Bahrain government officials resign as protests continue

[maddezmom]

Source: Monsters and Critics

Manama, Bahrain - The first cracks in Bahrain's regime emerged Thursday, after a foreign ministry official and a popular human rights activist resigned from their government posts in protest at the latest crackdown on demonstrators.

Nazar Al-Bahrnah, minister of state for foreign affairs, and Abdullah Al Durazi, who had been tasked with overseeing a national reconciliation committee, both stepped down in protest at the government's actions.

An estimated 5,000 people gathered in Manama's central Pearl Square Thursday to protest against the government, a day after four people were reported dead in clashes with the police.

The protesters said they were no longer demanding democratic reforms, but would accept nothing less than a regime change.



Read more: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/middleeast/news/article_1619957.php/Bahrain-government-officials-resign-as-protests-continue-2nd-Lead

[Alamuti Lotus]

1. according to anonymous sources at As'ad's page, there's a split forming in the royal family

hardliners in the royal family backed by the US & Saudi Arabia control the Court, Interior & Defense Ministries and are behind the violence unleashed last night, and (extrapolating) may try to stage a coup against the King--who is allegedly softening on the protests and may not have much control at the moment.

see: http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/02/split-in-royal-family-in-bahrain.html

[wake.up.america]

2. Certainly good to see people uprising against despot regimes.

I am just wondering how bad it has to get in America, before people say enough is enough.
You have the royal family,in Bahrain who steal from the people, in America you have Wall Street and politicians who do the same.

[sabrina 1]

3. It's getting bad. Tweets from Bahrain

today sound like those that were coming from Egypt before the thugs began attacking the protesters.

emoodz Mohammed AlMaskati
This regime is using its military against it's own people, does the world hear our cries? #bahrain #feb14 #lulu
5 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply

~~~~

NickKristof Nicholas Kristof
#Bahrain barring journalists from entry at airport. King Hamad doesn't want witnesses to his brutality.
2 hours ago

[sabrina 1]

5. From Al Jazeera:

@AJELive
AJELive
@AJEnglish deaths from latest clashes have risen to five #Bahrain. Parademic says most patients at hospital have head injuries

Damn, there were two deaths reported earlier today.

Nolanjazeera who is an Al Jazeera reporter on Twitter, just said that Bahrain will not be a good place for reporters.

And another report from Al Jazeera:

At hospital in #Bahrain. 600 brought here w/ injuries as of 8 am, more since. Beatings, shotgun pellets, rubber bullets.

The government is really cracking down on them. No wonder they do not want reporters there.

[JCMach1]

15. Also the GCC is forming ranks against the protests

Abdullah bin Zayed renews UAE stand by Bahrain

Feb 18, 2011 - 12:51 -

Manama, 17 Feb. 2011 (WAM) - Foreign Minister H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan has reaffirmed UAE's stand by the Kingdom of Bahrain, saying that any threat to Bahrain security will impact the whole GCC countries and rest of the world... http://www.wam.org.ae/servlet/Satellite?c=WamLocEnews&cid=1293605130380&p=1135099400124&pagename=WAM%2FWamLocEnews%2FW-T-LEN-FullNews

[Solly Mack]

4. K&R

[sabrina 1]

6. This is getting brutal. Nick Kristoff from the NYT must be there

From his twitter feed:

@NickKristof
Nicholas Kristof
Nurse told me she saw handcuffed prisoner beaten by police, then executed with gun.

Very bad situation right now ... I wonder if they are getting calls from the U.S. or elsewhere around the world?

[sabrina 1]

7. War crimes in progress:

Again from Nick Kristoff:

@NickKristof
Nicholas Kristof
Abt 10 ambulance paramedics attacked by #Bahrain police. I interviewed them, saw their injuries.

He better stay out of the way of the police ... as NolanJazeera said, they are not being very nice to reporters.

[sabrina 1]

8. Now the government is ordering ambulances not to go out

@NickKristof
Nicholas Kristof
#Bahrain govt has ordered ambulances to stop going out, hospital says.

Definitely war crimes in progress. I hope the UN or other organizations are getting in touch with them to let them know they can be held accountable for these crimes.

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. Are WE getting in touch with WH to say something?

Oh..wait..does Bahrain have any oil or pipelines or ports we need?
If mot, then no point in WH getting involved. :grr:

[EFerrari]

10. Found this:

Secretary Clinton to Call Bahraini Counterpart as White House Monitors Uprising Against Another Ally
February 17, 2011 7:14 AM

ABC News has learned that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other senior administration officials will be calling their Bahraini counterparts today to urge restraint and to advise this US ally on how best to proceed.

"The United States strongly opposes the use of violence in Bahrain," an administration official tells ABC News. "Wherever they are, people have certain universal rights - including the right to peaceful assembly. We continue to urge the government of Bahrain to show restraint in responding to peaceful protests."

Bahrain is home to the 5th Fleet, a major US Naval Base that shares a commander and headquarters with U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, a component part of CENTCOM, and roughly 2,300 US military personnel. The base is essentially a port at the mouth of the Persian Gulf.

The White House focus on Bahrain can be seen in context of its consideration of democratic movements in the Middle East since the beginning of Mr. Obama's presidency.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2011/02/secretary-clinton-to-call-bahraini-counterpart-as-white-house-monitors-uprising-against-another-ally.html

[dixiegrrrrl]

13. If I ever march again, I will have sign that Admin. says "peaceful assembly" is a right.

So our protesters over here won't get busted, right?

Right???

[EFerrari]

14. It may only be a right over there.

:yoiks:

[sabrina 1]

11. Well, they do have an interest in Bahrain. Check out

Turborama's post in his thread (with photo) in LBN. Apparently it is a very strategic base for the 5th Fleet.

Far as I know, the WH has said very little, just 'everyone be nice' etc. But I'm sure calls are being made frantically behind the scenes.

I looked to see what P.J. Crowley had to say, (asst. sec. of state) but haven't found anything from him yet. He never really does say much, just 'words' carefully framed to say as little as possible.

[Uncle Joe]

12. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, maddezmom.

[roamer65]

16. The Great Unrest is now on the doorstep of Saudi Arabia.

Interesting times, indeed.

[unkachuck]

17. "...foreign ministry official and a popular human rights activist resigned ..."

....absolutely....for the people will win!

....and anyone associated with or giving orders to use armed force against peaceful protesters should be hunted down like the dogs they are....

....the world has turned a page....it is no longer acceptable to murder peacefully assembling civilians petitioning their government for change....