Bahrain dialogue restarts after two-month break
28 August, 2013 – France 24 – AFP

AFP – Bahrain’s national dialogue launched in February and aimed at ending the Gulf monarchy’s political deadlock since a 2011 Shiite-led revolt resumed on Wednesday after a two-month summer break.

Opposition and government representatives took part in the Manama talks, participants said.

Led by the influential Shiite group Al-Wefaq, the opposition is taking part in the dialogue while keeping up street protests to call for reform in the Shiite-majority, Sunni-rule state.

Bahraini authorities in 2011 crushed mass pro-democracy demonstrations in the capital with the help of Saudi-led troops but sporadic protests have continued in the Shiite villages.

At least 80 people have been killed in Bahrain since Arab Spring-inspired pro-democracy protests erupted in February 2011, according to the International Federation for Human Rights. …more