Bahrain warns the opposition against demanding constitutional amendments
Bahrain, Politics, 4/27/2004

Bahrain's minister of the Royal court, Sheikh Khaled Bin Ahmad al-Khaliefa, yesterday warned the opposition in his country from violating the law and not to adopt any proposals concerning constitutional amendments.

He stressed that the authorities will firmly face any attempt to force the citizens to what he described " expressing opinions violating the law." He explained that certain societies prepare proposals for constitutional amendments in a sort of a petition to be submitted to the King. The Bahraini official was thereby referring to the petition four opposition political societies intend to gather signatures for and submit it to the King.

The official indicated the need not to violate the role played by the national council ( the parliament). He indicated that the statement of the parliament on February 18 which explained that the right of proposing the constitutional amendment is confined into the specialty of the King of the country, and the Shoura council and the parliament, according to the constitution.

However, the minister of social affairs and labor in Bahrain Majid al-Alawi threatened to desolve the four societies if they gather signatures for the petition outside its members.

The petition calls for constitutional amendments that allow " the authority of legislation and auditing to elected representatives of people and to abide by principles stated in the national charter concerning the constitutional monarchy." The four societies are the Islamic national reconciliation which represents the main trend among the Shiite, the democratic national labor ( a coalition of leftists, nationalists and independents ), the Islamic work ( Shiite representing the Sherazi trend) and the democratic national coalition society ( Nationalists and Baathists ).

Previous Stories:
  Bahraini opposition gathers signatures calling for political reforms   (4/24/2004)
  Bahrain opposition gives up a move demanding reforms   (4/23/2004)
  Mubarak phones Bahrain's king   (4/22/2004)

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