Reformist Rhetoric? Al-Wefaq’s Salman confuses ideas of “uprising” and “rebellion” with goal of Revolution

Al-Wefaq SG: National negotiation for consensus or a national unity government
21 January, 2013 – Al-Wefaq

The press conference was held at al-Wefaq National Islamic Society in the Capital Manama came to highlight main issues as the second anniversary of the start of the peaceful revolution in Bahrain approaches.

Salman affirmed that the revolution will continue until demands of democratic transition are achieved.

“The motive of the people of Bahrain who are demanding democracy is their aspiration to achieve positive and realistic change in all aspects of life; political, economic, social, service and law”

“We must take our country from a state that has long been amongst an Arab world that is known for all political and wealth issues to be controlled by one dynasty or party, to a democratic system that respects citizenship and ethnicities and is based on the people’s will”

“The revolution carried legitimate humanitarian demands that civilized nations have achieved more than two and a half centuries ago, sadly, our Arab world ”

“No one argued the eligibility of the demands, even the highest authority in the country addressed them as legitimate demands and the wrong decision is not respond to these demands “, he said.

The authoritarian decision boosted the revolution
Salman blamed the authority for the crisis Bahrain has been going through for nearly two years now.

“If the right decision to respond to these demands had been taken before the revolution started on 14 February 2011, we wouldn’t have entered this crisis”, he said.

He added that taking the wrong decision meant the revolution must continue, and that the country paid the price through its major resource which is the human via dismissals, torture, killings, exiling and many other violations which were documented by Mr. Bassiouni and Human rights NGOs.

“This wrong decision was made contrary to the first article of the constitution that states that the people are the source of all powers to enable the people of decision-making”.

He said one wrong decision to refuse to respond to any of the demands led to other wrong decisions such as using excessive force and repression in the face of any anti-government act. The clampdown was not able to hold back the people from demanding democracy and freedom, he added. …more