Friday, August 25, 2006

By the KING.. for the KING

By the KING.. for the KING

Dr Abduljalil Alsingace

23rd August 2006

House of Lords, London – UK

After all the promises and vows made in public by Shaikh Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa to maintain and respect the socially binding constitution of 1973 and the constitutional coup carried out by him on 14th February 2002 is that he wanted to ensure that he is got it all. His ego is to be called by “ his majesty the KING”.

His majesty wanted to ensure that ruling Bahrain is restricted and maintained in his descendents, so they would be called “princes”. His majesty wanted to solely distribute the national wealth among his family to maintain their loyalty and support.

His royal wanted to convert Bahrain into private property: giving pieces of lands and sea shores as souvenirs to members of the ruling families in the Gulf (Al-Sabah, Saudis, etc). He is after changing the demography and smudge the historical and cultural genuine identity of Bahrain by “importing” citizens from certain tribes of Deir Zour of Syria, Sahara of Jordon, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Baluchestan.

His majesty perceives Bahrain a dynasty but for non-indigenous people (Shia and Sunni). Because of his systematic policies, they are deprived of all means of dignified and decent life- poverty, homelessness, speechlessness, and utter silence, only when his majesty gives, grants, allows, permits and honours. He unilaterally abolish the contractual constitution, a document which descends from people, and is meant to be for people. He tailored made his own in 2002 and imposed it on the people of Bahrain. It is by the KING and is made for the KING.

Such approach, considering the persistence and indigenous struggle of Bahrainis going back to as early as 1920’s, will not help paving the path for sustainable stability and security in Bahrain. More democracy and freedom will fulfil such requirements and not by marginalizing and alienating Bahrainis from the decision making. 2002 constitution- unilateral imposed by Shaikh Hamad- simply focuses all the power at the hand of his majesty the king and leaves people in the shadow. This what has materialized for the past four years of the half-elected Shura council.

The people of Bahrain have signed the biggest petition in the history of Bahrain (82,000 adult signators out of 460,000 Bahrainis) calling for new democratic constitution to be drafted by them, and addressed to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. In this petition, the signators refuse the “By the King for the King” constitution of 2002 and want “By the people for the people” constitution.

This grand constitutional petition is a strong voice calling for appreciation for the existence of indigenous (Shia and Sunni) people of Bahrain and their rights calling for true democratic constitution. It is an ecko to the demands sacrificed for by trails of martyrs among them Bu-Nafoor, Ghuloom, Shaikh Jamal, Jameel Al-Ali, Dr Hashem Al-Alawi, Hani Khamis, Nedhal Nashaba, Fadel Abbas, Nooh and others. It is a loud scream saying, we “Bahrainis” are here, donot alienate us or marginalize us. We should be considered when running business of Bahrain. We call for our rights to be restored and respected. We are after the life of dignity and decency away from the life of slavery dictated by the current ruler. We want our life back. We want to write our own constitution.