Bahrain: Imported chemical and tear gases twice the population

Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior is planning to import 1.6 million tear gas canisters and 90,000 tear gas grenades, according to a leaked document, published Wednesday 17^th October by research and advocacy group Bahrain Watch.  The document -- apparently a tender issued by the Ministry of Interior’s Purchasing Directorate -- shows that Bahrain’s security forces are stockpiling massive amounts of tear gas, despite serious concerns of international NGOs and the United Nations Human Rights Council.  These groups have called Bahrain’s use of tear gas "unnecessary and indiscriminate", and “lethal”.  This planned new shipment will supply Bahrain with more tear gas canisters than the entire population of the country. Efforts are underway to challenge this massive deal which has confirmed what the opposition had claimed; the Alkalifa are there to kill, maim and torture as many Bahrainis as possible.

The ferocity of repression was laid bare in recent days.  Yesterday regime’s security forces attacked peaceful protests in many areas causing serious injuries. The intensification of repressive attacks by those forces are desperate measures to stem the deepening political and humanitarian crisis engulfing the country. At the end of the three-days mourning of last weeks’ martyr, Yousuf Al Nashmi, 31, at Al Musalla Town, the funeral service was attacked by regime’s forces using chemical and tear gases and shotguns against participants. A young man from Karzakkan Town received a direct hit fired by the police using shotguns. He has been admitted to intensive care as his condition remains critical. He suffers broken skull and severe internal bleeding.

Many Bahraini youth have been detained in the past week. Among them is Mohammad Al Nashaba, 21 who was snatched from his house in the early hours of the Eid Day, Tuesday 15^th October. Another youth, Jaffar Al Wada’ei, 19, was also snatched from his home and taken to Alkhalifa torture dungeons. 

On 14^th October, Foreign Policy website has published an article titled “Ignoring Bahrain’s iron fist”. It was written by Sarah Margon, acting Washington director at Human Rights Watch and Mary Laurie, a fellow in the Human Rights Watch Washington office. It said: “For two years, as the United States has condemned massive abuses of protesters throughout the Middle East, it has largely turned a blind eye to equally horrific treatment in Bahrain, a small but significant ally. As the situation in Manama shows no sign of abating, the United States needs to step up its game -- before it's too late.” After detailing America’s stands on Bahrain in the past two years including what President Obama said in his address at the UN recently, it concluded: “If the United States is trying to gain leverage with Bahrain's rulers by limiting its criticism, there is no evidence that this app roach is making a difference. In fact, it appears to be making a bad situation worse.”

Although the regime’s forces are committing atrocious crimes against Bahrainis every day, only a portion of those crimes are documented. The link below shows how those forces are waging war against Bahraini natives. The crime which has been recorded took place at Al Ekr Town. Those forces prefer to commit their crimes on the secluded roofs of houses they raid without legal permission. A similar video was broadcast about a similar crime at Alaker Town last year.

Meanwhile, the protests have continued in most parts of the country under different mottos. The regime’s failure to contain the situation or defeat the Revolution has taken the struggle steps ahead and created more pressure on Alkhalifa’s allies especially Washington. The protest on Tuesday to mark the end of the commemoration service of Martyr Yousuf Al Nashmi, has proven beyond doubt that the people are clear in their minds about what they want, and possess power and carriage to counter the regime’s mouthpieces.

Bahrain Freedom Movement

18^th October 2013