markinbahrain

Yes I agree with you Tochalosh, I am in the diplomat hotel today and their is I would say 2-3000 pro government supporters all in their 4x4's heading a march, although I thought the military have banned marches!! If the anti and pro meet up at some point today it would be terrible, but Diraz is the ultimate flashpoint for today. Also was awakened at 4a.m. this morning by 3 screaming lads around 20-25 yrs old outside my place, they were dressed in black and were in a terrible state, blood all over them, and one was semi-unconscious. The receptionist at my apartment told me later that a police van had pulled up and threw them out onto the street, apparently they had just been released from being arrested from the Pearl roundabout massacre the other night.
I have always seen the tyres burn in Bahrain, but this actually this morning really shook me up, it really is not nice to see. How on earth is this all going to be forgotten this time, I really dont know!!

Blue Cat

that's awful

markinbahrain

I have two texts one from one of my mate who is saying that the army are shooting live rounds again........It is appalling and disgusting, the pro government have been doing what they want today, and now they are bloody shooting the people whom have no votes, and see no transparency in the government, I have no understanding nor have I ever been interested in politics, but at 45yrs old I cannot believe I am actually taking sides in something that is not my issue. Moving swiftly on before I make a total mug of myself.... I have not been to work since last Sunday, I am staying in my apartment all the time, the shops have run out of milk, bread and people are panic buying, nothing in the shops!! My other friend from Newcastle text said simply "sorry mark, am at the airport am going home for a while, and said did I know that my recruitment agency in the U.K. whom I use to employ 2 I.T guys have been told to fly home by their recruitment agency!! In times like this its not so good having your own business!! If U.K. government and U.S.A. do not now totally condone this then we are an embarrasment for democracy.......apologies doing the politics thing again!!!! God knows what I will be like when my wine and bacardi run out..........Bollocks I think I will then go home!!
Mercy on the people of Bahrain, it is seriously getting bad here, should have set up in Dubai, love Jumeirah Beach..........where's the Bacardi!!

norsk

If you need supplies (ie bread, milk etc) go to Lulu in A'Ali. I was there earlier today and they had plenty of bread, milk and the like...

In terms of what's actually going on it's quite difficult to tell. It seems there are some changes in who is running (and participating in) the protests since the first few days. In the beginning it was both sects and they were standing together as Bahrainis, but now it seems the shia are taking over.

Al Wefaq have pulled out of parliament and seem to be orchestrating some of the stuff going on. I'm definitely not saying they don't deserve equality, but the protests were a lot more acceptable when it was all Bahrainis standing together. Now it will be much easier for the police and army to justify cracking down hard.

as a sidenote the crown prince was on tv earlier urging people to calm down (on both sides) and that he was ready to sit down and talk through and sort things out as soon as this happened. So does that mean that he disagrees with his dad the king, or has the army/police gone a bit outside their remit and he's trying to stop this spiralling out of control...?

it's difficult to know who is reporting the truth as well. there is a lot of propaganda on twitter, the international media are reporting rumours and hearsay as the truth, and the local media are showing infomercials of how wonderful bahrain is..

shiva

this whole place is ****ed now. that is all

shiva

http://www.channel4.com/news/bahrain...-gas-canisters

Government ends all export licences with Bahrain after it emerged tear gas canisters used against protesters may have been from stock supplied by UK

game over bahrain insert new government to continue

norsk

oh no they used the tear gas we sold them. we thought they were only buying it to leave it in storage..talk about trying to cover their arses..

norsk

i'm not so sure. this could be the kick the bahraini government needed to create a proper democracy in bahrain. the next few days will determine how it turns out.

hopefully there will be reform rather than civil war along sectarian lines.

shiva

to be fair it was probably sold under labour, Britains biggest ever arms dealing govt but yeah its only an issue if you get caught using it

shiva

****** hope its peaceful or it could get interesting for the whole gcc

shiva

CAIRO -- Authorities in Saudi Arabia have detained founding members of a new political party and told them they must withdraw demands for political reform as a condition for their release, the party said Friday.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...021802641.html

Umbrella

News says they just fired live rounds and injured 50+ into several thousand protesters that were going back to the square....

This doesn't look like it is going to calm down...

U.

Romulan

All is good in Bahrain, manshallah.

The people have come out in joyous celebration of the brilliant and benevolent rule of King Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa, while the hooligan cronies of the Iranian state have been thrown into prison. Peace prevails.

Blue Cat

I think you may well be right with this comment.

Tockalosh

Not at all. There is no way that the GCC will let Bahrain fall to the Iranian peril. The sensationalist reporting, whilst distressing is only representing a small minority of the population.

One report last night stated that the Saudis had opened fire on protesters with anti aircraft guns. LMFAO. seems you can say or write anything and sky or Al Jazeera will post it

If all 500,000 shias came out in protest then maybe there would be reason for Saudi to be concerned however 5,000 protesters out of 500,000 is hardly significant. There will be some more blood shed but life will continue and so will business.