Thousands march at Bahraini boy’s funeral
\nShia groups say 14-year-old died after teargas canister hit him, a charge denied by the Gulf Arab state’s government. – Last Modified: 01 Sep 2011 19:16<\/p>\n
About 10,000 marched at 14-year-old boy’s funeral, calling for overthrow of King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa <\/p>\n
[Reuters] Thousands of Bahrainis have attended funeral procession of a teenager who rights groups say died after being hit by a tear gas canister fired by police.<\/p>\n
About 10,000 marched on Thursday at the 14-year-old boy’s funeral, calling for the overthrow of King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa and the Sunni Muslim royal family in the Gulf state, Reuters news agency reported.<\/p>\n
The marchers, many of them in tears, shouted “Down with Hamad” and “Death to Al-Khalifa”, as they carried the Shia Muslim boy’s body from his family’s home to a cemetery, a witness said.<\/p>\n
The crowd dispersed peacefully and there were no reports of clashes with police forces.<\/p>\n
The government denied that police were responsible for the death, and offered a 10,000-dinar ($26,500) reward for information on Ali Jawad Ahmad’s death.<\/p>\n
“The coroner’s report indicates that the markings on Ali’s neck are not consistent with being hit with a tear gas canister or rubber bullet as some have claimed,” the government said in a statement on Thursday.
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The boy died after reportedly being hit by a tear gas canister during clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Activists blamed the police for the death of the teenager, who was among the protesters in the oil hub area of Sitra.<\/p>\n
Bahrain has been in turmoil for the past few months since protests by the majority Shia community broke out, demanding greater freedom and political rights.<\/p>\n
More than 30 people have been killed since the protests began in February inspired by other uprisings across the Arab world.<\/p>\n
More than 70 per cent of Bahrain’s population is Shia Muslim but they claim widespread discrimination by the ruling Al-Khalifa dynasty.<\/p>\n
Small-scale clashes between police and mostly Shia demonstrators have become a near nightly event in the tense Gulf nation since authorities lifted emergency rule in June.<\/p>\n
King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa offered compensation to victims of the crackdowns in February, but says protest-related trials will continue.<\/p>\n
In July Bahrain’s leaders opened reconciliation talks, but the country’s main Shia party walked out and threatened to stage further protests.<\/p>\n
An independent fact-finding panel is investigating alleged rights abuses in Bahrain and is expected to release its findings at the end of October. …source<\/a><\/p>\n