Bahrain: a campaign for opposition associations demanding amendment of the constitution
Bahrain, Politics, 4/21/2004

Four Bahraini opposition political societies announced it will start as from today a campaign for collecting signatures on a petition demanding constitutional amendments calling those who wish to sign it for subscription, in line with a government request.

The four societies are the Islamic national reconciliation which represents the main trend among the Shiite, the democratic national labor ( a coalition of left, nationalists and independents ), the Islamic work ( Shiite representing the Shirazi trends) and the coalition of the democratic national coalition society ( Baathists nationals ). These societies had boycotted the legislative elections which took place in October 2002 in protest of the constitutional amendments.

Chairman of the national reconciliation society Sheikh Ali Salman said in a press conference with heads of other societies " we have decided to limit signing the petition to members of the societies and citizens wishing to sign to join one of these societies.. we want abidance by the legal explanations that is advocated by the government on addressing the general authorities despite the fact we are not convinced of it." Salman was indicating to the explanation of the minister of labor and social affairs Majid al-Alawi of article 29 in the constitution, as al-Alawi announced that addressing the public authorities is only permitted to regular commission, and based on that, the four societies have no right to submit a people's petition for the government.

The minister of Labor threatened the four associations of desolution if it will gather signatures outside of its members.

Meantime, the first financial investigation for a minister in the government of Bahrain was held yesterday for the first time since the formation of the parliament in the country two years ago. Parliamentarian Ali Ahmad Abdullah, the chairman of the services committee at Bahrain's parliament said that 18 member in the council took part in the investigation of the minister of finance and the economy, Abdullah Hassan Seif, on his responsibility as a chairman for the board of the retirement fund. Abdullah said that " atmospheres of the inquiry session were positive despite the differences in view points.

Previous Stories:
  King of Bahrain arrives in Riyadh   (4/19/2004)
  Bahrain parliament wishes to take Morocco's experience as model, speaker   (4/14/2004)
  Workshop for drawing a plan for human rights in Bahrain   (4/14/2004)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search