‘International Conference to Support Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain’ kicked off on Wednesday in Beirut, amid the participation of international activists who arrive from different countries across the world.
‘International Conference to Support Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain’ kicked off on Wednesday in Beirut, amid the participation of international activists who arrive from different countries across the world.
Opening session started at 4:15 pm local time by a documentary video filming memories of the Bahraini revolution and unfolding gross violations the people of Bahrain in which they have been suffering since the start of the peaceful uprising in mid-February 2011.
The video also showed how the Bahraini monarchy tackled the popular movement via crackdown and terror. It has shot the violations in which the regime was involved after the Bahraini fact-finding committee report, known as Bassiouni’s report.
The conference platform will receive speeches of Bahrain Forum for Human Rights, the Citizen Bloc in the Iraqi parliament, UN Human Rights Committee- Geneva, General Rapporteur of Amnesty International- Tunisia, Governmental Service Management Institution- Russia and Al-Wefaq Bahraini opposition group, as well as speeches of activists from Lebanon, Egypt and Turkey.
Youssef Rabih: International Institutions Should Stop Criminals and Hold Them Accountable
Head of Bahrain Forum for Human Rights, Youssef Rabih, said that sacrifices of the Bahraini people show the Bahraini government as an apostate from the international law, noting that the wide international participation in the annual conference of Bahraini revolution represents an importatnt annex to the Bahraini revolution.
Speaking at the opening session of the International Conference to Support Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain, Rabih announced that the title of the conference has been elected to express the deepining of the Bahraini people demands for which they paid the lives of more than 100 martyrs and at least 4600 wounded civilians.
Rabih further wondered about the world silence towards the brutal crackdown against peaceful protesters from which the Bahraini regime benefits.
“You have the capability to take and direct decisions in your countries. My people is asking for your help to save them from tyranny and dictatorship,” he said addressing the participants.
Rabih pointed out that the repression and violations taking place in Bahrain after the Bassiouni report, which was considered an achievement for the authority, are more than before.
“The most important violations in Bahraini are killing and torturing citizens along with the impunity killers and torturers enjoy,” he said, stressing that Geneva recommendations represent new constraints to the authority.
Moreover, Rabih listed the names of those involved in crimes in Bahrain, including: Army Commander Khalifa bin Aham and Interior Minister Rashed Bin Abdullah.
Rabih also called the international organizations to stop criminals and hold them accountable under the international law, without being submitted to the states’ interests. “Otherwise, they have to disassociate themselves because this attitude doesn’t fit for human rights,” Rabih concluded.
Nawar Sahli: Most Basic Human Rights Violated in Bahrain
For his part, Lebanese MP Nawar Sahli believed that what is happening in Bahrain holds the whole world accountable, whose leaders are calling for freedom and democracy, given the obvious violations of the most basic human rights.
“The U.S. administration,” he said, “is contrary to what the positions it declares,” adding “the U.S. stands by the rulers as long as its interests require it,” referring to its double-standard and biased policy.
“Where are international organizations in front of what is happening in Bahrain?” Sahli asked.
Stressing the uprising of Bahrain is pure peaceful, the Lebanese MP slammed stripping off the Bahraini nationality from political and humanitarian activists in the Bahraini opposition.
Sahli, however, called upon the participants to conclude recommendations which might be implemented on ground, noting that Bahrain crisis can be solved only through dialogue.
Bayan Jabr: Violations, Tyranny Increase Determination
Head of Citizen Bloc in the Iraqi Parliament, Bayan Jaber, made his speech on the behest of Head of Higher Islamic Council Sayyed Ammar Hakim, in which he considered peoples’ movements are non-stop.
"Bahrain deserves to look forward to the future in order to find the balance amongst its people, to help them regain the missing confidence, on which is the national unity is based,” Jabr stated.
“Peoples enjoy the undefeatable will. Violations and oppression will increase their determination,” he added.
“We, in the Higher Council, and the people of Iraq, are committed to distance ourselves from other countries’ affairs. However, in the same time, we are committed to defend the oppressed in any possible ways,” he pointed out.
Angioli Matteo: ‘Right to Truth’ Way to Reach Human Rights
Member of UN Human Rights Committee, Angioli Matteo, said the UN periodical revision revealed that Bahraini authorities should pay compensations for the victims, noting that recommendation are not enough and need strong supervision.
During his speech, he addressed the death penalty, where Bahraini monarchy denied to abolish it which contradicts with the Bahraini constitution.Moreover, Matteo stressed the right to truth and declaring it, as well as the necessity of reforms and coordination with international UN boards to work for the sake of human rights.
Zoheir Makhloof: Voice should be Loaded to Tell the Truth of Bahrain
The opening session of the conference also included a speech of general rapporteur of Amnesty International – Tunisia, Zoheir Makhloof, in which he stressed that the Bahraini revolution was born from the womb of its people, listing the main events mentioned in the reports of Amnesty International.
Makhloof said that American and European governments, which carry the slogan of human rights, must speak loudly on what is happening in Bahrain.
He further pointed out that the Amnesty is continuing its efforts to monitor violations, hoping that Bahraini regime allows the Amnesty to visit Bahrain.
Mikhail Mizulim: Russia Won’t Keep Silent, Won’t be Negative
During his speech, Righteous Service Management Institution, Mikhail Mizulim, described what Bahrain suffers as non-sectarian and non-ethnic conflict, but rather flagrant violation of human rights.
Mizulim lashed out at resorting to oppression and foreign military intervention to fight the peaceful popular movements.
He strongly denounced the stripping off the Bahraini nationality from 31 activists, and stressed it was unacceptable step.
While noting his country’s appreciation to the Bahraini Intifada, Mizulim called upon all factions to set to the dialogue table to find a solution for the crisis.
Mizulim also indicated that Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his country won’t keep silent before what is happening in Bahrain, and its role won’t be negative regarding the Middle East.
“I will seek, from my position, to deliver the conference conclusions to the Russian officials,” he said.
Kamal Helbawi: We Only Trust Peoples
For his part, Egyptian Islamic think-tanker Dr. Kamal Helbawi wondered about the role of clerics who revolt by the side of the oppressed peoples, offending the leaders who do not take into account the privacy of anyone.
Helbawi also slammed stripping off the nationalities from Bahraini activists, adding that he trusts neither the Islamic Work Organization, nor the Arab League, but only the peoples, calling upon Arabs to cancel the borders set by Sykes Picot treaty in order to reach the bright future.
Amber Lyon: I Was Fired for Reporting the Truth in Bahrain
The American journalist Amber Lyon talked about her experience in covering the events of Bahrain during her job as one of the U.S. CNN channel correspondents.
Lyon said that authorities in Bahrain had disrupted during reporting events, and that she recieved threat letters after returning from the kingdom, forcing her not to publish reports she made in Bahrain.
She had been asked in the channel to modify her reports, but she had been fired once she refused to do so.
Lyon noted that her colleagues have covered events in Syria and they gained rewards for their efforts; however, she had been fired from work.
The American journalist called upon all parties to spare no effort in order to circulate the truth taking place in Bahrain.
Majid Milad: Wifaq Still Believes in Dialogue to Get out of the Crisis
Member of the general secretariat at the Bahraini opposition group al-Wefaq, Majid Milad, delivered a speech in which he stated how the Bahraini authority tackled the Bassiouni report, noting that the undecisive international stance was one of the reasons behind incresing violations.
Al-Wefaq leader stated that most significant violations that emerged recently werestripping off the nationality, distrupting citizens from performing their religious worships and threatening religious figures.
Milad stressed also that al-Wefaq still believes in the serious and fruitful dialogue as the unique solution to solve the political crisis.
At the end of the opening session, an honorary shield was delivered to the deputy chairman of Teachers’ Association, Jalila Salman, for her efforts and sacrifices for the sake of implementing the righteous demands of the Bahraini people.
Salman is a former Bahraini political prisoner who released just 15 days before.
The two-day conference is held by Lebanon-based Bahraini Forum for Human Rights, where roundtables
are scheduled to be held on Thursday.
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