Almost a year ago, a fact-finding commission comprised of human-rights experts issued a report on the cases of human rights violation by Al Khalifa regime in Bahrain. Headed by international jurist Mahmoud Cherif Bassiouni, an American of Egyptian descent, the commission was established by the King of Bahrain and became known as the Bessiouni commission.
The commission revealed many truths which prompted an international outcry which led to the condemnation of Bahraini regime,as pointed to the extent of human rights violation against protesters from February 14 and later. Al Khalifa provided the commission with all possible facilities to take a propagative advantage of its activities.
Earlier in a report, Ms. NaviPillay, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights had pointed to the numerous cases of detention and torture of human rights activists in Bahrain calling for sending a special human rights rapporteur to the Arabian country.
Despite all these attempts, the regime had ignored all such attempts and except marginal acts did not implement plans recommended by the human rights groups, so no development was made to the situation of political crisis in Bahrain.
As a matter of fact, from then on, the regime has intensified crackdown on protesters in a way which seems the country is in the state of emergency. Measures for restricting liberties and human rights have been escalated and the accused persons have escaped more and more from punishment.
[From some decades ago, the Al Khalifa tribe has reigned Bahrain generation after generation. On the other hand, by depriving the majority of people from political participation, they have trampled the rights of the majority Shi'ites and have monopolized the structure of power.]
Already in turmoil, the condition of Bahrain is extremely critical. Bassiouni report could lay the groundwork for finding a political solution for Bahrain and break the impasse which has surrounded the country but ignoring the reports, the Al Khalifa regime shunned its responsibilities.
The Bassiouni report acquits Iran from the charge of meddling in Bahrain's affairs only for doing the same to Saudi Arabia and acquit the Arabian Kingdom from interference in Bahrain's domestic issues.
The West has claimed that by backing some groups from the majority Shiite population of Bahrain, the Islamic Republic of Iran is interfering in the affairs of that country but Tehran has firmly ruled out such allegations. But Saudi Arabiasent troops to back Bahrain's regime, a measure which was approved by the United States making the Bassiouni report away from realities and worthless anyway.
However since the Bassiouni commission was consisted almost of pro-regime officials, its report had already turned out to be worthless. As a matter of fact the report exacerbated Bahrains internal crisis because it gave a pretext to the regime, breaking the impasse Al Khalifa had already confronted for acts of human rights violations.
The political crisis in Bahrain is underway and has closed the doors off resolution. A year after recommendations was given by Bassiouni commission, the measures for cracking down the protesters are being escalated and those who had been detained for expressing their ideas are still kept at detention centers. At the same time the regime is still torturing its opponents but the significant issue is that the Bahraini rulers are still being backed by the United States.
* Yusuf Makki is a Bahraini author and sociologist.
Translated by Ali Ameri
