Bahrainis Call for Overthrow of Al-Khalifa Regime
The political development in Bahrain are mainly rooted in Islamic awareness which can inspire public uprising against the ruling class. In other words, people’s insistence on dethroning Al-Khalifa regime on the one hand, and the existing upheavals on the other have influenced Bahrain’s socio-political conditions to a great extent.
Considering Bahrain’s critical status, the country’s officials are very much concerned about public complaints and rebellions and try to represent them as religious or tribal disputes. However, people are determined to change the existing political system in their country within a democratic regime. To further clarify various dimensions of Bahrain’s revolution and the opponents’ main objectives, IQNA had an interview with Mahdi Motaharniya, expert in political issues.
The following are the excerpts of the interview:
IQNA: What are the main targets of the recent developments in Bahrain? What do the revolutionists primarily ask for?
Motaharniya: What is currently sought by people in Bahrain is a radical change in the political system and the formation of a democratic government based on the majority of public votes. Despite the tribal and religious disputes in the country, reducing people’s requests to religious and racial concerns can be a great impediment to the revolution. What matters is that people are determined to overthrow the current rulers so that they can live a better and a more free life based on Islamic and ethical values.
The governing regime, on the other hand, attempts to restrict people’s requests and rights for participation in their country’s political affairs.
IQNA: How do you evaluate the relationship between Bahraini government and the opponents? What role does it play in resolving the crisis?
Motaharniya: Today’s upheavals do not take place in the framework of classic revolution. In other words, people are no longer opposing the tyrannical regime through violence, but are more concerned with organizing social movements to achieve their goals at the lowest risk. From this point of view, we can witness a kind of political wisdom and awareness in Bahrain which directs the revolution towards a strategic situation in which the relationship between people and tyrant rulers is based on the current socio-political conditions as well as their future plans.
IQNA: The king of Bahrain has expressed readiness to negotiate over possible reforms in the country but insists on keeping the prime minister in power. What is the reason behind his insistence?
Motaharniya: The rulers do not want to succumb to the current pressures. That is why they have to accept some requests and reject some others to maintain their power. Al-Khalifa cannot deny the necessity of making reforms in the Middle East countries; on the other hand, it is determined not to dismiss the prime minister because doing so would indicate the weakness of the ruling class.
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The following are the excerpts of the interview:
IQNA: What are the main targets of the recent developments in Bahrain? What do the revolutionists primarily ask for?
Motaharniya: What is currently sought by people in Bahrain is a radical change in the political system and the formation of a democratic government based on the majority of public votes. Despite the tribal and religious disputes in the country, reducing people’s requests to religious and racial concerns can be a great impediment to the revolution. What matters is that people are determined to overthrow the current rulers so that they can live a better and a more free life based on Islamic and ethical values.
The governing regime, on the other hand, attempts to restrict people’s requests and rights for participation in their country’s political affairs.
IQNA: How do you evaluate the relationship between Bahraini government and the opponents? What role does it play in resolving the crisis?
Motaharniya: Today’s upheavals do not take place in the framework of classic revolution. In other words, people are no longer opposing the tyrannical regime through violence, but are more concerned with organizing social movements to achieve their goals at the lowest risk. From this point of view, we can witness a kind of political wisdom and awareness in Bahrain which directs the revolution towards a strategic situation in which the relationship between people and tyrant rulers is based on the current socio-political conditions as well as their future plans.
IQNA: The king of Bahrain has expressed readiness to negotiate over possible reforms in the country but insists on keeping the prime minister in power. What is the reason behind his insistence?
Motaharniya: The rulers do not want to succumb to the current pressures. That is why they have to accept some requests and reject some others to maintain their power. Al-Khalifa cannot deny the necessity of making reforms in the Middle East countries; on the other hand, it is determined not to dismiss the prime minister because doing so would indicate the weakness of the ruling class.
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