Al Wefaq trying to find leadership footing and a voice of relevance after the opposition moved beyond al Khalifa’s “dialogue”

[cb editor: after finding nothing of value at the table with al Khalifa, Al Wefaq seems a bit lost as it tries to reestablish it’s self amongst the opposition. Real questions remain what opportunism drew them to al Khalifa’s table to begin with. Al Khalifa with Western endorsement went back to the vomit of the pretense of reform that has plagued Bahrain for more than the last decade with Al Wefaq joining them as a seemingly willing partner. Since the national dialogue seemed not to include them, was “stacked against them”, they have now moved on but one can only be suspicious of what they have moved on to? Maybe an even more theatric rejoining of talks after they “walk out” on the “rest of the opposition”. A curious thought, perhaps they were “sent out” to bring something of value back to the table they left behind – an abandonment of a revolutionary movement they been all to reluctant to embrace from the beginning? This dangerous middle road seems all so attractive and easily played by Hamad and those who would see him King. It is with great hope they get on with the business of revolution and help insist on the disposal of the al Khalifa’s regime of terror and pain. ]

Bahrain’s opposition quits talks
irishtimes.com – Last Updated: Sunday, July 17, 2011, 16:23

Bahrain’s largest Shia opposition group Wefaq said today it planned to pull out of a national dialogue, which was aimed at reforms after mass pro-democracy protests rocked the Gulf island kingdom earlier this year.

Opposition groups like Wefaq had complained since talks began on July 2nd that they would never be able to get their proposed political reforms put into effect, as the opposition received only 35 of 300 seats at the talks.

The government has defended its apportioning of seats, saying it wanted the talks to include all Bahrainis, whether they were involved in politics or not.

“The Wefaq board decided to pull out of the so-called National Consensus Dialogue and submitted its decision to the Wefaq Shura council (upper council) for ratification,” Khalil al-Marzouq, spokesman for Wefaq, said.

“Wefaq tried with all seriousness to offer political solutions and it was always responded to with rejections, or it was ignored,” he said.

Mainstream opposition groups such as Wefaq have called for a more representative parliamentary system and greater powers to the elected lower council, whose powers are neutered by the upper Shura council, appointed by the king.

But hardliners calling for the abolition of the monarchy have gained popularity since the crackdown by Bahrain’s Sunni rulers. Security forces crushed weeks of protests in March led by the country’s majority Shia population, who were demanding a greater say in government.

The government accused the opposition of a sectarian agenda with backing from nearby Shia power Iran, charges the groups deny. Bahrain is seen as a fault line for tensions between Iran and Sunni Gulf Arab countries that are wary of protests spreading to their own Shia minorities. …more