Here, we examine the challenges to democratization in bahrain, with a particular focus on how the recent 2011 uprising has resulted in a deepening of authoritarianism. Bahraini protests of 2011 201117 bahraini protests the initial uprising is over but, as acknowledged by this article, the protests are ongoing. Bahrains strategic location in the persian gulf has brought rule and influence from mostly the persians, sumerians, assyrians, babylonians, portuguese, the arabs, and the british. It is argued that the recent unrest has brought into sharp relief the absence of quality democracy in bahrain, and that any form of democratic transition is dependent on. Eu foreign policy towards bahrain in the aftermath of the. In bahrain, a smoldering insurgency reveals the resilience. Drawing on powerful testimonies, interviews, and conversations from those involved, this broad collection of. Tunisia and egypt and the absence of an uprising in algeria.
Bahrains contribution to the arab spring bahrain al jazeera. Bahrain was the central location of the ancient dilmun civilization. At the time, bahrain was a british colony and so british forces came in and put down the uprising by arresting the heads of the movement. A failed uprising in bahrain european union institute. Drawing on powerful testimonies, interviews, and conversations from those involved, this broad collection of writings by. Whilst the country had closest economic relations with indians or south asians for the longest time, much more than the arabs themselves. Bahrains 2002 constitution guarantees equality between men and women in political, social, cultural, and economic spheres, without breaching the provisions of islamic canon law. Bahrains uprising, four years later on february 14, 2011, hundreds took to the streets in the small island nation of bahrain in a march against the ruling alkhalifa family. From mid2010, tensions have escalated after the arrest of dozens of bloggers and human rights and political activists. Subsequently, a wave of protests broke out across almost all of the arab states that people came to dub optimistically the arab spring. The strike includes workers at bahrains two largest companies, aluminium bahrain and the bahrain petroleum company. Bahrains uprising transports readers back to the tumultuous, even giddy, period when, for a few weeks at least, anything seemed possible. Feb 14, 2015 bahrains uprising, four years later on february 14, 2011, hundreds took to the streets in the small island nation of bahrain in a march against the ruling alkhalifa family. Supplementary materials such as books, cds or dvds, or similar publications.
While bahrains uprising arguably would have benefited from a more rigorous balancing of oppositionist and loyalist perspectives, the book succeeds nevertheless in reconstructing an evocative and comprehensive account of what is, in large measure, the forgotten flashpoint of the arab spring. In 1999, hamad bin isa al khalifa succeeded his father. Over forty people were killed including several detainees while in police custody and at least three policemen. Saudi intervention, sectarianism, and dedemocratization in. However, a report on bahrains security by the washington institute. In bahrain, a smoldering insurgency reveals the resilience of. Manama protests on anniversary of bahrain uprising video. The daily beast answers six key questions about the uprising. Bahrains largest trade union federation, the general federation of bahrain trade unions, which represents 25,000 employees from 70 unions, started strike action on march in support of the movement. In 1994 an uprising, led mainly, but not exclusively, by shia parties finally culminated in the signing of the national action charter nac in 2001. For more than a year, groups have criticized bahrain for its crackdown on antigovernment protests and one activist is urging the world to pay attention. Timeline of the bahraini uprising of 2011 wikipedia.
The king is the head of state, while the prime minister serves as the head of. The following is a timeline of the bahraini uprising from february to march 2011, beginning with the start of protests on february 2011 and including the saudibacked crackdown from 15 march. Globalisation, changing societies and the crisis of state. The protests were inspired by the unrest of the 2011 arab spring and 201112 iranian protests and escalated to daily clashes after the bahraini government repressed the revolt with the support of gulf. Feb, 2016 bahrains mostly forgotten uprising of february 2011 marked the turning point in the socalled arab spring. Aug 15, 2012 for more than a year, groups have criticized bahrain for its crackdown on antigovernment protests and one activist is urging the world to pay attention. Pdf on sep 1, 2015, mo jones and others published bahrains uprising. The background of the bahraini uprising dates back to the beginning of the twentieth century. Bahrain protests second anniversary of uprising thursday 14. Dubbed the inconvenient revolution by those on the ground who have fought it, bahrains democratic uprising remains very much a black dot on the arab spring map, a. Resistance and repression in the gulf 1 by alaa shehabi, marc owen jones isbn. Jan 21, 2015 bahrain s antigovernment protests, violently put down in 2011, continue in different forms to this day.
The revolution that wasnt bahrain put down an uprising and said it would introduce changes. It describes how the prodemocracy movement that erupted in early2011 became entrapped in the crosshairs of regional and international geopolitics. International reactions to the bahraini uprising of 2011. Dubbed the inconvenient revolution by those on the ground who have fought it, bahrains democratic uprising remains very much a black dot on the arab spring map, a revolutionary movement. Eu foreign policy towards bahrain in the aftermath of the uprising toby matthiesen for the past few decades, bahrain has been the gulf state with the strongest opposition movement and the highest frequency of street protests. After 26yearold street vendor mohamed bouazizi set himself on fire in front of a public building in the tunisian city of sidi bouzid on 17 december, 2010, protests broke out in tunisia. Human rights reports on the bahraini uprising of 2011 wikipedia. But so far, little has changed in a country where shiite muslims make up most of the. Ruled by al khalifas since 1783, bahrain was a british. The royal family portrayed themselves as the protectors of the sunni community from the shias to the international press.
The bahraini people have protested sporadically throughout the last decades demanding social, economic and political rights. Human rights reports on the bahraini uprising of 2011. The twoway the demolition of the white concrete structure was broadcast on state television. Edited by alaa shehabi, the daughter of a prominent figure in the bahraini opposition in exile in the united kingdom, and marc owen jones, who grew up as an expatriate in bahrain, the volume is unabashedly activist both in tone and in content and is. All books about all revolutions begin with a chapter that describes the decay of tottering. Jan 20, 2016 bahrains uprising transports readers back to the tumultuous, even giddy, period when, for a few weeks at least, anything seemed possible. The small island nations territorial position in the persian gulf not only makes. One such context could be the mediterranean and more widely europeaneven globalprotests which also unfolded in 2011. At the gathering, ibrahim sharif, the secretarygeneral of the national democratic. It is considered a part of the middle east and is an archipelago made up of 33 islands.
Tariq alhassan, bahrains chief of public security, said that groups such as alashtar brigades and almukhtar brigades were responsible for 22 deaths and more than 3,500 injuries to. It almost certainly further alienated bahrains shiite majority with many shiite officials resigning in protest and. The uprising in bahrain from the very begining in the early 80 s until now can be summarized in one word, irrespective of different words described and that is is sectarian. The demand for democracy the abuse of human rights by the regime and other terms used to. Amid the extensive coverage of the arab uprisings, the gulf state of bahrain has been almost forgotten. According to the constitution of 2002, bahrain is a constitutional hereditary monarchy. Feb 14, 20 two more pictures purporting to show the clashes in bahrain this morning between security forces and protesters marking the second anniversary of bahrain s quashed prodemocracy uprising. The irish fact finding delegation was a twoday factfinding mission composed of a group of irish doctors, politicians and human rights representatives led by orthopaedic surgeon damien mccormack who visited bahrain in mid july 2011 to determine the condition and secure the release of more than a dozen doctors and medical staff detained on antigovernment charges. How bahrains crushed uprising spawned the middle easts. Saudi intervention, sectarianism, and dedemocratization. It almost certainly further alienated bahrains shiite majority with many shiite officials resigning in protest and, if anything, increased their sympathy for tehran. He successfully ended the uprising in 2001 after introducing wide range reforms.
Pdf emotions and the microfoundations of the arab uprisings. Ben anderson reports undercover in bahrain, meeting activists, protestors, grieving parents, and alleged torture victims from the revolution that. Jun 12, 2012 a good article by far however the shortcomings overweigh the true picture depicted by the author. In the words of bahrains foreign minister, bahrain was at the brink of a sectarian abyss. The irish fact finding delegation was a twoday factfinding mission composed of a group of irish doctors, politicians and human rights representatives led by orthopaedic surgeon damien mccormack who visited bahrain in mid july 2011 to determine the condition and secure the release of more than a dozen doctors and medical staff detained on antigovernment charges during the 20112012 bahraini. Rethinking western policies in light of the arab uprisings iai. This is true both in the sense that mass demonstrations there were the first to be. These protests had a socioeconomic background, with the main.
A good article by far however the shortcomings overweigh the true picture depicted by the author. On that note, i would also recommend that the uprising have its own article just like bahrain tamarod. This practice note examines the regional and international dimensions of bahrains aborted revolution. Throughout the uprising large demonstrations and acts of violence occurred. Navy, which has maintained a permanent naval presence since 1947, was already there.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Its a very cynical position, considering the concerted effort the regime made to sectarianize the uprising. Several hundred bahrainis gathered in front of the egyptian embassy in manama to express solidarity with antigovernment protesters there. In addition to the estimated 5,000 saudi and emirati forces, about 7,000 american military personnel are stationed less than 10 miles from the pearl roundabout, the center of the countrys protest movement bahrains equivalent to tahrir square. Opposition leaders face jail time for speaking out, while protests continue on the streets.
According to the wall street journal, this was one of the first such gatherings to be held in the oilrich persian gulf states. Bahrains antigovernment protests, violently put down in 2011, continue in different forms to this day. Armoured police patrolled bahrains capital manama on tuesday to deter protests after overnight clashes on the first anniversary of the 2011 uprising. Bahrain s strategic location in the persian gulf has brought rule and influence from mostly the persians, sumerians, assyrians, babylonians, portuguese, the arabs, and the british. Feb 15, 2012 armoured police patrolled bahrain s capital manama on tuesday to deter protests after overnight clashes on the first anniversary of the 2011 uprising. The third reason for the uprisings failure was bahrains dependence on its saudi neighbour. Bahrains constitution of 2002 with amendments through 2012. Regional dimensions and international consequences. The unauthorized reproduction of this book, even partial, carried out by any means, including. The international reactions to the bahraini uprising of 2011 include responses by supranational organisations, nongovernmental organisations, media organisations, and both the governments and civil populaces, like of fellow sovereign states to the protests and uprising in bahrain during the arab spring.
The bahraini uprising of 2011 was a series of antigovernment protests in bahrain led by the shiadominant and some sunni minority bahraini opposition from 2011 until 2014. In line with the modernization theory of the time, chapters 25 examine education, social clubs and the press, labor, and foreign policy as inputs into bahrains political. The king is the head of state, while the prime minister serves as the head of government. The largest island of bahrain is bahrain island and as such, it is where most of the countrys population and economy are based. Background of the bahraini uprising of 2011 wikipedia. Two more pictures purporting to show the clashes in bahrain this morning between security forces and protesters marking the second anniversary of bahrains quashed prodemocracy uprising. The 2011 uprisings that started in tunisia and swept across the region have been extensively covered, but until now the gulf island of bahrain has almost been forgotten from the narration of events that have dramatically changed the region. Fusing historical and contemporary analysis, bahrains uprising seeks to fill this gap, examining the ongoing protests and state repression that continues today. Whilst the country had closest economic relations with indians or south asians for the longest time, much more than the arabs. Bahrain is a small country located in the persian gulf. Additionally, the commission found that there were another 11 deaths potentially linked to the uprising between 16 april and 6 october 2011.
The book s recounting of bahrains aborted foray into parliamentary representation offers some fascinating parallels with bahrains current political tribulations. This chapter examines the cycle of contention that began with bahrains decade of political liberalisation prior to the 2011 arab spring uprising and ended with measures to dissolve the country. Second, it stops us from placing these developments in other, possibly equally relevant, contexts of crisis and contestation. Bahrains mostly forgotten uprising of february 2011 marked the turning point in the socalled arab spring. An inconvenient uprising earlier this year, vice news correspondent ben anderson traveled to bahrain. Bahrain said it was removed to improve its infrastructure. Between 7 october 2011 and 5 april 2012, the bahrain centre for human rights bchr reported 32 deaths linked to the uprising, for a total of 78 deaths. The demand for democracy the abuse of human rights by the regime and other terms used to dscribe rogue regimes are irrelevaant. Article information, pdf download for a visual uprising. This chapter examines the cycle of contention that began with bahrains decade of political liberalisation prior to the 2011 arab spring uprising and ended with measures to. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. On june, bahrain s rulers commenced the trials of 48 medical professionals, including some of the country s top surgeons, a move seen as the hounding of those who treated injured protesters during the popular uprising which was crushed by the military intervention of saudi arabia. A failed uprising in bahrain european union institute for.
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