- Title: BAHRAIN: Bahrainis call for justice
- Date: 18th March 2011
- Summary: BUDAIYAH, BAHRAIN (MARCH 17, 2011) (REUTERS) MAN IN STREET WALKING PASSED MAKESHIFT CHECKPOINT VARIOUS OF MAKESHIFT CHECKPOINTS VARIOUS OF BUILDINGS AND MOSQUE BANNER HANGING FROM BUILDING
- Embargoed: 2nd April 2011 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Bahrain, Bahrain
- Country: Bahrain
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA8C9JPUB7SIOZSHD60WSVSV9LI
- Story Text: The ongoing unrest in Bahrain could be seen in the predominantly Shi'ite village of Budaiyah, with makeshift checkpoints set up in the roads.
As residents queued for bread on Thursday (March 17) they spoke of the crisis in the Gulf state, criticising the crackdown on protesters and calling for justice in the country.
''It's a crime. I swear. People don't have weapons and they don't have anything. They carry flags. They carry the logo of the country. They carry a piece of cloth (the flag). The world has seen that this motto falls and security men do not pick it up,'' said Budaiyah resident Jaafar Al Asfoor who was buying bread.
''We don't want confrontations. We don't want oppression. We don't want killing. We don't want people's homes to be attacked. We don't want innocent people to be killed. We want equality, justice, and rights,'' said another resident.
The bakery had been closed for a number of days, making it the first opportunity for residents to buy fresh bread.
Streets around the area were quiet, and bins have been used as makeshift checkpoints on the outskirts of the village, situated near the capital Manama.
The checkpoints are being manned by local youths who said they're protecting locals from attacks from thugs.
Over 60 percent of Bahrainis are Shi'ites. Most say they want the same treatment as Sunnis and a constitutional monarchy, but calls by hard-liners for the overthrow of the monarchy have alarmed Sunnis, who fear the unrest serves Iran.
Pearl roundabout in Manama, focal point of weeks of protests, was a scene of devastation on Thursday. Some tattered tents remained as diggers uprooted palm trees that surrounded the statue where activists had been celebrating into the night only days before.
Troops were allowing only residents in and a long line of cars was backed up behind a checkpoint. They waved through drivers heading to work in the financial district, where the protesters had tried to extend their sit-in early this week.
The military, which is now in charge of Bahrain, banned all protests from Wednesday (March 16) and imposed an open-ended curfew from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. across a large swathe of Manama. The curfew was cut back by four hours in some areas on Thursday. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
