March.

He said Shi’ite leaders, headed by Sheikh Ali Salman, leader of the largest opposition group Wefaq, had overplayed their hand by trying to marginalise the royal family in the talks on political reform and accused them of taking orders from Iran — a familiar Sunni charge against group.

“We consider there to be three forces: the system (royal family), the Sunnis and the Shi’ites, and political and constitutional reform needs the consent of all of them,” he said in an interview.

“The problem is that the political Shi’ite movement has not conducted a reappraisal up to now. We don’t want to reject Shi’ites or their political groups,” he said.

CENTCOM commanders discuss regional security issues in Bahrain
by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nathan Schaeffer
US Naval Forces Central Command

MANAMA, Bahrain (May 28, 2009) – Commanders from the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility gathered in Bahrain May 20 – 22, for the USCENTCOM Commander’s Conference to discuss regional security issues and approaches to these challenges.

The conference, hosted by U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, brought together Gen. David Petraeus, Commander, USCENTCOM, Gen. Ray Odierno, Commanding General, Multi-National Force-Iraq, Vice Adm. Bill Gortney, Commander, NAVCENT, Lt. Gen. William Webster, Commanding General, U.S. Army Central Command and Lt. Gen. Gary North, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, among others.

At the conference, commanders discussed various issues including operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, as well as counter-piracy efforts off the coast of Somalia.

“We face, in this region, a number of interrelated threats and challenges, from transnational to state-centric, to those who blur the lines between the two,” said Petraeus. “At the transnational level, violent extremism is, needless to say, the most pressing challenge. Al-Qaeda and its affiliates pose the greatest such threat to many states in the region.” …more

Bahrain: International support for the people as Al Khalifa commit more crimes
Bahrain Freedom Movement – 27/05/2011 – 5:29 p | Hits: 369

With the prospect of further flare ups next week of the people’s revolution, the Al Khalifa have been working around the clock to elicit some international support and legitimacy as a way out of the crisis. Their efforts have, however, failed drastically. The Al Khalifa crown prince’s visit to UK and Europe brought not tangible support to his policy of repression and dictatorship.

He proved to be an embarrassment to his hosts as people were infuriated by his presence. In London Bahrainis protested outside Downing Street as the Independent Newspaper declared on its front page: “Cameron embraces tyranny”. In a speech addressing the Middle East, U.S. President Barack Obama said that “mass arrests and brute force are at odds with the universal rights of Bahrain’s citizens, and will not make legitimate calls for reform go away.” Calling for dialogue, he added, “You can’t have a real dialogue when parts of the peaceful opposition are in jail.” This statement followed the sentencing of two Bahrainis to death on a false accusation of participating in the killing of two policemen. There is now a feeling of outrage at the way the Al Khalifa have been allowed to kill Bahrainis with impunity; whether by bullets while protesting, torture in detention or execution in courts where the judge is the executioner. The ruling has been unanimously condemned throughout the world.

Yesterday, a protest delivered to the Bahrain Embassy in Brussels today by international, European and Belgian trade union organisations called on the authorities in the Gulf state to stop their violent campaign against the country’s trade union movement, to reinstate over 1,000 workers sacked and to drop false charges against union leaders, journalists and human rights defenders. “The Bahraini authorities have launched a vicious crackdown on peaceful and legitimate civil society organisations, including the trade union movement. There are real threats to the personal safety of people who are simply calling for legitimate reform and social justice. The government’s attempts to promote division and avoid change by misusing the power of the state are wrong and unsustainable. We are calling on them to stop repression, release all detained trade unionists, teachers, journalists, students and workers. The only way to end this impasse which threatens the country’s future is to open genuine dialogue for progress, and stop the repression,” said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow.” …more

Bahrain: An official document certified that the dismissal of employees because of the freedom of opinion and expression
May 29th, 2011

An anonymous source leaked an official document –here- issued by Council of Representatives “Parliament” on the dismissal of employees from the Council.

The Document is a formal dismissal letter of one of the employees.

The employee was accused of :

1-Attend the funeral of “Ali Mushaima”

2-Participated in the funeral march.

3-Participated in the Pearl Roundabout.

Ali Abdulhadi Mushaima: The first person died because of the protests.Died on February 14 because of Bird shotgun wounds.

On the 2 of May 2011, Head of the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) Mr. Ahmed Al-Zayed stated in the media that ” The CSB denies the dismissal of employees in the public sector” (Ref: http://www.albiladpress.com/news_inner.php?nid=97913&cat=1 )

Civil Service Bureau (CSB) :Institution responsible for public sector employment.

On the 23 of May 2011, the Minister of Social Development, and the Minister of Health Mrs. Fatima Al-Balushi stated in an interview with “LBC- T.V Channel” that “Dismissal were not due to participating in the protests”.

Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) is deeply concerned about the freedom of opinion and expression in Bahrain.The right of the employee in the public sector to adopt a political opinion must protected by local laws. ..source

COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF THE CHILD TO HOLD FIFTY-SEVENTH SESSION IN GENEVA FROM 30 MAY TO 17 JUNE 2011
Situation of Children’s’ Rights in the Czech Republic, Bahrain, Cambodia, Egypt, Cuba, Finland and Costa Rica to be reviewed
26 May 2011

The Committee on the Rights of the Child will meet at the Palais Wilson in Geneva from 30 May to 17 June to review the promotion and protection of children’s rights under the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in the Czech Republic, Bahrain, Cambodia, Egypt, Cuba, Finland and Costa Rica. The Committee will also consider the situation in Egypt with regard to the promotion and protection of children’s rights under the two Optional Protocols to the Convention on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and the involvement of children in armed conflict. …more

Bahraini female doctors recount detention ‘horror’
By Ali Khalil (AFP) – 12 hours ago

MANAMA — Out of prison but in fear of being rearrested, Bahraini Shiite women doctors have spoken of abuse and torture by police after being accused of backing pro-democracy protests in the Sunni-ruled monarchy.

Although medics usually enjoy protection in conflicts by virtue of their profession, many Shiite doctors and nurses in Bahrain were rounded up in the March crackdown on a month-long pro-democracy protest.

Authorities accused them of abusing their jobs and siding with their co-religionist protesters.

Doctors at Manama’s Salmaniya central hospital, not far from the capital’s Pearl roundabout that became the focal point of protests inspired by the Arab uprisings, were also accused of lying and exaggerating on satellite channels to pile pressure on the government.

Some of the women doctors recently freed told AFP how they were made to confess to such allegations under torture and after being subjected to verbal abuse.

They requested anonymity for fear of further persecution.

“I advise you that we will get you to say whatever we want, either by you saying it willingly, or we will beat you like a donkey and torture you until you say it,” one female doctor said, citing her interrogator.

The doctor said she was asked about her role in the February 14 Revolution, the name given by cyber activists to the demonstrations after two protesters were killed on that date.

She said she was smacked in the face by a female interrogator when she answered that she was just a doctor treating those wounded during the crackdown on the uprising. …more