Ayoon Wa Azan (All This Is Nothing, Sheikh?)

Bahrain is a small country, but its capacities are greater than its size. A visitor to the country will always find there what he wants, be it politics, intellect, conferences or seminars, which take place there on a daily basis, as well as culture and arts events, and even beautiful beaches. But if the visitor was a convict seeking violence and subversion then he can join the opposition, which has daily activities in its area of competence. For the sake of comparison, consider the following: - King Hamad bin Isa received the report of the National Commission on what has been implemented or will soon be implemented in the report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI). On the next day, he inaugurated the Bahrain Animal Production show along with Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman. I was present at both events, and I called on the King to continue the reform process. The attendees then watched the operetta ‘Knight’s Journey’, and a show performed by a French knight with Spanish horses. - The King received the representatives of trade unions, and said that he does not want to see one citizen unemployed or an employee’s wage being reduced. - There were cultural seminars that I avoided as much as possible to focus on the art events sponsored by the Ministry of Culture. To be sure, Minister Sheikha Mai al-Khalifa is involved in presenting almost daily events to the citizens and visitors. I can say with truthfulness that is not otherwise possible for the opposition that I have with me here the program for March/April, a program that features many concerts, plays, and Arab and international singers as well as poetry recitals. The day I arrived, I missed hearing my friend Dr. Mustafa Feki speaking on ‘the Arab Spring, its advantages and disadvantages’. - The 15th Bahrain International Book Fair began when I was there. Tunisia was the guest of honor, and I had a conversation with the Minister of Culture and the guests from Tunisia. Then on the next day, I went back there by myself. There were around 300 participants in the event. So what was the opposition doing at the same time? - Individuals who took part in Al-Wefaq’s rally committed acts of sabotage and riot, and threw Molotov cocktails at the security forces. The organizers of the rally did not try to stop the abuses, and instead encouraged them. - Six public schools were attacked by unknown assailants who tried to set some of these schools on fire. - Molotov cocktails were thrown at police vehicles and policemen were injured and hospitalized. I ask here, who can be less grievous to his nation than a policeman with a limited salary? Yet he was assaulted. - MPs interrogated the government because it is lenient with vandals, as the Ministry of Interior did not arrest anyone. Furthermore, Friday preacher Dr. Abdul Rahman al-Fadel addressed the state and said that those it is seeking to appease will not be appeased, and that things may soon become unbearable. - The Chamber of Commerce, which opposes moving the protests and rallies to the capital, estimated the losses of the tourism sector at about $600 million. - I sat next to colleague Anwar Abdul Rahman, editor of Gulf News, as King Hamad spoke after receiving the report of the National Committee on the recommendations of BICI. Anwar complained of the mountain of lies he had heard about Bahrain in Geneva at a conference sponsored by the UN. I have also seen these lies in the London newspapers, mixed with blatant ignorance. I will not say that Sheikh Ali Salman was lying when I heard him speak on television while the King was speaking about reforms. When he was asked about Bassiouni’s report, he said that none of its recommendations was implemented. I just want to say that this is not true at all. 15 recommendations have been implemented, and others are currently being implemented, while only one recommendation still awaits a court ruling. Denial as such does not cancel out what has been implemented, and instead undermines the credibility of the opposition. But perhaps this is all a blessing in disguise. Indeed, implementation means that Bahrain is the first country in the Arab group as a whole, and perhaps even the Third World, which has installed cameras and recorders in police stations and interview rooms. All this is nothing, Sheikh? I will remain polite and refrain from adding anything more.