Analyst: Bahrainis will continue revolution despite crackdown

Interview with Ibrahim Mousawi, political analyst, Beirut about the cover up or lack of international concern on the human rights abuses toward the peoples’ revolution in Bahrain.The other guest to this news analysis includes Bahraini political activist in London, Jaffar al-Hesabi. The following is an approximate transcription of the interview.Q: Mainstream media are not pointing their camera lens in the direction of Bahrain, but on the other hand we see that they’re in full zoom focus when it comes to Syria. What is the difference - why do we see a vast difference in the way that various countries are being covered?Mousawi: It’s very evident for everyone who watches what is really going on in the region that there is evident and clear double standards led by the Western governments and the so-called international community.I would urge everybody to make reservation while using this abbreviation or this terminology ‘the international community’ because it does not represent those who we consider the international community, they do not represent the international community.Now what is happening is that they are focusing or zooming in on Syria and not on Bahrain simply because the western governments i.e. the USA, Britain, the powerful capitals in the West they support the Bahraini regime and the Bahraini regime is their ally. That’s why they are turning a blind eye.It’s not that they are turning a blind eye; I would say that the Western government along with the USA are responsible; they are equally responsible and they share the responsibility for all the suffering, the brutality and the torturing that is happening to the Bahrainis.This is a very vivid and clear historical example about the inconsistency, the double standards and the hypocrisy of the Western governments.Just to notify about what my colleague said from London, Mr. Jaffar Hesabi... It’s not true that the Bahraini government is misleading the international community. This so-called international community - and we mean by it the USA, Britain and France and other western governments, all those who follow the same axis - they know in detail what is happening there.They have their embassies there; they can send any envoy or delegation to see what is really happening there; they know for sure what is really going on, but it is very evident that petroleum and oil is more important to them than the blood of the Bahraini people.Q: When we look at what is referred to as the so-called international community and the inundation by the Western media on the airwaves and how lots of times even the images are created in dealing with certain countries and then images are never shown on others... and so many people seem to be influenced by what you called the so-called international community…What is the answer then? What is the answer in order to get the truth to be shown that people all over the world realize the suffering that is taking place on the ground in Bahrain?Mousawi: I would urge that we have to find a way in order to inform the public opinion, the international community, when we mean the government, the governments have their tools, their embassies, consulates and delegations and they know very well what is happening.May be the public, the people - the ordinary people don’t know much about what is happening, they are being spoon fed by the bombardment of the media misleading them on Syria, Bahrain, on Palestine and different other place, we know about that very well.We have to be creative as to form our own alternative media. Our people who are outside, the ambassadors who have sympathy towards the cause i.e. the cause of the Bahrainis, the journalists the students, we have to go to the internet and to the alternative media in order to make this word spread all over.I want to say that when we are strong enough as people, as people who are fighting the repressive regimes, we will be able one way or another to find a way in order to make the message reach.Otherwise, if we are going to depend on the media we know that they are hostile, these are communities and governments who have put themselves in the shoes of our enemies and they deal with us as if we are their enemies. That’s why they want to gag our mouths; they don’t want the word to get out in any way.We have to find a way in order to reach…Q: On the same line I was asking our guest in London and talking about Saudi Arabia’s role, how responsible do you think the Saudi regime is for what is happening in general right now in Bahrain?Mousawi: They know they have taken the decision to interfere and to go into Bahrain. This is a turning point actually. They share full responsibility with the Bahraini regime about all the actions taken against the Bahraini people.I will tell you one simple thing - when we have this kind of genuine steadfastness by the Bahraini people; when we have this resolve, this determination, this continuation of the struggle against the repressive coercive regime of Bahrain; when they are continuing their peaceful demonstrations and they insist to be peaceful; and when the system itself, the government, tries to depict it as un-peaceful and they want to distort the image of the Bahraini revolution, this is something that will tell you exactly how afraid they are of the kind of fear the extent of fear they suffer from the Bahraini revolution.I believe it’s a matter of time only when they all will subdue and they all will surrender to the resolve and the determination.The people in Bahrain have to continue their patience, continue their perseverance and I’m sure their victory and triumph will be their fate and their destiny no matter how much brutality the government of Bahrain would exercise against them.Q: What exactly does it mean as our guest in London has talked about that John Yates (former UK head of counter terrorism), he was accused of corruption back in the UK, but then seemed rewarded by the Bahraini regime, brought to Manama and now spearheading, it seems, this crackdown.What type of respect does that say that the West in general has for the Bahraini people when someone was accused of such negative actions in their own country and yet now is heading the security force in Bahrain?Mousawi: Again and again we are revolving over the same point. We have not to pin any hope, not to bank on any positive engagement with the Western governments. We’re talking about hypocrites, we’re talking about double standards policies, we’re talking about inconsistency and we’re talking about insecurity. What do we expect from them?It’s the same that applies to Israel for example, I mean we all know when we talk about the judiciary for example in Britain they said they are trying to make certain amendments for judiciary rules so they will not go after the Israeli leaders.It’s the same everywhere and when it comes to their interests, their interests are number one, and the people and their blood and their rights... If we believe this so-called western democracy that they care for the human rights and care for the people, then we are misled.Q: Mr. Hesabi said that perhaps they will lose, the US will lose Bahrain as they lost Iran, but in the meantime what will it take for the Bahraini human rights protesters to reach their goal, which is basically human rights; one person one vote; and to have a say in the direction of their country?Mousawi: They have to continue their determination, they have to be as determined and have the same resolve as they did since the beginning of this revolution. I have an unshaken conviction that things are going to end and boil down to the interests of the Bahraini people.It is something that Allah has promised all the believers that if they continue to persevere on the path of Allah they are going to get their victory. It’s a matter of patience and perseverance and determination and all things are going to come to their interests. They have only to continue and to continue relying on Allah and their own fists and their own patience and their own determination. /129