‘Bahrain regime does unforgivable acts’

The Bahraini regime is carrying out outrageously reprehensible actions by torturing and imprisoning doctors and nurses, a political observer tells Press TV.

In an interview with Press TV, Colin Cavell, former assistant professor at University of Bahrain, commented on the crackdown by the Bahraini regime on peaceful anti-government protesters in the country.

The following is a transcript of the interview:

Press TV: The international community say they are urging the US and Saudi Arabia to pressure the Bahraini authorities to cease violating their citizen rights. But reality on the ground is that the opposite is taking place. Why is there such inconsistency?

Cavell: Everyone knows the US has a large military base in Bahrain and because of this reason of state, they are keeping quiet. Even though the US is funding and supporting the rebellions in Libya, Egypt, Tunisia and Syria, when it comes to the (Persian) Gulf kingdoms and sheikhdoms and Saudi Arabia, [there is] absolute silence, [which is] hypocritical, inconsistent.

Press TV: Let us look at this international human rights panel headed by law professor and former human rights expert Bassiouni. His findings were prejudiced. The Bahraini government has been accused by the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights Navi Pillay for having her words distorted. How can human rights then be upheld in Bahrain?

Cavell: Nothing will come of substance from this commission, because it is being paid for by the monarchy. What is going be, there is another whitewash just as the national dialog was a whitewash. So, do not expect any lasting criticism or substantive criticism of the regime from this commission. He is accepting his pay from King Hamad and he is not going to swap the hand that feeds him.

Press TV: What is the role of Saudi Arabia and the United States in Bahrain? What is plan B if the Bahrainis move ahead with their demands?

Cavell: My name is Colin Cavell and it would be associated with my great grandmother Edith Cavell. She was a nurse who was shot by the Germans for giving aid to both German soldiers and Allied soldiers, exactly what the Bahraini doctors and nurses were doing, and what the Bahraini government is doing by torturing and imprisoning these doctors and nurses is an outrage, it is reprehensible and unforgivable. The regime should be held to account for this outrageous behavior against medical personnel.

With regard to the United States and Saudi Arabia, the Saudis have an economic hold on the United States. The United States, given its financial difficulties right now, is reluctant to speak out against the Saudi regime. It is a sclerotic and rotten regime that needs to fall … The regime, if not for oil, would have been overthrown 50 years ago. The regime needs to go. …source