Unions try to stop tear gas being shipped to Bahrain
26 October, 2013 – Australia Asian Worker Union

The popular and worker led uprising in Bahrain that started over two years has been suppressed by the government by continual attacks involving thousands of arrests, beatings and heavy use of tear gas.

A recently leaked report documenting an order for a huge amount of tear gas and stun grenades is a confirmation that the only solution from the Government of Bahrain is more repression. An international campaign has started to try and halt the shipment of tear gas to Bahrain. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions is pressuring its government to stop Korean companies supplying the lethal chemicals.

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…more on Korea Protest

Bahrain: An Oasis for Torture
26 June, 2013 – Bahrain Center for Human Rights

On the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the Bahrain Center for Human Rights expresses grave concern about the ongoing systematic torture in Bahrain with full impunity for the violators. Over the past year, the BCHR has documented dozens of torture cases, inside and outside formal detention centres, from the moment of arrest and at times even after receiving a sentence. Torture in Bahrain usually occurs in the dark, during times of enforced disappearance; and due to impunity officers even videotape their victims after. Not only has no official been held accountable for torture, on the contrary, some of the violators were promoted.

In April 2013, the Government of Bahrain effectively cancelled the visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Mr. Juan E. Méndez, which was schedule to take place from 8 to 15 May 2013. In an official statement, Mr. Méndez stated:

“This is the second time that my visit has been postponed, at very short notice. It is effectively a cancellation as no alternative dates were proposed nor is there a future road map to discuss.”

“The culture of impunity, and the main reason why systematic torture continues in Bahrain, extends far beyond the pro-democracy movement in 2011; the best example being Decree 56 which was issued by Hamad bin Isa Alkhalifa in 2002 granting those responsible of crimes of torture in the 90’s full amnesty. The lack of accountability locally and internationally fosters the continuation of such violations; impunity must end immediately; starting with high officials in the Government of Bahrain” – Maryam Al-Khawaja, Acting President of BCHR

It is important to note here that the cases presented are only a sample of the many cases received by the BCHR. Due to the culture of impunity many victims of torture fear retribution after speaking about their ordeal.

In addition, this report covers cases of ongoing torture. It is important to note that victims of torture have not been able to receive rehabilitation; and those who are still detained are also denied adequate medical care.
Torture during time of arrest

On 24 May 2013, Redha Abdullah Isa Al-Ghasra (25 years old) was brutally arrested after civilian cars surrounded his motorcycle. Activists and tweeps (users on Twitter) broadcasted on their twitter accounts a sound recording of someone screaming in pain, which they claimed was a voice recording of the detainee Redha Al-Ghasra while security forces were reportedly beating and torturing him on the street (see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxZuVSbPeXQ). Pro-government twitter accounts published photographs of Al-Ghasra while he was handcuffed and lying on the ground, with blood on his face (see: https://twitter.com/Deertybhr/status/337845219053674496). More details on this case on http://www.bahrainrights.org/en/node/6146.

Faisal Mansour Eid Nasser (28 years old) was arrested on 9 March 2013. He was reportedly beaten by approximately 15 security officers, punching and kicking, while he was being transported from his home to the interrogation center. He was verbally abused using vulgar language, and he was threatened with rape, as well as threats to rape his mother and sisters. This was while he was being interrogated to disclose the hiding place of a number of people who are wanted.

Torture in Detention for Confessions

During his time at the Criminal Investigations Department, Faisal Mansour was blindfolded for the entire period and he was forced to stand for long periods of time during which he was not allowed to sit down at all. To add to that, he was also deprived from sleep for approximately four nights.

Furthermore, in order to force him to confess to the charges brought against him – despite his denial – he was handcuffed from behind, then kicked with boots and beaten with hands and an object, believed to be a plastic stick, on different parts of his body. He was verbally abused using vulgar language and his religious beliefs were cursed. He was also subjected to sexual assault by unknown officers; one of the interrogators reportedly pulled down Faisal’s pants and sexually molested him by pulling his genitals; telling him to confess to the charges against him and testify that others accused participated with him, otherwise he will be subjected to rape.

One of the investigators reportedly told Faisal: “I’m going to put your name on every case, even if you did not participate in it”. Faisal Mansour, while blindfolded, was forced to sign a statement without knowing its content.

Faisal told the BCHR that during his detention at the Dry Dock prison, he was taken from his cell on 25 April 2013 to the Criminal Investigation Department again to interrogate him in a new case. He was forced to sign a ready-made statement which he was not allowed to read, under the threats of rape and beatings.

Hussein Ramadan Mohamed Shaaban (34 years old) was arrested on 23 April 2013. He was reportedly threatened that his wife would be raped at the time of his arrest if he refused to cooperate with them. He was held for 6 days at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) where he was reportedly forced to stand for the entire period without sitting at all; during which he was blindfolded. In addition, he was deprived from sleep for the whole period of his detention at the CID, and he was handcuffed from behind for long periods which caused him pain in his shoulder and back; which he still suffers from. He was reportedly threatened with rape if he refused to sign the confessions and he was subjected to continuous verbal harassment.

The Implication of the Public Prosecution

At the public prosecution, Faisal Mansour reported that the prosecutor screamed at him, threatening that if he did not confess to the charges against him he will be taken back to the Criminal Investigations Department and exposed to more beatings; reportedly adding: “I’m going to beat you while you’re here”. …more

OP-ED: Bahraini Opposition Shuns Bogus Dialogue
By Emile Nakhleh – 30 October, 2013 – IPS

WASHINGTON – Bahraini opposition groups announced on Tuesday their opposition to participating in the dialogue that is supposed to start tomorrow. According to the Bahrain Mirror, the five opposition groups that signed the joint statement included al-Wifaq, Wa’d, al-Minbar, al-Tajammu’, and al-Ikha’.

The statement maintained that during the eight months of the so-called national dialogue, the government exploited the process as a public relations tool and did not show seriousness of purpose, a clear agenda for reconciliation, or a date certain for closure. The government ignored the six points which the opposition presented at the beginning of the second round of the dialogue in late August.

These points called for halting anti-opposition incitement, which the regime feverishly pushed through its media; promoting genuine national reconciliation; releasing political prisoners; and ending violations of peoples’ homes, such as breaking down doors; vigilante justice; and unlawful arrests.

Since the hiatus in the dialogue in the past few weeks, regime arrests and repression continued unabated, violations of human rights proceeded at a faster pace, arrests of protesters, including minors, increased, fired workers have not been allowed to return, and the regime’s actions against the Shia majority became much uglier.

The adoption of the 22 amendments by the pro-government legislature has given the prime minister and the king added “legalistic” leverage to proceed with their policy of sectarianism and discrimination. Sham trials and unreasonable lengthy jail sentences have been meted out to hundreds of protesters.

The international community, including most Western countries, have condemned these practices and called on the Al-Khalifa regime to cease and desist from these policies and begin a process of serious national reconciliation.

Some mainstream opposition activists in the past week came under heavy pressure from their “friends” to participate in the dialogue. Tuesday’s statement shows the opposition did not succumb to the pressure from pro-regime elements to participate in the dialogue. They accuse the government, instead, of focusing on the “process” of the dialogue, not its substance.

The regime continues to deprive some Bahrainis of their citizenship and push others to leave the country, while at the same time giving Bahraini citizenship to Sunni foreign nationals in order to decrease the size of the Shia majority. Some within the opposition have supported participating in the dialogue, arguing it would be better to engage the regime despite its insincerity and continued repression.

Other opposition activists fear that their non-participation would engender more regime violence, cause more deaths and injuries, and increase arrests and sham trials. Many mainstream activists within the opposition have shunned the dialogue because they doubted it would yield tangible results.

The regime has spent much time on the process of “a dialogue about the dialogue” and not on putting the country on a stable peaceful path. It relies on this charade to avoid making serious concessions to the Bahraini people.

The ruling family’s refusal to respond to the people’s demands for power sharing and genuine political and economic reform will continue regardless of whether the dialogue resumes Oct. 30 or not. Al Khalifa’s actions against their people belie their public statements in defence of national reconciliation.

Al Khalifa seem to be playing a dangerous chicken and egg game, which in the long run will deepen sectarianism and violence and will make national reconciliation much more difficult. International human rights organisations, the European Union, and the United Nations have all seen through this game and have condemned these tactics and policies.

The Al Khalifa family, like other Gulf Arab families, believes it is entitled to rule the country as it sees fit because it owns it. The regime hopes that perceived diminishing U.S. influence in the Arab region, especially the rift between Washington and Riyadh, will push the Bahraini crisis to the backburner of regional policy. The regime continues to buy nasty and deadly weapons to fight public demonstrations.

Having failed to silence their people’s calls for justice, equality, and freedom for two and a half years, the king and his prime minister would be foolish to think they could succeed in the coming months and years.

Instead of bogus dialogue, the king should exercise real leadership by having his son and crown prince lead a true national reconciliation dialogue in which all segments of society will participate. The decision of the five opposition groups against participation in the dialogue was correct and legitimate.

The author is former Director of the Political Islam Strategic Analysis Program at CIA, a Research Professor at the University of New Mexico, and author of “A Necessary Engagement: Reinventing America’s Relations with the Muslim World and Bahrain: Political Development in a Modernizing Society”. …source

Bahrain Crown Prince Salman: Economic Development Will Quell Political Unrest
By Shane Croucher – 29 October, 2013 – IBTimes

Bahrain Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al-Khalifa speaking at the World Islamic Economic Forum in London (Reuters)

A senior Bahraini politician and crown prince has insisted the reason for and answer to his country’s recent political unrest is “economic”, even as demonstrators demand complete overhaul of the autocratic monarchy-based political system.

Bahrain’s repressive Sunni government has largely kept a lid on the Arab Spring protests in its country by using force to quell demonstrations, locking up and torturing the political opposition, and cracking down on free expression among the largely Shia population.

Speaking at the 9th World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) in London, Bahrain’s Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, deputy supreme commander and deputy prime minister, said: “This year’s forum looks at our ‘changing world’ and ‘new relationships’. It speaks very firmly to my personal agenda and that of my country.

“While we in the Middle East are not the entirety of the Islamic world, undoubtedly the world’s focus has been on our political developments. But the driver, the catalyst and, ultimately, the solution to our region’s issues, lies as much in economic development, in enhanced opportunity, and in education.

“Through these there is the opportunity of delivering lasting, transformative change and prosperity across class, religion, sect, tribe and race.”

Opposition al-Wefaq party leader and resigned MP Ali Alaswad previously told IBTimes UK that only political reforms and an elected and accountable government can force the country’s regime to respect basic human rights principles such as the right to protest peacefully.

Alaswad, who fled his country after his home was targeted by Bahraini security forces, said that “first, there should be political reform” leading to democratic elections.

He added: “If there’s an elected and accountable government, the Prime Minister, for instance, can be questioned in the parliament. This is not possible now.”

Disturbing reports from human rights organisations working in Bahrain have exposed how political prisoners are being tortured.

Human Rights Watch has accused the US government of turning a blind eye to abuses in Bahrain. The EU and UK has a number of export controls on arms trading with Bahrain after government forces used violence against unarmed demonstrators.

The UK parliament’s Foreign Affairs Select Committee will hold an inquiry into the human rights abuses perpetrated by Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Acting president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BHCR) Maryam Al-Khawaja has said the country’s government has only become “emboldened by inaction from the international community”. …more

Bahrain Crackdown Extends to Exhibit on Crackdown
By ROBERT MACKEY – 31 October, 2013 – NYT

One day after the police in Bahrain raided the offices of an opposition party to confiscate materials being used in an exhibition on the security crackdown following the 2011 uprising, the authorities released a video statement in which a spokesman contended that the display of painting, spent tear-gas canisters and the belongings of dead protesters was being used to illegally “reinforce hatred.”

The opposition activist Ala’a Shehabi heaped scorn on the police spokesman’s attempt to justify the crackdown on remembering the crackdown, calling it a “tragicomedy.”

Two spokesmen for the party, al-Wefaq, denounced the raid on its “Revolution Museum” exhibit at a news conference on Thursday.

S.Hadi “yesterday we had added to the #RevolutionMuseum a scene simulating home raids, then it was raided!”
#Bahrain http://t.co/AbcbXnhhjev — AlwefaqEN (@AlWefaqEN) 31 Oct 13

Raid of alWefaq’s building makes us more convinced that #Bahrain needs transition to democracy, why is force used against peaceful activism? — AlwefaqEN (@AlWefaqEN) 31 Oct 13

Before the exhibition was shut down, supporters of the uprising against the kingdom’s monarchy documented it on YouTube and in images posted on Twitter.

#Bahrain ’s #RevolutionMuseum
A painting of the Pearl monument symbol of the revolution in the historic Pearl 2011 http://t.co/uq01YZ1BM9
— Hasan (@3lsari) 29 Oct 13

#Bahrain #RevolutionMuseum
personal belongings of ali saqer who was tortured to death inside detention on 9-4-2011 http://t.co/qql2YLUF1K
— Hasan (@3lsari) 29 Oct 13

#Bahrain ’s #RevolutionMuseum
the camera of the photographer the martyr ja’affer al-karrany http://t.co/FfnknmKduR
— Hasan (@3lsari) 29 Oct 13

#RevolutionMuseum Show facts including the demolition of mosques! Is this who scare you to surround #AlWEFAQ http://t.co/FYkBKfGWTz — WeRallNabeelRajab (@Sajaya86) 30 Oct 13

#Bahrain #RevolutionMuseum: 7 panoramas documenting the violations of the regime #idlenomore
http://t.co/rKARVX4avk http://t.co/0e2UGU4sKM — el-hashimi (@elhashimi1) 31 Oct 13

Organizers of the exhibition told The Associated Press that the panoramas and collections of personal items were inspired in part by the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem.

As my colleague Kareem Fahim reported, the crackdown on dissent seemed to escalate again last month with the arrest of Khalil al-Marzooq, a former member of Parliament and a leader of Wefaq, mainstream opposition group which had been engaged in dialogue with the government.

The struggle by activists to preserve memories of the uprisings across the Arab world in 2011 has been an ongoing theme in the region for the past two years. Last month, the British-Egyptian filmmaker Omar Robert Hamilton worked with the Cairo-based scholar and researcher Mohamed Elshahed on a video for the Guggenheim documenting the ephemeral Revolution Museum that has appeared and disappeared at moments of great upheaval in Tahrir Square. …source

31 October, 2013

About Alliance of Youth of Change

Youth of Change is a political alliance that brings together several revolutionary movements in Bahrain under a unified and strategic political program in order to bring an end to the two-century old rule of Al-Khalifa dynasty.

Founding Statement
The outbreak of the February 14th revolution in Bahrain was a continuation of a prolonged struggle for survival between the native people and the Al-Khalifa dynasty. The struggle began over two centuries ago. Throughout the struggle, the Al-Khalifa dynasty has committed all sorts of crimes: murder, rape, torture, detention, exile, theft and starvation.

The revolution’s outbreak was spontaneous, and was fuelled by the regime’s lethal actions against the masses that gathered peacefully on 14th of February to protest against state corruption. However, the regime’s brutality has backfired, prompting protestors to escalate their demands and call for total regime change and self-determination.

Despite wide media negligence, direct foreign military intervention under disguise of the so called “Peninsula Shield”, and the emergence of internal counter-revolution, the revolution has prevailed and maintained its strength and determination. Well-organized and strategically-focused youth groups have begun to emerge, with vision that extends beyond toppling the dictatorship regime. Their ultimate goal is to build a democratic state.

The concept of Youth for Change has evolved as various revolutionary groups and movements within Bahrain and abroad discussed domestic and regional developments. The objective was to develop a program that would lead to the downfall of the ruling monarchy and secure the opportunity for a democratic change.

Who are we?
Alliance of Youth for Change brings together several opposition groups within Bahrain and abroad that seek regime change in Bahrain. Due to the risky situation in Bahrain, the capital of the United Kingdom London was chosen for its strategic importance to host the political and media activities.

Terms of Reference

The following general principles represent the terms of reference and constitution. Youth for Change pledges to follow Islamic guidelines throughout its work.

– The Al-Khalifa regime has lost the legitimacy to rule.
– The people have the right to overthrow the illegitimate regime and determine their own fate.
– The best political, economic and social systems are to be determined by the people through democratic and transparent means.
– Maintain independent decision-making process from all external parties and powers.

Youth for Change has set a number of well-defined strategic as well as tactical goals to make sure the goals of the revolution are achieved. Among these goals:

– Support and coordinate the various revolutionary movements within Bahrain and abroad and unite their political objectives and strategies.
– Convey the real demands of the people of Bahrain to the world.
– Develop tactical and strategic schemes based on the terms of reference.
– Provide innovative ideas at all levels to the mainstream opposition.
– Develop communication channels with neighboring nations.
– Solidify and expand the alliance to include other revolutionary factions and movements.
– Ensure the youth generation leads the decision-making in all critical areas during and after the revolution.

Relationship with other Revolutionary Factions and Movements
Youth for Change strongly believes in the collaborative work with all revolutionary factions and movements that share the same principles and goals.

Relationship with Formal Opposition Societies
Youth for Change expects from the formal opposition societies to escalate their demands to match the demands of the people. It is hoped the formal opposition societies will adopt regime change and stop relying on the foreign powers that only take their economic greed into account.

Relationship with The Ruling Dynasty of Al-Khalifa
Youth for Change considers the entire regime of Al-Khalifa as illegitimate and does not make exceptions. On this basis, Youth for Change has cut all ties to the ruling dynasty. The conflict in Bahrain is a struggle for survival between the people and the ruling dynasty that is trying to disturb the original demographic composition of the nation for political purposes.

Relationship with Neighboring Nations
The people of Bahrain share many deep and ancient ties with their neighbors including religion, language and kin. Youth for Change looks forward to strengthening these ties, especially with nations that suffer from dictatorships.

Stance on Regime Supporters in The West
Western governments led by the United States and United Kingdom claim they stand for democracy, universal human rights and self-determination. However, they adopt a double standard approach on Bahrain and the Gulf region in general for the sake of their selfish economic interests. The West governments shall learn that financial relationships that do not benefit the interests of the people, and military bases that do not contribute to the safety of the people remain at risk at all times.

A Message to Our People
We bow to our people, who have remained steadfast, and maintained dignity and determination against the Al-Khalifa regime, their supporters in the West, and the invading GCC forces. We assure our people that the Al-Khalifa regime’s end is inevitable. And we vow to walk the path of the revolution till the goals are achieved.

Alliance of Youth of Change, Bahrain
October 31st 2013
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