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Arabia
'Bahrain's royal family must step down'
2010-10-22
[Iran Press TV] The Bahraini opposition has called for an end to the Sunni royal family's grip on power as the country's general elections near amid a tight clampdown on critics.

"It is unacceptable that power be monopolized by a single family, even one to which we owe respect and consideration," head of the Islamic National Accord Association Sheikh Ali Salman said late on Wednesday, AFP reported.
Sounds like the opening statements of the Third Estate ...
"We look forward to the day where any child of the people, be they Sunni or Shia can become prime minister," Sheikh Salman told a rally near the capital, Manama, in reference to religious discrimination the Shia majority have been complaining about.
Really farsighted, that man. Can't read anything closer than twenty miles away.
The pro-Western kingdom is to hold parliamentary elections on Saturday in an air soured by a severe crackdown on Shia muscle who have campaigned for reform.

Twenty-three Shia muscle are planned to go on trial -- two in absentia -- next week on charges of terrorism offenses and plotting to overthrow the Bahraini government.

Unlike a number of groups which have boycotted Bahrain's electoral process, Sheikh Salman's grouping says it is determined to work within the system.

The Islamic National Accord Association Sheikh holds 17 of the 40 seats in the outgoing parliament and will run for 18 this weekend.

"We are not defying anyone's authority. It's a political goal that we are working to achieve through legal and political means," Sheikh Salman said, warning this could take years.

Earlier in October, Amnesty International said that the Sunni-dominated government had detained a total of 250 Shia muscle in the run-up to the elections.

Despite reforms that came into force in 2002, Bahrain's ruling Khalifa family holds on to its grip on the premiership and other key posts ever since the Arab state won independence from Britain in 1971.
Posted by:Fred

#2  I know what the king should do to light a fire under them.

Bahrain has only 500,000 citizens. But it also has 235,000 foreign nationals. Since this is a Shiite effort to gain power, the king should extend support for the foreigners, making it clear to them that they should support the Sunnis.

And even encouraging non-Muslims to become citizens with all the civil rights of Muslims, with the idea that any political migration should be to a secular, non-Shiite state with perhaps even a majority of citizens not being Muslims.

Of course it would likely be hooey, but it would make the Shiites and their Iranian backers about Shiite themselves.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2010-10-22 10:03  

#1  "Third Estate" > D ****, I wanted to say it.

Guess I'll have to go wid "BAHRAIN'S, or BRITAIN'S, ROYAL FAMILY" is desired to step down.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2010-10-22 02:01  

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