Sunday, May 18, 2014

Despotism - Royal Approval

HRH the Duke of York, Prince Andrew, who has made numerous visits to Bahrain opened a conference in London which will highlight what is claimed to be the "mutual respect and tolerance" enjoyed by those who live in Bahrain. It will be seen by many as giving a Royal seal of approval for the regime. The conference will seek to portray Bahrain as an inclusive nation which is a shining example of religious and cultural tolerance across the Middle East. It is being organised by the Bahrain Federation of Expatriate Associations (BFEA), an organisation sympathetic to the regime and which is widely believed to be funded by the Bahrain government.

This event can only be regarded as a PR campaign aimed at white-washing the truth of a country where protests are violently crushed by the authorities, where democracy and human rights are non-existent and where torture, violence and sexual assault are used routinely against men, women and children who dare to speak up or protest against the Bahrain government.

Children have been jailed for taking part in protests against the regime and are being held in adult jails with some even given the death sentence. In January this year, ten children were sentenced to a combined jail term of 215 years. Adult prisoners who have protested against the Government are being routinely tortured and beaten and are denied access to medical facilities. There is clear evidence that the Government is collectively punishing the families of these detainees. People visiting family members in jail are routinely subjected to harassment and intimidation and undue restrictions on access.

From here 

1 comment:

Sophia Tesch said...

Pretend for a moment that Bahrain wasn't a fundamental player in the fossil fuel industry, would the definition of "mutual respect and tolerance" mean something different then? How long will the atrocities of the Bahrain leadership be tolerated in the name of Big Oil by Britain, the United States, and the global community? Deep inside in whatever is left of their souls, that ity bity spec of morality that God placed there, they must know what they are doing is wrong.