U.N. Expert Says Bahrain Canceled Visit in Torture Inquiry
By NICK CUMMING-BRUCE – 24 April, 2013

GENEVA — A United Nations expert who was due to visit Bahrain next month to look into reports that the authorities there have abused and tortured protesters in detention said on Wednesday that the Bahraini government had effectively canceled the trip.

Bahrain’s decision “does not enhance transparency with regard to the situation in the country, nor demonstrate a commitment to redress impunity regarding any violations,” said the expert, Juan E. Mendez, in a statement released in Geneva. Mr. Mendez is based there as the United Nations’s special rapporteur on torture.

The cancellation follows a week of clashes between the police and opposition demonstrators in Bahrain, mostly in villages outside Manama, the capital. They were timed to coincide with a Formula One auto race in Manama, which attracts international media attention. The race took place on Sunday without incident, but the protests signaled a simmering challenge to the ruling Al Khalifa family.

Mr. Mendez had been scheduled to meet a number of key government ministers and officials during a visit that had been discussed since September 2011. An independent commission of inquiry reported late that year that some detainees in Bahrain had been tortured to death and others subjected to physical and psychological abuse to extract confessions or as punishment. The commission and the U.N. Human Rights Council recommended a number of reforms; Mr. Mendez said in a telephone interview that his visit would have given him an opportunity to see how much the Bahrain government had done to implement them.

He was originally scheduled to go to Bahrain in February 2012, but the Bahraini authorities canceled the visit on short notice, saying that there had not yet been enough progress on the reforms. Similarly, the letter delivered to Mr. Mendez this week canceling next month’s visit said that talks with the opposition in Bahrain had not progressed as fast as expected and that the visit could damage their chances of success. …more

Facing Tear Gas – Campaign to End the Global War on Democracy
War Resisters League

Since February 14th, 2011, Bahrain has been witness to a mass uprising. Inspired by the several neighboring uprisings in the Arab world, protesters have been demanding political and economic reform, and often the downfall of the regime. These demands include constitutional reformation, the formation of an elected, representative government, and an end to corruption, which is widespread in the kingdom.

Bahrain maintains a monarchical system ruled by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and and elite political class often closely tied to the al-Khalifa family. The monarchy has a history of silencing the dissident voices of the population through methods of torture, detention, and in the phrasing of a comprehensive Physicians for Human Rights report “weaponizing tear gas.” These actions have led to an increase in global attention, along with increased inquiry into Bahrain’s excessive use of force and human rights violations.

After the protest in the capital city of Manama and across Bahrain, King Hamad declared a State of Emergency for 3 months, effectively removing the protesters from their camp at the centre. The declaration was supported by the foreign military intervention of Saudi troops on March 14th. This crackdown however, did not crush the uprising, but rather decentralized it, breaking it up to myriad village-based movements, such as in Sitra and Durz. Once the State of Emergency was lifted, various political groupings, most prominently the Coalition of February 14th Youth, began to organize weekly protests of tens of thousands of opposition activists. The police response to these peaceful and unarmed protesters has been brutal. (In a campaign of intimidation ran by the police, there have been several house raids in Shi’a neighborhoods, beatings at checkpoints, denial of medical care, as well as detention and torture. Oppostion figures though, cross Bahrain’s geographical and sectarian communities, as the diversity of the movement has consistenly shown.)

A report released by a commission of inquiry established by King Hamad in June 2011 has confirmed the Bahraini government’s various violations of human rights and have silenced government claims that the protests were instigated by Shi’a Iran. Around the time of the report Bahrain sentenced several prominent movement figures to life in prison, including Abdulhadi al-Khawaja.

Since the beginning of the twentieth century, there have been sporadic movements demanding economic, social, and political rights. Since 1783, Bahrain has been ruled by the Al Khalifas. Bahrain became an independent state apart from the British protectorate in 1971. The first parliamentary election took place in 1973. The constitution and the assembly were dissolved two years later. The year 1992 saw a popular uprising demanding the return of Parliament and constitution. King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa muted the uprising in 2001 with reforms that were supported by an overwhelming majority of the Bahraini population. However, the following year, the government issued a new constitution appointing the majority of power to the upper half of Parliament as opposed to the popularly elected lower half. This led to the boycott of the 2002 parliamentary elections by many opposition parties, yet in 2006 Al Wefaq won a majority vote. This created a split in opposition associations, with organizations such as the Haq Movement seeking change outside of that brought about within Parliament. Since then, tensions and repression have increased dramatically, culminating in the ongoing mainly decentralized revolt. The Bahraini revolution continues . . . …source

US State Department 2012 Human Rights Report: Bahrain
19 April, 2013 – Bahrain Center for Human Rights

Bahrain is a monarchy. King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa, the head of state, appoints the cabinet consisting of 29 ministers; approximately half are members of the Sunni Al-Khalifa ruling family. The parliament consists of an appointed upper house, the Shura (Consultative) Council, and the elected Council of Representatives. Approximately 17 percent of eligible voters participated in parliamentary by-elections for 18 seats vacated in September 2011. Independent human rights organizations did not consider the elections free and fair. On May 19, the king ratified constitutional amendments broadening the powers of the elected chamber of parliament. Security forces reported to civilian authorities during the year.

The most serious human rights problems included citizens’ inability to change their government peacefully; arrest and detention of protesters on vague charges, in some cases leading to their torture in detention; and lack of due process in trials of political and human rights activists, medical personnel, teachers, and students, with some resulting in harsh sentences. Some protesters engaged in lethal acts of violence against security forces, including the use of improvised explosive devices, Molotov cocktails, and other improvised weapons.

Other significant human rights problems included arbitrary deprivation of life; arrest of individuals on charges relating to freedom of expression; reported violations of privacy; and restrictions on civil liberties, including freedom of speech, press, assembly, association, and some religious practices. The government sometimes imposed and enforced travel bans on political activists. Discrimination on the basis of gender, religion, nationality, and sect persisted, especially against the Shia population. There were reports of domestic violence against women and children. Trafficking in persons and restrictions on the rights of foreign workers continued to be significant problems.

Beginning in February 2011, the country experienced a sustained period of unrest including mass protests calling for political reform. In 2011, 52 persons died in incidents linked to the unrest, and hundreds more were injured or arrested. The government prosecuted some police personnel implicated in abuses committed during the year and in 2011. Courts convicted six individuals of crimes related to police abuse, resulting in prison sentences ranging from three months to seven years. It was unclear whether any of those convicted were in prison at year’s end. Many of the trials continued. In the pending cases, charges ranged from misdemeanor assault and battery to murder. The government took some steps to address the “culture of impunity,” which the 2011 Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) report identified.

Human Rights in Bahrain- Report by State Department HERE

…source

Shame on Western deception!
24 April, 2013 – By Jim W. Dean – PressTV

Rank and file Brits can look east to Iran to see rank and file Iranians suffering also, but at the hands of the same Western elites. And when they see how Iran is reinventing itself the Brits might want to entertain some regime change themselves, the housecleaning kind, including all the Friends of Israel harlots.”

I read with astonishment in Press TV how the British government has debased itself in front of the whole world by refusing to allow Shell Oil Company to settle its USD 2 billion in accounts payable to Iran. The last I heard, Britain was not at war with Iran, nor has Iran attacked British interests anywhere.

The story continues on into the stratosphere of craziness when Shell tried to pay the debt in medical supplies which again, the British regime blocked. Shell then tried to arrange food shipments through Cargill, obviously intended to benefit the Iranian people who are not supposed to be under sanctions, and that too was blocked.

That a Western country would prevent medical and food supplies entering a country it is not at war with, as payment for an agreed account, I never imagined I would see the day. Shame on the British government, and all those involved in staining their national honor. I can hear Tony Blair saying now, ‘I told you I wasn’t so bad.’

The EU sanctions are going down in history as a perverse misuse of what was originally deemed to be targeted on anything that could be supportive of Iranian nuclear weapons development. This was done despite our joint intelligence report and the IAEA never finding evidence of any. We have Western countries with 10,000 nuclear weapons choosing to punish those who do not, on the grounds that they might have one… ‘Someday.’ That folks is a hustle.

What we have instead is sanctions fraud on steroids. Even Hillary Clinton said that goal was not to target the Iranian people, but she was lying through her teeth. Regime change has always been one of the key goals, the West’s thinking that hard times in Iran would spur its people to overthrow their government. That fantasy has gone down in flames. …more

Interview with Author of The Arab Awakening Unveiled: Understanding Transformations and Revolutions in the Middle East
by Esam Al-Amin – 11 April, 2013 – Interview by Jadaliyya

Jadaliyya (J): What made you write this book, and how would you describe it?

Esam Al-Amin (EA): The Arab Awakening Unveiled: Understanding Transformations and Revolutions in the Middle East is a collection of essays about the Arab uprisings and awakening movement, arguably the most important phenomenon that has taken place in the Middle East in the past century. I hope that the book provides thoughtful analysis and a keen understanding of this historical moment, as well as important aspects of US policy towards the Middle East and the Muslim World. For example, the book examines the main causes and effects of the Arab revolutions, especially in Egypt, and describes in details the role of each player in the political dynamics that has been taking place in the last two years across the Arab World, but particularly in Egypt. In addition, American foreign policy objectives and maneuvers vis-à-vis the changes brought about by the uprisings are also discussed and analyzed in many of these articles.

J: What particular topics does this work address?

EA: The first part (about three-quarter of the book) discusses the Arab revolutions, with a particular focus on Egypt. But it also covers other countries such as Tunisia, Syria, and Libya. The second part addresses other events in the Middle East, especially with regard to the Palestinian cause, as well as some aspects of American foreign and domestic policy. For example, several articles address Obama’s Cairo speech, Israel’s aggressive settlement policy, the failed peace process, and the futile Palestinian bid at the UN. This part of the book also covers issues from the Iranian elections and nuclear program to the impact of the Occupy Wall Street movement and the offensive YouTube clip on the Prophet Muhammad.

J: Who do you hope will read this book, and what sort of impact would you like it to have?

EA: The book is written for experts as well as non-experts. Hopefully, those who are interested in acquiring a deep understanding of the phenomenon of the Arab Spring, and why and how it came about, as well as what its future might entail, would find the book useful and illuminating. It is also addressed to those who are interested in, and focused on, American policy in the Middle East. It would be instructive if policy and opinion makers would also read the book and get a different view from the conventional wisdom in Washington.

J: How does your work contribute to and/or diverge from recent scholarship on revolutions in the region?

EA: I think what distinguishes The Arab Awakening Unveiled from others is that it combines critical facts about the discourse and trajectory of the revolutions as well as neutral and in depth analysis of the monumental events that took place in the last couple of years in the heart of the Arab world. Unfortunately, such multi-dimensional analysis is absent from most English language publications about the Arab Spring phenomena. For example, many articles in the book analyze the roots and consequences of the Islamic-secular divide and how this conflict has resulted in the unsettling current state of affairs in Egypt. Another article, for instance, provides sober analysis of the possible scenarios awaiting the popular revolution turned civil war in Syria.

J: In your view, what is the most important contribution of this book?

EA: Perhaps the most important contribution is the series of essays on the Egyptian revolution, which describe and explain in detail its complexity, the real forces behind it, and its historical developments, including the role of each player in the political dynamics in Egypt in the last two years since ousting Mubarak. Moreover, the book’s prologue attempts to place the Arab Spring phenomenon in its historical context since the dawn of Western imperialism in the Arab world, as well as the centrality of Palestine in the last century within the Arab awakening conscience and resistance movements. Furthermore, the most significant challenges facing these revolutions are laid out and discussed, and thus the ultimate outcome of their success or failure will be determined based on the response to these challenges by the various political movements and the people of the region.

J: What other projects are you working on now?

EA: I am currently working on multiple projects, including a book on the history of the Palestinian issue addressed to high school students, so that it can be used as textbook or supplementary material in social studies classes. Another book I’m writing is focused on the Chronicles of the Egyptian Revolution, to be published by the revolution’s third anniversary next year.
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