Middle East Focus: End of Persian Gulf Reforms? What Reforms?.............

Arabia Deserta

End of Persian Gulf Reforms? What Reforms?.............

Walking on water

“MANAMA (Reuters) - Bahrain's crackdown against the Shi'ite opposition before a parliamentary election on October 23 risks driving majority Shi'ite Muslims away from moderate parties and into more radical groups, analysts say. Bahrain, home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet and a regional off-shore banking hub, managed to end widespread Shi'ite unrest in the 1990s with a new constitution and parliamentary elections. But Shi'ites complain they continue to be treated as second-class citizens, with limited access to secure jobs in government ministries and security forces. They say parliament is failing to address their grievances despite efforts by Bahrain and other Gulf Arab rulers to co-opt opposition voices…… There have been street battles between security forces and protesters outside mosques in some villages where Shi'ite clerics have been banned from giving sermons. Power in Bahrain effectively rests with the ruling Al Khalifa family, which is Sunni Muslim. Parliamentary bills need to pass an upper house whose members are appointed by the king. There have been street battles between security forces and protesters outside mosques in some villages where Shi'ite clerics have been banned from giving sermons…….”

Some Western media (The Economist or the Guardian) reported recently that during the 1990s unrest, the regime threatened the majority Shi’a of the population that it would invite Saudi security agents and troops into Bahrain to quell the unrest. There were already media reports at the time that interrogators from places like Jordan and Pakistan and other Arab states were already on the island doing their nasty job on the arrested Shi’as. Knowing what the Saudi Wahhabis think of the Shi’as (about two degrees lower Christians and one degree lower than Jews), the opposition agreed to some minimal reforms that created another Potemkin “electoral system” in the Arab world, allegedly. The opposition claims the discrimination and suppression go on, most Western media seem to agree, as do human rights organizations. Allegedly, all allegedly, of course, as official Gulf media love to end their reports.

FYI: As a rule the West, the official West, doesn't give a rat's ass for people's rights as long as its own interests are protected. But that is the way of all powers, East, West, and In Between. As Sal Tessio said to Tom Hagen: "Tell Mike it was business.....", or something like that.
Cheers
mhg

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