My chief Bahraini correspondent sent me her reaction to Shadid's article (I generally agree with her critique--I was most upset by the placement of a picture of a Shi`ite religious ritual which takes place once a year in the article. Why was that chosen to represent an article on a political protest? And the portrayal of the crown prince is rather pathetic. You would have thought he was a political prisoner who suffered at the hand of royal torturers. And the coverage of Bassioni is rather too fawning: Bassioni's appointment is evidence of a US decision to whitewash the crimes. Bassionis has consistently served as an arm of US foreign policy. Go search and see if Bassioni has been vocal about Israeli crimes for example). Here are the comments of Angry Arab's chief Bahrain correspondent:
"I was dissapointed by this article by Anthony Shadid. He seems to respect Bassiouni and keeps repeating that he is an international expert on human rights. Why is he forgetting that the Commission was appointed by the King and is operating under the premise that the King and the high level members of the ruling family are innocent? Why is it when it comes to Bahrain, the "truth remains elusive"? Why is Bahrain more "challenging" than "Libya, Yogoslavia, Afghanistan, and Iraq"? Why with Bahrain must we ask "is it possible to reveal, let alone agree on the truth"? Is it because Bahrain is a western supported monarchy that is part of the GCC?
But the best part of the article is tha arrogance displayed by Bassiouni, who Shadid fails to criticize (also let's not forget that the commission continues to supposedly maintain a policy of not speaking to the media when it keeps speaking to the media left and right." Bassiouni's arrogance is best displayed here:
"It is not that they went and destroyed St Peter," said Mr Bassiouni, who had an academic's zest for intellectual give and take that is not always suited to the reserve of diplomacy. But he added, "If these places meant something to them, and thet felt that they were their religious places, the government should of respected that."
Oh spare us your sympathy Bassiouni. Apparently shia mosques are not at the same level as St. Peter's. No "they didn't feel they were their religious places." They are their religious places. And no the government shouldn't have just "respected that." They should stop their systemic discrimination against shia beliefs.
And then he goes again:
"The report will produce a narrative that both sides for what happened and only through shared responsibility will progress be made."
Oh hear we go again with the both sides. Why not just put it plainly? You have a repressive dictatorship. A majority that rose up wanting to overthrow them and the dictatorship reacting with brutal force. With Syria, Libya, Egypt and Tunisia its okay to say that but when it comes to Bahrain we must look at both sides. And no, progress will not be made through shared responsibility. Progress will be made when they are eventually overthrown.
And here's another hilarious quote:
"In a sense, I think that the moderates on the reform side want to have their hands gently pushed."
No. We are not gently pushing their hands. That was before Feb 14. Those days are over. And also, I thought this is a commission that is supposed to be looking at the human rights violations committed by the regime and not a report that is supposed to gently push the moderates.
And apparently we are supposed to feel sorry for Bassiouni when he says "we're out on that limb all by ourselves." No Bassiouni, we are by ourselves. You are being supported by the King and the US
And I love the quote by the crown prince: "either we're all lose or we all win." Nope, it doesn't work that way. Its we win you lose or we lose you win. I mean please explain to me, how can we win and the King win simultaneously?
One more thing, why is it that Shadid, along with everyone else, still insist on defining us by our sect? Why can't we move beyond that and see the movement for what it is: a population uprising against a repressive authoritarian government? Yes there is a sectarian dimension to the protests but its not the main story.
As for the commission it is nothing but a distraction - a US Bahraini creation to whitewash the crimes of the regime and to save the Bahraini monarchy from being overthrown while simultaneously encouraging a few reforms to placate the people. Also why doesn't Shadid care about the viewpoint of the ordinary Bahraini person? He is quoting Mansour AlJamri, who unlike most people, has publically stated that he supports the commission, and the alwefaq representative who obviously is speaking behind the veil of alwefaqs political considerations? Why not quote Nabeel Rajab or families of the victims?"
"I was dissapointed by this article by Anthony Shadid. He seems to respect Bassiouni and keeps repeating that he is an international expert on human rights. Why is he forgetting that the Commission was appointed by the King and is operating under the premise that the King and the high level members of the ruling family are innocent? Why is it when it comes to Bahrain, the "truth remains elusive"? Why is Bahrain more "challenging" than "Libya, Yogoslavia, Afghanistan, and Iraq"? Why with Bahrain must we ask "is it possible to reveal, let alone agree on the truth"? Is it because Bahrain is a western supported monarchy that is part of the GCC?
But the best part of the article is tha arrogance displayed by Bassiouni, who Shadid fails to criticize (also let's not forget that the commission continues to supposedly maintain a policy of not speaking to the media when it keeps speaking to the media left and right." Bassiouni's arrogance is best displayed here:
"It is not that they went and destroyed St Peter," said Mr Bassiouni, who had an academic's zest for intellectual give and take that is not always suited to the reserve of diplomacy. But he added, "If these places meant something to them, and thet felt that they were their religious places, the government should of respected that."
Oh spare us your sympathy Bassiouni. Apparently shia mosques are not at the same level as St. Peter's. No "they didn't feel they were their religious places." They are their religious places. And no the government shouldn't have just "respected that." They should stop their systemic discrimination against shia beliefs.
And then he goes again:
"The report will produce a narrative that both sides for what happened and only through shared responsibility will progress be made."
Oh hear we go again with the both sides. Why not just put it plainly? You have a repressive dictatorship. A majority that rose up wanting to overthrow them and the dictatorship reacting with brutal force. With Syria, Libya, Egypt and Tunisia its okay to say that but when it comes to Bahrain we must look at both sides. And no, progress will not be made through shared responsibility. Progress will be made when they are eventually overthrown.
And here's another hilarious quote:
"In a sense, I think that the moderates on the reform side want to have their hands gently pushed."
No. We are not gently pushing their hands. That was before Feb 14. Those days are over. And also, I thought this is a commission that is supposed to be looking at the human rights violations committed by the regime and not a report that is supposed to gently push the moderates.
And apparently we are supposed to feel sorry for Bassiouni when he says "we're out on that limb all by ourselves." No Bassiouni, we are by ourselves. You are being supported by the King and the US
And I love the quote by the crown prince: "either we're all lose or we all win." Nope, it doesn't work that way. Its we win you lose or we lose you win. I mean please explain to me, how can we win and the King win simultaneously?
One more thing, why is it that Shadid, along with everyone else, still insist on defining us by our sect? Why can't we move beyond that and see the movement for what it is: a population uprising against a repressive authoritarian government? Yes there is a sectarian dimension to the protests but its not the main story.
As for the commission it is nothing but a distraction - a US Bahraini creation to whitewash the crimes of the regime and to save the Bahraini monarchy from being overthrown while simultaneously encouraging a few reforms to placate the people. Also why doesn't Shadid care about the viewpoint of the ordinary Bahraini person? He is quoting Mansour AlJamri, who unlike most people, has publically stated that he supports the commission, and the alwefaq representative who obviously is speaking behind the veil of alwefaqs political considerations? Why not quote Nabeel Rajab or families of the victims?"
