Bahrain Updates #9 [Sunday, April 10, 2011]: Bahrain Mopping Up & Purging Operations Continue: Bahrain April 6 — 9

by Courtesy

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Colin S. Cavell, Ph.D. <ccavell@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Apr 10, 2011 at 12:34 AM
Subject: Bahrain Mopping Up & Purging Operations Continue: Bahrain April 6 — 9
To: "Colin S. Cavell, Ph.D. @ GMail" <ccavell@gmail.com>

Folks,

I know my March 20, 2011 posting was supposed to be the last of my "Bahrain Updates", but I keep receiving many reports–some very good–from Bahrain, and I would be remiss if I did not share the better ones with you, as many of you on this list are opinion leaders and can help get the word out about the severity of the subsequent repression going on in Bahrain.

The regime in power appears to be leaving no stone unturned in its mopping up and purging operations.

Please keep in mind that this is the price we all pay for keeping the House of Saud and their subsidiary monarchs in the Gulf region happy, so that the US can continue to have relatively cheap oil and basing rights.

regards,

csc

__________________

Colin S. Cavell, Ph.D.

P.O. Box 9087

Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 734-8187

ccavell@gmail.com
http://www.cscpo.com/

———- Forwarded message ———-
Date: Sat, Apr 9, 2011 at 7:17 PM
Subject: Bahrain Apr 6 – 9
To: "Colin S. Cavell, Ph.D." ccavell@gmail.com

[redacted]

Below my report for the past darkly eventful few days in Bahrain.

Too much has been happening in the last few days, I don’t know how to encompass it all. The government is acting as if there’s no tomorrow, like no one is watching, secured by the fact that many turn a blind eye or willing to overlook their crimes in exchange for a few benefits. It’s past 2 am here, Apr 10, 2011, and on time shots are heard outside my window. Shia areas are attacked on a daily basis, if not gun shots, just tear gas and sound bombs to terrorize people. This is our daily program. I’ve forgotten what it’s like to have sound sleep.

Today all Shia areas were surrounded and all ways leading to Lulu (i.e. the Pearl Roundabout) were heavily aided with police forces, as protesters intended to go on a march back to Lulu area. All the protests were violently broken up in villages and couldn't reach there. Protesters were still optimistic though, they feel that even if they haven't reached their destination, the government got the message and knows that they still stand firmly by their demands and their principles and that the government military solution has not put out their fire.

The series of arrests, assaults, dismissal from jobs and public persecution on national television of anyone who has participated in protests or set foot on Lulu, is accelerating at a scary rate and being done in frighteningly foolish confidence on the part of the government institutions and/or puppets executing these actions. This has included students, activists, doctors, academics, engineers, unionists, both males and females. Many government-backed websites and pages have started an open witch hunt posting pictures from protests and enlarging faces of protesters, collecting personal information about them and giving it to security forces for arrests or to their work places for dismissal from work or if students, to be expelled. This page is an example https://www.facebook.com/AL5wanah . It would be great if anyone who reads this would report this page for hate crimes and instigation of violence. It’s a sad day that I had to see this sort of backwards behavior gaining some support from some people who unfortunately believe that their own people are the enemy as opposed to the oppressive regime. It’s the ultimate frustration when people believe that a violent regime is the victim of a peaceful protest, when people who have lived with each other for so many years can believe that they are enemies and opposites based on difference in religion/ sect or opinion, because the “wise” leadership of the country says so.

Many people are receiving threats and hate mail for having had an opinion and many people are using this against others. I’ve heard more than one incident where two colleagues had a difference and the pro-government one would threaten the other person of reporting them as traitors for being sectarian or for cursing the king! It’s a new found weapon for social climbers and opportunists. Many people I know have been submitted for investigations or have already been investigated, while they haven’t been active at Lulu or anything political. It’s crazy how random the government raid on citizens is, making people more certain of the nature of this invasive raid and its target to eliminate two thirds of society regardless of the cost, especially due to the fact that this time it included largely Shia from Persian origins which is almost unprecedented in Bahrain as well as Sunni liberals who supported the uprising. Wa'ad political society (secular) has been heavily targeted through arrests of its leaders, block on their website and shutting down their headquarters.

We are all waiting for our turn, today, tomorrow or the day after it; it’ll be our turn for elimination, whether in our professional life, social life, or life altogether.

Two more people have died in custody earlier in one day (Saturday Apr 9^th, 2011), making the count rise up to 3 for the past week. Of course, the Ministry of Interior will still excel in explaining how these incidents occurred and reassure their faithful citizens, that it is of course no sign of abuse in their “detention centers". Details are below in my report of events.

Yesterday, as well, before dawn, human rights activist and former MENA Director at Frontline Defenders Abdul Hadi AlKhawaja was arrested, along with his relative Habib AlHalwachi, and his sons in law: Wafi AlMajed and Hussain Ahmed. Abdul Hadi was beaten unconscious upon arrest and his family was assaulted to. His daughter tweeted the account 20 minutes after it happened. It’s attached to my report below.

My report below covers the following:

· Arrests and Assaults (on workers and unionists and closure of political society headquarters)
· Account of the arrest of Abdul Hadi AlKhawaja and his family members, by daughter.
· Picture Reports
· Videos
· Media coverage of Bahrain- selected informative articles from my reading

· Arrests and Assaults:

o Apr 6^th:

§ Abdul Hameed Murad, head of central committee at Wa’ad secular political society arrested. He was then released past midnight. As tweeted by Wa’ad society.

§ Ministry of Social Development annuls teachers union and suspends board of doctors union.

o Apr 7^th:

§ News of rearrest of Abdul Hameed Murad. He was reportedly released later. I can’t find a confirmation on this, Wa’ad’s website has been blocked and their headquarters was shut down.

§ Dr Ahmed Jamal, specialist, head of Bahrain Doctors Society, fired from this position and from Ministry of Health.

§ Dr Raja AlKadhem, dentist, head of Bahrain Dentists Society, fired from this position and Ministry of Health.

§ Nurse Rola AlSaffar, fired from Bahrain Nursing Society.

§ Ebrahim AlDemistani, father of martyr Ali AlDemistani age17, prominent unionist and vice president of Bahrain Nursing Society, arrested and fired from his position as reported.

§ Sport professionals suspended for being part of the opposition: http://m.si.com/news/sp/to_soccer_sports/detail/3620797;.cnnsi1b

§ Faisal Hayat sport journalist arrested for participating at sprotsmen march at lulu. http://bit.ly/hZnNY9

o Apr 8^th:

§ @Nabeelrajab number of arrests has become more than 500 amongst them 17 women. 18 are still disappeared (from Twitter- Nabeel Rajab, Human Rights Activist)

§ Ali Radhi, CEO of LMRA (Labor Market Regulation Authority) was forced to resign from his position after being interviewed (persecuted) by Bahrain TV presenters on how the nationwide strike and protests effected his organization. Officially, government claims his term has ended. [Arabic] http://bit.ly/dR3eK6

§ Disabled/ special needs sportsman Sayed Noor Jawad Alwedaee arrested at dawn from Hamad Town for participating at protests in Lulu and going there regularly.

o Apr 9^th:

§ Reportedly from social media outlets: 20 arrested from BIC on thursday. Beaten then transported in a bus to unknown destination. BIC security did this. They presented pictures of those arrested at Lulu. 11 lost their jobs.

§ Nooh Najaf, leading Basketball player at Manama Club and brother were arrested.

§ Two detainees die in custody during the same day, announcements came moments after each other on MoI website. Zakariya Hassan and Ali Saqer.

o Mol on detainees killed in custody:

§ Ali Isa Saqer (31): Ali is allegedly accused of running over a policemen/ allegedly one of the two policemen who were killed. He is one of tens of protesters who were detained with the same accusation. I don’t personally know how many people it takes to run over one person, but I think any sane person will agree the number of people arrested for that same accusation is insane. Ali had been on the run; he’s an orphan and the supporter of his family, reportedly of 3 sisters. Ali turned himself in two days ago; some people have reported that the reason he turned himself in is that he was repeatedly threatened by police that they’ll go and rape his sisters. As usual, the MoI report has a story of their own.

http://www.policemc.gov.bh/en/news_details.aspx?type=1&articleId=6680

Whether this particular report is true or not, this is an infamous tactic at the AlKhalifa prisons, I personally know more than one story of people from my area who were threatened with the same threat and a man who was asked to confess to a crime he didn’t do, beating and torture didn’t work with him, he did what they wanted after they brought him underwear of his mother and sister.

§ Zakariya Rashid Hassan AlAsheeri (40): brother of resigned Parliament member Ali AlAsheeri. Some people have posted on social networks that he didn’t have sickle cell anemia as report claims, I haven’t found a confirmed source for this piece of information yet though. He was arrested for being responsible for an online forum www.al-dair.net which discussed the recent events in Bahrain. http://www.policemc.gov.bh/en/news_details.aspx?type=1&articleId=6681

· Two Bahraini protesters die in police custody Apr 9, 2011 http://bit.ly/i3ewGP OR http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/middleeast/news/article_1631906.php/Two-Bahraini-protesters-die-in-police-custody

Different version of same article with different details http://www.statesman.com/news/nation/bahrain-police-detain-beat-rights-activist-1388012.html

· Opposition supporters die police custody http://bit.ly/h5qnXz

· The arrest of Abdul Hadi AlKhawaja and his family members.

o Security forces have just beaten up and arrested Bahrain human rights activist Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja a little while ago.

o His daughter tweeted this 20 minutes after arrest:

"THEY JUST CAME! They took my dad, my dads blood is still on the stairs! They hit my dad so much! They beat him and he cudnt breath"

"they broke the doors, all wearing masks. They took my father and husband and brother in law."

"they beat up my other brother in law mohammed almaskati, and then threw him in a room and told him not to come out"

"They hit me when I went after my dad"

o His daughter tweeted a more detailed account in the next hour:

o "we knew they were coming, they had gone to my fathers apartment first and taken my cousin who lives in the same building

we all changed and my father told us to stay calm when they come, he told us not to interfere if they take him so they dont hurt us

we heard door of the building being broken, then the door of the apartment. my father went straight to the door, they started shouting

the one shouting didnt speak arabic, he kept telling my father to get on the floor, my father didn't get a chance to say anything

they held my father from his neck & started dragging him down the steps. they lay him on the floor between the steps & started beating him

He was covering his face while more than 5 men were beating him at the same time, I heard him say he cant breath

I ran after them & told them to stop beating him, I tried to get to my father. they held me & kept shouting at me to shutup

I said "he will go with you, you dont need to beat him" that when I saw my husband & brothers in law being dragged down

I started shouting "God will show you on Judgement day" I kept shouting "intooon 7a66ab jahanam"

One of them grabbed me form my shirt and started dragging me up the stairs, my mum was begging him to let me go

another was shouting, if she doesnt shutup bring her down too.

they pushed me, my mum & sisters in a room, n they shouted at us. one of them closed the door and then opened it real quick in my face.

then they locked the doors on us, and took the men to the lower apartment, lay them on the ground and started beating them

they kept referring to my father as "the target" and my husband "the son in law of the target"

my brother in law Mohd Almasqati who they left here saw that my father was unconscious.

When they unlocked the door, I ran down & saw drops of blood on stairs. My fathers blood, my brave heroic fathers blood

I knelt on the stairs and kissed the spot where I saw them beat him as he said he cudnt breath.

I am sitting in the mess, the door is broken and we cant close it. My youngest sister is trying to clean and weeping.

I will go sit with my mum, she keeps saying be prepared for the worse. If any1 can do anything for my dad, husband & brother in law, plz do

My father is Human Rights activist Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, my husband is Wafi Almajed, and my brother in law is Hussain Ahmed Hussain.

o Pro-gov tweep replied to her account as follows:

LMAO! XD!RT @aysha_hss: Hi bitch.. Do you know you'll get arrested too? @angryarabiya

She replied:

@Saud_Aldosari @aysha_hss they can come & take me. I dont want to b free in a world where my father is behind bars. ur threats dont scare me

o Member of AlKhalifa family threatens the AlKhawaja family "@3obiz: AlKhawaja men ? now time to take down the girls.. They're even worse @angryarabia @maryamalkhawaja "

o Links on the subject:

§ Abdulhadi Alkhawaja after his first arrest in 2004. (Some of the audio files aren't working now) http://bit.ly/e1Mfps

§ AP: Bahrain police detain, beat rights activist http://bit.ly/haemFy

§ http://thefacesofcourage.blogspot.com/2011/04/abdulhadi-alkhawaja-wafi-almajed-and.html

§ http://my.firedoglake.com/siun/2011/04/08/i-kissed-the-spot-where-i-saw-them-beat-him-human-rights-hero-arrested-in-bahrain/

§ http://img684.imageshack.us/i/freealkhawaja.jpg/

§ BBC: Leading Bahrain activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja arrested http://goo.gl/0SbHt

§ http://bit.ly/geyF12 Frontline : Beating and arrest of human rights defender Mr Abdulhadi Alkhawaj

§ CNN: Daughter, group: Human rights leader missing, taken by Bahraini police http://tinyurl.com/42zxd5o

§ http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2011/04/09/bahrain-free-prominent-opposition-activist

· Picture reports:

o Many religious institutions, mosques and matams belonging to Shia have been vandalized and trashed by government forces in their varying shapes and forms. This was executed in Manama on Apr 5^th http://on.fb.me/fqhgh5

Many other areas were similarly attacked. On Apr 10, 2011 the government will be demolishing 3 Shia mosques in Hamad Town by a municipality order.

More artwork by government forces http://bit.ly/gxOs1g this one reads “Only Baluchi” referring to Baluchistan, where many of the regime’s security forces are exported from.

o Man found dead near gas station in Saar. Sayed Hameed Mahfoodh, age 57. Torture marks were all over his body.

Sayed Hameed Mahfoodh age 57 found dead near sar gas station. Archive picture at a social event in Saar: http://yfrog.com/h4v5laddj

Burial pictures [Graphic]

http://c.shia4up.net/uploads/13021060691.jpg

http://c.shia4up.net/uploads/13021060692.jpg

http://c.shia4up.net/uploads/13021060693.jpg

http://c.shia4up.net/uploads/13021060694.jpg

http://c.shia4up.net/uploads/13021060695.jpg

o More threats from royal family members to people on twitter.

http://twitpic.com/4hjny1

· Videos:

o Noam Chomsky: Is Iran a threat? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pH8gCEZ4Ds

o Video shown for the first time from UoB events:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDzt2JDIcVU&feature=player_embedded#at=12

o Bahrain Rain of Blood

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n6tdPpiVFU&feature=player_embedded

· Media:

o Ibish: How long before a campaign of urban terrorism is launched in Bahrain? http://www.ibishblog.com/blog/hibish/2011/04/06/how_long_campaign_urban_terrorism_launched_bahrain

I see his point, and get the basis of his speculation, however, from where I’m standing the only terrorism we’re facing is coming from the government and will continue to come from their side. The majority of the opposition believes in diplomatic solutions over force. Anyone who has spent one day with Bahrainis would know that they are incapable at heart of going as far as urban terrorism. You’re talking about a society who criticized their own for using techniques like burning tires in the past- prior to Feb14, and these are people who have been strongly and repeatedly frustrated with the government. I don’t want to underestimate the power of extremism and high emotions, but I have a bigger faith in the majority of my people and their incredible insistence on pursuing their goals peacefully, regardless of all circumstances.

http://www.carnegieendowment.org/publications/index.cfm?fa=view&id=43416# Bahrain: Between the United States and Saudi Arabia- Mariana Ottaway- Ibish mentions this article in his.

o Craig Murray: The Invasion of Bahrain http://craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2011/03/the-invasion-of-bahrain/

o A Silent Apartheid in Bahrain: http://www.uiargonaut.com/sections/opinion/stories/2011/april/4111/a_silent_apartheid.html

o AP: Bahrain deports 2 reporters of opposition paper http://bit.ly/g14hNi Both Iraqis worked for Al Wasat since 2005.

o Al Jazeera:Bahrain workers fired for supporting protests http://goo.gl/pTpBY

o Al Jazeera English – Bahrain's hospital of ghosts http://bit.ly/fgLjmi

o Asia Times: Dangerous change rattles Bahrain http://goo.gl/GreIW

o Simon Kerr: Bahrain’s New Normal: Looking Bleak. http://on.ft.com/exDlbo

o Voice of America: Rights Activist: One in Every 1,000 Bahrainis in Detention for Political Reasons http://goo.gl/yRRAd

o ILO Director-General sounds alarm on situation of workers in Bahrain

http://bit.ly/gY7LgA

o International Crisis Group urges third-party facilitation of dialogue in #Bahrain in new report http://bit.ly/hlRsCC

o The Arab Spring and US bases http://fam.ag/e6UiP0

o Shameless reports from pro-government newspaper Gulf Daily News, on people being sacked from work and targeting unionists.

o http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=303337&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

o http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=303331&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

o Q: Are Saudis concerned about regional unrest? Gates: They didn’t seem particularly concerned about themselves. http://1.usa.gov/gOXiAW

o US and Saudi Arabia discuss Iran 'meddling': Gulf countries accuse Iran of interference in the affairs of Bahrai… http://aje.me/hfsoYj

o Lebanon-MTV: Bahrain gives some Lebanese 48 hrs to leave island

http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=259150

o Bahrain's security now may cost it stability later – AlertNet http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/analysis-bahrains-security-now-may-cost-it-stability-later

o Plainly outrageous! Shaikh Ahmed bin Ateyatalla Al-Khalifa Appointed Royal Court Minister for Follow-up http://goo.gl/fb/y7EWP

This man is the leading figure in the Bandergate scandal. He was removed during the façade cabinet shuffle that the government did last month in order to tranquilize the opposition. Opposition did not find it an answer to their demands and refused it.

o National Democratic Action Society – Wa'ad – Suspended http://goo.gl/fb/hqzVJ

o Bahrain: Mounting Clampdown on Trade Unions and Professional Societies http://ow.ly/1c5ppJ

o The Politics of Employment in #Bahrain – More stats from Justin Gengler http://bit.ly/f8YASN

o Amid unrest, Bahrain companies fire hundreds of Shiites http://bit.ly/eXqcyS

o Initial findings from visit: Amnesty International: Many Bahraini Protesters Shot, Some at Close Range http://www.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/Amnesty-International-Many-Bahraini-Protesters-Shot-Some-at-Close-Range-119415664.html

o More GDN shame:

§ Security 'is crucial for Bahrain's development': SECURITY is today more necessary than ever, being a crucial gua… http://bit.ly/gJHpOb

§ Indications of how the places of those sacked for political opinions will be filled. Influx of workers expected as ban on travel is lifted: BAHRAIN could soon witness an influx of workers from Sri … http://bit.ly/e1koIT

§ On Wa’ad being closed: Society headquarters closed down: AUTHORITIES yesterday closed down the headquarters of a political society, acc… http://bit.ly/hfwmcF

o HRW: State of Fear Prevails With Arbitrary Detentions, Pre-Dawn Raids-Medical Doctors Held Incommunicado http://goo.gl/ta9iu

o Another non effective statement from Crown Prince. So far, all anyone has seen from is words but no action.

Bahrain crown prince: pro-reform but anti-split http://yv2.me/HzA1

o Bahrain protests 2011

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/bahrain/index.html

o France 24: Crackdown on cyber-activists in Bahrain: http://goo.gl/EFyeY

o Italian news write on HoseMan http://www.bonsai.tv/magazine/people/houz-man-il-supereroe-arabo-che-scappa-con-un-tubo-di-plastica-video/

The piece translates well on google translate. Back story: The HoseMan phenomenon started over a week ago, when Bahrain TV aired fabricated tales on a “documentary” recounting how some kidnapped policemen escaped the protesters evil hands. Not to get into the many hilarious details of that episode, one of the policemen claims he climbed down a two-storey house on a water hose! Instantly, HoseMan jokes and remarks were everywhere. Priceless stuff. Hash tags were created for it on twitter with these spellings #HoseMan #Houzman #hoozman

o Report tracks 'dramatic changes' sweeping the Mideast – http://bit.ly/ghU49q

o Human rights groups accuse Bahrain of abuses – http://bit.ly/f2DcWf

o On Wa'ad: Bahrain shuts down headquarters of opposition society http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90854/7344380.html

o Newsweek Pakistan: Bahrain or Bust? http://bit.ly/g2N6tj

o Guardian: From the archive, 2 April 1965: Bahrein: Prelude to revolution http://bit.ly/fLNq6k

o Repost: Protesters use candles to write "We are with you #Bahrain". Police jeeps intentionally drive over it http://youtu.be/mwVJvyVttAE

o Total regional sectarian polarization over Saudi-Iranian proxy war: Saudi Shi'ites protest anew at Bahrain intervention – http://ba.37.sl.pt

o Graphic-Full report on #Bahrain revolution goo.gl/HvK0J

First extensive account from Mansoor AlJamri since his leaving AlWasat: NYT: 'Editor Silenced, With the Help of Unreliable Sources' http://nyti.ms/dLXZZ2 or http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/09/world/middleeast/09bahrain.html?_r=1&src=tptw

o Justin Gengler deconstructs the ridiculous op-ed piece about #Bahrain in the Boston Globe http://bit.ly/gpWQWY

o @NickKristof: Once a symbol of openness, a Bahrain newspaper now underscores repression – http://t.co/9XqyBwm

o Bahrain in epicenter of a cold war between Saudi Arabia and Iran http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/03/17/47573970.html

o A Genuine Tragedy Unfolds: Bahrain and Saudi Arabia's Rulers Goose-Step to the Brink of the Abyss. By PETER LEE. http://www.counterpunch.org/lee04052011.html

o The Bahrain Uprising, Saudi Troops and Hussein the Martyr http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/bahrain-uprising-saudi-troops-and-hussein-martyr_555452.html

o Strangers in the Night: the How, When and Why of Brutal Arrests by Marc Owen Jones. http://www.marcowenjones.byethost2.com/?p=224