Bahraini MP Ali Aswad tells Al-Manar website people of Bahrain have delivered obvious, direct message to Kingdom
After Tunisia and Egypt, various Arab nations seem to be heading towards change in the region, including the Bahraini Kingdom, where the hugest and most significant protest was held on Tuesday against the oppression and injustice of the "eternal" government...
According to political analysts, Tuesday's huge rally came to send an obvious and meaningful message to the Bahraini government, in the light of the slogans raised by the demonstrators who vowed not to budge from Pearl Square, the epicenter of the anti-regime demonstrations.
Protesters are saying they want nothing less than to bring the regime down, but official opposition groups have stopped short of voicing the same intent, instead demanding the resignation of the government, the implementation of reforms and the creation of a "real constitutional monarchy." The opposition has also demanded an "impartial" probe to identify those behind the martyrdom of the seven protesters so far by police and has requested the formation of a "national salvation" government.
In this context, member of the main opposition Al-Wefaq (Consensus) bloc in the Bahraini parliament Ali Aswad told Al-Manar website that Tuesday's popular movement has proven the ability of the Bahraini nation to achieve the change.
According to Aswad, Tuesday’s rally was the best response to all claims that the oppositions were not united, but instead, dispersed and incoherent. He emphasized that all opposition constituents agree on the ultimate demand of political reform. He noted that there was a political leadership which is setting the strategic plan to achieve the main goal and apply the reform approach in the political process.
While Aswad pointed out that all protesters who took off to the streets on Tuesday raised peaceful slogans without resorting to violence, he said the opposition understands what he called the nature of the "constitutional monarchy" which requires the King to stay at the head of the State. "However, the constitutional monarchy requires a government to be elected by the people and a real representation that doesn't exceed what has been agreed on in the national work charter," he said. "It also requires that the appointed parliamentary exclusively plays an advisory role while the elected parliament plays the legislative role," he added. "The Bahraini people have actually started to furthermore understand the system of the constitutional monarchy."
Meanwhile, the Bahraini lawmaker, who has resigned from the parliament alongside his colleagues in Al-Wefaq bloc, stressed that the general atmosphere was positive. He said that more rallies would be held in the few coming hours, despite the attempts to tarnish the image of the protests.
Asked about the dialogue announced earlier by the Bahraini authorities, Aswad told Al-Manar website that any dialogue protest has not started yet. He stressed that there should be some moves prior to the dialogue. But he emphasized that there were some positive gestures reflected by the latest moves taken by the authorities, including the release of political prisoners on Tuesday. "These are some positive steps, no doubt. However, they are not sufficient or very encouraging to engage in dialogue," he said, before noting that various political forces were discussing the possibility of putting the scope of the dialogue process.
Embattled King Hamad bin Issa al-Khalifa freed 23 political prisoners following a royal pardon in response to the pleas voiced during a mass pro-government rally on Monday. The royal pardon also includes Freedom Islamic Movement secretary general Said al-Shihabi, who lives in London along with Hassan Mashaima, leader of the opposition Haq movement. The two were being tried in absentia.
Aswad was interviewed by Ahmad Cheaitou - Al-Manar team
