Era of atomic bombs over: President Ahmadinejad
16 April, 2013 – Shia Post

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the era of atomic bombs is over and the use of nuclear weapons will no longer influence political equations.

“The era of the atomic bomb is over. Atomic bombs are no longer useful and have no effect on political equations. Atomic bombs belong to the last century, and anyone who thinks he can rule the world by atomic bombs is a political fool,” Ahmadinejad said during his visit to Benin on Monday.

Ahmadinejad added that imperialism is what currently threatens the world, not nuclear weapons.

The Iranian president said world powers seek to maintain their monopoly over nuclear energy and are using propaganda tools to insinuate the idea that nuclear energy equates a nuclear bomb – which is “a big lie.”

“Nuclear energy is one thing and an atomic bomb is another. This useful energy must belong to all nations,” Ahmadinejad stated.

“We are fighting so that all nations could use peaceful nuclear energy,” the Iranian president said, adding that although monopolists were resisting, they would fail against the struggles of independent countries such as Iran, and African and Latin American states.

Those countries that possess large stockpiles of nuclear weapons deceptively claim that they are against the use of such arms, Ahmadinejad said. He added that if those countries oppose the use of nuclear weapons, they must not be in possession of the weapons.

Ahmadinejad left Tehran for a three-day tour of Africa on Sunday at the head of a high-ranking delegation.
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Ecclestone staying in AlGudhaybeyya palace fearing “minority” & the children of
15 April, 2013 – February 14 Network

Still the owner of the commercial rights for the world championship racing formula one “obscene wealth” Bernie Ecclestone continues to ignore the demonstrations demanding democratic change in Bahrain & the leaks which have reached us recently point out that Ecclestone will be in the hospitality of Alkhalifa AlGudhaybeyya palace for the duration of his stay, which means that he lives a state of fear of the demonstrators who labeled them as “minority” & “children”.

Activist Alaa AlShehabi asked him in such days last year for formula one coincided with pro-democracy protests in Bahrain, he said “i do not care about religion nor politics, check cash are in out account and if it cancelled its the best for us but we are committed to the contract with the authority, close all streets leading to the circuit, postponed the race & express your demands through peaceful means and I my self will be present in your events” this was ecclestone’s comments prior to the race “Bloody formula” which actually showed that he cares about money only.

As if he’s saying to the people of Bahrain and its dictatorship regime “go to hell, all i care about is my money” , and this was boosted more by ignoring demonstrations witnessed by the country during the race despite the arrival of some demonstrators inside the circuit & brutally arrested too. Personality of old Bernie has always been a toast to the attention of many global media due arrogance & have entered him in many occasions in war of permits with many of the characters and known men of the community. Ecclestone is not pragmatic to the bone like other economy brokers, he is a fascist as he is defending leaders like Hitler & Mussolini, in addition to what pointed to by some newspapers in varying occasions of too hot scandals with many hookers.

This is still the inhumane Ecclestone continuing to ignore the demonstrations demanding democratic change in Bahrain , with the approach of the formula one in little gulf country Bernie Ecclestone made statements which cause an uproar media saying: “the authoroties took control over the situation in Bahrain, the opposition should accept the results of the dialogue if they want their interest”, and preceded by othe statements and described protesters as”minority” and “children”, in a position proving to everyone that he does not care about bloodshed and rights violations & affirms his attachment at the same time with equations of interest and numbers of allienation of humanity! …more

Thousands protest in Bahrain ahead of Grand Prix
AFP – 17 April, 2013

DUBAI — Thousands of Bahrainis demonstrated near Manama on Saturday urging democratic reforms, part of a campaign of protests planned by the political opposition ahead of next week’s Formula One Grand Prix.

Police used tear gas and sound bombs to break up a gathering of several hundred people in Sanabes, witnesses said.

Further south, a 14-year-old boy was severely wounded in the face and two people arrested when police fired buckshot and tear gas at demonstrators, the main Shiite opposition group Al-Wefaq said on its website.

But in Bilad Al-Qadim, several thousand people demonstrated peacefully, chanting “no to dictatorship” and “down with the regime,” witnesses said.

Under the banner “Democracy is our right,” the mainly Shiite opposition is organising a week of protests that began on Friday to coincide with the April 19-22 Grand Prix.

On Friday, Al-Wefaq chief Sheikh Ali Salman said the action was intended to support “demands for democratic transition”.

“We do not want to hold up the race, but we are trying to benefit from the increased media presence,” he said.

Salman called on his supporters to attend a demonstration planned for April 19, as the event kicks off on the Sakhir circuit south of the capital.

A second opposition group, the February 14 Movement, organised another protest on Thursday night in the village of Khamis that was broken up by police.

The demonstrations came as a report by Human Rights Watch that police have been rounding up pro-democracy activists in bid to head off protests stoked renewed controversy over the Gulf state’s hosting of the Formula One event.

Bahrain was rocked by month-long pro-democracy protests led by the kingdom’s Shiite majority in early 2011 that were crushed with the help of Saudi-led troops.

Protests have continued in Shiite villages outside the capital. Human rights groups say a total of 80 people have been killed since February 2011.

Last year’s Bahrain Grand Prix went ahead against an ugly backdrop as police responded to protesters who were throwing petrol bombs by using tear gas, sound bombs and birdshot. …more

Anonymous to strike as Bahrain backs jail sentences for king insults
15 April, 2013 – RT

The Bahraini government on Monday approved proposals to impose jail terms of up to 5 years for insulting the country’s king and national symbols. It comes amid protests against the coming F1 race in Manama, as Anonymous warns a new OpBahrain is on.

In their latest move against the dissent on the streets and in cyberspace, the Gulf state’s leaders have backed the proposals to prosecute the protesters with real jail terms.

New punishments include a fine of up to 10,000 dinars ($26,500), or sentenced to jail for up to five years for defaming the king of Bahrain, or Bahrain’s flag and coat of arms.

This law can now be widely applied to the anti-government protests taking place in the country, where chants against the ruling royal family can often be heard.

But tightening laws and crackdowns on protests, in which, according to estimates by various rights groups, some 80 protesters have been killed since 2011, and dozens others have been exposed to violence and torture, has not stopped Bahraini protesters from taking to the streets.

Recently, Bahrain has been rocked by clashes and demonstrations by pro-democracy activists against the Formula One Grand Prix race taking place in the country’s capital Manama on April 21. Both Bahraini and international activists voiced their concerns about the venue, saying it is “unethical” for both F1 and the FIA to be holding such an event in a country with political detainees still jailed and reported human rights violations not investigated.

Among those who couldn’t join the protests in person was the jailed human rights activist Nabeel Rajab, who’s still serving a two year prison term in connection with the February 2011 uprising in Bahrain. The opposition leader tweeted his support for the Formula One protesters from his prison cell.

Human Rights Watch said that some twenty Bahraini opposition activists have been arrested in towns near the Gulf country’s Sakhir race track since last week. The rights group claimed these arrests without warrants were “intended to intimidate” activists, along with “their families and their supporters.” The Bahraini authorities have denied that any such arrests have taken place.

The Anonymous hacktivist group has also been critical of the situation in Bahrain, and is now threatening to disrupt the anticipated F1 race in support of the protesters – at least on the cyber front.

“Anonymous will not stand by and allow you a race fueled by the blood of our freedom loving comrades in Bahrain… We are coming forward this year to wreck your little party again Mr. Eccelstone,” the group said in a statement addressing the F1 boss Bernnie Eccelstone and marking the launch of a new hacktivist action dubbed ‘Operation Bahrain.’ …more

Bahrain: Regime’s Brutality Continues, 5-Year-Old Loses His Eye
15 April, 2013 – ABNA

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) – Ahmed Mansour Al Nahham (5-year-old) has had his left eye surgically eviscerated as it had been fired at by regime forces during attacks on his village, Dair. The forces indiscriminately use these firearms against citizens without any supervision nor responsibility.

Al Nahham’s injured eye has been eviscerated in a hospital in Singapore. He suffered from the injury for months, his family searched for suitable treatment to rescue his injured eye. A few bird-shot pellets were previously taken out, in long medical treatment journey. Yet, he is subjected to an extensive therapy for a prosthetic eye fixation, in replace of the eviscerated eye.

Ophthalmologists alerted that his healthy right eye my get gradually side-effected, which made taking him abroad for better treatment a must.

In the mean time, the regime didn’t say a word about this inhumane crime perpetrated by its forces, and has not taken responsibility of the child’s medical treatment.

Al Nahham was shot by regime forces’ firearms while a brutal crackdown against peaceful protesters on Wednesday 13th June 2012 in his village, Dair, north of Muharraq island. It was part of the collective punishment policy adopted by the regime forces who carried him directly after he got shot, providing no further information at that time. Some amateur footages showed him carried in their hands.

Incident details explained how Al Nahham’s father was, as usual, selling fish, sitting on the sidewalk and his son Ahmed came to ask for some money for him and his brothers to buy some sweets. Suddenly, a group of regime forces headed to them and one policeman was pointing his weapon toward the child. Al Nahham’s father felt the danger and shouted, “Stop this, this is a child, this is a child”. But, nobody responded to the father, despite his louder and louder screams. The response was merely more fire. “I said he is a child, don’t you understand?”, the father shouted the loudest he could. Here, they shot at Ahmed’s eye. Hostilely, they continued the cold-bloodedly shooting and fired at his father with 78 pellets riddled all of his body.

“The 5-year-old child injury with the birdshot (Fissile Bullets) highlights the urgent need to hold those accepting such crimes accountable, and draws a big question mark about the legality and legitimacy of this internationally-prohibited usage”, Al Wefaq Liberties and Human Right Department, head, S. Hadi Mosawi said. …more

Protests target Bahrain Grand Prix
By Yara Bayoumy – 15 April, 2013 – Scotsman.com

ON THE wall of a home in the Bahraini village of al-Aali, 20-year-old Hassan peered through a black balaclava to admire his latest artwork: a circle around the phrase F1 crossed out in red spray paint.

The sentiment is shared by many Bahraini Shiites – the majority in this Sunni-ruled kingdom – who say the Formula One Grand Prix race Bahrain will host 19-21 April should be cancelled, as it was in 2011 when authorities crushed pro-democracy protests inspired by the Arab Spring. Two years on daily clashes still erupt, largely unnoticed outside the region.

The race will once again draw international attention to Bahrain. The 2012 meeting was accompanied by nightly skirmishes between protesters and security forces. This year, says F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, the signs are that tensions in the kingdom have eased and the risk of protests has diminished. That’s a view opposition activists reject.

“Of course we’re against it,” said Amani Ali, a 22-year-old university student standing a few metres from Hassan at the first of a series of opposition-organised marches.

“The race brings money to the regime, which they use to buy weapons and attack us.”

Many of the companies who help to finance Formula One are limiting their sponsorship involvement. The sport makes most of its money from hosting fees and TV rights. Bahrain pays an estimated £26 million annually to be part of the 19-race 
calendar.

Home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, Bahrain has faced unrest since pro-democracy protests broke out in February 2011, pitting a Shiite-dominated opposition against the minority Sunni-led government. The protest was crushed, dozens of people were killed and authorities razed “Pearl Square” where mostly Shiite demonstrators camped out in central Manama in 2011.

Now weekly sessions of a reconciliation effort between government and opposition known as the “national dialogue” take place outside Manama.

But daily confrontations between stone-and-petrol-bomb throwing youths and birdshot-and-teargas firing police reflect a bitter political atmosphere.

The protesters know the race will not be cancelled but feel there is an opportunity to use the media spotlight to highlight what they say are injustices still being committed against them. …more