Bahrain: A New Front in the Battle between Sunni Muslims and the Shia
By: Tallha Abdulrazaq
The wave of popular unrest that has engulfed the Middle East region in recent months has paved the way for opportunistic power politicking on behalf of certain regional powers. In Tunisia, decades of oppressive rule combined with corruption, lack of jobs and increased food prices began this chain reaction of events leading to the downfall of several of the Middle East’s ‘old guard’, including Tunisia’s Ben Ali, and Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak. Indeed, we can now see from the UNSC sanctioned no-fly zone in Libya that the old Arab regimes are beginning to crumble one by one. It is in this sort of environment that players interested in exploiting the chaos are attempting to expand their influence and power via the use of religious ideology.
Case in point, the revolt in the Kingdom of Bahrain; the Shia who, depending on which figures and sources are consulted, represent 50-70% of the population began to protest against supposed state prejudice and lack of effective representation. This gripe surprisingly managed to manifest itself even following elections in 2010 that saw the Shia Al-Wefaq party win a majority of 18 seats in the Bahraini Council of Representatives. The Shia demands began with greater political freedoms without regime change, but that swiftly changed once the Bahraini government attempted to clear Pearl Roundabout, what protesters were hoping would be akin to the Egyptian revolutionaries Tahrir Square, and killed 3 protesters. As the government security apparatus is dominated by Sunni Arabs, this violent response was then capitalised upon by the Shia opposition who started to utilise sectarian rhetoric, which shall be discussed later. Since then, the Bahraini police and army has advanced and retreated in turn, before the Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad requested the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to send troops to help guard key strategic sites.
March 15th Movement Statement
Regarding Attempts to Co-opt March 15th Protests
The mass protests planned by Palestinian youth groups for March 15th are gaining momentum and extended media coverage. We, the youth groups organizing and mobilizing for this movement, find it necessary to clarify the following points:
These protests are being organized under the banner of national unity and reconciliation. However, we emphasize that resolving the predicament of Palestinian disunity must be based on principles and values agreed upon by the Palestinian people regardless of their political affiliation. The first of these principles is the illegitimacy of imprisoning people based on their political beliefs. Consequently, we demand the release of all political prisoners held by the government in Gaza and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.
Our demands for change go beyond ending Palestinian disunity and partial tweaks to the status quo. We insist on full democratic representation for Palestinians all over the world. Consequently our movement stipulates:
Democratic Palestinian National Council (PNC) elections based on a one-person one-vote electoral system that guarantees equal representation for all Palestinians around the world (Gaza Strip, West Bank, 48 territories, refugee camps, and in the Diaspora). This necessitates a complete overhaul of the PNC’s structures and the establishment of new electoral procedures.
Attempts to Co-opt March 15th Mass protests
Palestinian political parties, Hamas’ government in Gaza, Fayyad’s government in the West Bank, and a plethora of nongovernmental organizations are seeking to co-opt this movement to serve their narrow interests. Moreover, they are attempting to legitimize themselves by falsely stating that they are the main organizers behind this event. We open-heartedly welcome the participation of party members and NGO employees, who are an essential and inseparable part of our societal fabric. We do not welcome attempts by their leaders to redirect our efforts.
We affirm that the March 15th movement is by the people for the people, and is independent of any political party or institutional backing. It is being organized by non-partisan youth groups who dream of a better future for their people.
We invite all Palestinians, and particularly Palestinian youth, to come down to the street on March 15th. We will only carry Palestinian flags, and chant and sing for freedom, unity, and justice. March 15th shall be the day we stand in unity to demand democratic representation for all Palestinians as an affirmative step in our struggle for Freedom from Israeli Apartheid.
Egyptian/International March to Gaza
Egyptian/International March to Gaza
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Friday, March 4 · 10:00am - 1:00pm
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Egypt to Gaza, Palestine
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Egyptians still feel the shame of the Mubarak era Egyptian blockade of Gaza and have declared their intent to see that blockade shattered once and for all. The main groups that lead the Egyptian revolution are involved in this march and together we intend to erect a Tahrir Square style campsite next to Rafah Crossing until the blockade is over. Together we intend to make this happen sooner rather than later.
STAFF: PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTOR FOR GAZA – KEN O’KEEFE PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTOR FOR EGYPT – AHMED R. ELASSY CHERYL ABDUL/ FINANCIAL SERVICES COORDINATOR TRANSPORTATION ISSUES IN EGYPT |
To join the March to Gaza click here
What A Trip!
By: Jehan Alfarra
My Trip to Cairo was more than I had ever expected!! I am content, however 
I arrived to Cairo on the 19th of January. On the 25th, it all started- the Egyptians finally erupted. I am proud to say I have witnessed one of the greatest revolutions of our time!
This is my documentation of events up until Feb, 3. The rest is yet to be uploaded.
Passion is jumping out of the eyes and mouths of the anti-mubarak demonstrations. The pro-mubarak demonstrations were so much for a joke lol
عظَمة على عظَمة يا ريس
By: Jehan Alfarra
رح اكتب هاي البوستة بالعربي لإنو انا أوفيشالي متنرفزة بهاليوم الي حالف يمين ما يعدي على خير، وأهو نوع من التغيير بردو، لنمشي على خطى الثوار. البلد عايمة وناس بتقتل وناس بتنقتل وكلٌ يغني على ليلاه. واحد الله أعلم شو ملته كان بيلفلف اليوم وبيوزع منشورات، قلت هاتي يا بنت نشوف شو الحكاية.. مسكت الورقة وقريت اول كم سطر، وفكّى خبط بالارض. ما عرفت واللهي أضحك ولا أضحك! شوفو بنفسكو
إسرائيل الي طلع فيها نتياهو ينادي إنو الحكومة الجديدة لازم تحترم اتفاقية السلام مع إسرائيل، واسرائيل الي أعلنت إنها سـ” تغض الطرف ” عن الدبابات “المصرية” الي دخلت حدود محظورة ، راح تحتل مصر؟؟؟ يعني احكولي ديري بالك العالم كلو ملتهي بمصر يمكن إسرائيل تستغل هالوقت وتروح تتسلى بغزة شوية، مهوا مين شايف؟ هاي ممكن أبلعها، بس تيجي على مصر قدام العالم كلو؟؟ هيهيهي
ماشي، إسرائيل وفوتناها، هلأ غزة وحماس “الشيعية” الي تدخلت وقفلت المعبر أول ما انسحبت القوات المصرية من رفح، والي مانعة احتجاجات ضد مبارك بغزة، بدها تيجي تحتل العريش!!؟؟ بفففف!!! يا إمي الحئيــــني ههههه
لا وشو، سكان غزة 3 مليون، يعني العالم كلو قرف من كتر ما بنعيد وبنزيد غزة الي فيها مليون ونص.. يعني اوكي، سوقو شوية هبل على هالعالم، بس بلا مؤاخزة يا باشا!! هيك بزيادة 2 كيلو
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The Egyptian revolt: Repercussions and Possibilities
By: Tallha Abdulrazaq
I confess that I certainly did not see the events that are currently unfolding in Egypt coming. I knew that one day it had to happen, but I certainly did not think it would happen so soon. A thirty year iron fisted rule by Mubarak, the pervasiveness of the ludicrously sized Egyptian security apparatus (some figures put the ratio at 1 security/intelligence officer to every 30 Egyptians) and a tired and downtrodden people are usually not the right ingredients for a popular revolt of this magnitude and ferocity. Similarly, the ousting of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, former disgraced despot of Tunisia, caught me off guard too. However, I console myself with the knowledge that nobody saw this coming. Who would’ve thought that the Arabs, normally so docile and willing to be ground into the dirt by their illegitimate governments, would rise up with such fury and attempt to cast down the masters imposed upon them? Human intellect is no match for God’s will, that’s for sure.
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Gaza to Cairo
By: Jehan Alfarra
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