Bahrain by-poll to go ahead despite opposition boycott
Khaleej Times Online

14 August 2011, 6:44 PM
MANAMA – Bahrain has confirmed that the planned by-election will take place on time next month despite the decision of some political groups to boycott it.

Al Wefaq National Islamic Society, the largest political group, announced on Friday to boycott the election. The group had won 18 out of 40 seats in 2010 election. Al Wefaq bloc resigned during unrest in protest over the deaths of protesters. Another opposition group, National Action Democratic Society (Waad) also announced that it will not participate in the election.

Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa told the Press on Friday that political groups that decided to boycott election have to deal with the results of such a decision. Participating in the election provides progress to political societies and promotes development, while those who decided to boycott previous elections have been sidelined in terms of the power of decision-making, he said.

The minister revealed that certain procedures would be adopted to prevent misuse of places of worship during the election, warning that the violators would face action. He said this election held would be as usual under judicial supervision to ensure its transparency. …source

‘Bahrain uprising will soon bear fruit’
Fri Aug 12, 2011 9:41AM

A senior Bahraini cleric says the ongoing revolution in Bahamian will soon show results amid anti-regime protests in towns and villages around the Persian Gulf kingdom. Sheikh Abdullah al-Dabbaq told IRNA on Thursday that Bahrainis’ steadfastness to redress their rights, firmness and resistance under torturers, as well as international pressure have forced the ruling Al Khalifa family to bend to the public demands.

He noted that Bahrain’s nation exemplified that no government can stand against the will and desire of its own people. Dabbaq added that around 147 detainees, who were arrested earlier in anti-government protests, were released recently by Bahrain’s authorities. He said some former lawmakers were among the protesters freed.

The senior Bahraini cleric pointed out that a number of mass rallies are going to be held across Bahrain in the next few days. Besides, people plan to converge on central Manama’s now destroyed Pearl Square, and the country’s main opposition party, Al-Wefaq, is organizing a large-scale demonstration.

Dabbaq said that international pressure is mounting on Al Khalifa regime; and Bahrain’s rulers are worried to be brought to justice before the International Criminal Court in The Hague, the Netherlands.

He stated that a large proportion of Bahrain population want the fall of Al Khalifa regime, while a fraction seek an independent parliament capable of exercising its constitutional authorities.

Dabbaq, meanwhile, praised the Islamic Republic of Iran’s support for the revolution in Bahrain.

Since the beginning of Bahrain’s revolution, large numbers of anti-government protesters have poured into the streets across the Persian Gulf state, calling for more rights, freedom and wide-ranging political reforms in the political system of their country.

According to local sources, dozens of people have been killed and hundreds arrested so far during the government clampdown on peaceful demonstrations.

According to Bahrain Center for Human Rights — a non-governmental organization — there are currently over 1,000 political detainees inside the country. …source

Bahrain embraces all its citizens”, HRH the Premier says
Bahrain News Agency

Manama-August 13 (BNA) Bahrainis were today urged to stand united and protect their country’s hard-won achievements. “This is our country and we all responsible for its unity and stability”, His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa, urging utmost alert to foil designs being planned. He was speaking as he visited the majlis of Shaikh Ibrahim bin Abdullatif Al-Saad. He described Bahrainis as a loving people led by a king who spares no effort to ensure its progress and prosperity, deploring parties intent on subverting national security and stability.

” “We will protect our country and people with utmost determination, absolute confidence and unflinching resolve”, he said. He lauded Bahraini people its pro-Arab and Islamic issues, hailing its drive to extend a lifeline to all brothers and friends everywhere and supporting them in their suffering and crises. “These stances are inseparable from Bahrainis dedication, loyalty and allegiance”, he said. He said that Bahrain was and will always be a model of love, tolerance, lauding its elite of scholars who are dedicated to serving their society and religion. He paid tribute to Imams for preaching unity and rejecting divisions, dissensions and sparing their society all seditious trends. HRH the Premier pointed out the strong unity bonding Bahrainis and their leadership, stressing citizens’ keenness to stick to their customs and traditions, especially in Ramadan. He reaffirmed strong resolve to continue the march of development and construction, vowing that nothing would hamper the achievement of national goals for the good of citizens and the nation. HRH the Premier then visited the majlis of Shura Council President Ali bin Saleh Al-Saleh, where he exchanged talks on national issues. He described Bahrain as the country embracing all citizens, without any discrimination or segregation, pledging that the Government would spare no efforts to promote the all people’s living standards.
AHN

Anarchists respond to the London riots – Solidarity Federation
Submitted by Rob Ray on Aug 9 2011 amidst

Riot police in Hackney – photo by Henry Langston from viceland.com

With media sources blaming “anarchy” for the unfolding violence in London and across England, the North London Solidarity Federation has released the following statement as a response from an anarchist organisation active in the capital.

Over the last few days, riots have caused significant damage to parts of London, to shop-fronts, homes and cars. On the left, we hear the ever-present cry that poverty has caused this. On the right, that gangsters and anti-social elements are taking advantage of tragedy. Both are true. The looting and riots seen over the past number of days are a complex phenomenon and contain many currents.

It is no accident that the riots are happening now, as the support nets for Britain’s disenfranchised are dragged away and people are left to fall into the abyss, beaten as they fall by the batons of the Metropolitan Police. But there should be no excuses for the burning of homes, the terrorising of working people. Whoever did such things has no cause for support.

The fury of the estates is what it is, ugly and uncontrolled. But not unpredictable. Britain has hidden away its social problems for decades, corralled them with a brutal picket of armed men. Growing up in the estates often means never leaving them, unless it’s in the back of a police van. In the 1980s, these same problems led to Toxteth. In the ’90s, contributed to the Poll Tax riots. And now we have them again – because the problems are not only still there, they’re getting worse.

Police harassment and brutality are part of everyday life in estates all around the UK. Barely-liveable benefits systems have decayed and been withdrawn. In Hackney, the street-level support workers who came from the estates and knew the kids, could work with them in their troubles have been told they will no longer be paid. Rent is rising and state-sponsored jobs which used to bring money into the area are being cut back in the name of a shift to unpaid “big society” roles. People who always had very little now have nothing. Nothing to lose.

And the media’s own role in all of should not be discounted. For all the talk of the “peaceful protest” that preceded events in Tottenham, the media wouldn’t have touched the story if all that happened was a vigil outside a police station. Police violence and protests against it happen all the time. It’s only when the other side responds with violence (on legitimate targets or not) that the media feels the need to give it any sort of coverage.

So there should be no shock that people living lives of poverty and violence have at last gone to war. It should be no shock that people are looting plasma screen TVs that will pay for a couple of months’ rent and leaving books they can’t sell on the shelves. For many, this is the only form of economic redistribution they will see in the coming years as they continue a fruitless search for jobs.
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Abbas reiterates plan to submit UN bid
Published today (updated) 13/08/2011 15:53

RAMALLAH (Ma’an) – President Mahmoud Abbas reiterated Friday that the Palestinian leadership would stick to its UN bid aimed at obtaining international recognition of an independent Palestinian state in September.

Abbas said that the choice to take the case to the UN was a result of Israel’s stubbornness, the official Palestinian Authority news agency Wafa reported. The Israelis, he said, thwarted every attempt to resume substantive negotiations which would eventually lead to ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state on the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

“The first choice, the second choice, and the third choice for the Palestinians is to establish a Palestinian state through negotiations,” Abbas added. He asserted that settlement activities of all kinds must be stopped, because that contradicts with the peace process.

The president explained that the UN bid was not a unilateral step, neither would it contradict with the essence of the peace process. It is not aimed to delegitimize Israel or isolate it, but rather to strengthen the two-state solution.

Abbas also reiterated that national reconciliation remained a top priority through the formation of a technocrat government which will reconstruct the Gaza Strip and prepare for presidential and legislative elections.

Abbas’ comments came during a speech he delivered in the evening at a meeting for Fatah movement’s consultative council held in the presidential office in Ramallah.

Chairman of the Palestinian National Council Salim Za’nun attended the meeting along with secretary of Fatah’s central committee Abu Mahir Ghneim and other members of the committee.

The council elected Ahmad Qurei secretary, Mohammad Al-Hourani his deputy, and Abu Ali Msoud rapporteur. …source