Bahrain Shiite majority demands transitional government (PHOTOS)

Published time: December 23, 2012 00:28
Edited time: December 23, 2012 04:28
Anti-government protesters shout slogans during an anti-government protest in the village of Sanabis, west of Manama December 22, 2012. (Reuters/Hamad I Mohammed)

A number of Shiite rallies have been held across Bahrain as thousands of protesters demanded a transition government and the ousting of the prime minister who has been running the island since 1974.

­Demonstrators gathered in Diya village near the capital Manama carrying flags and chanting "Resign, Khalifa!", while west of the capital, in the village of Sanabis a rally assembled near the Pearl Monument also calling for change.

In the meantime, Bahraini men and women waved the national flag and chanted during an anti-government demonstration in the western Manama suburb of Jidhafs.

Though police regularly use violence to disperse crowds of protesters, Bahrainis have continued to protest, demanding greater rights and freedoms from a ruling Sunni minority.  More than 80 people have died in the unrest since the pro-democracy protests, led by the country's Shiite Muslim majority, erupted in February 2011.

An anti-government protester holds a placard showing the Pearl Monument that reads, "We will not return′′ during an anti-government protest held in the village of Sanabis, west of Manama December 22, 2012 (Reuters/Hamad I Mohammed)
An anti-government protester holds a placard showing the Pearl Monument that reads, "We will not return'' during an anti-government protest held in the village of Sanabis, west of Manama December 22, 2012 (Reuters/Hamad I Mohammed)
Protesters hold pictures of political prisoner Ebrahim Sharif as they participate in an anti-government protest held in the village of Sanabis, west of Manama December 22, 2012. (Reuters/Hamad I Mohammed)
Protesters hold pictures of political prisoner Ebrahim Sharif as they participate in an anti-government protest held in the village of Sanabis, west of Manama December 22, 2012. (Reuters/Hamad I Mohammed)
An anti-government protester holds a banner during a protest held in the village of Sanabis, west of Manama, December 22, 2012. (Reuters/Hamad I Mohammed)
An anti-government protester holds a banner during a protest held in the village of Sanabis, west of Manama, December 22, 2012. (Reuters/Hamad I Mohammed)
Protesters hold pictures of political prisoners as they participate in an anti-government protest in the village of Sanabis, west of Manama December 22, 2012. (Reuters/Hamad I Mohammed)
Protesters hold pictures of political prisoners as they participate in an anti-government protest in the village of Sanabis, west of Manama December 22, 2012. (Reuters/Hamad I Mohammed)
Bahraini Shiite Muslim women take part in an anti-government demonstration in the western Manama suburb of Jidhafs, on December 22, 2012. (AFP Photo/Mohammed Al-Shaikh)
Bahraini Shiite Muslim women take part in an anti-government demonstration in the western Manama suburb of Jidhafs, on December 22, 2012. (AFP Photo/Mohammed Al-Shaikh)
 Bahraini Shiite Muslim women hold the national flag during an anti-government demonstration in the western Manama suburb of Jidhafs, on December 22, 2012. (AFP Photo/Mohammed Al-Shaikh)
Bahraini Shiite Muslim women hold the national flag during an anti-government demonstration in the western Manama suburb of Jidhafs, on December 22, 2012. (AFP Photo/Mohammed Al-Shaikh)

Comments (10)

Breaking Bad (unregistered) 23.12.2012 18:00

Rise Bahrain, hang Al Khalifa and his Saudi thugs in the trees. For a long time with UK and Americas strong democratic help, these sectarian animals (not muslims, but munafiqs) have been plagueing Bahraini people to death. The desperate dictatorship imposed Sunnification over there (before deiranisation, thanks again Britain) to change the population + religion.

I see it still didnt work out for Mr. man of the people. If this disgusting act didnt happen, believe me the Shiite population will be around 90% today. The opressed Bahraini people rightfully deserve their own free goverment, but of course as always, the mass media is ignoring it and countries dont want the sweet puppet gone, especially the infidel Al Saud gang.

With Bahrains mass ressources and US zionist base, who will say no to that? The island was Iranian before, but the king of cowards Shah decided to sell his own people and ancient Iranian land to Arabs because the good guy didnt want to lose Arab/Western support. The day came when that pathetic family runned like dogs in Iranian Revolution, same will happen to them. Dont worry Bahrainis, you will rise again!!

0

Undo

Down hamad (unregistered) 23.12.2012 15:34

Bahraini uprising (unregistered) wrote in #7
Duri Mohammed (unregistered) wrote in #3
I don't think that the protests in Bahrain demand democracy or reform of any sort, but demand for an Islamic state based on sectarian lines, where by Iran's Ayatollah's will administer Ba hrain from Tehran.This is a poisonous pill to swallow for those who are secular and Sunnis.If you  stay in Bahrain for years as many expats do , they understand the situation. Calling for the Al Khalifa's removal  is a scapegoat or an excuse to get legitimacy. The Bahrain opposition has shown their unwillingness to sit for dialogue, which is the only way to end the political crisis.Media campaign based on hidden agenda, with sectarian hue will take the so called revolutions no where.
Get lost! you Wahhabi Salafi terrorist, your end is near along with your Zionist master! Sad terrorist ofcourse shia bahrain protests want shia government cause there are more shia then sunni u get it ? U dont know about politics no one want a person who destroyed 40mosques in a muslim country

0

Undo

teddyformusic 23.12.2012 13:16

Bahrain the Genuinely Peaceful Revolution (unregistered) wrote in #6
In Libya, Egypt, Syria, Tunisia, it is Terrorists backed by Western Colonial Powers destroying entire countries. God Bless People of Bahrain Protesting Peacefully. People of Bahrain will prevail God willig and Arab Dictators implanted by British Empire as Fake Monarch will very very soon executed by mobs.


=================== ===============

EXACTLY. 
thi s is what I find also difficult to understand among Arab/Muslim people.......since I am not Muslim ...although I can understand that general features of the supposed "divide" between Shiite and Sunni. 
my impression is that those that seem to support the western-backed countries in the middle east, largely sunni, i believe, seem to have NO problem that practically every single one of them is NOT a democracy -- and yet point to Iran or Bahraini Shiites for being undemocratic. 
w hat comes to mind then is: 
are those that support the "anti-shiite" that call for change of leadership in the western-backed countries REALLY also interested in Democracy themselves or simply interested in maintaining the Sunni-rule? 
if the bahraini Shiite majority protesters are to be called "undemocratic" - what about the SAUDI ROYALTY? saudi arabia itself ? is that supposed to be the Paragon of Democracy? What about the Emir? what about the King of Jordan? who rules over a MAJORITY Palestinian but also Sunni population that is nevertheless treated poorly by the Rulers who happen to be western-backed? 
 in other words -- if IRAN is supposed to be the "threat to democracy" in the SUNNI ruled or SUNNI majority Islamic/arab world in the middle east backed by the West -- and a "threat to democracy" to the western-backed Islamic  world in the middle east -- 
those that criticize or oppose Iranian "influence" - can they DESCRIBE these countries as "democracies?" simply because they are western backed? 

0

Undo

View all comments (10)
Add comment

By posting your comment, you agree to abide by our Posting rules

Log in to comment in full, or comment anonymously under character-limit restriction.

100 Text

– required fields

Register or

Name

Password

Show password

Register

or Register

Request a new password

Send

or Register

To complete a registration check
your Email:

or Register

A password has been sent to your email address

Edit profile

Name

New password

Retype new password

Current password

Save

Cancel

Follow us