Bahrain Video Diary, Part 3: The Freedom Torch Marches To Its Final Destination

Announcing the final destination of the Freedom Torch, Sanabis, 22 November

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For the last month, EA's correspondent Mr Ahmed has been keeping a video diary of the progress of the Freedom Torch through Bahrain. He follows the first and second parts with this account of the Torch and the opposition's challenge, as they moves toward a final ceremony in Sanabis, near Pearl Roundabout/Martyrs Square:

9 November: Karanah

The "Freedom Torch" reached Karanah, known for its protesting spirit --- demonstrations take place every day in this small, poor village surrounded by farms. The narrow roads make it hard for police to attack, but they are stationed at the village entrances 24/7 to prevent any marches reaching the main roads.

The festival was at night, with a revolutionary running into the village and handing the Torch to Karanah's revolutionaries. A speech and revolutionary songs and anthems followed.

10 November: The 5 Villages --- AbuSaiba to Alqaddam) to Alshakhora to Janosan to Jid-Alhaj<

By now, the 14 February Coalition was growing more confident with the success of the Freedom Torch. People were quietly discussing the festivals and predicting where they might be held the next day.

The Coalition decided to capitalise with three festivals among five villages in the same night. The evening began with a joint ceremony for AbuSaiba and Alqaddam. A march was attacked by police, but the event was still a success, and a masked revolutionary from the Coalition managed to run with the Torch through the narrow roads of AbuSaiba until he reached the village of Alshakhora, where a festival had already started.

The Torch then went to Janosan, with the participation of youth from the adjoining village Jid-Alhaj, as a horse rider passed the flame. A speech was followed by a march of revolutionaries wearing shrouds.

Abu-Saiba and Alqaddam, from ceremony to the attack by security forces:

Alshakhora:

receiving the flame:

Janosan and Jid-Alhaj:

11 November: AbuGuwa and South-Sehla

Drums and horns welcomed the torch, playing the signature tune "Tn.Tn.Ttn" --- "Down Down [King] Hamad".

12 November: Jablat-Habshi, Athari, and North-Sehla

A festival for the three small villages followed the ritual, receiving the torch, playing revolutionary songs, giving speeches, and ending with a march.

13 November: Juffair and Al-Ghuraifa

Activist Zainab Alkhawaja participated in the festival, sending a report via Twitter:

again in another "Freedom Torch"

Just participated in the Freedom Torch event at Juffair village. The place of the event had to be changed minutes [before] the ceremony when revolutionaries heard news of the event was out.

The crowd gathered around the stage chanting "Self-determination is our right", and a revolutionary read a poem on stage "Our flame of freedom shall burn and our chains will break!". [Then] a revolutionary came running [through] the crowd with the Flame of Freedom. A bigger flame was lit to brighten up the road to freedom.

Alkhawaja then summarised the speech from the stage:

To our people who are free at heart but held in the Alkhalifa prisons, our loved ones --- do not despair. You will be FREE!

And to our leaders, who are behind bars, you will remain our leaders. And we will follow you to victory.

To our sisters, the brave women of our revolution, inside and outside the regime's prisons, we are grateful

We thank Feb14 movement for recognizing our village, & honoring us with the flame.

She continued with a description of the festival:

As people chanted, I saw protesters who were on the lookout giving signs --- "Wrap it up, there's no time", one of them said. Other protesters made sure there was a road that wasn't crowded for the children to run away in case we got attacked.

"We will end our ceremony with a prayer to God" said the revolutionary. The crowd raised their arms to the sky.

"Lord, they have killed & detained us, they have beaten & tortured us. They have burnt down our Mosques," [he said with] his voice filled with pain. "Lord save us from our oppressors, and give us the courage to fight them." His words rang in the air & people raised their hands higher."

With chants of "Down Down Hamad" people started leaving. As I left the village, I saw the riot police going in.

The revolutionaries have done it again, lighted the flame in another village, whose people will never give up their fight for freedom.

14 November: AlDair

AlDair is a small village, which is very sensitive for the government because of its location behind Bahrain National Airport. The revolutionary youth have been in continuing clashes with security forces, amidst almost daily protests.

:15 November: Alsamaheej and Arad

The two villages introduced a new way to receive the Freedom Torch, tying the flame to a rope and lowering it from a building to a waiting revolutionary. The festival consisted of speeches, the giving of roses to released detainees, and a march.

Giving roses for the prisoners who were just released: http://tinyurl.com/Samaheej2

16 November: Ras Ruman to Manama

A festival in Ras Ruman, a village near the financial area and just behind the British Embassy, was followed by a ceremony in the capital of Bahrain, Manama city. The 14 February Coalition hoped to send the strong message to the Government that there is no area that is out of the reach of protest.

In Manama's old "Soq", crowds gathered in front of a stage with three symbolic graves of the city's martyrs. Protesters held pictures of Baheya Alaradi, the first female martyr, shot in the head by a sniper on 15 March.

After the speeches, the crowd marched towards the Ministry of Interior headquarters. It was confronted by security forces with tear gas and rubber bullets.

In the following days, the MOI broke into the houses of some of the youth of Manama, arresting about 10 of them.

Ras Ruman:

Manama:

17 November: Aldaih

In the festival, close to the Torch's final destination of Sanabis, the family of the martyr Ali Mushaimaa participated with a speech.

On the Way to 22 November: Sanabis

The “Freedom Torch” will continue moving from one village to another until it reaches Sanabis. The 14 February Coalition has announced that the welcome for the flame will be followed by a big protest towards the Bahrain Exhibition Center, which is opening its annnual “Jewellery Arabia Exhibition”.