Members of the Bahraini opposition groups delivered a letter to Mr. Ban Ki Moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations,regarding the persecution of citizens on religious and political grounds, on Wednesday 7th May.
Human rights activists, opposition members and citizens assembled outside the UN offices in Manama ahead of the delivery of the letter.
The letter, presented by the Bahraini National Opposition Leaders to the UN Representative in Manama, stated:
We, Leaders of the Bahraini national democratic groups, are pleased to deliver this letter to you, on behalf of our members and supporters, who made 64% of total votes in the 2010 elections, seating the opposition members in the parliament.
We appreciate the UN efforts to achieve international peace and security and respectfor human rights. We are particularly grateful for the UN’s willingness to find a solution for the Bahraini crisis since its eruption in 2011.
Today, the Authority is still unwilling to solve the political crisis. The Authority’s misuse of power is threatening the majority of citizens on political and sectarian grounds. We fear that Bahrain may turn into a regional sectarian battle ground due to the Authority’s practice of religious and political persecution wrapped in security agreements.
The Bahraini Authority has imported security forces on a sectarian basis to repress the citizens demanding democratic transition. This has produced regional polarization through categorizing victims on each side by their sect. This letter, however, is not to repeat the facts confirmed by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, international rights NGOs, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights as well as its Special Procedures, and most recently, the statement of the Special Rapporteur on the freedom of religion andbelief.
Nonetheless, the international community’s silence on the appalling political, economic, civil and rights situation in Bahrain is the real reason that has led to classifying the persecution against citizens to be politically and religiously motivated. This is because the State is adopting and sponsoring sectarian and hate speech and practices. The Authority has been trying to destroy the historic and cultural heritage of the citizens. Moreover, some citizens have been forced into degrading living standards due to the Authority’s misuse of power.
The systematic religious persecution practiced against Shia citizens, and non-Shia dissidents demanding reform, is a serious threat toregional peace and security and fuels sectarian conflict.
The Authority uses underhanded methods, such as organizing the “Civilization Debate” conference, to hide the truth of the religious persecution it practices against Shia Muslim citizens under the protection of the judiciary. While at the same time, it endorses extremists and refuses to talk with the opposition societies to solve the political crisis.
We deliver this letter, while a Public Relation event under the title, “Civilization Debate Conference”, is being held in a country of sectarian persecution, to call on you as the Secretary-General of the United Nations, to provide protection for all Bahraini citizens from the mentioned practices, under the International Bill and International Law and the International Law for Human Rights as well as the responsibilities of the UN institutes given that Bahrain is a member of this organization.
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