Wednesday, Jun 22, 2016

Manama: Bahraini officials have vowed further determination in going ahead with decisions “aimed to maintain the country’s security, protect its citizens and residents and continue with the development process.”

Bahrain in one week suspended four societies, including Al Wefaq Islamic National Society, and a bookstore for “breaking the law”, and revoked the citizenship of Eisa Qasim, the highest Shiite religious figure in the country.

The interior ministry said the citizenship was revoked after he “played a major role in creating an extremist sectarian environment and worked on dividing the society alongside sects and in accordance with subordination to his orders.”

Reactions ranged from full support both in Bahrain and abroad, mainly from the Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Saudi Arabia and Morocco, to calls to reverse the decisions, mainly from Iran and John Kirby, the State Department’s Assistant Secretary and spokesperson.

Angry reactions to the measures included threats from Qasim Sulaimani, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s Quds Force who said Bahrain and the region would be set ablaze.

But Bahraini officials dismissed the threats and explained that the measures were needed “to rectify the political process, protect the nation and safeguard stability and security.”

“Bahrain is acting within an international framework in its war on terrorism,” Prime Minister Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa said during a work meeting. “The measures taken aim to prevent foreign interference that wants to wreak havoc and to spread terrorism. No government in the world can tolerate terrorising its people or tampering with their safety.”

Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, said the decision stemmed from “keenness on protecting the security of the homeland and the gains of its people and on preventing the country from descending into chaos as it has happened to some countries in the region.”

“All procedures were implemented according to the law and followed many violations committed by people who were involved in practices that pose a threat to the interests of the homeland and its security and open the door to violence, extremism and terrorism that risk to considerably damage the values of democracy and human rights,” he told diplomats based in Bahrain. “No state keen on the well-being of its citizens and on a secure and prosperous future for them would tolerate such risks and threats.”

Updating the parliament about the latest developments, Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid Bin Abdullah Al Khalifa said the ministry would carry on taking the necessary measure against lawbreakers.

“Now, it is time for unity and cohesion, and there is no room for sowing divide or extremism,” Shaikh Rashid said. “Citizenship entails rights and duties that everyone should take into account. No one is above the law or beyond accountability. The security of the Kingdom and the safety of its people top all priorities.”

The minister told the lawmakers that the measures were taken against organisations that were affiliated with external religious authorities.

“Such organisations breach the Constitution and the Law, cause harm to Bahrain’s sects, and target the social fabric and the unity of the people of Bahrain,” the minister said.

Speaker Ahmad Al Mulla said the parliament supported the measures taken by the government “to safeguard the reforms, prevent the subversion of the security and stability of the homeland, defend the rights of the citizens and promote the rule of law.”

By Habib Toumi Bureau Chief

Gulf News 2016. All rights reserved.