Bahrain’s Crown Prince Urges Consultation During Ramadan Visits

Photo Credit: twentyfoursevennews.com

Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa urged the importance of consultation today while addressing a gathering at a majlis in Manama. Since the start of Ramadan, the prince has been visiting majlis arousal the country to discuss social, political, and economic issues. “No-one should make decisions single-mindedly without consulting with the citizens either through traditional gatherings or through existing constitutional institutions,” Prince Salman said, adding, “Sectarianism, elitism and racism, under all their forms, are harmful while mutual respect and compassion between all the segments of the society make coexistence possible.”

However, Bahraini academic, Baqer Al Najar, insists that addressing social dimensions is critical to the country’s political and national reconciliation. Evening debates during Ramadan have shown that many insist that political reform is the best way toward national reconciliation. But Najar believes, “The social dimension is very important because it could lead to mutual acceptance. Once social acceptance is achieved,” he said, “the political concurrence will follow.”

Meanwhile, in neighboring Saudi Arabia, authorities freed a potester for 48 hours who had been detained for a year for taking  part in an anti-government protest. Khaled al-Johani was temporarily released Wednesday, after his arrest last year after he arrived at the site of a planned anti-government demonstration that had been prevented by a massive security operation to deter protests.

In addition, a Saudi court will look into an unprecedented apostasy case of a foreigner converting a Muslim woman to Christianity. According to Sabq news website, a Saudi man filed suit against a Lebanese man for converting his daughter to Christianity and smuggling her out of the country.