Khalifa
by Ayat al-Ghormezi

Hear me:
You, the elder,
the “good man”, who “safeguards justice”
(so you have always declared),

if I were to make excuses for you,
I, for you,
for the things you have done,
I would only look the fool,
for you would continue in your ways,
and murder us as “traitors”.

Hear me:
Hear us all, for we all demand likewise –
both sects, all Bahrainis:

You must go.
Take His Majesty with you,
and leave your deeds behind.

You, oppressor,
from where do you derive your power,
the power to keep your people down? –
all your people,
even women
even children
even men.
Yet you call for “dialogue”,
even in the midst of your brutality?

No! … No! …
One word: No!
One demand:
Give us back our Bahrain.
Return this country to its people;
to us, its people.

Our Bahrain is ours.

Translated from the Arabic by Ghias Aljundi with Mitchell Albert …source

Bahrain’s opposition to boycott dialogue, elections
By shiapost – June 28, 2011Posted in: Bahrain

MANAMA: Bahrain’s largest Shiite opposition group says it will boycott the national dialogue next month and the September parliament elections in protest against the authorities for “not doing enough.”

Al Wefaq National Islamic Society said it was in no mood to give in to the authorities’ call for a national dialogue starting July 1st that would attract 300 participants from political societies, human rights groups and civil society organizations.

“There has to be real dialogue that results in political reforms. We believe the dialogue was a step forward for the country but setting conditions before the process is not acceptable,” said Al Wefaq leader Shaikh Ali Salman.

He told Xinhua that it was important for the government to first address all issues such as sacking of workers, arrest of medics, lawmakers and other citizens before entering any dialogue.

“This dialogue will be successful if there is a principal person from Royal Family like the Crown Prince present in the process. He understands the demand and the opposition sees him as a leader, who could solve this crisis.”

National Dialogue spokesperson, Isa Abdulrahman said in a statement on Monday that refusal of any group to participate in the National Dialogue will “not mean failure of the initiative.” “We hope that all those invited would participate to come out with resolutions that represent the needs and aspirations of all people in Bahrain,” he said.

Regarding the non-confirmation of Al Wefaq’s attendance, Abdulrahman said he hoped all parties would participate in healthy and smooth talks.

However, he assured that refusal of some societies to participate does not mean dialogue failure.

“The success of talks could be determined with fruitful talks, good approach and implementation of its recommendations,” he said.

But it is not only the National Dialogue the Shiite opposition is boycotting, Shaikh Ali said their party has no interest to contest in the by-elections on September 24. It would be held in 18 Shiite dominant constituencies. “I don’t see us participating in these elections as the demand and issues faced by people is more important and is still ignored, ” he said. …more

Bahrain authorities continue to abuse human rights advocates, doctors, reformers
28/06/2011

In the absence of international accountability and the complicity of the Arab League, the Bahraini authorities continue to abuse human rights advocates, doctors, and reformers

The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) expresses its deep concern and total condemnation of the severe penalties targeting prominent political and advocacy figures in Bahrain whose only crime has been to aspire to genuine reforms to construct a democratic system that respects human rights, guarantees equality, and ends systematic discrimination against the Shiite community.

The National Safety Court, a special military court formed pursuant to the declaration of a state of emergency in the Kingdom, sentenced some of the most prominent human rights defenders in the Gulf region to life imprisonment. Among them is Abdul Hadi al-Khawaja, the former president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights who, until a few months ago, was the Middle East and North Africa regional coordinator for Front Line Defenders. Seven other prominent political dissidents and democratic reform advocates also received life sentences, including Hassan Mushaima, the secretary-general of the Movement for Civil Liberties and Democracy (HAQ), and Abduljalil Alsingace, a leading member of the same organization and a blogger. Thirteen other defendants received prison sentences ranging from 2 to 15 years. The defendants were convicted of a host of spurious charges, including conspiring to overthrow the regime, establishing or managing a terrorist group, and colluding with terrorist groups outside the country.

CIHRS expresses its full solidarity with the victims of these simulated trials, which the Bahraini authorities have long employed to confront those it deems its enemies for merely exercising their right to peaceful expression, for publicly criticizing government practices and policies, or for defending human rights. CIHRS also notes that the investigative authorities in the case took no action regarding the brutal physical assault on Abdul Hadi al-Khawaja during his arrest in April, nor over his torture in detention nor the attempted sexual assault on him. As a result of the torture, al-Khawaja sustained a shattered jaw and several other serious injuries for which he underwent surgery at a military hospital several weeks ago. The hospital refused to provide a medical report or any information about the nature of the surgery. CIHRS learned that al-Khawaja was taken yesterday to a military hospital due to his deteriorating health condition. In addition, the “judges” of the military court refused to hear al-Khawaja’s complaint about the torture he endured or to issue a court order to investigate the complaint. …more

Shia bloc questions talks
Last Modified: 28 Jun 2011 21:31

However, the main Shia opposition group, Al Wefaq, has questioned the Kings’s offer of dialogue while political activists are being tortured and prosecuted on allegedly false charges.

The group has questioned how reconciliation efforts can proceed when many activists, particularly Bahraini medics have been sentenced by military trial courts.

“It’s not a good atmosphere,” said Ali Salman, the leader of Wefaq, who suggested Bahrain’s rulers are seeking dialogue to improve the country’s image as safe again for tourism and foreign investors.

The absence of Wefaq would be a blow to the credibility of the talks, which start on Saturday.

Washington has publicly backed the talks as the only option to calm tensions in one of its main Gulf military allies.

At the same time, the US is under growing pressure to take a harder line against Bahrain’s ruling dynasty, which claims that Shia power Iran has a role in the protests.

The US had urged Bahraini King to meet some opposition demands. It also expressed concern about the severity of the sentences and the use of military-linked security courts against protesters. …more

Saudis to pull some troops out of Bahrain
Officials confirm “redeployment” plan, but say there are no moves for a full withdrawal of Gulf forces.
Last Modified: 28 Jun 2011 21:31

Bahraini king requested its Sunni neighbours to send troops in March to help quell Shia unrest [Reuters]

A Saudi Arabian official has said some of its troops sent to back Bahraini security forces as part of Gulf Co-operation Council troops, are to be “redeployed”.

A Saudi military official told Associated Press news agency on Tuesday that the kingdom plans to pull some units out of the 1,500-strong GCC force sent to help quell the Shia-led uprising for greater rights.

The official refused to give any further details on the movements of the GCC force, which is mainly made up of Saudi and Emirati troops while Kuwait only committed its naval forces.

Also Nabil al-Hammar, an adviser to Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, told AP that there were no plans for a full withdrawal of the Gulf reinforcements.

He said some of the Saudi-led force that came to the aid of Bahrain’s rulers in March will reposition units within the tiny kingdom, but no major withdrawal plans were under way.

The Saudi’s pull out plan comes amid Bahraini government efforts to open a dialogue with the Shia opposition they crushed a few months ago. …more

No plans to pull out all Saudi troops from Bahrain – source
RIYADH, June 29 (RIA Novosti)

Saudi Arabia has no plans to withdraw its entire security contingent from Bahrain “because the threats still remain,” a Bahrain government source told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

A 1,500-strong force from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, dubbed the Peninsula Shield, was sent to Bahrain in mid-March to help quell Shiite opposition protests that swept the country since February.

Reuters reported on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia was preparing to pull out its contingent from Bahrain starting next week because the situation in the country had stabilized.

“Part of the Peninsula Shield contingent will return to Saudi Arabia, but that does not mean all the troops will be pulled out because there are still some threats remaining,” the source said on the condition of anonymity.

The current political unrest in Bahrain started in February with opposition protesters demanding far-reaching democratic reforms in the mainly Shiite country which has been ruled by a Sunni Muslim dynasty for more than 200 years. …more

Saudi Forces Withdrawing From Bahrain
Lynsey Addario for The New York Times
Published: June 28, 2011

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Saudi Arabia will withdraw most of its 1,200 troops from neighboring Bahrain by next week after a three-month mission to quell an uprising against the monarchy there, a Saudi official said on Tuesday.

King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa of Bahrain asked for help from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in mid-March to end demonstrations against the governing Sunni elite. Most Bahrainis are Shiite.

The intervention underscored Saudi Arabia’s deep fears of protests on its doorstep and marked a crucial step in what many see as the kingdom’s attempt to stop the wave of pro-democracy demonstrations across the Arab world.

Saudi Arabia, which tolerates almost no dissent, has a restive Shiite minority of its own in the eastern part of the country. “Both parties have reached a decision that troops should withdraw now,” said a Saudi government official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly. “The troops entered Bahrain under the request of Bahrain authorities to help the people and the government of Bahrain, and the kingdom doesn’t need help anymore.” …more

Bahrain releases 20 more detained medics
DUBAI | Tue Jun 28, 2011 1:34pm EDT

(Reuters) – Bahrain has released 20 more medical staff detained in connection with a wave of protests that hit the Gulf island kingdom earlier this year, relatives and lawyers said on Tuesday, but they still face military trial.

They are among 48 doctors and nurses who were arrested in the wake of a March crackdown by Bahrain’s Sunni rulers on pro-democracy protests led mostly by the Shi’ite majority. Hundreds of people have been arrested and dozens put on military trial.

The move comes days before a planned national dialogue, set to start on Saturday, which the government has hailed as a chance for reconciliation. Opposition groups, many of whom have yet to say if they will attend the dialogue, had called on the government to ease up on detentions and military trials as a gesture of goodwill.

Military trials of the 48 will continue, even though all but 14 of them have now been released.

Lawyers expressed relief at the decision, but were skeptical of the timing.

“I think it’s all part of a political move, no more than that,” one lawyer said. “We had been requesting their release in court for the last several hearings. Nevertheless, it’s good news for them.”

Charges against the defendants, almost all of them Shi’ite, range from stealing medicine and stockpiling weapons to seizing control of the country’s main medical center. The cases have drawn condemnation from international human rights groups. …more

US Department of State
Office To Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
Trafficking in Persons Report 2011

Bahrain is a destination country for men and women subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking. Men and women from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Ethiopia, and Eritrea migrate voluntarily to Bahrain to work as domestic workers or as unskilled laborers in the construction and service industries. Some, however, face conditions of forced labor after arriving in Bahrain, through use of such practices as unlawful withholding of passports, restrictions on movement, contract substitution, nonpayment of wages, threats, and physical or sexual abuse. A study by the Bahrain government’s Labor Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) found that 65 percent of migrant workers had not seen their employment contract, and that 89 percent were unaware of their terms of employment upon arrival in Bahrain. Many labor recruitment agencies in Bahrain and source countries require workers to pay high recruitment fees – a practice that makes workers highly vulnerable to forced labor once in Bahrain. The LMRA study found that 70 percent of foreign workers borrowed money or sold property in their home countries in order to secure a job in Bahrain. Some Bahraini employers illegally charge workers exorbitant fees to remain in Bahrain working for third-party employers (under the “free visa” arrangement). The LMRA estimates that approximately 10 percent of migrant workers were in Bahrain under illegal “free visa” arrangements – a practice that can contribute to debt bondage – while the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry puts the figure at 25 percent. Women from Thailand, the Philippines, Morocco, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Russia, China, Vietnam, and Eastern European states are subjected to forced prostitution in Bahrain.

The Government of Bahrain does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. The government continued to investigate and prosecute forced prostitution cases and convicted nine trafficking offenders during the reporting period. In addition, the government assisted 17 victims of forced prostitution. Nonetheless, there were no reports of government efforts to punish forced labor crimes nor any indication that the Government of Bahrain took steps to institute a formal victim identification procedure or otherwise improve victim protection efforts during the reporting period. The government’s lack of efforts to acknowledge and address forced labor remains a key gap in its anti-trafficking response. …more