Members of Congress Request NGOs’ Access to Bahrain

Eleven members of Congress co-signed a bipartisan letter to the King of Bahrain, Shaikh Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa, requesting Bahrain “reconsider the recent travel bans on non-governmental organizations (NGOs)” and “immediately reverse its position and allow NGOs to enter Bahrain and carry out their important work.” Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), Freedom House, and Human Rights First are the three most recent NGOs to be barred from entering the country. The letter pointed out that banning NGOs from entering the country directly contradicts the Bahraini governments’ previous statements about welcoming observers into the country. Additionally, the letter emphasized the important role that NGOs play in advancing rule of law and protecting civil society and its freedoms. Lastly, it noted that the travel ban is a major obstacle in the way of developing a positive relationship between the U.S. and Bahrain moving forward. Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) led the letter, and is joined by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Reps. Keith Ellison (D-MN), John Carter (R-TX), Donald Payne (D-NJ), Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), Trent Franks (R-AZ), Mike Honda (D-CA), James McGovern (D-MA), John Conyers (D-MI) and Jim Moran (D-VA) .

The full text of the letter is after the break below, and available in PDF here.

Writing in The Huffington Post, Joshua Hersh asks ”What happens if there’s another crackdown, and not enough international organizations are there to witness it?” Hersh notes that many observers are anticipating a spike in clashes and violence in mid-February, during the anniversary of protests in Bahrain. According to Brian Dooley, ”Things are getting very tense there. What happens in the next few weeks could completely turn everything on its head. If something very serious happens in the middle of February, around the anniversary, all bets might be off.”

February 2, 2012

His Majesty King Shaikh Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa

King of Bahrain

The Amiri Court, Riffa Palace

PO Box 555

Manama, Bahrain

Your Majesty King Hamad,

We write to urge you to reconsider the recent travel bans on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) seeking to enter Bahrain. As we approach the one-year anniversary of mass protests in Bahrain on February 14, reversing these bans would support your pledge to engage international organizations and individuals “in order to ensure that there is no return to unacceptable practices once the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry has left Bahrain.”

In recent weeks, representatives of NGOs such as Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), Freedom House, and Human Rights First have either been denied entry or instructed to delay their visit to Bahrain. PHR Deputy Director Richard Sollom was denied entry at Manama airport in January, despite having a valid visa. On January 12, the Bahraini Ministry of Social Development issued a statement in response assuring that the Kingdom “welcomes visits by human rights organizations” and its “open-door policy remains in place.” Days later, the Embassy of Bahrain instructed representatives of other NGOs to delay their visits. Freedom House’s Vice President of Regional Programs, Robert Herman, was told several days before his scheduled departure in January to delay his trip until the end of February, as was Human Rights First’s Director of the Human Rights Defenders Program Brian Dooley.

The denial of access for groups that pursue nonpartisan democracy and human rights activities is very troubling. These groups help to advance the rule of law and the protection of fundamental rights, and some of them have ongoing projects with the Bahraini people and Bahraini civil society institutions that are critical to the process of reform and the protection of human rights.

We aspire to a strong, mutually beneficial relationship between our countries. Travel bans such as those issued to NGO representatives, however, are a major obstacle to such a relationship. We hope that your government will immediately reverse its position and allow NGOs to enter Bahrain and carry out their important work in Bahrain.

Finally, we hope that the Kingdom of Bahrain recognizes the important role of NGOs in the national reconciliation and reform process.

Sincerely,

________________________________ ________________________________

JIM McDERMOTT KEITH ELLISON