BAHRAIN: Sunni community say they agree with some of the demands of the protesters but do not want the government to fall

Record ID: 574970

  • Title: BAHRAIN: Sunni community say they agree with some of the demands of the protesters but do not want the government to fall
  • Date: 9th March 2011
  • Summary: MANAMA, BAHRAIN (MARCH 8, 2011) (REUTERS) GROUP OF SUNNI COMMUNITY LEADERS AND AN MP SITTING DOWN ON THE FLOOR IN A TRADITIONAL LIVING ROOM SETTING MAN LISTENING IN TO CONVERSATION MEN HAVING CONVERSATION / CHAPLET IN FOREGROUND (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) NATURALISED BAHRAINI, MUTASHAR BIN RAFE' AL DANDAL, SAYING: "If a father treats all his family equally, he will find all of them happy, but if the father differentiate between two brothers, then there will be friction, but sometimes you see that one child needs care more then others so you pay them special attention till they can stand on their feet. This is like the group of protesters who are currently involved in these demonstration, the leadership has realised they have legitimate demands, and they are fullfilling these demands within reason." VARIOUS OF TRADITIONAL TEA POTS IN THE ROOM (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) NATURALISED BAHRAINI, MUTASHAR BIN RAFE' AL DANDAL, SAYING: "We are equal to them, we drink from the same source, we eat from the same source, we get paid from the same authority, there is no difference between us, we are treated in the same hospital, there is no difference between us and there are no preferences (in treatment), we are all brothers and we are together. God divides wealth, when god distributed wealth and brains he didn't give equal shares." MEN TALKING IN THE ROOM AFTER POSTERS OF THE KING, PRIME MINISTER AND CROWN PRINCE WERE PLASTERED ON THE WALL POSTERS OF THE KING AND CROWN PRINCE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT (SUNNI), MOHAMMED ISMAIL AL-EMADI, SAYING: "We agree with some of the protester demands but we disagree with some especially those that address the legitimacy of the current regime in Bahrain but the welfare demands we might agree or disagree on their necessity and legitimacy, but we admit that there is a gap." CLOSE OF CHAPLET IN MAN'S HAND AL DANDAL AND AL-EMADI TALKING YOUNG PEOPLE SAT IN THE ROOM DISCUSSING SAME ISSUE WITH ELDERLY (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT (SUNNI), MOHAMMED ISMAIL AL-EMADI, SAYING: "It shouldn't be possible that any sect of this society to impose the opinion on the rest of the nation. So when they say the people want the regime gone, this is wrong statement, bcause not everybody wants the government to go, there is a group, it's a small group that wants the regime to fall." STREET WHERE SUNNI AND SHIA YOUTH CLASHES EARLIER IN THE WEEK. AREA IS MIXED IN POPULATION. / SUNNI COMMUNITY MEMBERS STANDING NEXT TO POSTERS OF ROYAL FAMILY CLOSE OF POSTER OF ROYAL FAMILY VARIOUS OF YOUNG MEN PLASTERING POSTERS OF ROYAL FAMILY ON THE WALL SUNNI COMMUNITY LEADERS AND MPS STANDING OUTSIDE THE HOUSE VARIOUS OF YOUNG MEN STICKING POSTER ON THE WALL / CLOSE OF POSTER OF KING
  • Embargoed: 24th March 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Bahrain, Bahrain
  • Country: Bahrain
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA8PBFWDY4AZYEHNVR2QTR9K3K
  • Story Text: The usually media-shy Sunni community of Bahrain on Monday (March 7), invited cameras into their community to defend their support for the current government.
    Members of the Shia Bahraini community have been protesting on the streets in past weeks accusing the Bahraini government of granting better opportunities to Sunni and naturalised citizens. But Sunni community leaders including a member of parliament, told Reuters Television the current rulers do not discriminate between citizens.
    Sitting on the carpet of a traditional home in an area which last week saw fighting between Sunni and Shi'ite youths, with tea in one hand and chaplet in another, one community leader who was naturalised over 30 years ago, compared the ruling family's rule to that of a father and his family.
    "If a father treats all his family equally, he will find all of them happy, but if the father differentiate between two brothers, then there will be friction, but sometimes you see that one child needs care more then others so you pay them special attention till they can stand on their feet. This is like the group of protesters who are currently involved in these demonstration, the leadership has realised they have legitimate demands, and they are fullfilling these demands within reason," said Mutashar bin Rafe' al-Dandal, a father to 17 children, all born and raised in Bahrain.
    Shi'ite protesters say they are squeezed out of public sector jobs which they see taken up mostly by Sunnis and naturalised citizens from Syria, Iran and other countries.
    Pointing to his shi'ite neighbour who he says is a close friend, al-Dandal says Shi'ites and Sunnis have lived side by side in Bahrain for years but friction between the two sects began to surface post-Islamic revolution in Iran.
    "We are equal to them, we drink from the same source, we eat from the same source, we get paid from the same authority, there is no difference between us, we are treated in the same hospital, there is no difference between us and there are no preferences (in treatment), we are all brothers and we are together. God divides wealth, when god distributed wealth and brains he didn't give equal shares," he said.
    Thousands are still camped out in Manama's Pearl roundabout, many demanding the ousting of the royal family.
    The government has made a number of concessions to the opposition since unrest started, including a limited cabinet reshuffle and the release of political prisoners.
    The Crown Prince has offered dialogue, but opposition groups have set conditions for talks that include the sacking of the cabinet.
    Sunni member of parliament, Mohammed al-Emadi, said that while some protester demands were reasonable, others have crossed the red line; the royal family.
    "We agree with some of the protester demands but we disagree with some especially those that address the legitimacy of the current regime in Bahrain but the welfare demands we might agree or disagree on their necessity and legitimacy, but we admit that there is a gap," he said.
    He said Bahrain differed to Egypt and Tunisia, where protests toppled long-term leaders, because Bahraini society is made up of two sects. One of the main objections the Sunni community has against the protests is what they see as the imposing of one group's demands over others.
    "It shouldn't be possible for any sect of this society to impose their opinion on the rest of the nation. So when they say the people want the regime gone, this is a wrong statement, because not everybody wants the government to go, there is a group, it's a small group that wants the regime to fall."
    To insult the ruling family is a taboo in most Gulf country, but that was broken by the wave of youthful protests storming the region. Even deeply strict Saudi Arabia has seen some protests by Shi'ite minority and a day of rage has been called on Friday (March 11).
    Protesters in Bahrain will this Friday march to the King's palace or Diwan to ask for their demands to be met. But there are fears of clashes as area is highly populated by Sunnis.
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