The square of the Pearl of Manama, Bahrain's capital, has returned to fill with protesters after the withdrawal of the army and police, by order of the regime. More than 4,000 protesters, who see this return as a triumph over the Government, take back the landmark of the protests at the cry of "the people want the fall of the regime" and "Sunnis and Shiites are not Bahrainis." Many of them have moved from the emergency parking Salmaniyah hospital, dubbed as "the place of Liberation" in Manama, and sacrificed a lamb in the middle of the square as a symbol of joy.
The return is celebrated with cheers, flags of Bahrain and large organization among the protesters, leading to the square meal. The barbed wire surrounding the enclave have been withdrawn and only a few ambulances guard the place. The opposition made yesterday two conditions for accepting the offer of dialogue launched by the king, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the resignation of the entire government and the army's withdrawal from the square of the Pearl of Manama.
The government agreed this morning to the first, as a gesture so that they can engage in early discussions to find a solution to the protests and subsequent military repression that has left several dead and dozens injured. Yesterday afternoon, the king had ordered the Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, to initiate a political dialogue "with all parties." To this end would have been transferred "all powers to meet the hopes and aspirations of the citizens" of all sectors "and to resolve the current crisis.
Soon after, the main Shiite opposition bloc rejected the proposal Bahrain conditional dialogue that the authorities accept "the concept of constitutional monarchy" and take out the troops from the streets. "Then we can reach an interim government with new figures that could not integrate the current ministers of Interior or Defense," he said.
Efforts to contain the violence in Bahrain have only intensify in the last hours. This morning the U.S. president, Barack Obama, has talked by telephone with King of Bahrain who has taken the need to curb the violence used by security forces against opposition manifesaciones. During the conversation, Obama condemned the violence and said that Bahrain's stability depends on the respect they show for the rights of the population.
United States has in recent days expressing concern about developments in the emirate, which hosts a major U.S. military base and border with Saudi Arabia's biggest oil exporter in the world. Bahrain used harsh repression of the military yesterday to try to drown in blood the demonstrations for democratic reforms.
The army opened fire on the crowd when he returned from the funeral for the victims in the protest the day before and tried to occupy the place of the Pearl, in central Manama. At least one person died and more than a hundred were injured, overwhelming the capacity of the Salmaniyah hospital in the capital.
The harsh response of the system is transforming the revolutionary reformers. During the funeral of three of the dead the day before, returned to hear the cries of "Death to the Al Khalifa," referring to the royal family. When some of the participants wanted to go to the square of the Pearl, where they were evacuated by fire and sword the day before, the security forces (particularly the Army, according to most sources) opened fire to stop them.
Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, urged citizens to return home and promised to talk to the opposition once calm is restored. The king granted full powers yesterday to reach an agreement. "Death to al-Khalifa. Down with the government," the crowd repeated again congregate Salmaniyah last night in the hospital, where he ferried the wounded in the clash with security forces.
Hospital sources said they were overwhelmed, but it was difficult to get a toll. According to a medical officer cited, 66 people had been hospitalized and four were in critical condition. Yesterday there was at least one killed, in addition to the seven identified since the revolt began.
The wounded over 100. In the morning, tens of thousands of people flocked to the island of Sitra, one of the 30 that make up this small archipelago, where it came from the three deceased. Attendees waved black flags and red, a symbol of martyrdom, and repeated the antigovernment slogans.
The police stayed away. Almost at the same time, thousands of government supporters gathered in the coastal avenue to express their support for the king. By late afternoon, many of them still roamed the streets of Manama and the neighboring island of Muharraq Bahrain waving flags. The events of recent days have opened up a dangerous gap between the people of this small but strategic country.
"Bahrain is now going through a state of division that is unacceptable," Prince Salman said in an interview on state television. "I make no difference between a Bahraini and another, all are our children," said the heir, who insisted that "Bahrain has never been a police state," he asked again and again to return calm and dialogue with the opposition offered "from this very night if possible." Both the Shiite majority and Sunni liberal opposition have long complained that under the veneer of democracy that gives the elections, King Hamad continues to rule as an absolute monarch.
In fact, the royal family drink all decision-making positions, including 11 of the 23 ministerial portfolios, and appoints the members of the Upper House, which deters the elected Parliament. In fact, many of those attending the Friday sermon of Sheikh Isa Qasem were disappointed to see that did not make an explicit call to continue the demonstrations.
Qasem, the most revered Shiite cleric in Bahrain, called for "killing" the police action on Thursday in the Pearl Plaza and said that authorities had closed the door to dialogue. "The killing was intended to kill and injure, not to disperse a demonstration," said the priest, who follows the quietist of Shiism.
But the report fell short for the thousands of faithful who had come to hear waiting to write off a strengthening of the protests. "The people want the regime's fall," he stopped repeating the slogan coined during popular revolts in Tunisia and Egypt. 
The return is celebrated with cheers, flags of Bahrain and large organization among the protesters, leading to the square meal. The barbed wire surrounding the enclave have been withdrawn and only a few ambulances guard the place. The opposition made yesterday two conditions for accepting the offer of dialogue launched by the king, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the resignation of the entire government and the army's withdrawal from the square of the Pearl of Manama.
The government agreed this morning to the first, as a gesture so that they can engage in early discussions to find a solution to the protests and subsequent military repression that has left several dead and dozens injured. Yesterday afternoon, the king had ordered the Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, to initiate a political dialogue "with all parties." To this end would have been transferred "all powers to meet the hopes and aspirations of the citizens" of all sectors "and to resolve the current crisis.
Soon after, the main Shiite opposition bloc rejected the proposal Bahrain conditional dialogue that the authorities accept "the concept of constitutional monarchy" and take out the troops from the streets. "Then we can reach an interim government with new figures that could not integrate the current ministers of Interior or Defense," he said.
Efforts to contain the violence in Bahrain have only intensify in the last hours. This morning the U.S. president, Barack Obama, has talked by telephone with King of Bahrain who has taken the need to curb the violence used by security forces against opposition manifesaciones. During the conversation, Obama condemned the violence and said that Bahrain's stability depends on the respect they show for the rights of the population.
United States has in recent days expressing concern about developments in the emirate, which hosts a major U.S. military base and border with Saudi Arabia's biggest oil exporter in the world. Bahrain used harsh repression of the military yesterday to try to drown in blood the demonstrations for democratic reforms.
The army opened fire on the crowd when he returned from the funeral for the victims in the protest the day before and tried to occupy the place of the Pearl, in central Manama. At least one person died and more than a hundred were injured, overwhelming the capacity of the Salmaniyah hospital in the capital.
The harsh response of the system is transforming the revolutionary reformers. During the funeral of three of the dead the day before, returned to hear the cries of "Death to the Al Khalifa," referring to the royal family. When some of the participants wanted to go to the square of the Pearl, where they were evacuated by fire and sword the day before, the security forces (particularly the Army, according to most sources) opened fire to stop them.
Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, urged citizens to return home and promised to talk to the opposition once calm is restored. The king granted full powers yesterday to reach an agreement. "Death to al-Khalifa. Down with the government," the crowd repeated again congregate Salmaniyah last night in the hospital, where he ferried the wounded in the clash with security forces.
Hospital sources said they were overwhelmed, but it was difficult to get a toll. According to a medical officer cited, 66 people had been hospitalized and four were in critical condition. Yesterday there was at least one killed, in addition to the seven identified since the revolt began.
The wounded over 100. In the morning, tens of thousands of people flocked to the island of Sitra, one of the 30 that make up this small archipelago, where it came from the three deceased. Attendees waved black flags and red, a symbol of martyrdom, and repeated the antigovernment slogans.
The police stayed away. Almost at the same time, thousands of government supporters gathered in the coastal avenue to express their support for the king. By late afternoon, many of them still roamed the streets of Manama and the neighboring island of Muharraq Bahrain waving flags. The events of recent days have opened up a dangerous gap between the people of this small but strategic country.
"Bahrain is now going through a state of division that is unacceptable," Prince Salman said in an interview on state television. "I make no difference between a Bahraini and another, all are our children," said the heir, who insisted that "Bahrain has never been a police state," he asked again and again to return calm and dialogue with the opposition offered "from this very night if possible." Both the Shiite majority and Sunni liberal opposition have long complained that under the veneer of democracy that gives the elections, King Hamad continues to rule as an absolute monarch.
In fact, the royal family drink all decision-making positions, including 11 of the 23 ministerial portfolios, and appoints the members of the Upper House, which deters the elected Parliament. In fact, many of those attending the Friday sermon of Sheikh Isa Qasem were disappointed to see that did not make an explicit call to continue the demonstrations.
Qasem, the most revered Shiite cleric in Bahrain, called for "killing" the police action on Thursday in the Pearl Plaza and said that authorities had closed the door to dialogue. "The killing was intended to kill and injure, not to disperse a demonstration," said the priest, who follows the quietist of Shiism.
But the report fell short for the thousands of faithful who had come to hear waiting to write off a strengthening of the protests. "The people want the regime's fall," he stopped repeating the slogan coined during popular revolts in Tunisia and Egypt.
- Bahrain Police Leave Manama Protest Site (19/02/2011)
- Bahrain army pulls out of Manama (19/02/2011)
- Bahrain army pulls out of Manama - BBC News (19/02/2011)
- Bahrain: anti-government protests continue despite brutal crackdown (big photo gallery) (18/02/2011)
- Bahrain police use teargas to break up demonstration - Reuters (17/02/2011)
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