Bahrain opposition gives up a move demanding reforms
Bahrain, Politics, 4/23/2004

Opposition leaders said yesterday they had given up plans to submit a massive appeal calling for greater democratic reforms after facing pressures from the government.

Four opposition groups led by the Shiite Islamic National reconciliation committee hopes to gather signatures from citizens in various parts of the country in order to pressure the government for giving more authorizations to the elected parliament and to amend the constitution.

The current constitution offers equal authorities for the elected parliament and the Shoura council whose members are chosen by King Hamad Bin Issa al-Khalifa.

Opposition sources said they are obliged to retreat after the authorities threatened to close their offices. Sheikh Ali Salman, chairman of the Islamic national reconciliation society said they had decided to embark on a middle solution in light of that position because they want to avoid tension whose results might be futile.

The government welcomed the decision of the opposition, noting that it helps to averting " atmosphere of tension " in Bahrain which witnessed in 2003 acts of unrest by the Shiite majority which were seeking more influence from the ruling Sunni family of al-Khalifa. Moreover, some of the opposition fear that the move will have adverse impact to provoke a negative reaction by the government that will cost them the political freedoms they got after the King assumed power in 1999.

Previous Stories:
  Mubarak phones Bahrain's king   (4/22/2004)
  Bahrain: a campaign for opposition associations demanding amendment of the constitution   (4/21/2004)
  Bahrain: the timing of the Arab summit to be defined by the foreign ministers   (4/21/2004)

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

Search