King Hamad reform noise falls on ears deafened by decades fo lies, deceit and brutal abuse

see next article for a grounding in King Hamad’s lies and deceit.

Bahrain eyes reforms to boost parliament’s powers
08 January, 2012 – Reuters – by Firouz Sedarat

(Reuters) – Bahrain’s cabinet proposed on Sunday giving more powers to the elected chamber and allowing it to question ministers, as part of constitutional reforms in the wake of pro-democracy protests last year.

The cabinet proposed amendments to “achieve greater balance between the executive and the legislative, to strengthen the role of the legislative and regulate the questioning of ministers,” the state news agency BNA said.

The cabinet also approved a 5.35 million dinar ($14.2 million) program to help 211,000 private sector workers making less than 250 dinars a month in the Gulf island country, a regional banking center, the agency said.

The cabinet said the proposed reforms were the result of talks between Bahrain’s opposition and pro-government groups which began in July, aimed at healing deep rifts opened when the Western-allied state’s Sunni rulers crushed protests led by majority Shi’ites early last year.

Bahrain’s largest Shi’ite opposition group Wefaq withdrew from the “national dialogue,” complaining with other opposition groups they would never get their proposed reforms approved, as the opposition was allocated only 35 of 300 seats in the discussions. Some other opposition representatives remained in the talks.

There was no immediate opposition reaction Sunday to the proposed reforms, but opposition figures have cast doubt on the ruling monarchy’s willingness to offer significant concessions.

RIGHTS ACTIVIST DENIED ENTRY

The Gulf Arab state denied entry Sunday to an official of U.S.-based Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) who wanted to attend the trial of a group of medics detained during the protests, the group and a Bahraini activist said. …more