Regime vows to crush those involved in anti-government communication, major opposition group argues loss of pretense of reform

Manama regime to mount clampdown on anti-government protests
9 May, 2012 –

Bahrain’s ruling monarchy has warned of an escalation in its ongoing crackdown on protests as a leading opposition figure says the government has put a stop to the so-called national dialogue.

Bahraini media reported on Tuesday that the ruling Al Khalifah regime has vowed to invoke a new action plan against anti-government protesters.

Bahraini government spokesman Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Mubarak Al Khalifa said, “Because of the escalation in violence, we are looking into the perpetrators and people who use print, broadcast and social media to encourage illegal protest and violence around the country.”

“If applying the law means tougher action, then so be it,” he added.

Referring to the regime’s report on mounting the crackdown on protesters, a senior member of the country’s largest opposition party, Al Wefaq, said, “This escalation is not good for the country, it will take us back to square one.”

“The talks have stopped, so the authorities are really moving to another phase of the security approach,” he said. “I don’t know if it was the hardliners in the family or from outside, but at any rate the outcome now is that everything has stopped.”

The talks, which discuss political, economic, social and legal matters, constitute the latest move by the Bahraini king to defuse the crisis in the country.

According to local sources, dozens of people have been killed and hundreds arrested so far during the government clampdown on peaceful demonstrations. …source