The Coming Half-Election in Bahrain, Make that a One Third-Election…….
“The election for parliament's lower house, likely in October or November, will be the third in the Gulf Arab state since its king launched a reform process a decade ago to help to quell Shi'ite street protests of the 1990s. Bahrain's main Shi'ite opposition group Al Wefaq, which holds 17 seats in the 40-member body, is expected to contest the elections hotly although analysts say they are unlikely to alter the balance significantly in Bahrain's only elected national body. "The elections will maintain the status quo as it is, without causing significant improvement or deterioration of the situation," said Mansoor al-Jamri, editor-in-chief of the opposition daily Al Wasat. Bahrain, a close ally of Washington and Riyadh, is ruled by the Sunni Muslim al-Khalifa family while the majority Shi'ite population often complains of discrimination in jobs and services, a claim government officials deny…….” Reuters
After independence, Bahrain had real free elections for a few years. Then, opponents contend, the ruling (Sunni) elites broke their promise to the people, scrapped the elections in 1975 and ruled by decree. In 2002, unrest over discrimination against the majority Shi’as and worries about pressure from human rights organizations forced the rulers to institute a new system of legislature that is only half elected, on paper. The Emir, having promoted himself to a king, appoints half the members. By that time, after more than two decades of absolute rule, some dissidents contend that the oligarchy had taken what it wanted from the limited public lands and public property, with no accountability. In reality the new legislature is more like “one third” elected; “somehow” the Shi’as (about 70% of the population, mostly living outside the capital) always get a minority of the seats under the new system: a minority of the elected half of the legislature.
Opponents argue that government officials, up to the highest level, have become viral in recent years, adept at denial to Western media and international organizations about certain conditions inside the country. Human rights organizations issue frequent reports, but critics complain that Western governments see only what they want to see. That it is more convenient that way.
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