Manama, May 10: Bahrain’s king has set a fast-track timetable to end his martial law-style rule, in an apparent bid to demonstrate his confidence that the Saudi-backed Bahraini forces have smothered the popular anti-government uprising even as rights groups have denounced such measures.
Lebanese University professor Mohsen Saleh further expounded on the issue in a Press TV interview. A rush transcript follows:
PressTV: Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has demanded an independent investigation into charges of torture. Interestingly Bahrain is a signatory to act in accordance with International Human Rights Conventions. But aside from the statement, are there going to be any concrete action that the UN rights chief might take?
Saleh: well, these rights organizations have really done anything to protect Bahraini people who have been tortured and brought to the military court. The aim of royal family and the Saudis and Americans is to put these people down and use all kind of means in order to crackdown on the people who are trying to say something about reform.
The situation in Bahrain is very serious; it’s a dilemma. First of all, I think the Saudis should withdraw from the country and the international organizations and the rights group must ask them to leave. This must happen if Bahrain wants any tranquility and is trying to solve the problems.
All the Bahrainis really want to solve the problem and they really don’t want the al-Khalifa family, because they kill their own people in cold blood.
PressTV: what do you think about the recent report which says Saudi Arabia has plans to annex Bahrain and to build a naval missile base there?
Saleh: well, the Saudis are not only trying to invade Bahrain, but they intend to occupy the country. They have plans to stay there in order to put an end to the revolution. But I think they are wrong. They can’t stop this revolution and people won’t be quiet about these atrocities committed by Saudis and the Bahraini regime. I’m wondering how the US and Saudi Arabia wants Gaddafi and Hosni Mubarak to leave, before they try to put an end to Martial Law.
PressTV: Another casualty of Bahrain’s crackdown has been sidelining of its Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa and according to many he was the one who put efforts to not only liberalize the economy, but also to put this process of dialogue into place. What does that show in terms of the intentions of Bahraini king if even the Crown Prince is being sidelined?
Saleh: well, the king of Bahrain is a puppet. He is not a real ruler of Bahrain. And it seems that there are many parties that decide for this royal family. And it seems that the closer you come to the United States, the more effective you are in Bahrain. And the more you have relations with Saudis, you will have more power inside Bahrain. And the more you kill people and commit atrocities, the more you are liked and loved by the Americans and the Europeans.
We are talking about politics here. First of all, the United States wants Bahrain as its base for its Fifth Fleet. Second, Bahrain is in a region that is under the control of the United States rather than its own people. That’s why I think the American are blind about what is going on in Bahrain. They are really accelerating the situation and they are putting themselves in danger and in dilemma. They are playing with the issue of democracy and sectarianism and this won’t help their interests, nor the interest of the Bahrainis, whether in Bahrain of Saudi Arabia. That’s why I think they should be more rational and they should come to terms with the opposition parties in order to bring a new situation for Bahrain.
Courtesy: The Guardians