Shiite bloc stands by majority rule for Bahrain
\nAgence France-Presse
\nJul 14, 2011 <\/p>\n
Bahrain’s main Shiite opposition bloc said a government led by the parliamentary majority would be the only way towards reconciliation after a dispute during the National Dialogue.<\/p>\n
“The solution to the political crisis is through the acceptance of [its] demands,” and “any other option would only deepen the crisis”, Al Wefaq said in a statement on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Since the start of the National Dialogue on July 2, which is aimed at forwarding political reforms after Shiite-led protests were crushed in a crackdown in March, Al Wefaq has called for a government led by the parliamentary majority.<\/p>\n
The group won 18 of 40 seats in the most recent parliamentary elections, but its MPs resigned in protest against violence used on demonstrators.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, a Sunni representative in one of the dialogue sessions called Shiites “naturalised rejectors [of Islamic orthodoxy]”, in reference to the Iranian origin of some members of the community to which a majority of Bahrainis belong, Al Wasat newspaper reported.<\/p>\n
In reaction, Al Wefaq’s representatives walked out of the meeting, which was dealing with reforming naturalisation laws.<\/p>\n
Many Shiites accuse the kingdom’s Sunni rulers of naturalising Sunnis in a bid to change Bahraini demographics. …more<\/a><\/p>\n