From Angry Arab's Bahrain correspondent: "A few updates updates concerning Bahrain. I know I don't write much or
provide any analysis but its just so bad that there's not much to analyze
anymore:
- The regime just raided the house of Shaikh Isa Qasem. Isa Qasem has
never called for violence against the regime so this is a clear provocation. I
do not like him (not a big fan of clerics and his stance on women rights was
appalling) but I see an escalation and I fear the worst. Things have really been
getting out of control lately. Meanwhile the so-called dialogue (yes there is
one going on) has come to a standstill and the salafi party withdrew from the
dialogue and the pro-government coalition. As far as I understand it, they are
claiming that some members of the pro-government coalition are starting to sound
like the opposition (which is laughable). I suspect that by arresting Isa Qasem,
the regime hopes that there will be an escalation in protests which then would
give them an excuse to respond harshly. The response would then anger the street
even more forcing Alwefaq to withdraw from the dialogue - Alwefaq is already
losing a lot of support and remaining in the dialogue after such an escalation
might just be too much. That way the regime can blame the failure of the
dialogue on the opposition's withdrawal. Meanwhile, the Crown Prince is saying
that the government should hurry up with rebuilding the destroyed mosques, lol,
as if that's all that matters. Of course he never says who exactly destroyed
those mosques.
- Nabeel Rajab finally was able to talk to his wife today from prison after
disappearing for the past few days. He disappeared right after he told his wife
that he witnessed prison guards brutally torturing prisoners.
- The Bahraini parliament has been quite amusing to watch these days
largely because of the random anti-government MPs that seemingly came from
nowhere (they have nothing to do with the opposition and most anti-government
bahrainis boycotted the elections). I have talked a lot about the MP Osama
AlTamimi who you will remember recently burned the Israeli flag INSIDE the
Parliament during the assault on Gaza. Here you see him lashing out at the
Minister of Finance and saying that the King will be held accountable for what
is happening to the Bahraini people http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg5A56eE2Z8&feature=youtu.be&desktop_uri=/watch?v%3DQg5A56eE2Z8%26feature%3Dyoutu.be.
This may not be controversial out in the street, where people are calling for
the downfall of the King, but he is saying this in an institution that was
created by the regime to serve the regime. You have another MP here calling for
the Prime Minister to submit his resignation http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=r3z2KAIbrcs&desktop_uri=/watch?v%3Dr3z2KAIbrcs%26feature%3Dyoutu.be
Notice how uncomfortable everyone gets, hehe.
- Regarding the King's yearning for British colonialism, I wrote to you
previously how we do not elebrate our independence from the British and the
regime has prevented anyone from attempting to celebrate that day. Instead our
national day is on December 16, the day of the coronation of the King's
father. http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2012/12/bahrains-national-day.html
- Alaa AlShehabi is trying to get the british courts to review failure to
examine the export of surveillance equipment to Bahrain that has been used to
spy on activists (including her) http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/12/uk-company-spyware-bahrain-claim
