Day Of Rage In Bahrain Demonstration
 

Hi Have just come from my office in Manama, Bahrain to my apartment in Juffair and it looks like the Day Of Rage protest organised for tomorrow 14th February against the government whereby it is being said that it will be the biggest demonstration of its kind ever in Bahrain is heating up!!! The police are surrounding the Shia areas in more numbers than usual, and the word on the street from some of my employees is that NO ONE should come to work tomorrow, especially expats!! Yeah, I know that they just want a day off, but they actually seem scared it is going to kick off out here tomorrow!! The King of Bahrain has given 1,000 Bahrain Dinars to every Bahrain family 2 days ago, but out of 14 people in my office only 3 families will actually receive it, so does anyone here in Bahrain think it is something and nothing ???
Still at least I have a good excuse for not taking my girlfriend out for a valentines dinner tomorrow!!

Re: Day Of Rage In Bahrain Demonstration
 

keep us informed. I really hope Bahrain stays stable.

Re: Day Of Rage In Bahrain Demonstration
 

Don't worry, Diggers will survive regardless.

Re: Day Of Rage In Bahrain Demonstration
 

It'll be dry tomorrow though................

Re: Day Of Rage In Bahrain Demonstration
 

We have heard the same from our work contacts over there. Trouble at mill.

Re: Day Of Rage In Bahrain Demonstration
 

I wonder if it will ever kick off in UAE? Maybe they are too well looked after to rock the boat....

Re: Day Of Rage In Bahrain Demonstration
 

Ditto Saudi?

Re: Day Of Rage In Bahrain Demonstration
 

This is what the French Embassy in Bahrain has been sending out to their citizens in Bahrain. So it looks like stuff is going down both on the 13 and the 14...

I've put a rough translation in brackets after each point....

1/ le 13 février
Karzakan : 19h30, manifestation de masse (mass protest)
Karzakan : 19h30, nombreux événements (many events)
Malkiya : 19-21h, extinction des lumières (turning off the lights?)
Karbabad : 19h30, manifestation de masse + sit-in pacifique (mass protest + peaceful sit-in)
Bal-al-Bahrain : 20h-22h, manifestation en voiture avec klaxonne (protest with honking of horns)

2/ le 14 février
Bab-al-Bahrain : 8h00 sit-in pacifique (peaceful sit-in)
Sanabis, en face de Géant : 16h00, sit-in de masse pour la libération des prisonniers (mass sit-in to free prisoners)
Malkiya : 19h00, manifestation de masse (mass protest)
Manama : 20h00, manifestation générale de masse (mass protest)

Looks like a lot going on. My wife has forbidden me from going to have a look, but we'll see. I want to get some pictures.

Re: Day Of Rage In Bahrain Demonstration
 

sounds rubbish... no burning of cars, tyres, US flags, students etc - that's a real protest.

I am gracing the fine sands of Bahrain on 28th-2nd so here is hoping it'll be fine!

Re: Day Of Rage In Bahrain Demonstration
 

This is going to be interesting. My Shia colleagues are laughing about this lot and saying that only the students and unemployed will turn up as the majority basically cant be arsed but it does seem to be gathering momentum.

Tyre burning is obligatory for all protests EM so dont worry there will be plenty of it especially in the villages and Budaiya.

I will go for a drive down Budaiya highway tomorrow morning to get my weekends supply of Pork and Bacon and will count the new scorch marks on the road.

All the police are tooled up and have a reputation for getting stuck in so suspect that the King will not let Bahrain go the way of Tunisia & Egypt. I also suspect the Jails will be full of village people by midnight tonight and there wont be a part worn tyre available for love nor money this side of the causeway

Re: Day Of Rage In Bahrain Demonstration
 

Following Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan and Yemen the citizens of the UAE are now protesting against their government.

An unnamed protester expanded on the citizens’ key demands for this newspaper:

1. Working day for Emiratis to be reduced from 2 hours a day to 1.

2. Holidays for Emiratis to be extended to 200 per annum plus public holidays.

3. Failure to deliver things to be blamed on foreigners without exception, to be formally accepted into constitution as opposed to currently just being best practice.

4. Eating cake to be adopted as national sport.

Re: Day Of Rage In Bahrain Demonstration
 

Following info regarding the demonstrations in Bahrain tomorrow

14 February:

0001-2359: Manama Souq, several demonstrations scheduled in the souq area.

1500: demonstration in vicinity of Al-Khawaja mosque(towards the back of the souq).

1900-2300: expect a car procession around Manama Souq to Ras Ruman area (to the west of the souq), expect flag waving and chants of anti-government slogans.

1500-1900: Bani Jamra, demonstration to start at village entrance and move towards Budaiya Highway.

1500-1900: Saar, demonstration in vicinity of village entrance.

1500-1900: Budaiya Highway, a human chain protest is to take place along the highway.

1500-1900: Naim, demonstration within the village (between Pearl Roundabout & Manama Souq).

1500-1900: Geant/Bahrain Mall, demonstration to start at mall and proceed to Dana mall.

1500-1900: Al-Dair, demonstration along Aradouse road (back side of airport).

1800-2200: Karzakan, demonstration in vicinity of village entrance (west of Hamad along the coast).

1800-2200: Malkiya, demonstraion in the village of Malkiya

Possibly from ARAMCO in KSA :

Anti-government activists are reported to be planning to stage nationwide demonstrations against the ruling al-Khalifa family on 14 February. The protests are reportedly referred to on social networking websites as ‘The 14 February Revolution in Bahrain', and organisers claim they are not associated with any pre-existing political group or movement.

:wub:Comment and Analysis
The precise nature and timings of the scheduled rallies are unclear thus far; however, any gatherings are likely to focus on government buildings in the capital Manama, such as the interior ministry in the west of the city. Other potential rally venues are Exhibition Road, the Ras Ruman mosque near the Diplomatic Area in the north of the city, the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Juffair and the Bahrain Mall area. Outside Manama, demonstrations may be held on Sitra island, as well as in the mainly Shia towns and villages of Samaheej, Sanabis, Tubli, Sar, Sitra, Maameer, Malkiya and Karzakan; however, personnel are unlikely to need to visit these areas. Precedents suggest that activists may also seek to erect roadblocks on major thoroughfares – including the King Fahd Causeway, which links the country to neighbouring Saudi Arabia – during protests, potentially causing localised travel disruption. It is difficult to determine at this stage how much support the demonstrations will receive, though disgruntlement over socio-economic conditions and corruption has previously prompted unrest in Bahrain. However, the security forces have to date successfully constrained the activities of opposition groups and are likely to ensure that the forthcoming protests do not result in widespread unrest, though personnel in the vicinity of any disturbances would face incidental risks.

The most serious recent anti-government unrest in Bahrain occurred between 1994 and 1999, and had roots in socio-political tensions despite the authorities blaming interference from Iran. Despite subsequent attempts to redress the power imbalance between the ruling Sunni Muslim minority and the Shia majority, significant grievances remain. Although the organisers claim that the 14 February rallies are non-aligned, Shia protesters may also take the opportunity to highlight the perceived plight of 25 Shia terrorism suspects who are currently standing trial in the capital. Sectarian issues surrounding the trial have fuelled long-standing Shia concerns over a number of socio-economic issues, including the ‘naturalisation' of foreign Sunnis, high levels of unemployment among young Shias and housing rights, while a crackdown on the Shia opposition prior to the October 2010 parliamentary polls, and subsequent claims of electoral irregularities, have also exacerbated tensions.

The calls for the 14 February protests come in the wake of a wave of popular protests in North Africa and the Middle East, inspired by the dramatic ousting of Tunisian president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali on 14 January. Opposition activity has since been most significant in Egypt, with that country's president Hosni Mubarak currently facing major demonstrations and repeated calls for his immediate resignation. The organisers of the 14 February gatherings have reportedly juxtaposed the image of head of state King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa with those of Ben Ali and Mubarak on promotional web pages, illustrating how opponents of the ruling regime have been emboldened to act by recent events abroad.


Travel Advice
Avoid all demonstrations as a basic security precaution.
Monitor the local media and this website, and liaise with local contacts for further information on the forthcoming protests.

Personal info
No way is my husband getting out of taking me out for a valentines dinner, even if it is at the British club.

Re: Day Of Rage In Bahrain Demonstration
 

Personal info
No way is my husband getting out of taking me out for a valentines dinner, even if it is at the British club.[/QUOTE]

You will be fine for dinner at the British club. Was sat in there with multiple gin and tonics on the night when the "youths" fire bombed some of the Adliya restaurants a few years ago and all was business as ususal. Keep calm and carry on :thumbsup:

Re: Day Of Rage In Bahrain Demonstration
 

according to the facebook page (search for bahrain 14 february on fb) there were a few clashes last night. police firing on protesters and so on.

however when checking with a couple of bahraini people i follow on twitter who covered the goings on in tunisia and egypt in great detail neither of them reported anything. in fact they posted that everything was quiet and nothing was going on except a couple of pipebombs going off (which is normal practice and happens every weekend in some bahraini villages).

so which is it? did something happen or not? anyone see anything out of the ordinary?

Re: Day Of Rage In Bahrain Demonstration
 

Highly unlikely that police would be firing on protesters.