Alwaght | News & Analysis Website

Alwaght- Bahraini regime forces continue to attack peaceful protesters demanding political reforms and release of all political prisoners.
Despite the massive crackdown by the Western-backed al Khalifa ruling monarchy, Bahrainis have continued relentlessly despite the risks involved, a stance that has irked the Manama regime. Dozens of people have been killed and hundreds of others injured or arrested in the ongoing heavy-handed crackdown on the peaceful rallies which started on 2011. To get an analysis on the unfolding events in Bahrain, Alwaght has conducted an interview with Saeed Shehabi, of the London-based Bahrain Freedom Movement.
Alwaght: The Bahraini people continued to hold protests almost on a daily basis yet the al Khalifa regime refuses to give in to their demands, where do you see these protests leading to?

Shehabi: The people of Bahrain have continued their protests nonstop and recently they commemorated the martyrs' day on the 17th of December. As you noted there are daily protests and there are also major protests which will be held. At the beginning of 2016, major protests will be held with a message to the regime to expect more massive street protests to challenge the monarchy. It is a peaceful and civil resistance movement that aims to achieve the rights of the people. This movement will continue, the regime is maintaining its hard-line stance while the counter-revolution forces led by Saudi and the Israeli regimes and others are standing against these demands and rejects any changes. However the masses will not stop, whether in Bahrain or even in the other Arab countries where the people have been harassed by the counter-revolution forces over the last five years. We are expecting a major revolution in the Arab world. In Bahrain the movement will not subside unless there is fulfillment and realization of the people's demands.
Alwaght: How is the situation of the political prisoners in Bahrain especially Sheikh Ali Salman?

Shehabi:  There are almost 3,500 political prisoners in Bahrain and over the last few days many more have been detained including journalists and activists. The regime wants to crash the people's movement but the political prisoners have remained steadfast. In a statement from prison recently to mark one year since his arrest, Sheikh Ali Salman said that the regime will never breakdown the spirit of the people and it can never ignore their demands and therefore unless the demands of the people are met, the resistance will continue. Other political prisoners maintain the same position, Mr. Abdulwahab Hussein, Hassan Musheima, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja and others have high spirits and are resisting the regime from within the prisons walls. The regime cannot do anything because it knows the people both in and outside prison have high spirits and determination.
Alwaght: The Britain government is constructing a permanent military base in Bahrain while ignoring the suppression of the country’s opposition by the ruling al Khalifa regime. Western countries claim they support human rights yet they are collaborating with a regime that suppresses it's people, what's your opinion on this?

Shehabi: There is no evidence that major Western countries support human rights anywhere in the world. These countries are living and cohabitating with human rights violators and Britain is one of those countries that are not serious in defending human rights. Britain is building a base in Bahrain with the aim of extending its domination and influence in the region, starting from Bahrain. The British government must understand that its interests cannot be guaranteed or secured by dictatorship. Let it be known that dictatorship can only prepare grounds for extremism and terrorism.  The ISIS terrorist group would never have existed if there were no Saudi extremist views coupled with the support of some other Persian Gulf States with plenty of money to splash.