The women's march in Bahrain today
When I spoke with Irish activist Elaine Masons last night, she knew that she would likely be arrested and deported if she was involved in leading a march. However, she knew that if deported, she would create media interest, and when she did, she could tell the world about all that she experienced and observed.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 13:24 | Scott Lucas in EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran 2121 GMT: A source in Bahrain forwards us this GRAPHIC PICTURE which they say shows a serious wound that was received when a police officer threw someone out a 3rd-story window. EA Correspondent John Horne adds, " "if true, this is a concerning development. A similar allegation was made Sunday, when police allegedly threw a young man from a first floor foor and then shot at the women who tried to help him."
1923 GMT: The story in Bahrain is not all about violence, however. This video, shared with us by a correspondent in Bahrain, shows the large amount of peaceful protesters who were trying to reach Pearl Roundabout earlier but couldn;t make it because the roads were blocked by police:
1812 GMT: Anti-riot vehicles race through Sanabis, but one of them gets hit by a molotov cocktail:
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 10:37 | Scott Lucas in EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran Editor's Note (1349 GMT) --- because of the pace of events in Bahrain today, we have split this entry into "Bahrain Live Coverage Special: The Anniversary Protests" and "Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: The Shelling of Homs Continues".
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 20:40 | Ali Yenidunya in EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran One of Saturday's marches in the Bahraini capital Manama, broken up by police with tear gas and sound grenades (see 1745 GMT)
See also Saudi Opinion: Hamza Kashgari, "Blasphemy", and the Two Sides of Islam
Egypt Anniversary Opinion: J'Accuse the Military Rulers and Muslim Brotherhood
Friday's Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Protests Amidst the Regime's Assault?
2100 GMT: Anti-Assad regime protest in Trafalgar Square, London.
2030 GMT: Two American women accused of aiding anti-government activists deported from Bahrain.
2020 GMT: Higher Revolutionary Council of Syria says that the death toll rises to 67 across the country and the army tries to storm Baba Amro district in Homs.
2000 GMT: It is claimed by Al Arabiya English that Saadi Qaddafi is arrested in Niger.
1925 GMT: According to CNN, the United States is increasing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations over Syria. A senior official says: "There are media reports but we also want to verify exactly what is happening."
1900 GMT: Exchange of fire between two rival factions, the Sunni Muslims and the Alawite sect in Lebanon leaves one from each party dead and 12 wounded.
Casual reporting of Bahrain's uprising tends to give the impression that the events of February 14 and the year-long aftermath sprang out of nowhere; that Bahrain's Shi'a had finally "had enough" and used the window afforded by the Arab Spring to make their displeasure known, to spectacular effect.
There is no need to devote much time to debunking this storyline, deliberate or not, as any serious study of Bahraini politics would point to a long history of political conflict, whether between Shi'a and state, Sunna and state, or Sunna and Shi'a.
What was surprising about the scenes of February and March, then, was not that such an opposition would mobilize, but that it was able to mobilize on such an unprecedented scale.
Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 22:00 | Scott Lucas in EA Live, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran 2200 GMT: Meanwhile, large evening protests are reported in Raqqa, Syria. This video is reportedly from one of those protests:
2150 GMT: The rocks in this picture used to be a fairly high wall on Mohamed Mahmoud Street, surrounding the Interior Ministry. This is all that is left, according to activists Tweeting from the street:
I don't believe violence is a policy of the opposition or that it is systematic. Lately we have seen some isolated cases of violence. We as human rights groups and the opposition in Bahrain disagree with violence and don't think it could be the means for change for the better. However, we understand the frustration of the people. They are being arrested, tortured and their loved ones are being killed.
The other side [the regime] is offering no solutions. Due to political considerations and economic interests, the international community is ignoring these abuses as well. That is adding to the feeling of frustration. Then we see people getting killed because of tear gas to which the international community replies with more silence. Foreigners come to Bahrain, they demolish mosques, they rob houses, they destroy property. An indigenous opposition in this country exists that is now being crushed by foreign mercenaries.
The public relations campaign in Bahrain is a fierce and increasingly ugly one, which brings in a multitude of competing interests seeking to frame the situation for their own purposes. For regime supporters working to spread a certain message to the West, it is about obfuscating any apparent excesses by the monarchy and their forces and amplifying the alleged threat posed by the opposition, using sectarian rhetoric both for Bahrainis and expatriates.
What is particularly troubling about the regime's manipulation of the "black smoke" campaign is its possible links to more nefarious purposes, connecting propaganda, targeted at the Shia community, with violence.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 8:52 | John Horne in EA Global, EA Iran, EA Middle East and Turkey, EA USA Joan Baez sings "We Shall Overcome", with some lyrics in Persian, for the people of Iran
See also: A Resolution for a 2012 WorldView: A Global Community Built On Communication, Not Conflict
Last week, we noted a link by Nabeel Rajab, the head of the Bahrain Center of Human Rights, linked via Twitter to Pete Seeger singing "We Shall Overcome":
This is a song close to our hearts, with a message that is both universal and relevant to today. More than anything, it is filled with hope: if "we are not afraid...we shall live in peace some day...the whole wide world around".
We wanted to spread that message as far as possible. So we have created a version which is subtitled in Arabic.
Pete Seeger - We Shall Overcome | أغنية سوف ننتصر - بيتر سيجر
Click "Select Language" to access Arabic subtitles. We thank @BahrainSwallow for their help translating the lyrics.
Nabeel Rajab speaks to crowd at the mass gathering of Bahraini political societies, 12 January
See also Bahrain Special: The Steel Rods of the Police
Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Meaningless Amnesty, Cosmetic Speech?
I think that we are entering a new phase of activism. We are entering a phase in which we have to escalate our activism work as individuals, organizations, activists and human rights defenders. The regime has undoubtedly gotten used to the current rhythm of protests, just like a body that gets used to certain drugs. The regime got used to these gatherings and to the small village protests that it ends and disperses using tear gas. At the same time it tries to mislead the world public opinion in saying that Bahrain does not have any problems except for some small protests inside the villages and these gatherings.
We have to be clear in our speech. Our problem is not with the Prime Minister, nor with the government of the Prime Minister, whom are all merely employees. Our problem is with the King of Bahrain.
