{"id":1428,"date":"2011-05-18T13:18:34","date_gmt":"2011-05-18T20:18:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.crookedbough.com\/?p=1428"},"modified":"2011-05-18T13:18:34","modified_gmt":"2011-05-18T20:18:34","slug":"bahrain-updates-8-tuesday-april-5-2011-the-aftermath-of-the-governments-crackdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crookedbough.com\/?p=1428","title":{"rendered":"Bahrain Updates #8 [Tuesday, April 5, 2011]: The aftermath of the government’s crackdown"},"content":{"rendered":"

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———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Colin S. Cavell, Ph.D.<\/b> <ccavell@gmail.com<\/a>><\/span>
\nDate: Tue, Apr 5, 2011 at 10:15 PM
Subject: Bahrain: the aftermath of the government's crackdown
To: "Colin S. Cavell, Ph.D. @ GMail" <ccavell@gmail.com<\/a>><\/p>\n

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Folks,<\/div>\n
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Below is just a follow-up on the aftermath of the crackdown in Bahrain. It is a cri de coeur<\/em> from someone who is experiencing the government's repression first-hand. The piece speaks for itself. And though the author indicates that I need not send this out, as it is mostly a cathartic exercise, it it too valuable and important to lie dormant solely in my mailbox. I think you will agree.<\/div>\n
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Names and other identifying information have been removed and\/or redacted in order to protect the safety of the sender[s].<\/div>\n
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regards,<\/div>\n
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csc <\/div>\n
__________________<\/div>\n
Colin S. Cavell, Ph.D.<\/p>\n
P.O. Box 9087<\/div>\n
Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 734-8187<\/a><\/div>\n
ccavell@gmail.com<\/a>
http:\/\/www.cscpo.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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———- Forwarded message ———-
Date: Mon, Apr 4, 2011 at 3:10 PM
Subject: Bahrain over the past couple of weeks
To: ccavell@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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[redacted]<\/div>\n
I have started to write you so many times over the past two weeks, but never finished any of my messages. I just feel paralyzed and hopeless. I don't know where we'll go from here, they're crushing everyone and everything.<\/p>\n

The demolition of Lulu has been the fastest project in Bahrain's history. You've lived in Bahrain, you know how long construction work takes here, Lulu was demolished and replaced with traffic lights within the week! Who knew a monument can be such a pain in the ass huh? <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>http:\/\/bb.ta7a.com\/upfiles\/ta7a-tmG71478.jpg<\/a><\/p>\n

Hundreds are being sacked just because they are Shia or because they are accused of participating in the nation wide strike or simply going to Lulu. Until today, news of arrests and people losing jobs are continuing. <\/p>\n

They suspended Alwasat<\/em> newspaper for a day yesterday, as I'm sure you've heard by now; they removed the chief editor, his deputy and the local news editor. Today, they were allowed to publish again under a new chief editor, a softer one.<\/p>\n

Many people receive threats and insults on a daily basis for having opinions. Even on twitter, people are being harassed. http:\/\/wlcentral.org\/node\/1597<\/a><\/p>\n

Bahrain TV continues to wage the hate campaigns they've been excelling at over the past couple of months. Every night, they grill someone and humiliate themselves and others in the process. Last night it was Bapco; tonight it was sportsmen who have had their pictures taken at Lulu; they had to pledge allegiance to the king on tv through phone calls and apologize for their "wrong" actions and for being ungrateful to the king who allowed them to represent their country in sports teams and congratulated them personally when they've had achievements. How dare they be ungrateful to such kindness!! They are basically visualizing the witch hunt that is being waged on everyone who took a stand or participated in anything against the government. <\/p>\n

I'd like to say that I don't know what's becoming of us and of the country, but the problem is I know exactly what. We've been through this discrimination before; we lived this before. The government will do whatever the hell they want; they'll kill, torture, prosecute, banish and punish all of us. Their supporters, the willfully ignorant and the self-proclaimed neutrals will watch in silence. The world will condemn and watch without further ado. The US and UK will keep their interests here intact, and anyone of us who has an opinion, an ambition for a better tomorrow or even a thought of a better situation, will be squashed like a fly under the noses of all the aforementioned crowds.<\/p>\n

All of this is making me ill, emotionally, and, for the past week, physically as well. I just feel like I need to scream most of the time. The rest of the time I feel like I just want to breathe, just one breath, where the air is light and not so heavy and filled with pessimism as it feels now. <\/p>\n

They've killed two more people since we spoke last. First, a 15-year-old boy; he was sitting near his house talking with friends when security forces attacked Sar. He and his friends thought they were safe, for they weren't in the front area of the village where riot police were attacking. Before they could give it much of a thought, riot police were at their area and they were attacked. He got hit in the head, was taken to American Missionary Hospital in Sar, but passed away soon after that. Second is a 39-year-old man who'd been detained since 28 March. The Ministry of Interior announced he died of Sickle Cell Anemia complications and that they'd given him treatment for it, but it didn't help. Of course, they said nothing about the torture marks all over his corpse. If he died of sickle cell anemia complications, as they claim, I would imagine it had to do with their infamous torture tactics of making people sleep on wet floors with the AC blasting on them, and you can imagine the effect of this on a sickle-cell anemia patient–that's of course on a merciful day.<\/p>\n

I don't know how to feel or how to act or what to do. I can't bring myself to think, and this damn flu won't go away.<\/p>\n

I don't regret going out. I don't regret speaking up, and I don't think my beliefs and demands were uncalled for. I don't think that if we settled for less, we would be in a better place today. I just lost my respect for a lot of people. I can't imagine how anyone can live with themselves while condoning in one way or another what's happening to people. It pisses me off more when they say we don't agree with the brutal use of violence, because I can see them thinking right after that: "but the protesters had no right to push for those demands, far-fetched dreams should not have been pursued." My sentiments are such, not because I won't accept criticism but, because that notion alludes to the belief that the protesters sort of "earned" this punishment or that it's in some way justified or that we can't really complain about the current actions of the government, because no one told the protesters to shoot for the stars! This just sickens me.<\/p>\n

I'm just amazed by the courage and patience of Bahrainis. They don't seem to be ready to quit trying any time soon. Of course, there are many who are scared for their jobs and wishing nothing had happened to disturb their pretty little fake lives that they had before Feb. 14; however, there are many more who are hanging on and saying the government can do what it wants, but real life will not go forward unless our demands are met, and we will not back down until that day. That's when I feel bad for feeling sad; how can I feel sad when I'm surrounded by such courageous people? Even if they seemed like a dreamy unrealistic bunch, that is some spirit that they have, and I love and respect them for it. My sadness won't get in the way of my determination; my broken heart will not weaken my will or belittle my ambition. I love my people and I love my country, and I owe them that much to say the least.<\/p>\n

You don't have to send this one out; I know you're busy. I'm more writing to talk to you, more than anything else, I just feel better when I tell you how I'm feeling.<\/p>\n

Below is my usual collection of news and materials Mar. 24 – Apr. 4, 2011. This time it includes the following:\n<\/div>\n

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