Manama, April 22: The West is worried about the emergence of a democratic government in Bahrain, fearing that it will jeopardize its interests in the Middle East, a Bahraini human rights activist says.
“There is a fear among the US and other Western countries that somehow democracy is going to threaten their interests,” Husain Abdulla told to media,
The West is concerned that “if Bahrain had a real legislative parliament” empowered to legislate and rule, that would be “against [the] US and British interests in Bahrain,” he argued.
Abdulla made a reference to the presence of the US Navy Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, which hosts Washington’s major military base in the Persian Gulf region, saying if Bahraini people chose their own leaders, it would put the existence of the fleet at risk.
He suggested to the West to embrace democratic developments in the Middle East as they will bring about ‘regional stability,’ which will secure the interests of the whole global community.
“When you have a democracy you have a political process, which is based on transparency; where people don’t wish to revolt; where there is real stability, not fake stability,” Abdulla pointed out.
“It is a shortsighted view from the US and other Western countries that somehow democracy would threaten their interests,” said the activist.
Since mid-February, thousands of anti-government protesters in Bahrain have poured into the streets, calling for an end to the al-Khalifa dynasty, which has ruled the country for over 40 years.
On March 13, Saudi-led forces were dispatched to the Persian Gulf island at Manama’s request to quell growing countrywide protests.
According to local sources, dozens of people have been killed and hundreds arrested so far during the violent government clampdown on the peaceful demonstrations.
——–Agencies