The grand prix organisers cannot shut their eyes to widespread human rights abuses
"The stubborn determination of Formula One’s governing body to press ahead with the grand prix in Bahrain has delighted the country’s rulers, who portray it as a sign that the Gulf state is back to normal. It is anything but.
While levels of violence in Bahrain are down from their peak early last year, human rights abuses across the country remain widespread and popular protests are rising again, with thousands of Bahrainis taking to the streets in recent weeks. The response of the authorities has been swift and often brutal. Three teenagers were wounded, apparently by shotgun pellets, at a post-funeral rally last Friday; many others have been taken into detention.
This is consistent with the way the Bahraini authorities have responded to unrest over the past year. Among those on the receiving end of the crackdown have been members of the medical profession (attacked, detained and tortured for helping injured protesters) and academics (abused for failing to show sufficient fealty to the ruling family).......
The British Government still declines to impose a complete ban on military equipment exports to Bahrain and it continues to talk up the prospects for Bahraini national dialogue and reconciliation. It is hard to see how either is remotely feasible while so many of Bahrain’s opposition are behind bars and with citizens imprisoned for the “crime” of wanting free elections.
It is time for the UK to recognise the limits of its quiet diplomacy with Bahrain and to step up the pressure on a government that continues to deny the basic rights of its citizens and seems fully prepared to let an activist die in detention for demanding democracy.
If the grand prix does nothing else for Bahrainis, it should at least keep their country’s plight in the headlines and embarrass governments, such as the UK, to do much more to uphold their human rights."
"The stubborn determination of Formula One’s governing body to press ahead with the grand prix in Bahrain has delighted the country’s rulers, who portray it as a sign that the Gulf state is back to normal. It is anything but.
While levels of violence in Bahrain are down from their peak early last year, human rights abuses across the country remain widespread and popular protests are rising again, with thousands of Bahrainis taking to the streets in recent weeks. The response of the authorities has been swift and often brutal. Three teenagers were wounded, apparently by shotgun pellets, at a post-funeral rally last Friday; many others have been taken into detention.
This is consistent with the way the Bahraini authorities have responded to unrest over the past year. Among those on the receiving end of the crackdown have been members of the medical profession (attacked, detained and tortured for helping injured protesters) and academics (abused for failing to show sufficient fealty to the ruling family).......
The British Government still declines to impose a complete ban on military equipment exports to Bahrain and it continues to talk up the prospects for Bahraini national dialogue and reconciliation. It is hard to see how either is remotely feasible while so many of Bahrain’s opposition are behind bars and with citizens imprisoned for the “crime” of wanting free elections.
It is time for the UK to recognise the limits of its quiet diplomacy with Bahrain and to step up the pressure on a government that continues to deny the basic rights of its citizens and seems fully prepared to let an activist die in detention for demanding democracy.
If the grand prix does nothing else for Bahrainis, it should at least keep their country’s plight in the headlines and embarrass governments, such as the UK, to do much more to uphold their human rights."
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