Clashes in Bahrain on Anniversary of Protests
Protesters attempted to march on Pearl Roundabout in Manama today, the symbolic site where the pro-democratic uprising began on February 14th, 2011. The Pearl Monument used to stand in the center of the roundabout and became the focal point during weeks of demonstrations, but was demolished in March for a new road junction. On Monday, protesters tried to march to the Pearl Roundabout, but were stopped by police with tear gas and rubber bullets. Clashed ensued during the evening and overnight in several villages, including Sitra and Sanabis, as riot police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the demonstrations, while some protesters threw stones and Molotov cocktails.
The hacker group Anonymous took down the website of Combined Systems Inc. in response to the company supplying the Bahraini government with tear gas, and being a “war profiteer.” In addition, the NGO Witness Bahrain stated that six U.S. citizens were arrested by the police during the march toward the Pearl Roundabout. The U.S. citizens remain in custody but are to be deported according to the NGO.
On Monday, U.S. State Department Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland expressed concerns over the violence and called on security forces to “exercise restraint and operate within the rule of law and international judicial standards.” Moreover, the spokesman from the French Minsitry of Foreign Affaris Bernard Valero expressed (French) support for the right of peaceful demonstrations and the need to implement the recommendations suggested in the report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI).
On the anniversary of protests, the Coalition of the Youth of the February 14th Revolution called (in Arabic) for a “step down of the regime and self-determination” and asserted that “all of us are returning” to the Pearl Roundabout. Tuesday, there was a massive deployment of police forces downtown, notably around the Pearl Square, and on the roads connecting Shi’a villages. Al-Jazeera reported confrontations between protesters and security forces.
The opposition party Al Wefaq said (in Arabic), in a statement, that that the security forces launched a “wide campaign of arrests among the citizens,” and that they “prevent citizens to express their opinions.” Al Wefaq stressed that citizens are “exposed in some cases, to severe beatings and insults.” Al Wefaq relayed (in Arabic) cases of raids on housing and private properties in the village of Sanabis.
On Tuesday, the Commander-in-Chief of the Bahrain Defense Force (BDF), Field Marshal Sheikh Khalifa Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa, blamed foreign actors, mainly NGOs based in the U.S. and in the Gulf, for the events occurring in the kingdom over the past year. Khalifa said “In their conspiracy against the regime in Bahrain, they provided large funds and mobilized people from intelligence services, the military, the media, the press, media agencies and satellite channels. They all conspired against Bahrain at a time when we were regretfully unaware of what was happening. We did not expect such a carefully prepared plot to target Bahrain.”
Meanwhile, the spokesman for the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) insisted that the ‘Bahrain Grand Prix’ will be held on April 22, stating, “”We are entirely confident that the race can be and will be an excellent event.” However last week, a group of British Members of Parliament called for the cancellation of this event.
Meanwhile, the British government has sold military equipment to the Bahraini Government, which was temporarily suspended following the beginning of the crackdown on demonstrators last year. The equipment was valued at more than $1.6m, and includes ”licences for gun silencers, weapons sights, rifles, artillery and components for military training aircraft.”
The Pomed W
To : HE Thomas C. Krajesky, US Ambassador to Bahrain
To : HE Ian Lindsay British Ambassador to Bahrain
Could you please take the following message to your governments?
The poor and weak of people of Bahrain (Shiite) regret to see that the great powers like the United States of America and the British Governments support a handful of thugs like Al-Khalifa family the barbarians to kill, arrest, demolish mosques, Matams, abuse, dishonoring, sacking employees, mistreat, looting, usurp and you support them. Historically, this family was deported from Kuwait, Arabian Peninsula and Qatar and conquered Bahrain by the help of the British forces.
Please bear in mind that those poor people would pray to the Almighty God to dispatch the most powerful to challenge and fight those bullies. Bahrainis (Shiite) are armless only peaceful and meet mercenaries from foes countries to them.
It is a disgrace shameful on the foreheads you conspire with such bullies and Saudi Bedouin troops who were defeated by Hoothis of Yemen to kill the poor and you are supplying them with chemical tear gas and weapons and I assert to you that there is no healing, as the rift is too wide so that you are definitely advised to take all the foregoing into consideration promptly.
It has been observed that all walls gravities by expression ” Yasket Hamad” and heard everywhere old men and women kids screaming Yasket Hamad. Hamad is failing and falling. Because of these political developments in Bahrain, the US and British should learn that surviving is now too impossible.
14/3 riots stormed a house in a village and found an old women with her daughter nursing her mother beaten her and looted many things like money. Also hit a young boy on his head made very deep injury. He is bleeding grossly.
The rift is too deep and wide and do not try for any compromise or consensuses.
Sectarian Bahraini and not involved. Living in Manama and watching the situation
ire-