POMED Notes: “The Forgotten Arab Uprising: Politics and Human Rights i
 

06-10-11 11:13 AM

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October 4, 2011

On Monday, American University’s School of International Service (SIS) hosted a panel discussion entitled “The Forgotten Arab Uprising: Politics and Human Rights in Bahrain.” The panel featured Maryam al- Khawaja from the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Joe Stork from Human Rights Watch, Saqer al-Khalifa of Bahrain’s Cultural and Media Attaché and Kristin Diwan from the Comparative and Regional Studies program at SIS. The panel was moderated by SIS Professor Shadi Mokhtari, and SIS Dean James Goldgeier gave a brief introduction.

For full event notes, continue reading or click here for the PDF.

Kristen Diwan began by discussing Bahrain’s recent political history, including the development of Bahrain’s bicameral legislature that concentrated power in the upper house, a development she believes caused many citizens to become frustrated with legislative methods of reform. Maryam al-Khawaja then discussed how Bahraini youth drove the initial protests in February, and that demonstrators were not originally interested in ousting the royal family, but sought greater freedoms and political reform. The protesters became galvanized only after the government responded with violence. She also noted that Bahrain became what she called “a country within a country” during the protests, referring to a new sense of freedom of discussion that Bahrainis felt during the movement.

Joe Stork spoke about Bahrain’s demonstrations and the evolution of the government’s reaction. Stork said that Bahrain’s security has not been at stake, so the government can no longer justify its intense response to popular unrest. Saqer al-Khalifa said that “every single person in Bahrain has a sad story to say and this is something that is very unfortunate… [losing] someone in their family, [for example] a protester demanding his rights.” He added, “I am concerned about the children of Bahrain, what kind of future they want to grow [up in] because they saw a dark period of Bahrain.” He mentioned an independent commission looking into the violence that plagued Bahrain this year, and said those responsible for violence “should be held accountable.”

Diwan then elaborated on the internal divisions within the al-Khalifa royal family of Bahrain, which she called “deep and persistent.” She also spoke about “loyalty campaigns” that the government ran in numerous places of work and universities, which stifled open dialogue in Bahrain. Dr. al-Khalifa discussed Bahrain’s national dialogue further, likening it to a “market of ideas” where “if you want to sell your product, you have to market it really well.”

Al-Khawaja then expressed concern about the independent commission looking into human rights violations that had been appointed by the royal family, but stated that the Bahrain Center for Human Rights hopes the commission will maintain integrity. She was concerned about the head of the commission praising the Bahraini king and blaming any violations on personal actions, which motivated her organization to write letters to the head of the commission. Al-Khawaja also mentioned documented cases of royal family members being directly involved in torturing prisoners.

Next, Stork expanded on the Bahraini National Dialogue, stating that only 15 opposition members participated in the dialogue, and it was not apparent how these individuals were chosen. Regarding ongoing trials of pro-reform prisoners, Stork criticized the lack of criminal charges leveled against many of the accused and stated that none of them seemingly violated any sort of law. Diwan spoke about how the GCC and Saudi intervention in the unrest “shifted perception from a people asking demands of their monarchy to [an international issue].”

Regarding the link between Iran and Bahraini protests, al-Khalifa said there is evidence of Iranian interference, offering an Iranian-backed coup attempt in 1981 and the presence of U.S. Navy’s 5th fleet in Bahrain as the primary proof. He then asserted that the GCC intervened in Bahrain because of a “regional threat,” not because “of any kind of domestic threat.” Stork countered that leaked documents illustrate that no evidence of Iranian interference exist. Al-Khawaja said that the Bahraini government is incredibly susceptible to international pressure, and encouraged the public to emphasize the ongoing problems in Bahrain because the media coverage has been inadequate.

During a question and answer session, Stork emphasized that protesters who committed actual crimes should be held accountable as well. In response to a question about how the government justified a widespread crackdown on thousands of people if only a small minority had associations with Iran, Al-Khalifa said that “maybe 99 percent” of the protests were not associated with Iran, but “evidence shows that regional powers are trying to exploit the situation. There are definitely very legitimate demands for a better life in Bahrain.” He also said “I have no idea” how much the royal family was spending on lobbying efforts in the United States, and he could not give details about the companies the royal family had hired. Al-Khalifa also assured the audience that anyone tried in a military court will have an opportunity to appeal in a civilian court. Maryam al-Khawaja followed his response by listing the companies currently working on Bahrain’s public relations, which include Potomac Square Group, Qorvis, Sorini, Samet & Associates, Joe Trippi & Associates, Sanitas International, Bell Pottinger, Gardant Communications, BCB Group, Olton, and Tom Squitieri.

Al-Khawaja then discussed the steps that must be taken to build trust between the government and the people before there can be a reconciliation. She cited examples such as releasing political prisoners, withdrawing the GCC troops from Bahrain permanently, holding human rights violators accountable for their crimes, and equal treatment where Bahrainis are “considered citizens, not subjects.” She also expressed concern regarding the ongoing discrimination against educators, students, and professors. Al-Khalifa stressed that Bahrain must work hard to “turn a new page” and “be flexible,” and expressed hope that Bahrain could return “to the good ole days.”

Finally, al-Khalifa justified a pending US-Bahrain arms deal by saying “it has nothing to do with domestic support. It has to do with [continuing to save] lives, you know, there are some bad people out there and we have to be close with each other so we can deter [them].” He also said that Human Rights Watch had published many inaccuracies regarding Bahrain and many of them had not previously acquired the appropriate journalistic visas and credentials, which is the reason that many of their employees had been denied entry to Bahrain. Al-Khawaja pointed out that many other human rights organizations had also been accused of publishing inaccuracies by the Bahraini government.

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