…from beneath the crooked bough, witness 230 years of brutal tyranny by the al Khalifas come to an end
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Posts from — February 2014

Revolutionary Youth – Insights from Stuart Hall’s Revolutionary Legacy

Hall’s work in cultural studies offers unique insight into the role of the youth in the Arab revolutions.

Stuart Hall’s revolutionary legacy
16 February, 2014 – Mark LeVine – AlJazeera

Of all the insights offered by the seminal Jamaican-British cultural theorist Stuart Hall, who passed away on February 10 this year, one of the most relevant for anyone concerned about the Arab world today was his argument that “identities are an endless, unfinished conversation.” It’s hard to think of a better summary of why the revolutions that started with so much hope across the Arab world in the winter of 2010-2011 have had such a hard time producing a positive outcome.

It’s not merely that elites and the systems that have long protected them remain too powerful for their peoples to bring down. It’s that in this long but still liminal historical post-Cold War moment, precisely what kind of “people” Egyptians, Moroccans, Libyans, Bahrainis and others want collectively to be remains very much undecided.

Stuart Hall is perhaps the best known exponent of the academic discipline of cultural studies, which emerged in the post-war era, first in the UK, then in the US and soon after that globally as one of the most important approaches to studying contemporary societies. From his early days with the New Left Review and then at the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies in Birmingham and the Open University, Hall’s research studied how and why political and economic systems retain the consent of societies, even when their policies do not serve their economic or political interests.

Of all the disciplines that emerged out of Karl Marx’s economic and historiographic theories, none could claim to have taken his call for schools not merely to interpret the world but openly to change it with and through the knowledge they produce as has cultural studies. Of course, whether or not they want or are willing to admit it, all scholars are engaged in the business of transforming the world, or at least people’s perception and experience of it. It’s just that most of the time they reinforce rather than challenge the status quo.

Recognising youth

Cultural studies’ activist roots run deep into the pre-World War II era, when studies of culture in Britain were relegated to workingmen’s associations lectures and adult education courses. It was only after the War that the burgeoning number of “youth” suddenly became a problem governments needed to address in order to manage society at large.

Building on the insights of thinkers like Antonio Gramsci and his concept of “hegemony,” Michel Foucault’s studies of the myriad ways power and knowledge flow through societies, and the seminal research of the Frankfurt School, cultural studies scholars explored emerging post-War British youth subcultures to understand how their unique sense of style, and their seemingly rebellious and threatening attitudes towards the establishment, most often reinforced rather than challenged the hegemonic political systems of the West.

From the start, cultural studies scholars understood that movements such as the Mods, Teds, hippies, punks, and hip-hoppers, all contained the potential for political action. Some even directly participated in powerful movements such as the civil rights and anti-war movements. Yet all fell prey to what Thomas Frank has so well described as the “conquest of cool” by capital – the seemingly ineluctable ability of the market to coopt, commodify and in so doing defang even the most subversive forms of popular culture.

Part of Hall’s genius was his ability to understand the relationship between the strengths and weaknesses of subcultures and the emerging global ideology and political economy of neoliberalism and neoconservatism, which he described under the rubric of “thatcherism”.

At the very moment that a neoconservative, semi-authoritarian populism was becoming politically, economically and culturally ascendant across the US and UK, Hall’s research opened up youth culture globally to investigation by scholars working in a variety of disciplines. The goal of his research was continuously to seek to make theory more relevant to practice, to provide tools for exploring popular culture that would help scholars not merely understand its dynamics, but help young people more successfully reshape their societies towards a more just and equitable future.

Sub-, counter- and revolutionary cultures

Given the importance of “youth” to any hope for political change in the Arab world (as the Carnegie Middle East Center put it not long before the outbreak of the Arab uprisings), the work Hall helped foster has opened innumerable paths to study the way culture, politics, and economics are aesthetically embedded in one another, in particular through the consumption of various forms of artistic production.

As the Arab world became more fully enmeshed in global neoliberalism and globalised Euro-American cultural norms and patterns of consumption began to penetrate the region, the need to apply the insights of cultural studies to the changes being experienced by the emerging generation of citizens became more important. The writing, was quite literally on the walls, in the soccer stadiums, in the lyrics of hiphop songs and the dark explosive sound of the local heavy metal scenes. All of these portrayed a situation far at odds with the rosy picture of countries like Tunisia and Egypt painted by the IMF and the World Bank.

Indeed, when I met the first generation of bloggers in Egypt and across the region in the 2000s, it was abundantly clear that they saw little place for themselves in the changing political-economic landscapes of their countries. They increasingly had the means to imagine, define and pursue alternative futures than the ones being – or rather, not being – laid out for them by their societies. …more

February 17, 2014   No Comments

Bahrain Regime to UN – “Small Group of 500 Thousand Terrorists are Causing all the Shit…”

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Bahrain sends letter to UN chief
16 February, 2014 – Gulf Daily News

BAHRAIN yesterday sent a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, highlighting the systematic campaign of terror faced by the kingdom.

Minister of State for Information Affairs and official government spokeswoman Sameera Rajab submitted the memo to United Nations Information Centre director for the Gulf Countries Nejib Friji.

It is in response to a statement made by UN spokesperson Martin Nesirky.

“We would like to remind the Secretary General that Bahrain has been confronting, for years now, a systematic terror campaign, perpetrated by a misled group directly condoned and harboured by extremist religious figures and backed by foreign parties, which provide radical ideological indoctrination, training in the use of homemade explosives and all types of weapons, which they get through smuggling, noting that Bahrain has foiled a number of dangerous smuggling operations.

“We would like to inform the Secretary General that the February 14 Coalition, which operates outside the realm of the law on opposition societies and parties, calls for civil disobedience, disrupts citizens and residents’ interests and attacks policemen with firebombs (Molotov cocktails) and homemade explosives,” the letter said.

“We would also inform Mr Ban that this same group, officially branded a terror organisation by Bahrain, had claimed responsibility for planting booby-trapped cars in public places, which caused the death of policemen and endangered citizens and residents’ safety and security.

“We would like to draw to the attention of the Secretary General that the authorities in Bahrain are dealing with these developments in accordance with the law and in full commitment to the international human rights conventions and the international human rights law.

“The authorities in Bahrain abide, with utmost transparency, by legal procedures to maintain social security and safety,” the letter said..
…source

February 16, 2014   No Comments

If a Single Bahraini Revolutionary is this Dangerous, how Dangerous are a Few Hundred Thousand?

15 February, 2014

If One Bahraini Revolutionary is this Dangerous,

onerevolutionary

how dangerous are a few hundred thousand?

tyrannyfear

February 16, 2014   No Comments

Urgent: Court session for Hussain Hubail and Jassim Al Nuami today

16 February, 2014

Court session for Hussain Hubail and Jassim Al Nuami today. Hussain is looking at whether he could have his heart operation abroad. Jassim’s dad stood up in court and bravely said his son was abroad on the dates in 2011 and 2012 for which he’s been accused. He’d applied to join the Dept of information and had never got involved in demos.

Appointment for Hussain at military hospital on 16th March the same day as their next court session!

Sayed Ahmed Al Mousawi, photographer who got arrested on the 10th Feb 2014, just won more awards while he is in prison, in the 2nd Greek Photographic Circuit 2014:

1st Salon “CRETE” – Category “OPEN-COLOR”
Photo name : bahrain22
Award: PSA Honorable Mention

1st Salon “CRETE” – Category “TRAVEL”

Photo name: rkak
Award : Diploma 7

Qassim Zainaldeen, cameraman, was on trial today (16th Feb 14.) He is accused of vandalism inside the prison on August 2012. One of the prosecution witnesses at the session today, said that on the day of the incident in Dry Dock Prison, they were sleeping and the officer Hisham Al Zayani woke them up with a baton and asked them to stand facing the wall. Other police entered the room and beat them. Then their hands were handcuffed and they were forced to stay under the sun in August for around 5 hours. Some of them needed treatment for their injuries and some were very tired because of the heat.

The judge postponed the case till 16th March to listen to more prosecution witnesses

February 16, 2014   No Comments

What Bahrainis do when they take a break after a long day of Protest

February 16, 2014   No Comments

Bahrain Regime Grows Desperate, Night Raids, Murders, Illegal Arrests, not enough? Attack the Mosques

mosqueattack

Bahraini Regime Attacks the Largest Shia Grand Mosque
14 February, 2014 – ABNA

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) – The religious freedom department of Bahrain Human Rights Observatory (BHRO) has announced the attack on Imam Sadeq Grand Mosque yesterday, Friday 14thFebruary, by the regime forces.

Sheikh Maytham Alsalman, head of the religious freedom department, said that this attack is a clear evidence of the sectarian hatred spread in the official bodies and called on the international community to contribute effectively to stop the continuous and systematic violations on the mosques registered in the Jaffaria Waqf Directorate.

Alsalman said, “The religious and prestigious status of Imam Sadeq Mosque for the Bahraini Shia is obviously great; while it’s the Grand Mosque that handles the greatest Juma Prayer. Attacking the mosque with tear gas and blockading is an assault to the whole Shia denomination.”

Alsalman called on the international organizations to continue applying pressure on the authorities to stop the repetitive attacks on the mosques and Shiite worship houses; as the religious freedom department has recorded 6 violations on Shia Jaffaria mosques since the beginning of 2014. …more

February 16, 2014   No Comments

Canada jumps in on Western Weapons Selling Freenzy to the Most Evil Regime in World History

Government touts $10 billion contract to arm Saudi Arabia amid human rights concerns
By Lee Berthiaume, Postmedia News – 14 February, 2014

OTTAWA – Canada’s defence industry has beaten out German and French competitors to win a massive contract worth at least $10 billion US to supply armoured military vehicles to Saudi Arabia.

The win was announced by International Trade Minister Ed Fast to cheering workers Friday at a factory in London, Ont., and will go a long way in bolstering the Harper government’s case for transforming Canada into a global arms dealer.

But it also raises many ethical questions that will continue to surface as Canada’s arms industry turns more and more to the volatile Middle East and South America for business.

Canada has previously sold light armoured vehicles (LAVs) like those used by Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan to Saudi Arabia, with more than 1,000 delivered to the Middle Eastern kingdom in the early 1990s, and 700 more in 2009.

But the government is touting this latest deal as the largest export contract in Canadian history, with the potential to create and sustain 3,000 jobs in southern Ontario and other parts of the country.

Exactly how many LAVs are being sold to Saudi Arabia was not being revealed, but documents filed in the U.S. by General Dynamics Land Systems – Canada, whose London-based subsidiary will be building the vehicles, put the contract at between $10 billion and $13 billion.

Defence and export industry representatives praised the Conservative government Friday for its role in securing the deal.

“This is an Olympic win for Canada and for Canadian manufacturers,” Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters president Jayson Myers said in a press release. “Like all victories, it’s been the result of a team effort in which the government has played a crucial role. All Canadians should be proud of this record achievement.”

Such government support is consistent with its plan to offset job losses and factory closures in other segments of the manufacturing sector by turning Canada’s arms industry into a global player.

Yet concerns have been previously raised about selling such military hardware to Saudi Arabia, given countless reports of human rights violations, including severe restrictions on protests and dissent, and excessive use of force when disbanding demonstrations. …more

February 16, 2014   No Comments

US Crushing Democracy in Bahrain, Obama and Partners keep it Silent, Away, from ‘Audience’ in West

bahrain-3-years-on

Bahrain: The silent revolution
14 February, 2014 – Al Jazeera
Muted reaction to Bahrain crackdown on pro-democracy activists is in stark contrast to those regarding Syria and Libya

Bahraini human rights activist Zainab al-Khawaja was due to be out of prison on February 20. She has been serving concurrent sentences since February 2013. However, she was recently sentenced to a further four months on a new charge of “destroying private property”.

As Bahrainis mark the third anniversary of the pro-reform protest movement which came to be known as the 14 February Coalition, human rights violations continue unabated in the country. Some 122 Bahrainis have since died from torture, lung infections caused by tear gas, and from live ammunition used by the Bahraini security forces.

Thus far, 1,300 Bahrainis have been arrested in connection with their role in the protests and those still in detention have been tortured and denied access to medical care. Hospitals have been militarised as doctors and nurses are harassed for treating victims of the protests. Thousands of workers have been dismissed or suspended from their jobs for taking part in the demonstrations.

And while the international community, particularly Western countries, have been quite vocal in condemning atrocities committed against protesters in some countries in the Middle East, when it comes to Bahrain, calls from the West for an end to human rights abuses perpetrated by the Bahraini authorities have been rather muted.

Using the ‘terror’ card

Bahrain is now on the verge of a precipice as citizens’ rights are trampled upon with no recourse to the legal system. The judiciary and police are far from independent and operate with the utmost impunity, leaving citizens who dare condemn atrocities at their mercy. Bahraini authorities ensure that they impose charges against activists and journalists which carry maximum sentences, and which, in the eyes of Bahrain’s allies, portray a country doing its best to ensure that its territorial integrity and internal security are protected from “criminals and trouble makers”.

Inside Story Americas – US double standards in Bahrain

Last year, on September 29, a court in Bahrain sentenced a group of 50 political and civil activists under the country’s terrorism law to jail terms ranging from five to 15 years, for “trying to destabilise the country”, and for alleged links to the “14 February Coalition”. The sentencing of the 50 vividly paints an appalling picture of the state of affairs in Bahrain. …more

February 16, 2014   No Comments

Ban Ki-moon plays role as Impotent lacky for US Agenda of Killed Democracy in Bahrain

Bahrain must respect international rights obligations: UN
15 February, 2014 – pressTV

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on the Bahraini regime to respect its “international human rights obligations” in dealing with peaceful protests in the country.

In a Friday note to correspondents in New York City, the N chief “urged the (Bahraini) authorities to act in strict accordance with their international human rights obligations,” said a UN spokesperson, whose name was not mentioned in the report.

Ban also expressed regret that tension remains in Bahrain three years after the beginning of the popular uprising.

The UN secretary-general “called consistently on all sides in Bahrain to exercise restraint and refrain from violent acts.”

Ban said “all political constituencies and actors will need to participate freely in the dialogue for it to produce meaningful outcomes that respond to the legitimate aspirations of all Bahrainis.”

The comments came as several people were injured on Friday in an attack by regime forces on protesters marking the third anniversary of the uprising against the ruling Al Khalifa family.

Witnesses said security forces fired tear gas and birdshot to disperse the peaceful demonstrators in several towns and villages including the capital, Manama. Over two dozen demonstrators were also arrested.

The violence occurred just hours before a planned major demonstration at the iconic Pearl Square in Manama.

On February 13, Bahraini regime forces detained nearly 30 protesters in several villages around the capital on charges of “rioting and vandalism.”

Amnesty International has voiced concern that the Manama regime might launch another heavy-handed crackdown to quell the protests. …more

February 16, 2014   No Comments

Major Stake Holders, US, UK, use Al Khalifa Regime to Quash Democracy in Bahrain

February 16, 2014   No Comments

Since the beginning, Al Khalifa has used Black Propoganda to dispatch it’s War against Democracy

“We are heading to the final victory; and we are the ones who write the history” – Martyr Saeed Alawainati

On The Occasion of The 14 February Uprising in Bahrain
29 December, 2014 – Manama Post

Manama Post (Exclusive): Since the beginning of the February 14 revolution and to this very day, the Al-Khalifa royal family, waged black propaganda against the Bahraini nation, but we worked diligently to save this revolution from the so-called Islamic scholars who sold their honor and ethics in exchange of petrodollar. We also fought the global arrogance hypocrisy and its double standard policy in dealing with the Bahraini people revolution who struggle to gain their liberty, independence and salvation from the dark tribal dictatorship mentality, which ruled them for many long years. The fascist regime of Al-Khalifa enjoys the political support provided by the (Buckingham Palace) and the financial and military assistance of U.S. administration. Continuous U.S. military presence in Gulf is in accordance with United States global hegemony and to serve the interests of the Zionist entity and also to besiege the resistance axis in the Arab world and in the Middle East region in particular.

Today, and as the February 14 revolution approaches the completion of its third anniversary, and after many traitors tried to distort the demands of our nation , we decided to intensify our efforts in order to confront this fierce war machine ;so we must increase our revolutionary activities more than ever before. Bahraini people’s voice of oppression must be heard through the world and ‘‘The Manama Post’’ will serve in this regard. We are going to work with transparency and away from any political affiliation and we will adhere to professionalism and total neutrality in order to break the media blackout regarding the ongoing massacre perpetrated by tyrant King Hamad. One of our ambitions is to unify the revolutionary factions in the face of the Saudi occupation and King Hamad’s mercenaries.

Today, we chose this name ‘‘The Manama Post’’ to emphasis on the centrality of our revolution which started from our capital, Manama. We have this inalienable right to demonstrate peacefully as we did before when we staged sit-ins at “Martyrs’ Square – or the Pearl Roundabout,” and we added the term “Post,” which means “letter”, in the hope that we would have this opportunity to make you aware about the everyday grievances of the Bahraini nation. Even though we do not have your address to send you our ‘‘The Manama Post’’ but our every day rendezvous with you will be at ((The Freedom)).

May Almighty God Save Bahrain

…source

February 16, 2014   No Comments

Regime Quakes as Obama’s Greatest Fear Realised – Democracy is Coming to Bahrain

February 15, 2014   No Comments

NGOs Report Tear gas and birdshot Mar third anniversary of Bahrain Democracy Uprising

Tear gas and birdshot mark third anniversary of Bahrain’s uprising
14 February, 2014 – IFEX

Bahraini protesters marking the third anniversary of the country’s uprising in the capital city of Manama and surrounding villages were met by security forces on 14 February 2014 with tear gas, birdshot and arrests.

Said Yousif AlMuhafdah, the acting vice president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, has taken to Twitter to offer the world a snapshot of the situation on the ground in Bahrain today. …more

February 15, 2014   No Comments

Peaceful Protesters Brutalized by Police with Mil. Grade CS Gas, Birdshot across Bahrain

February 15, 2014   No Comments

Bahrain’s Thuggish Police launch indiscriminate attacks on Businesses Serving Opposition

coffeeThis Coffee Shop has Suffered only Minor Damages from a Scourge for Police Violence launched against businesses that serve Shia Patrons.

February 15, 2014   No Comments

Bahrain Police meet “Street Justice” after 3 Years of Impuntiy for Murder, Rape, Torture

bbcblast A police special unit inspects the police patrol mini bus which was hit by explosions at a police checkpoint in the village of Dih A police vehicle near the village of Dih was also hit by a blast

Bahrain policeman dies after protest anniversary bombing
15 February, 2014 – BBC

A police special unit inspects the police patrol mini bus which was hit by explosions at a police checkpoint in the village of Dih A police vehicle near the village of Dih was also hit by a blast

A policeman in Bahrain has died of wounds from a bomb blast during protests marking Friday’s third anniversary of the country’s uprising.

The interior ministry said he was one of two officers wounded in a “terror blast” in the village of Dair.

Another three policemen were injured by an explosion near the village of Dih.

Protesters were marking the 2011 unrest fuelled by demands for more rights and an end to discrimination against the majority Shia community.

On Friday demonstrators attempted to reach the site of a bloody crackdown on demonstrators almost three years ago.

Several demonstrators were reportedly wounded by security forces. The interior ministry said in a statement that 26 people were arrested on suspicion of “rioting and vandalism”.

Police used tear gas to stop them from reaching the Pearl Roundabout, which was a focus of protests in 2011.

Since then, police and demonstrators have scuffled almost daily. Thousands of people have been arrested.

Associated Press quoted the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights as saying 38 protesters had been hurt in clashes since Thursday evening, with injuries caused by birdshot fire, tear gas and beatings. …more

February 15, 2014   No Comments

Bahrain Stands-off with Al Khalifa Dictatorship

February 15, 2014   No Comments

US Soft Kill in Bahrain

February 11, 2014   No Comments

US ‘friend and ally’ Bahrain, Shoots Young Boy in Face while attacking Protesters

February 6, 2014   No Comments

Obama Child Murders leaves No Moral Ground for US to Reign in Allies

usdroneskillkids

Hundreds of Children have been killed by Savage Attacks on Children in US Drone Attacks. Here is a Partial List of their Names.

PAKISTAN

Name | Age | Gender
Noor Aziz | 8 | male
Abdul Wasit | 17 | male
Noor Syed | 8 | male
Wajid Noor | 9 | male
Syed Wali Shah | 7 | male
Ayeesha | 3 | female
Qari Alamzeb | 14| male
Shoaib | 8 | male
Hayatullah KhaMohammad | 16 | male
Tariq Aziz | 16 | male
Sanaullah Jan | 17 | male
Maezol Khan | 8 | female
Nasir Khan | male
Naeem Khan | male
Naeemullah | male
Mohammad Tahir | 16 | male
Azizul Wahab | 15 | male
Fazal Wahab | 16 | male
Ziauddin | 16 | male
Mohammad Yunus | 16 | male
Fazal Hakim | 19 | male
Ilyas | 13 | male
Sohail | 7 | male
Asadullah | 9 | male
khalilullah | 9 | male
Noor Mohammad | 8 | male
Khalid | 12 | male
Saifullah | 9 | male
Mashooq Jan | 15 | male
Nawab | 17 | male
Sultanat Khan | 16 | male
Ziaur Rahman | 13 | male
Noor Mohammad | 15 | male
Mohammad Yaas Khan | 16 | male
Qari Alamzeb | 14 | male
Ziaur Rahman | 17 | male
Abdullah | 18 | male
Ikramullah Zada | 17 | male
Inayatur Rehman | 16 | male
Shahbuddin | 15 | male
Yahya Khan | 16 |male
Rahatullah |17 | male
Mohammad Salim | 11 | male
Shahjehan | 15 | male
Gul Sher Khan | 15 | male
Bakht Muneer | 14 | male
Numair | 14 | male
Mashooq Khan | 16 | male
Ihsanullah | 16 | male
Luqman | 12 | male
Jannatullah | 13 | male
Ismail | 12 | male
Taseel Khan | 18 | male
Zaheeruddin | 16 | male
Qari Ishaq | 19 | male
Jamshed Khan | 14 | male
Alam Nabi | 11 | male
Qari Abdul Karim | 19 | male
Rahmatullah | 14 | male
Abdus Samad | 17 | male
Siraj | 16 | male
Saeedullah | 17 | male
Abdul Waris | 16 | male
Darvesh | 13 | male
Ameer Said | 15 | male
Shaukat | 14 | male
Inayatur Rahman | 17 | male
Salman | 12 | male
Fazal Wahab | 18 | male
Baacha Rahman | 13 | male
Wali-ur-Rahman | 17 | male
Iftikhar | 17 | male
Inayatullah | 15 | male
Mashooq Khan | 16 | male
Ihsanullah | 16 | male
Luqman | 12 | male
Jannatullah | 13 | male
Ismail | 12 | male
Abdul Waris | 16 | male
Darvesh | 13 | male
Ameer Said | 15 | male
Shaukat | 14 | male
Inayatur Rahman | 17 | male
Adnan | 16 | male
Najibullah | 13 | male
Naeemullah | 17 | male
Hizbullah | 10 | male
Kitab Gul | 12 | male
Wilayat Khan | 11 | male
Zabihullah | 16 | male
Shehzad Gul | 11 | male
Shabir | 15 | male
Qari Sharifullah | 17 | male
Shafiullah | 16 | male
Nimatullah | 14 | male
Shakirullah | 16 | male
Talha | 8 | male

YEMEN
Afrah Ali Mohammed Nasser | 9 | female
Zayda Ali Mohammed Nasser | 7 | female
Hoda Ali Mohammed Nasser | 5 | female
Sheikha Ali Mohammed Nasser | 4 | female
Ibrahim Abdullah Mokbel Salem Louqye | 13 | male
Asmaa Abdullah Mokbel Salem Louqye | 9 | male
Salma Abdullah Mokbel Salem Louqye | 4 | female
Fatima Abdullah Mokbel Salem Louqye | 3 | female
Khadije Ali Mokbel Louqye | 1 | female
Hanaa Ali Mokbel Louqye | 6 | female
Mohammed Ali Mokbel Salem Louqye | 4 | male
Jawass Mokbel Salem Louqye | 15 | female
Maryam Hussein Abdullah Awad | 2 | female
Shafiq Hussein Abdullah Awad | 1 | female
Sheikha Nasser Mahdi Ahmad Bouh | 3 | female
Maha Mohammed Saleh Mohammed | 12 | male
Soumaya Mohammed Saleh Mohammed | 9 | female
Shafika Mohammed Saleh Mohammed | 4 | female
Shafiq Mohammed Saleh Mohammed | 2 | male
Mabrook Mouqbal Al Qadari | 13 | male
Daolah Nasser 10 years | 10 | female
AbedalGhani Mohammed Mabkhout | 12 | male
Abdel- Rahman Anwar al Awlaki | 16 | male
Abdel-Rahman al-Awlaki | 17 | male
Nasser Salim | 19

…source

February 5, 2014   No Comments

Fully Supported by the US, Bahrain imprisons Children – Tell Obama to Stop it

Bahrain Regime Routinely Arrests Children as a means of terrorising families who have members that are politically active. Some Children face rape and torture by Bahrain Prison Guard and are force to stay in overflowing prisons with the adult population. There is no independent oversight and Red Crescent does not have free access to Bahrain’s Political Prisoners.

bahrainChild
Pictures of a Small Part of Bahrain’s Imprisoned Children

February 5, 2014   No Comments

How many Children must Israel Murder before the World Says Enough?

February 4, 2014   No Comments

Saudi law made to fend off threats of Democracy, human rights accountability

Saudi law warns US not to interfere in domestic affairs, democracy or human rights – advocate
4 February, 2014 – Voice of Russia

Saudi Arabia has signaled to the United States ahead of US President Barack Obama’s upcoming visit to the country that human rights will be subordinated to the pursuit of terrorists. Unde the new law anyone who “insults the reputation of the state or its position” is now considered a terrorist, punishable by to up to 20 years in jail. Dr. Ali Alyami, the Executive Director of the Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Saudi Arabia, discusses the motives of this legislation with the Voice of Russia.

Could you please explain to us this new piece of legislation? It was approved by the Cabinet back in December. But was there a time to talk about it, to discuss it or maybe to overrule it?

There are a couple of laws that were rectified by the King in the last two or three days. The one that was issued in December of last year was severely criticized by domestic people and also by the entire national media. And then on the eve of the president’s of the US visit to Saudi Arabia the King decided to rectify this and make it to the Saudi law.

The idea behind all of these laws are pretty defective actually. The fact that the government stated that it is objective is to deter and punish terrorist or terrorist-to-be when in fact they don’t need any homage because Saudi Arabia’s system is absolute system and there are no codified laws, it is a religious based judicial system and the judges could do whatever they want to do. …more

February 4, 2014   No Comments

Scrambled Brains: Prince Bandar suffers from Uncooperative Fascist Syndrome

Rumours of reshuffling in Saudi Arabia
Voltaire Network – 4 February, 2014

King Abdallah of Saudi Arabia is supposedly on the verge of overhauling his foreign policy and preparing his succession, according to rumors circulating in London and Geneva.

With this in view, his intelligence chief Prince Bandar Ben Sultan has allegedly been accused of suffering from cognitive problems following an attack of which he was the victim in July 2012, whereas Prince Saoud al-Faiçal, the Foreign Minister for 38 years, is said to be affected by senility.

For a week, various sources have reported Prince Bandar’s hospitalization in the United States to undergo surgery. During this time, a special emissary was purportedly sent by Washington to Riyadh for talks with the King and his son. …source

February 4, 2014   No Comments

Obama to Meet with Saudi’s to shore up plans for Regional War

Obama to visit Saudi Arabia in March
By David Nakamura – 3 February, 2014 – Washington Post

President Obama will make his second trip to Saudi Arabia in March, the White House announced Monday, in a bid to reassure a key U.S. ally about the administration’s policies in the Middle East.

Obama will meet with King Abdullah during the trip, which was tacked on to the end of a three-country tour of Netherlands, Belgium and Italy, where Obama will meet Pope Francis. The Wall Street Journal first reported the trip last week, citing Arab officials who said the relations between the two governments was “deteriorating.”

The president’s trip comes after Secretary of State John F. Kerry visited Saudi officials in January. …more

February 4, 2014   No Comments