Regime reforms made to appease Western Powers not for a “free and just” Bahrain

Demonstrations as Bahrain opposition says reform “not enough”
4 May, 2012 – AFP – Lebanon Now

Thousands of Bahrainis took to the streets on Friday in a demonstration called by the opposition to protest against constitutional reforms that they say are not enough.

The demonstration was called by the Shia-led opposition under the slogan “Sacrifices for freedom.”

Protesters marched from the village of Shakhurah to the village of Sar just outside Manama, according to the social networking website Facebook page of Al-Wefaq opposition group.

Images posted on the page showed symbolic coffins being paraded carrying pictures of people killed during protests that erupted in February last year.

Amnesty International says nearly 60 people have been killed since the protests began in February 2011.

“I am Bahraini and dictatorship does not represent me,” said one banner in a picture posted on the social network page.

The protest was staged to denounce constitutional reforms ratified on Thursday by King Hamad.

The amendments are aimed at defusing tension as the strategic Gulf kingdom has failed to return to normality after authorities quelled pro-democracy protests in March last year.

According to the amendments, the king now has to consult the heads of the elected parliament and the appointed Consultative Council before dissolving the legislature.

The elected chamber alone now has the right to vote to withhold cooperation from the prime minister and refer its decision to the king, who then has the final choice on whether to dismiss the premier or keep him in the post.

But the amendments fall far short of the demands of the opposition, which has been pushing for an elected government, not one named by the monarch, and the scrapping of the appointed upper house.