The Fires of Bahrain, Apartheid in the Persian-American Gulf………
“Bahrain's top court has sentenced seven Shiite men convicted of killing a Pakistani man during a protest last year to life in prison, and acquitted three others. Mohammed Sheik Riyadh, a Pakistani who was living in Bahrain, died after his vehicle caught fire during a protest by Bahraini Shiites in March 2009. Shiites account for about 70 percent of the population of the Sunni-ruled oil-rich country, which has 530,000 citizens. Economic disparities between the ruling elite and the poorer majority have contributed to feelings of marginalization among Shiites. Defense lawyers said they would appeal Monday's verdict, citing shortcomings in the court's procedures………….” Arab News
The Shi’a majority is resentful and frustrated because they are second class citizens in their own country. The ruling Sunni elite imports Sunnis from places like Jordan, Pakistan, and Syria, among others, naturalizes them quickly and hires them to join the security services. Shi’as (70% of the population) are barred by the rulers from positions in the security services and in the military. The phony electoral system is rigged so that Shi’as will always have a minority of seats (half of the assembly members are appointed by the ruling family). Shi’as also complain that “certain” procedures prevent them from owning property or living in certain districts that are reserved for the Sunni minority.
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