…MORE ABOUT EVENT

Chiapas: Indigenous Ch’oles block highway in north of the state
5 February, 2013 – SIPAZ blog

On 5 February, in observance of the 96th anniversary of the Mexican Constitution, approximately 450 Ch’ol women and men who pertain to the organization Laklumal Ixim (Our People of Maize) initiated a highway blockade on the Yajalón-Tila route so as to demonstrate that nearly two months into the administration of the new state government, “the communities and peoples continue to experience abandonment, misery, and looting.” In the communique participants denounce that “the ‘National Crusade against hunger’ is a farce that seeks merely to share crumbs to our communities that experience poverty, while our natural resources are handed over to foreign firms for exploitation. This is all a part of a strategy of counter-insurgency.” Furthermore, the members of the organization demand “that the Chiapas state-government cease this strategy of looting and abandonment toward the indigenous and campesino communities of the state, and that they instead attend to our demands and needs: a just price for electricity in accordance with the poverty of our people, quality healthcare and education, dignified infrastructure (homes, works, and roads), support for coffee-growers, projects and programs of support for the countryside to help women and men of indigenous communities, respect for our rights–ejidal, communal, and indigenous–cessation of the strategy of division and confrontation among communities as promoted by the FANAR (previously PROCEDE) that is being promoted above all by the agrarian governmental agency.” …source

Two Years After a Popular Revolution
Egypt’s Political Map: Clearing the Fog
by ESAM AL-AMIN – Counter Punch – 8 February, 2013

If parties from across all of Egypt’s political spectrum agree on one thing, it’s this: the country is currently witnessing the greatest turmoil since Hosni Mubarak’s ouster and is facing massive upheaval with no end in sight. The unity and resolve displayed by millions of Egyptians two years ago when they decisively deposed the authoritarian and corrupt Mubarak regime is long gone. Throughout these tumultuous two years, there emerged two major fault lines across the country’s political class: one that resulted from the revolution, namely the revolutionary vs. the counter-revolutionary groups; and one along ideological grounds, namely the Islamic vs. the secular parties.

All agree that the revolution was launched spontaneously by non-ideological youth groups, who paid the heaviest price and made the biggest sacrifices during the early days of the revolution. Such groups proclaim the mantle of the revolution and maintain that it has been hijacked by better-organized and established groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) and the Salafis.

The MB, however, asserts that although it did not publicly join the initial protests on January 25, 2011, it immediately joined forces within three days and protected the revolution as the group mobilized its massive membership and supporters across the country, especially during the battle of the camel on February 1, ultimately forcing the surrender of the regime ten days later.

The more conservative Salafi groups, while acknowledging that they were slow in joining the ranks of the revolution, argue that they embraced its objectives and the democratic process unleashed in its aftermath and thus legitimately represent the interests and aspirations of a substantial segment of Egyptian society.

On the other hand, the secular and liberal groups, including the Coptic Church, which are quite wary of the religious groups and are very adamant about limiting the role of Islam in political life, have been very frustrated in seeing decisive electoral victories by the more popular Islamic groups. Since the fall of Mubarak, Egyptians have been to the polls in largely free and fair elections on eight different occasions. And each time the voters decisively favored the Islamist groups.

In March 2011, the electorate voted 77 percent for a political process advocated by the Islamists that called for elections before writing a new constitution. Furthermore, between November 2011 and January 2012 Egyptian voters went to the polls four times to choose the upper and lower chambers of parliament. Once again the Islamist parties won over 73 percent of the contested seats. By June 2012 Egyptians went to the polls yet again in two stages to choose a president, eventually electing in a tightly contested race, though narrowly, the MB candidate, Muhammad Morsi. In December 2012, the Egyptian electorate went to the polls an eighth time, approving by a 64 percent majority a new constitution endorsed mainly by the Islamist groups, while strongly opposed by the secularist, liberal, and leftist parties as well as by many revolutionary youth groups.

As the second anniversary of the remarkable and peaceful Egyptian revolution approached in late January 2013, new alliances and coalitions were formed largely as the mistrust had widened between those who support and oppose Morsi, the Islamists’ agenda, or the new constitution. Consequently, new battle lines were drawn in anticipation of the new parliamentary elections scheduled for this spring.

With over 100 registered or declared parties across the country, what is the political map of Egypt two years after the revolution? …more

Criminal insanity of Clinton’s double-think
1 February, 2013 – By Finian Cunningham – PressTV

And yet given the outrageous provocation of continued Western aggression in Syria – and the very real danger of regional conflagration that that entails – Washington has the preposterous audacity to denounce Russia and Iran for not being constructive players and for assisting an ally through legal and justifiable means.”

In her farewell speech, outgoing US secretary of state Hillary Clinton accused Russia and Iran of “stepping up” military support for Syria and thereby adding fuel to possible regional conflict.

Her words displayed breath-taking myopia and double-think, and this from somebody who is being hailed as one of America’s brightest foreign diplomats in decades.

The first thing about Clinton’s remarks is: so what? Both Russia and Iran have long-standing mutual defense pacts with the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad. If those countries are sharing military equipment and personnel then that is perfectly legal under the terms of defense agreements signed between sovereign states.

Secondly – and how is this for myopia and double-think? – just as Clinton is remonstrating with Russia and Iran, the Western powers are entering their third of sending fighter bombers, helicopter gun-ships, drones, refueling mid-tankers and cargo planes plus thousands of military personnel to the West African county of Mali to crush separatist militants. That full-scale “stepping up of military support” is headed up by France, which claims that it is responding to an ally in need – the dubious regime in Mali’s capital, Bamako.

Unlike the support given to Syria by Russia and Iran, the French and Western intervention in Mali has tenuous, if any, legal foundation. The Francophile regime in Bamako is an administration that was put in power by a military coup last April. The junta’s appointed so-called interim president, Dioucounda Traore, is an unelected French puppet with no legally constituted popular authority.

The Western powers can’t even wave a fig leaf of a United Nations Security Council mandate for their Malian interference. The UNSC vote on the issue of Mali on December 20 only gave qualified authorization for an African-led military mission under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). There was no authorization at the UNSC for a French or Western military offensive.

So, the French and latterly the British and Americans can weigh into Malian internal affairs with bombers and Special Forces – exacerbating violations by the corrupt Malian army – and this illegal military onslaught in Mali is supposedly permissible.

Whereas, Russian and Iran come to the aid of a sovereign state through a long-standing defense pact between sovereign states, and somehow this is an outrage, according to Clinton’s rational.

Speaking in Washington on Thursday, Clinton told the assembled supine press corps, “The Iranians have made it clear for some time that keeping Assad in power is one of their highest priorities. There is a lot of concern that they are increasing the quality of the weapons because Assad is using up his weaponry.”

Yes, Assad is “using up his weaponry” precisely because his country is under attack from Western-backed mercenaries.

As for Russia, Clinton went on, “The Russians are not passive bystanders in their support for Assad. We have reasons to believe that the Russians continue to supply financial and military assistance in the form of equipment to Assad.”

Again, so what? The only basis for Clinton’s condemnation is her own propagandized subjective and totally spurious logic. …more

Bahrain opposition parties: the regime calls for dialogue and opens fire on protesters
5 February, 2013 – ABNA

The wide presence of the Bahraini masses in nonstop protests over the past two years following the eruption of the pro-democracy revolution in 2011 has strongly proved that the national demands movement cannot be put down.

Bahrain opposition parties: the regime calls for dialogue and opens fire on protesters
(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) – The people of Bahrain have proved to this regime and to the world that their civilized and peaceful movement is stronger than the official brutal suppression, and that they will not give up on their humanitarian rights which are stated in local and international covenants and treaties.

The opposition parties said in the final communiqué of today’s protest, titled, “We are confident that we are victorious”, that while the regime pretends to call for dialogue, it opens fire on protesters causing a number of birdshot injuries during the last few days, and this proves that the regime’s call for dialogue lacks seriousness.

The opposition parties stressed that talking about dialogue while the security services are aiming guns at citizen’s heads is not possible. As long as prisons are filled with political prisoners and opposition figures, the call for dialogue is not serious. Bahrain needs a genuine dialogue and not a public relation party for the regime, while at the same time, its repressive policy continues.

The opposition parties stated that the national popular demands are mentioned very clearly in the ‘Manama Document’ and they are merely based on enabling the people to be the source of all powers to end the long era of tyranny and monopolism of individuals in the state’s decision making. The Manama Document put in points Bahrain’s vital need for an elected government instead of the current government that has put the country in set back through corruption, in addition to a legislative authority that is elected through fair constituencies, and an impartial judicial system and national security services which work for the protection of the nation and its citizens.

The opposition parties are fully persistent to the national popular demands of the Bahraini people, and to make the final say for the people through ballot boxes to express their opinions in any negotiation or political consensus as the people are the real source of legitimacy.

The opposition stressed that change is coming for Bahrain and the totalitarian rule must come to an end. Only real democracy can achieve stability and development to the nation and all citizens. …more

The Dark Side of America
02 February, 2013 – By Timothy V. Gatto

Saudi ArabiaI’ve been staying out of most world events as of late, preferring to watch things unfold silently as there are so many that seem to have all of the answers. I don’t claim to have any answers, but I sure do have a lot of questions. There is a good chance that many of you have the same questions that I have. Sometimes, the questions are more important than the answers. In this 21st Century, there are so many of our leaders that will give us the answers to any questions we ask, they just aren’t the right answers. In fact, they lie continuously.

One question I have is why do we support a collection of fundamentalist Islamic States like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE with their Wahhabi and Salafi militant Muslim sects? According to the “official” 9/11 explanation, all of the hijackers came from Saudi Arabia and were members of the extremist Wahhabi Muslim sect. Just like the majority of al-Qaeda.

In the recent fighting in Syria, the so-called “rebels” are made up of mostly non-Syrian Salafi and Wahhabi extremists. They also have support from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE and other nations that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council with help from Turkey, United Kingdom, Israel and France. Why put extremists in a country that was ruled by a moderate Alawite?

The so-called civil war in Mali is presumably being caused by forces loyal to al-Qaeda; in fact, they gave it the name al-Qaeda in the Maghreb (AQIM). French forces have responded to this “threat” by sending in 3,500 ground troops courtesy of the United States Military Airlift Command. Mali, which used to be a French Colony, has always had trouble with the Tuareg tribe in the north of that country. Former Libyan leader Mohamar Gadhafi employed many of these people in his army. When we engineered the “Libyan Spring” the Tuareg’s fled the country because they lost their employment and because “freedom fighters” were executing anyone of color at the time. They left with storehouses of arms and ammunition, a perfect beginning to finally wrest Northern Mali away from the rest of the country, something they have been trying to do for hundreds of years. Why is this an American interest? Why are we involved transporting French troops? Who gave authorization for our military to use our tax dollars to transport these French troops?

We saw what the blow-back led to in Libya. Not only was our Envoy and three other Americans killed and our compound burned out, but the country is separated into different fiefdoms with various strongholds led by different sects. Who is telling us the truth about what is going on over there? From the reports I’m reading about the insurrection in Mali from Global Research and others, this is an imperialist expansion for resources by the French.

The rest of Africa is just as perplexing. We have American military officers embedded with almost every army in every country on the continent. The continent is rich in mineral and metal deposits as well as oil and natural gas. Didn’t we learn from the debacle in Iraq that we just can’t go in and grab resources? Wouldn’t it have been cheaper to buy the oil?

Speaking of Iraq, American’s still don’t understand that this was an illegal and immoral war. John “Bomb Bomb Iran” McCain grilled Chuck Hagel about his opposition to the surge. Hagel told them it resulted in needless American deaths. I’m surprised he didn’t bring up the fact that at about the same time the surge was “working”, the Sunni’s started getting paid not to fight the Americans. Maybe it was just a coincidence (if you believe in coincidences). It’s really amazing that so many people in the U.S. never read the Downing Street Memo or realize that Bush and company planned on invading Iraq way before 9/11. Ignorance is bliss, so they say. Ignorance is frustrating, especially when it’s willful ignorance or should I say feigned ignorance.

There are a lot of supposedly ignorant Americans. Either they are ignorant or they just don’t have the backbone or the wherewithal to question authority in any shape or manner anymore. Seems to me that one of the greatest generations this nation ever witnessed was the one that took to the streets and protested the senseless death and carnage we rained down on Southeast Asia. While many in that generation forgot the effectiveness of grassroots protests and organization, the U.S. Government never forgot the lessons of that era. It dawned on them much too late in that war that the media was the message. Since then, they have incrementally gained total control of the American media.

The people in politics and the media like to call it “spin”. That’s another way to say propaganda without offending anyone’s sensibilities. They call torture “enhanced interrogation”. They call those who fight against Western domination and imperialism “insurgents”. When they resort to violence against out interests they are called “terrorists”. When they act on our behalf they are called “freedom fighters”. The government is very good at what they do.

Now that France has claimed victory in Mali, what will they do next? Will they keep a contingent of French Forces in that country to keep the peace? Will French firms move in and exploit the mineral and petroleum reserves there? What do you think?

Our peace-loving ally Israel reportedly bombed a Syrian facility outside of Damascus Wednesday. It was ostensibly done to stop Syria from transferring biological or nerve agent munitions to Hezbollah. With Syria fighting for its very survival, why would they start shipping their weapons out of the country? Does that make any sense? Yet, that was the reason given by the Israeli’s for the attack. They are also reportedly deathly afraid that these weapons will fall into the jihadist’s rebels hands.

“Israel has publicly warned that it would take military action to prevent the Syrian regime’s chemical weapons falling into the hands of Hezbollah in Lebanon or “global jihadists” fighting inside Syria. Israeli military intelligence is said to be monitoring the area round the clock via satellite for possible convoys carrying weapons.” Guardian 30 Jan 2013

So why was the attack described as an attack on a convoy by the media in the U.S.? This situation makes Russia nervous about the Israeli attack.

“If this information is confirmed, then we are dealing with unprovoked attacks on targets on the territory of a sovereign country, which blatantly violates the UN charter and is unacceptable, no matter the motives to justify it,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday.’ Guardian 31 Jan 2013

Meanwhile, Israel has suffered a defeat in the UN where a United Nations Commission has declared that the settlements in the West Bank are illegal and that the approximately 500,000 Jewish settlers should leave or face possible war crimes charges. Where was the coverage of that little tidbit in the U.S. Press? …more

Bahrain: Massive resistance expected on 2nd anniversary of Revolution
8 February, 2013 – Bahrain Freedom Movement – warisacrime.org

As the preparations for the 2nd anniversary of the 14th February Revolution get underway, the field activities have warmed up extensively. At the same time supportive actions by the friends of Bahrain have risen sharply and are expected to become more widespread. In several cities around the world the pro-democracy activists have line up programmes of actions to express support to the Revolution that the Anglo-American alliance continues to target with various political and security means. The enmity of this alliance to the aspirations of Bahrain has been laid open especially the British Government dispatched several teams and personnel to help the Alkhalifa hereditary dictatorship repress the people. Despite the claims by some British officials to the contrary, Bahrainis continue to suffer repression in the form of torture, and collective punishment.

The 14th February Alliance has called for a general strike on that day and has taken many steps to ensure its success. Instead of attending workplace people will participate in country-wide protests to re-invigorate the Revolution and tell the world that they are intent on removing the cancerous Alkhalifa cell from power. It is a shame for the world community to tolerate medieval style dynastical rule that has been proven by its own commission of investigation to have committed systematic torture and extra-judicial killings. Furthermore, the Alliance has called for withdrawal of deposits from the banks linked to the Alkhalifa hereditary dictatorship. The stock market indicators have confirmed that in the first day of the campaign the Bahrain burse lost 10.43 points, while the banking sector index registered losses of 2.25 percent of its value.

The revolutionaries have been heartened by these figures and are aiming to cripple the economy which is one of the pillars of the Alkahlifa regime.

Meanwhile Mr Abdul Hadi AlKhawaja and his family have been nominated by one Member of the European Parliament for the Noble Prize for their pro-democracy activities and the personal risks they have suffered in the process. Anna Gomez, MEP, from Portugal said: “I am pleased, as a Portugese Member of European Parliament to nominate Abdul Hadi Al Khawaja and his two daughters, Zaianb and Maryam, from Bahrain, for the 2013 Noble Prize. The family have dedicated themselves, despite the risks and personal harassments to which they are exposed, for the peaceful defence of human rights and political reforms in Bahrain. The three have played a peaceful role in the popular protests in Bahrain, and represented the voice of the non-violent resistance, calling on the Bahraini authorities to respect human rights and implement peaceful political reforms”. This nomination has angered the regime, and there now fears for the safety of the members of the family from a regime t hat has adopted a policy of revenge against its opponents

On another level, Socialism International has called for the immediate and unconditional release of Ibrahim Sharif and the other prisoners of conscience. The organization said, in the communiqué at the end of its conference at Lisbon, Portugal, on Tuesday 5th February, expressed disappointment at the failure of the Bahraini regime to implement the BICI recommendations issued over 14 months ago and those of the UN Human Rights Council.

On 6th February IFEX issued a petition titled “Tell the King of Bahrain free expression is not a crime” asking people to sign it. It said: Who will fight for free expression and human rights in Bahrain when those speaking out are put behind bars? Sign the petition now! As the second anniversary of the pro-democracy protests in Bahrain approaches on 14 February, ask the King of Bahrain to free all human rights defenders, journalists and bloggers languishing in jail, some for life, simply for peacefully exercising their right to free expression and assembly. IFEX member, the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR), the most vocal independent human rights organisation in Bahrain, has been particularly targeted, with past and present BCHR representatives serving prison sentences, or on trial, including: Abdul Hadi Al Khawaja, Nabeel Rajab and Yousuf Al Mahafdha.

Bahrain: Urgent Appeal, Prisoners’ Lives in Immediate Danger as Dry Strike Begins to Protest Unjust Imprisonment and Treatment
05 February, 2013 – Bahrain Center for Human Rights

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights is gravely concerned for the health and well being of the four prisoners who have begun a dry hunger strike in Riffa prison to protest the unjust imprisonment and torture they are subjected to at the hands of the prison authorities.

Mohd Almughni, Jaffar Hussain, Hussain Al-Aali and Radhi Ali began a hunger strike on the 7th of January, and are now on their 30th day without food. On the 1st of February, 2013, the BCHR received information that these detainees have stopped taking water as well. The health of these prisoners has already been greatly weakened as a result of the torture they are continually subjected to, the denial of medical attention, and now the hunger strike. The BCHR fears for the lives of these wrongfully imprisoned men, and calls for their immediate release.

According to the families, these prisoners have suffered from severe physical and psychological abuse. They have been severely beaten, forced to eat with their handcuffs on, forced to stand for long periods of time while blindfolded, and the air-conditioning in the prison cell is constantly on, despite the winter conditions. The prisoners are provided with water that is unsuitable for drinking, and are kept in a generally bad environment where they are held at Riffa prison (according to their families). Each of these men is currently being held in a cell measuring only two meters by two meters; some of these cells are shared other prisoners who do not speak a common language, and with whom they are not allowed to attempt to communicate. The prisoners are not allowed more than five minutes outside the cell each day, and they were allowed these five minutes only after four months of detention. They are not allowed more than five minutes of phone calls every two weeks. Starting January 2013, they have been given 1 hours visit every two weeks instead of 30 minutes visit every week. Except for Radhi, they are not allowed to receive any books from their families. They were not allowed to receive any of the medicines which they were taking before their arrest. They are not allowed to receive warm clothes for the cold season in Bahrain.

Due to the poor prison conditions and the torture they were subjected to, the detainees are now suffering from multiple health problems, physical and physiological:

• Jafar Eid started to suffer from problems with his kidney due to the unclean drinking water. He has walking problems as a result of beatings he received on his leg, and the small confines of the cell do not allow for rehabilitation. His vision is poor, and his cellmate has scabies.

• Hussain Al-Aali has tribology, which is escalating due to his inability to move in the small cell. He also suffers from pains in his back as well as poor vision.

• Radhi Ali Radhi is suffering from regular headaches, sinus problems and pain in his back. He was not allowed to receive the medicines he took before he was arrested. In January 2013, he suffered from problems with his kidneys.

Jaffar and Hussain have been forced to take pills which they say caused hallucinations.

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights has previously written about the severe torture and poor detention conditions these detainees were subjected to, including the poor conditions in which visitations are conducted. In fact, three of the detainees entered a ‘visitation strike’ in protest against the humiliating treatment they were subject to.
(See: http://www.bahrainrights.org/en/node/5522)

The detainees in this case are accused with “the making and possession of explosive materials”.

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights call for immediate action on behalf of the Bahraini authorities and the international community to:

– To immediately improve the detention conditions and provide the necessary treatment to Mohamed Al-Mughni, Hussain Al Aali, Jaffar Eid, Radhi Ali and all other prisoners in need of medical care in the prisons of Bahrain.

– For the authorities in Bahrain to abide by the international conventions which they have ratified, especially concerning the rights of prisoners to receive full medical care.

– End the practice of torture in the prisons of Bahrian.

– Hold accountable those involved in torture, and bring them to a fair and independent judiciary.

– Ensure that the accused prisoners receive a fair trial, starting with ensuring their protection from torture. …source

Protests Precede Reconciliation Talks in Bahrain
7 February, 2013 – POMED

Thousands of Bahrainis protested against the ruling monarchy on Wednesday ahead of the dialogue slated to begin on Sunday. Bahraini officials said on Tuesday that invitations were being issued to approximately 17 groups, including both supporters and opponents of the regime, to take part in the talks. Information Affairs Minister Samira Rajab said that the government had “every intention to make this dialogue a success,” but put the onus “on the other parties and their seriousness in pursuing dialogue.” The six main opposition groups agreed to participate, but suggested that disagreements with the government about the dialogue’s goal could compromise its success. Senior al-Wefaq official Khalil al-Marzouq reiterated the opposition’s desire that representatives of the ruling al-Khalifa family participate. He said, “We want a real dialogue, serious negotiations on a mechanism that will restore powers to the people and turn Bahrain into a constitutional monarchy.”

Gulf expert Kristian Coates-Ulrichsen believes that the talks will fail unless the government is prepared to sit down and work with the opposition on moving toward compromise. She asserted, “Given the fact that the government is effectively an outgrowth of the ruling family in Bahrain, any dialogue without their involvement will be meaningless fiddling around the edges.” The Bahrain Justice and Development Movement cautioned the groups against “walking blindly into something that is not yet guaranteed to be beneficial in ending the current crisis” and said the government must participate because it is part of the problem in Bahrain.

Meanwhile, Bahrain Watch revealed new evidence suggesting that the British company Gamma International sold computer surveillance software to the Government of Bahrain, an allegation that the company has denied. The report also claims that Gamma International may have provided Bahrain with updates and retains the ability to deactivate the software. …source

Bahrain’s government-initiated national talks to start on Feb 10
6 February, 2013 – 10 February, 2013

The invitations for almost 17 pro-regime and opposition groups will be issued on Wednesday, with the members of both the lower and upper house of the country’s National Assembly also attending the talks beginning on February 10.

“We have every intention to make this dialogue a success,” Bahrain’s Information Affairs Minister Samira Rajab said. “The onus is on the other parties and their seriousness in pursuing dialogue.”

Despite expressing readiness to attend the talks, the opposition groups have cast doubt over the effectiveness of the talks.
The major opposition bloc, al-Wefaq, also pointed out the differences between their goals and the government’s mechanism and aims of the meeting.

The opposition leaders seek the presence of the ruling Al Khalifa family as well as international experts in the talks, senior al-Wefaq official Khalil al-Marzouq noted.

“We want a real dialogue, serious negotiations on a mechanism that will restore powers to the people and turn Bahrain into a constitutional monarchy,” Marzouq opined.

Earlier in July 2011, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa called for a national dialogue on reform and announced an investigation into the handling of the uprising by Saudi-backed regime forces.

The dialogue did not yield results as al-Wefaq party quit the negotiations, complaining that since their onset, the government had been trying to muffle the voice of the opposition.

This is while, Anti-regime protests rage on in the Persian Gulf Island, with the demonstrators demanding an elected prime minister replace Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa.

The Bahraini uprising against the Al Khalifa rule began in February 2011. The regime promptly launched a brutal crackdown on peaceful protests and called in Saudi-led Arab forces from neighboring states.

The Manama regime has arrested many rights activists, doctors, and nurses since the revolution began.

The Bahraini government is, meanwhile, supported by the United States despite its record of human rights abuse against its nationals.

…source

Anti-regime demos held in north Bahrain
7 February, 2013 – PressTV

Bahrainis have once again staged demonstrations against the ruling Al Khalifa regime in a number of villages.

On Wednesday, demonstrators took to the streets of the northeastern island of Sitra, the northwestern village of Diraz and the northern village of Nuwaidrat, chanting slogans against the Manama regime.

The protesters expressed determination to continue the uprising despite the crackdown by security forces.

The recent demonstrations were held ahead of national talks that are scheduled to commence on February 10.

Protest gatherings in Bahrain are planned to be held every day until February 14, which is the second anniversary of the uprising.

On Wednesday, Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, which is the major opposition bloc in Bahrain, called for the establishment of a transitional government, which represents different national factions, as a first step to resolve the crisis in the country.

The group also called on the regime to put an end to the “ongoing crackdowns and media campaigns against dissidents.”

Despite expressing readiness to attend the talks, the opposition groups have cast doubt over the effectiveness of the talks. Six members from the opposition and eight from pro-regime groups will attend the talks.

The popular uprising began in Bahrain in mid-February 2011. The Saudi regime and the United Arab Emirates sent security and military forces to the country upon a request from Manama to help the Bahraini government quash the peaceful protests.

Dozens of people have been killed in the crackdown, and the security forces have arrested hundreds including doctors and nurses. …source