BAHRAIN

Democracy vs dictatorship in Bahrain

by Yusure Al-Bahrani

Protests are taking place weekly in Bahrain despite the brutal government crackdown on peaceful pro-democracy protestors in several cities and villages.

Bahraini protesters are demanding the release of human rights and political activists and an end to government violence. They are also demanding an elected government and an end to the ongoing discrimination practiced against the Shiite majority.

The government forces, thugs and Saudi troops, are using tear gas, live bullets and bird shotgun bullets to attack peaceful protesters. In a recent protest, in Sitra village, Zainab Al-Jomaa, a mother of two, died after inhaling tear gas.

Government forces are attacking homes with tear gas in villages where protests take place. Several have been wounded after being shot by bird shotguns that are internationally prohibited.

While the Bahraini government announced the end of the state of “national security,” the Saudi troops are still in Bahrain and new tanks entered the country on July 23. There are fears that those Saudi troops will continue aiding the government in their attacks against protesters, and in raiding villages to hunt for activists.

In addition to the attacks on villages and cities, prisons in Bahrain are packed with people who participated in protests during February and March. Many activists, journalists, bloggers, medical workers, teachers and students are still detained.

One of the detainees is Naser Al-Ras, a Canadian citizen, who resides in Ottawa. He visited Bahrain to see his sisters. Al-Ras, suffering from heart disease, has been tortured while detained. Harper’s government keeps silent about him and there is no obvious action taken to put pressures on the Bahraini government to release him.

While the Bahraini King promised to investigate the abuses against protesters, four of the detainees are sentenced to death, and eight activists are sentenced to life in prison by a military court. According to international standards, no civilians should be tried in a military court.