Rubicon
Posts: 2910
Incept: 2008-02-24
Indianapolis
'US orders media silence over Bahrain'
President of Bahrain's Center for Human Rights Nabeel Rajab says the US media have been ordered not to cover news on the government's brutal crackdown on Bahraini people.
Reports from the Center's colleagues in the United States say “In the US some news agencies and TV stations were asked not to report on Bahrain and not to embarrass [President Barack Obama's administration,” Rajab told Press TV.
He went on to say that the US and the Western governments have chosen to keep silent over ongoing atrocities in Bahrain due to their support for the country's authoritarian regime.
According to unconfirmed reports, over 420 people have been arrested during ongoing protests in the kingdom, Rajab pointed out.
The Bahraini protesters continue to demand the ouster of the 200-year-old-plus monarchy as well as constitutional reforms.
At least 25 people have been killed and about 1,000 others injured during the government-sanctioned crackdowns on peaceful demonstrators.
Joined recently by police units and troops from Saudi and the United Arab Emirates, the Bahraini government forces have launched a deadly crackdown on the popular revolution that began to sweep the Persian Gulf island on February 14.
The Saudi-backed forces have recently been sighted while destroying religious and historical monuments of the Muslim Persian Gulf state.
On Wednesday, the Human Rights Watch accused Bahraini forces of using violence against people that had already received injuries during earlier attacks.
The rights body said it had documented several cases in which the forces had "severely harassed or beaten" patients under medical care in the country's Salmaniya hospital in Manama.
Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. For good or ill, it teaches the whole people by its example. USSC Justice Louis Brandeis We can either have democracy in this country or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both. USSC Justice Louis Brandeis
Not sure how reliable the source is, but it is interesting given that Saudi Arabia invaded Bahrain one day after secretary Gates visited Bahrain.
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Exposed: The US-Saudi Libya deal
You invade Bahrain. We take out Muammar Gaddafi in Libya. This, in short, is the essence of a deal struck between the Barack Obama administration and the House of Saud. Two diplomatic sources at the United Nations independently confirmed that Washington, via Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, gave the go-ahead for Saudi Arabia to invade Bahrain and crush the pro-democracy movement in their neighbor in exchange for a "yes" vote by the Arab League for a no-fly zone over Libya - the main rationale that led to United Nations Security Council resolution 1973.
A human rights advocate was reported missing in Bahrain on Saturday after masked security guards beat him unconscious in the middle of the night and carried away him and two sons-in-law, according to his daughter and a human rights group.
Missing is Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, former president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights and a former protection coordinator with the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders' Front Line.
He was taken away after security agents stormed the home of another daughter where he was staying in Manama, Bahrain, at 3 a.m. Saturday, according to Front Line.
The Bahraini government didn't have an immediate comment.
Marwa_Dossary: RT @BreakingNews: King of Bahrain writes in op-ed that 'legitimate demands of the opposition were hijacked by extremist elements' ... - More » Twitter - 3 minutes ago
Khawaja was reportedly seized from his home by masked men after being beaten unconscious on April 9.
"The trial against [Khawaja] started today but we family members were not allowed to enter the court. I don't know what charges are brought against him," said Zainab al-Khawaja, the activist's daughter.
"My father called last night. He didn't sound fine. I think he has a mouth injury because he could barely speak," she said.
You invade Bahrain. We take out Muammar Gaddafi in Libya. This, in short, is the essence of a deal struck between the Barack Obama administration and the House of Saud.
and
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A human rights advocate was reported missing in Bahrain on Saturday
When the Nobel committee gave him the Peace Prize in 2009 it was supposed to be for the purpose of facilitating his peace-making efforts.
I wonder how they're feeling about that decision now. Hmm... of course, if the committee is perfectly FINE with it then it's probably time for me to change my user name...
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It's not an issue of "cooperation" vs "go it alone": it's a question of involuntary vs voluntary relationships.
BreakingNews: Bahrain prosecutor demands death for 7 protesters - AP News/Talk 1290 CJBK London :: Bahrain military prosecutor demands ... - cjbk.com Twitter - 1 hour ago
The state-owned Bahrain News Agency reported late Monday that Hujatullah Rahmani, the second secretary at the Iranian Embassy in Manama, was declared a persona non grata and ordered out within 72 hours.
MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) -- Bahrain's military prosecutor accused 21 political activists Sunday of seeking to overthrow the ruling monarchy with the help of a foreign terrorist group - an apparent reference to Iranian-backed militants - in a widening crackdown on a pro-reform uprising by the island nation's Shiite majority.
The charges are part of fast-moving efforts by Bahrain's authorities to prosecute opposition leaders and others after months of clashes and protests in the strategic kingdom, which is home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. Late last month, a special security court set up under martial law sentenced four people to death for killing two policemen in the unrest.
The latest cases were tried by the same court, according to the state-run Bahrain News Agency. Fourteen members of the group are in custody, including several prominent Shiite political figures. The others are charged in absentia.
"The politicians are put there to give you the idea you have freedom of choice. You don't. You have no choice; you have owners. They own you. They own everything." - George Carlin
Harrowing testimony of torture, intimidation and humiliation from a doctor arrested in the crackdown on medical staff in Bahrain has revealed the lengths to which the regime's security forces are prepared to go to quash pro-democracy protests.
Interviews obtained by The Independent from inside Bahrain tell of ransacked hospitals and of terrified medical staff beaten, interrogated and forced into signing false confessions. Many have been detained, their fate unknown.
"The politicians are put there to give you the idea you have freedom of choice. You don't. You have no choice; you have owners. They own you. They own everything." - George Carlin
Iflyjetzzz
Posts: 8876
Incept: 2007-07-29
Tucson, AZ
Bahrain's been one of the most liberal governments in the region as far as freedoms. I haven't been there but these reports are in conflict of what I've been told about Bahrain. I guess that the Sunni monarchy is unwilling to give up their power to Shias. I'd have to do some digging on the Sunni/Shia history but I seem to recall concerns of Iranian influence from the Bahranian Shias.
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When the facts change, I change my mind, sir. What do you do?
I worked there Ifly - found it a pretty nasty society. Liberal for foreign visitors/businesses but not so much for their own people (unless you're in the 'chosen' group).
You could have 'freedom' as long as you don't ask for equality.
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The king has said...... he’s gonna put a tax on tea And that’s the reason .....y'all americans drink cof-fee Are you going to the partay? Going to the boston tea partay?
Iflyjetzzz
Posts: 8876
Incept: 2007-07-29
Tucson, AZ
Chassa, thanks for the boots on the ground assessment. ... sounds like all of the other countries in the ME. Democracy isn't in the koran and doesn't fit well in the muslim world.
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When the facts change, I change my mind, sir. What do you do?
Riot police in Bahrain fired tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades as they clashed Sunday with hundreds of opposition supporters, some hurling Molotov cocktails, following the politically charged funeral of a 15-year-old boy.
Thousands of opposition supporters carrying Bahraini flags and chanting anti-government slogans converged on the island of Sitra, south of the capital Manama, to mourn the death of Sayed Hashim Saeed.
Police earlier tried to seal off the site of the funeral to prevent crowds from gathering.
The opposition says the teenager died Saturday after a tear gas canister fired at close range hit him in the chest.
Grace
Posts: 526
Incept: 2008-10-15
upstate new york
Thanks for this post Drench; had a friend stationed there a while back.....
The march stretched for miles. Some opposition leaders estimated the crowd at nearly 100,000, which would make it one of the largest protest gatherings since the street rallies erupted in February 2011.
Bahrain's majority Shiites seek to end the Sunni dynasty's control of all main posts and policies in the strategic Gulf nation, which is home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. Shiites make up about 70 percent of Bahrain's 525,000 citizens, but they complain of widespread discrimination and say they are blocked from high-level political and security positions.
Bahrain's rulers have offered some concessions, including granting more decision-making powers to parliament, but reject demands that include giving up the right to appoint holders of top positions, such as prime minister.
1.40pm: Bahrain: Two members of Force India's Formula One team have decided to leave Bahrain, the Associated Press reports. This follows an incident yesterday involving a petrol bomb as one of the team's vehicles was returning to the hotel from the the grand prix circuit.
No members of the team were hurt and their vehicle was not directly targeted but Force India's spokesman, Will Hings, told AP today that one of them is leaving the country and heading back to Europe. Hings said another member of the team who was not in the vehicle is also leaving.
"I won't be giving any details of their positions or names ... they were just people working for the team," Hings said. "I can't give you any more information other than that they're returning home out of their free choice."
Opposition supporters in Bahrain have attended a mass protest demanding an end to the crackdown on dissent, ahead of the Formula 1 Grand Prix on Sunday.
Tens of thousands people walked along a motorway from Budaiya, an area to the west of the capital, Manama.
Police fired stun grenades and tear gas at a small group who tried to reach the site of the former Pearl Roundabout.
Earlier, Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa warned that cancelling the Grand Prix "just empowers extremists".
While admitting that Bahrain was "not perfect", he told journalists after Friday's first practice session that the race was a "force for good".
"I think for those of us who are trying to navigate a way out of this political problem, having the race allows us to build bridges across communities, get people working together," he said.
Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone added: "If people have got a complaint about something else, it's nothing to do with F1."
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