Bahraini opposition vows to continue protests

Bahrainis will continue their protests against the government because the ruling regime has failed to propose a political solution to meet people’s demands, a top Bahraini opposition figure said. Mohammed al-Motawa, a senior official of the Unity Democratic Gathering Society (Wahdawy), told al-Alam on Saturday, the revolutionary people of Bahrain have not received a clear and transparent answer from the regime yet and are still waiting to see what the king has to offer for ending the crisis in the country. Al-Motawa said the regime tried to silence the voice of revolutionaries and imprison political activists instead of listening to their demands. Bahraini regime enjoys enormous military tools and green light from regional and international powers, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the US, to clampdown popular protests, he added. The politician urged Manama regime not to be afraid of respecting people’s rights and avoid killing innocent activists. Bahraini political parties offered their demands and proposals in a meeting with a group of government representatives on Saturday but Manama regime has refused to answer the request yet. Bahrain is in the middle of a popular uprising that erupted in mid-February 2011 in the small Persian Gulf island nation, with demonstrators calling for democratic reforms. The Manama regime promptly launched a brutal crackdown on the peaceful protests and called in Saudi-led Arab forces from neighboring states to help them silent the protests. Dozens of people have been killed in the crackdown, and the security forces have arrested hundreds, including doctors and nurses. A report published by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry in November 2011 found that the Al Khalifa regime had used excessive force in the crackdown and accused Manama of torturing political activists, politicians, and protesters.