Canada condemns massacre in Bahrain

Given the instability fostered by the various reform movements in the Middle East over the last few months, the (outgoing) Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Abdul Rahman Hamad Al Attiyah has conveyed the necessity of political dialogue and reform in the region, and a facilitation of public participation. Al Attiyah stressed that these demands have to be addressed by the region, without foreign intervention.
 

This statement comes amidst last week’s response by the GCC when member-state Bahrain made a request for troop deployment to help the government subdue the rising protesters in the Kingdom. The deployment resulted in the death of a Saudi soldier, followed by deadly clashes and Bahrain declaring a three-month state of emergency. Calling upon a state of emergency seems to have intensified the situation overall, leading to a call by the UN for Bahrain to reassess its response to the protests.

Al Attiyah’s statement comes in the midst of the tense situation in Libya, where the UN-sanctioned coalition has been moving in. The international community has been responding with troops and statements, declaring war on Gadhafi’s regime and to protect the people.

In Bahrain, the situation intensified following the GCC’s deployment of troops into the state and the international community has been following the events as they unfold. The GCC’s statement regarding intervention is a reflection of the Gulf Arab states’ adamant stance that for change and reform in the region to take its natural course, it is crucial that it be done without foreign intervention.

Reports are emerging of continued chaos and increased clashes between the government and protestors. The United Nations has received reports that security forces have gone into various medical facilities in the country, in an attempt to identify and locate key protestors. As key protestors are detained and the situation intensifies, the international community has been urging the government of Bahrain to respect the rights of its citizens.

As a friend of the west, Bahrain has received advice from western states, including the US and Canada, further echoed by the United Nations. Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary General, has spoken with the King of Bahrain and voiced his concerns and the UN has taken the stance that Bahrain’s approach might be a violation of international law. Whether this issue is addressed by member states is up to the Security Council.

The US Assistant Secretary of State, Jeffrey Feltman, visited the Middle East in recent weeks and has insisted that while the US supports Bahrain and its people, the process has to be independent of foreign intervention. Soon after this, the recent emergence of reports that the crackdown against protestors has become violent, have prompted President Obama to express his concern and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been critical of the GCC deployment on March 14, expressing that such measures are not the right reaction to protestors.

 

Canada has courteous relations with Bahrain and has expressed concern over the situation. In mid-February, the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Lawrence Cannon, urged the Bahraini government to respect its citizens and their freedom of rights and expression. Following the deployment of GCC forces into the Kingdom, Mr Cannon made a statement that “Canada urges the Government of Bahrain to protect the safety of demonstrators and return to full respecting their freedom of assembly”.

With the recent developments in Bahrain and the reports received by the UN regarding the security forces’ actions in the various medical facilities, Canada has reflected the sentiments of the UN and the USA that this direction should not be taken. On Monday, Mr Cannon made an additional statement reiterating that “Canada is also deeply concerned by recent actions taken by the Government of Bahrain in response to protests in that country. We urge the authorities to promptly restore an environment favourable to open dialogue among all Bahraini stakeholders. Canada condemns reported human rights abuses against the Bahraini population and violations of international humanitarian law”.

The outcome of the situation in Bahrain is uncertain; however the reports of intensification have raised alarm amongst the international community. As they urge Bahraini authorities to respect the rights of their people and to refrain from violating international humanitarian law, they remain at a distance and observe the events as they unfold, in hopes that there is a peaceful outcome without the need for foreign intervention, as expressed by the GCC.

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