Bahrain Feature: The Clouds of Tear Gas and Death Gather Once More

Clouds of tear gas cover Dar Kulaib village last night

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Yesterday began as just another day in Bahrain, from cool to mild. By night, however, things had gone cloudy across the country --- clouds which signalled tear gas rather than impending rain. On the latest occasion in two months, Bahrain's protesters found themselves beaten back and collectively punished, not just on the streets but also inside their homes. Despite the regime's proclamations of "reform" and "national dialogue", since December, the situation has gone from bad to worse.

On Wednesday, reports emerged that at least three people had been killed by security forces across the country. Another protester died in custody on Wednesday night after he was reportedly hit by a police vehicle. The day was one of the kingdom's bloodiest, with several protesters beaten badly and tear gas used indiscriminately against protesters. But yesterday was worse, for reasons other than the violence on the streets.

Thursday mirrored events of the night of 22 December. After protesters were dispersed from several locations, gangs of security forces --- called "mercenaries" by activists, because of the presence of officers from South Asia --- started to prowl the streets. Just as on 22 December, tear gas rained, with pictures and videos showing thick clouds engulfing houses, neighbourhoods and even a mall. An image from Abu Saiba:

As on 22 December, the police didn't stop there. At least three eye-witnesses who were hiding inside their homes with their families, reported that their neighbourhood was being tear-gassed. One complained of canisters falling inside his house.

Another protester, inside his home in Buri after witnessing demonstrations in different villages, spoke to EA on condition of anonymity :

They just shot at my home as I'm inside. My parents called me as they were coming from outside as well, telling me that they can't get in the house as the gasses are covering the neighborhood." Later he said that the tear gas was heavy that he father couldn't see his way through the door and injured his door after colliding with it. As he was giving the interview for this report, his brother came back home from a night out with friends. "He's suffocating because of the tear gas.

The situation was similar in most parts of the country. Reports of security forces and mercenaries tear-gassing neighbourhoods were confirmed by activists in Diraz, Abu Saiba, Al Qadam, Moqsha, Sitra, 'Aali, Nuwaidrat, Aleker, and Bani Jamrah. The security forces also used bird pellet shotguns and rubber bullets, something shooting them from a distance, sometimes shooting doors up close to make a loud bang and terrorise the inhabitants, according to eye-witnesses.

While there were no immediate reports of casualties for tear gas, activists reports that the Salmaniya Medical Centre, the main hospital in Bahrain, was full of security forces. Said Yousif Almuhafda, Head of Monitoring and Follow-Up at the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, spoke to EA over the phone about the responses of some civilians whose families were affected.

Yousif was out in Manama to visit the families of two protesters who had been reportedly abducted and tortured by security forces. He told EA that, while he was there, he received more a dozen calls from families, asking for help in treating cases of children and the elderly. "They told me they are suffocating, but cannot go to Salmaniya because the army is still there and they are afraid they will be arrested."

Yousif is in touch with a small team of health care volunteers who visit homes to help civilians cope with such incidents. He related the story of a 3-month=old's family who had inhaled tear gas and would not stop crying. After calling Yousif, the family was able to get help from a volunteer medical worker who treated the baby.

Several Bahrainis have told EA that the best way to ease the pain of inhaled tear gas is washing the affected person's face with milk, leaving some of the liquid on the face and eyes for a short while. Meanwhile, people stuff wet towels under their doors, in the nooks and crannies of windows, and often hide the children in closets. The rest of the family huddles in the main bedroom until security forces stop firing the canisters and the gas dissipates.

This dangerous use of tear gas has not gone unnoticed by human rights organizations. On Thursday, Amnesty International called on the government of Bahrain to investigate the deaths of more than a dozen protesters who were reportedly killed after being struck by tear gas canisters at close range or who inhaled toxic amounts of the chemicals.

Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Depurty Director, said, “The rise in fatalities and eyewitness accounts suggest that tear gas is being used inappropriately by Bahraini security forces, including in people’s homes and other confined spaces.”

The Amnesty report confirms that the Brazilian Government has set up an inquiry into the country's companies who sell tear gas to Bahrain.

The Bahraini regime, however, is downplaying any problem by ignoring the attacks and instead beating the drum of reforms. As security forces carried out their operations, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa issued a decree organising the National Fund for Compensation of Incidents-Affected Victims. The Government is blaming protesters for violence against police, while suppressing the news of those who have been killed by the security forces or died in custody. Saqer Al Khalifa, the regime's Media Attache in Washington, reassures via Twitter, "Got the taste of tear gas up close (very up close) last night. There were tears, nose burns, but certainly no suffocation at all."

Meanwhile, the tear gas continues: