Bahraini Opposition Parties on the Popular Youth Revolution: Insistence on Reform and No to Civil Strife
Ali Rizk
Opposition parties in Bahrain all agree that entering a dialogue now with the ruling family would be pointless. They say that the call made by the Bahraini crown prince to hold dialogue is not based on a platform to tackle the core issues. Head of the Islamic Action Society Sheikh Mohammad Ali Mahfouz ,the leader of one of the three main opposition parties, says that this call from the crown prince is only aimed at buying time for the royal family which is being subject to immense pressure from the Bahraini population and in particular the younger generation. And in that perspective Sheikh Mahfouz stresses that if dialogue is indeed launched it should include factions which are represented by the people gathered at Pearl Square including the youth movement. The role of the youth in this uprising can clearly be felt when Sheikh Mahfouz refers to what is currently going on as "a popular youth revolution". Another high ranking member of the opposition "Ibrahim Shareef" also highlights the importance of including this emerging youth movement in any future dialogue.
But Sharif also agrees that the ruling family has presented any clear platform for such talks. He welcomes the latest step taken by the government in releasing a number of political prisoners but says that such steps are not enough and that the "core issues" need to be tackled. "Core issues" in Bahrain are a clear reference to political reform, Sharif says that the regime in Bahrain must come out with a clear stance towards such issues which include a constitutional monarchy, dissolving the current government and holding free and fair elections. In a clear warning to the regime Sharif says that there is not a lot of time to respond to these demands and that the opposition was studying the possible steps which could be taken if the Bahraini ruling family continues to stall on the subject of political reforms. This prominent Sunni figure, who represents the leftist movement in the opposition says that the main goal is to take away the privileges of the regime and distribute them to the population and not to take the rights of Sunni's and give them to the Shiites. (in a clear attempt to reassure the Sunni population of Bahrain).
At the same time Shareef considers that the regime in Bahrain has been largely successful in portraying the current uprising in Bahrain as an uprising of Shiites against Sunni's which he says has prevented many Sunni's from joining in with the protesters.
What can be hence concluded is that the uprising in Bahrain is very similar to what happened in Tunisia and Egypt where populations (and especially the young) took a firm stance against what they view as political and economic hegemony by certain individual and parties. The one main difference in Bahrain is that the sectarian card could be used to confront the popular uprising. This sectarian card is a trap by the regime according to members of the Bahraini opposition and a trap which the Sunni's of Bahrain must not fall into.
Opposition parties in Bahrain all agree that entering a dialogue now with the ruling family would be pointless. They say that the call made by the Bahraini crown prince to hold dialogue is not based on a platform to tackle the core issues. Head of the Islamic Action Society Sheikh Mohammad Ali Mahfouz ,the leader of one of the three main opposition parties, says that this call from the crown prince is only aimed at buying time for the royal family which is being subject to immense pressure from the Bahraini population and in particular the younger generation. And in that perspective Sheikh Mahfouz stresses that if dialogue is indeed launched it should include factions which are represented by the people gathered at Pearl Square including the youth movement. The role of the youth in this uprising can clearly be felt when Sheikh Mahfouz refers to what is currently going on as "a popular youth revolution". Another high ranking member of the opposition "Ibrahim Shareef" also highlights the importance of including this emerging youth movement in any future dialogue.
But Sharif also agrees that the ruling family has presented any clear platform for such talks. He welcomes the latest step taken by the government in releasing a number of political prisoners but says that such steps are not enough and that the "core issues" need to be tackled. "Core issues" in Bahrain are a clear reference to political reform, Sharif says that the regime in Bahrain must come out with a clear stance towards such issues which include a constitutional monarchy, dissolving the current government and holding free and fair elections. In a clear warning to the regime Sharif says that there is not a lot of time to respond to these demands and that the opposition was studying the possible steps which could be taken if the Bahraini ruling family continues to stall on the subject of political reforms. This prominent Sunni figure, who represents the leftist movement in the opposition says that the main goal is to take away the privileges of the regime and distribute them to the population and not to take the rights of Sunni's and give them to the Shiites. (in a clear attempt to reassure the Sunni population of Bahrain).
At the same time Shareef considers that the regime in Bahrain has been largely successful in portraying the current uprising in Bahrain as an uprising of Shiites against Sunni's which he says has prevented many Sunni's from joining in with the protesters.
What can be hence concluded is that the uprising in Bahrain is very similar to what happened in Tunisia and Egypt where populations (and especially the young) took a firm stance against what they view as political and economic hegemony by certain individual and parties. The one main difference in Bahrain is that the sectarian card could be used to confront the popular uprising. This sectarian card is a trap by the regime according to members of the Bahraini opposition and a trap which the Sunni's of Bahrain must not fall into.
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