Bahrainis Vow to Continue Uprising
People of Bahrain at 8:30 PM on Friday night shouted Allah-u Akbar (God Is Great) to underline their determination to keep the revolution going, the website of Al-Wefaq opposition party reported.
Earlier on Friday, demonstrations were staged in various parts of the country ahead of the anniversary of the revolution, which started on February 14, 2011.
Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters in Manama while clashes also broke out in several other towns.
Protesters, who are seeking a democratically-elected government, chanted slogans and called for the downfall of the Al Khalifa regime.
The demonstrators also urged the release of the main opposition leader, Sheikh Ali Salman, who has been under arrest since December last year on charges of inciting regime change.
Sheikh Salman in a message from prison urged all Bahrainis to continue the uprising and keep it peaceful.
“Do not forget your main demand, which is selecting the government democratically and peacefully,” he said in his message.
Senior clerics Ayatollah Sheikh Issa Qassem and Allameh Sayyid Abdullah Qarifi also issued a joint message ahead of the revolution’s anniversary.
They regretted the worsening of the political crisis in Bahrain due to the regime’s refusal to introduce reforms.
The two senior clerics warned against violence and stressed that the peaceful nature of the popular protests should be maintained although the Al Khalifa regime has constantly used violence against the people.
Meanwhile, hundreds of political prisoners have staged a hunger strike to stress that people’s demands for freedom and democracy must be fulfilled.
The uprising in Bahrain began on February 14, 2011. Protesters initially called for political reforms and a constitutional monarchy. However, the demand later changed to an outright call for the ouster of the Al Khalifa family following its brutal crackdown on popular protests.
Scores of people have been killed in the crackdown and security forces have arrested hundreds including doctors and nurses. Dozens of demonstrators have also been sentenced to jail terms for attending street protests.
International human rights organizations have repeatedly criticized the Manama regime for its excessive use of force against peaceful protesters.
http://iqna.ir/fa/News/2847253
