Bahrain Feature: An Opposition Leader, Sheikh Ali Salman, Spreads His Message on Twitter

Sheikh Ali Salman the head of the Al Wefaq Political and Islamic Society, the leading "opposition party" in Bahrain, He is not only spreading the message through appearances in the country but through Twitter. A selection of his recent messages:

The total number of registered voters for 14 remaining Parliament seats [in Saturday's by-elections] is 144,513, in which only 25,130 voter participated = only 17.4%.

The government officials' claim 51% participation shows their lies.

Total number of votes that lead to a win is 8.2% [of registered voters] for the 14 seats, and that's because of the huge boycott [by the opposition].

Still the Government's official media are claiming the elections were successful; a newspaper stated that there was a rush of voters in the 9th North [constituency]. This rush didn't exceed 152 voters, and [the percentage of additional voters] after counting the votes didn't exceed 4% of 15000 [registered].

In the 4th Capital constitutency, only 85 voters showed up, and the [candidates] that won by acclamation are [in] the biggest opposition areas in which Alwefaq MPs always get the seats.

The Government makes making candidates participate and withdraw so whomever they wish to win succeds. That's our Parliamentary elections that have been boycotted by political societies, and no well-known national figure has participated.

As an opposition, we welcome [President] Obama's stand, and demand an escalation from international community to put on more pressure to fulfil people's demands.

We seek an elected government and Council with full powers, fair elections, an impartial judiciary, and security for all. Democracy in my understanding means peaceful transfer of power, through fair and transparent elections conducted by a neutral party.

We demand from the international community to advance in their position toward Bahrain to find a practical programme that strives to fulfil the Bahraini people's demands in a transformation to democracy.

Any form of democracy in Bahrain means that all people around the region enjoy democracy too, because it will bring good to the Gulf and all Arabs.

There are who want Bahrain to continue being under dictatorship, and they live an illusion in their fight against those who demand freedom & democracy: there is no Shia vs Sunni conflict.

The Arab Spring revolutions including Bahrain are dignity revolutions, and people demand that they not be marginalised in their country, where one leader decides how they should live.

Because the transformation to a democracy didn't happen, Bahraini political and human rights crises will continue to be present.

People will not be convinced by talks and promises, they will not go back to their homes empty-handed, the movement will continue..., and we will witness more arrests and unfair trials.

I said it before, and will repeat it now, we do not want the bad effect on the economy to continue, but the negative impact will continue because of the absence of a political solution.

No one is winning in this conflict, and there will be no victory. Everyone is paying a price.

A few days ago [last Friday] there was an arrest of 38 Bahraini women in a very humiliating manner. This is a clear conviction of those who carried out the act.

Our option is to continue our political work by the supporting the people's movement (we will not go back to homes). The international and human right movement will continue, keeping it peaceful.

I will insist in being peaceful, and instruct our youth to commit to it. Let the regime kill us, and arrest us, we shall not go back. There will be no concession.

There has to be a political solution that meets the people's demands though a referendum in which all participate in. It is a necessity to convince people and allow them to participate in real democratic mechanisms.