Bahrain, A Call for Moderation
The need for peace lies within the hearts of all of us, it lies in every one of us and no one can sort the issues or comprehend the details or conceptualize what we are facing except us. We only need to look and see the trials we are facing each and every day spread by foreign news and views as well as suggestions on our small community.
Why do we sit back allowing minor radical elements sitting comfortably across the sea to dictate to us what they expect of us, what they see as reform. It is understood and appreciated that they mean well to suggest their own ways for a solution, however they don’t actually fully understand what is really going on in Bahrain. Only Bahrainis understand what is going on in Bahrain and we see what is happening elsewhere. We only need to click on the website to see that they don’t live better lives than we do, there are issues and problems arising everywhere. The system they want to impose has done nothing to improve the lives of their citizens. They barely have a quarter of the benefits we have. Bahrain has a lot to offer and is still a country where you can achieve your goals, which is something that many nations cannot boast about.
We live in a very tolerant society where citizens and expatriates can practice their religion freely and are treated equally. There are no sects written on a passport, there is no religion written on an identification card. There has never been a need for consensus, because Bahrain does not identify, judge or persecute a person according to their beliefs.
There are Europeans, Americans and Asians that have made Bahrain their home. We are a multicultural society which has made this island special and open to all. You only need to ask, once people come, they never want to leave. That’s the rare beauty of Bahrain we need to maintain.
We don’t need a few extremists dictating how we should and shouldn’t live, how they feel the urge and need for us to adhere to their demands making every effort for us to be like them by radical minority terror movements. Redressing wrongs has never solved anything. Had what occurred in Bahrain happened elsewhere, it would be over by now and yet it’s not, because of tolerance that many do not comprehend.
We don’t need interference as if we are not human enough to think and feel what we want for ourselves. This is our issue, our problem and together we can find a solution. We are educated enough to think for ourselves and four years on, this experience for all has been the best education that this is not the correct path. It doesn’t make any difference if it’s local or international, an act of terrorism is not the correct mean or method into bending into demands.
Our streets should be united not divided, we are and have always been one family.
As Bahrainis we live side by side, many of us went to school together, university together, weddings and burials together so why is it that we can’t seem to deal with one another? Where is the middle ground? The moderate voice? The middle man/woman? What do we really want? We all want peace, we want our children to be raised without fear, without hatred, without labels and without an external entity telling us what to do. If we continue silent out of fear, this will be the result.
Where are the moderate voices? The voices that want an end to the extreme violence that surrounds our daily lives that benefits only external beneficiaries looking for a replica of Iraq. Do we want to live like that? Do we want to be labelled as collateral damage? Do we want to be known and used as numbers for extremists? Do we want to be the headline news of daily suicide bombings, killings, terrorist attacks? Because that is where we are heading if we don’t take serious action now.
Haven’t we seen enough? Violence begets violence and it is in our hands to put a stop to this. Civil unrest will not solve the grievances. Exchanging rude remarks to one another and pleas around the world won’t solve this. We may never have complete peace although we have lived in peace before. Every soul that has departed hurts everyone of us, even when we don’t admit it, we feel it. We don’t need anymore pain.
The moderate voices should start speaking up and attempt discussions in areas affected in order to examine the alternatives to civil unrest which could escalate to civil war. How will chaos solve anything? It never has in the past, and it won’t now. We should not allow a radicalized minority with an agenda using terror to dictate to us. We shouldn’t allow media to label us because we all know that this is a false projection. There are many Shia in Bahrain who are pro government, and there are many with moderate voices who don’t accept violence and who do speak up against it, the problem is a small minority drowns the voices when they do.
Any form of civil unrest which could lead to war and destruction is the failure of our civilization. It is a success to external invested interests that we fall apart. It is a failure of our obligation to one another. It is also a failure on the part of moderate voices to reach out and speak to those inflicting unrest addressing the roots of the crisis.
I don’t intend to place labels and I will apologize if I ever have. I don’t believe that we have come to an extent where we just hate. I believe in the old saying, “Never hate a man so much, he could become your best friend”.
There are no differences between us, and a slight difference here or there should not allow brutal disputes, disruption or anarchy. We have with the Almighty’s mercy, the power of speech, the power of thought and the power of ideas. But these cannot flourish when we allow others to dictate their expectations.
We don’t need external meddling or interventions, we need private internal discussions and dialogue.
On the 3rd of February, 2012 Middle East Voices conducted a poll based on an article written by Bahrain Views .”AGREE? Bahrain Citizens Write Letter to US Congress Denouncing Protesters”
The online publication Bahrainviews.com has posted a letter to U.S. Congress in which the citizens of Bahrain, as its signatories, denounce the actions of “peaceful protesters” against the kingdom’s civilian population and its police forces. They also accuse local human rights activists of misrepresenting the situation in Bahrain for their own political gain.
The poll closed with 52.69% agreeing with the points raised in the article.
“Bahrain has taken some positive steps with respect to human rights in recent months however it has been very difficult to progress with reforms with the constant vicious vandalism and terror attacks that have occurred over the last few months on the civilian population and police force. Progress and reforms can only occur when it comes from all sides. We have been subjected to crimes, attacks, sabotage on an everyday base and as your administration is quite aware of.”
Not much has changed since then in terms of protests, vandalism and terror attacks. As for those advocating for democracy then act democratic and adhere to the majority voters in the poll. One is quite sure that if a poll was held again the percentage will be even higher this time around condemning the protests as anything but peaceful… If only the moderates will speak up, if only the moderates will start approaching this and demanding to be heard, if only the moderates would start attempting grass root discussions, we wouldn’t need a poll in the first place.
Let’s not be fooled, there is no such thing as a peaceful protest in Bahrain. Every protest in Bahrain has been anything but peaceful. The protests are intentional peace destroyers and have nothing to do with demanding rights, it has nothing to do with sect, It is a form of bullying into demands via terrorizing everyone else.
It is a form of purpose disorder to disrupt the moderates, split families apart, create sectarian tensions, destroy the economy and with it daily lives of those who have no idea why they are protesting anymore.
It has everything to do with creating civil unrest, destruction, divide, external rule, under the pretense of pretending they want what’s best for us where in reality it is the selfish demands for foreign controlled backed individuals political power and control who use and radicalize our youth to fight their battles.
There are many moderate voices out there. Speak up. There are many who want their lives back, there are many that want the freedom to choose and not be forced or used because of their sect or status by radicals. There are many that want to improve their futures via unity and education and definitely not via violence.
