MANAMA, 23 October — As Bahrainis vote Thursday in the first parliamentary elections in nearly three decades, Crown Prince Sheikh Salman ibn Hamad Al-Khalifa has denied that the democratic reforms initiated by King Hamad was a result of US pressure on the government.
Speaking to foreign reporters at Al-Zaher palace here yesterday, the crown prince also rejected suggestions that the Bahraini Islamists share the ideology of the Taleban movement in Afghansitan. "No one in Bahrain embraces any Taleban ideas," he said.
"There’s no ideal regime anywhere," the crown prince said. "There isn’t a system that does not need to be developed. Those who are boycotting the elections are preventing their voices and opinions being heard," he said in reference to an opposition boycott of the polls.
Four leading political groups are boycotting the elections, saying the reforms have not gone far enough.
Prince Salman saw the current elections as a combination of modern democracy and local tradition. He said the ruling family is very comfortable with the new democratic movement and has nothing to fear from it.
Prince Salman said Americans, both civilian and military, would be safe from attacks, similar to those in Kuwait last week, from any Islamist organization. "If that attack was related to 9/11, I don’t believe that Islamist groups will imitate it. If they do, there will be tough action."
The major US military presence in the Gulf, including Bahrain, is a hot topic aired by candidates vying for a seat in parliament. "This presence raises tension in the region and is an interference in its internal affairs," argued Mansur Ridha.
Candidate Hassan Fakhro said the "removal of the US base (in Bahrain) is a realistic demand," adding that an "opinion poll should be organized so Bahrainis can have their say on it."
Unemployment and the social status of women in Bahrain also figures high among candidates’ concerns.
"The voters will decide the number of women who finally serve in parliament. The thing that really matters is that we have a free and fair election," said Prince Salman.
"The concerns of the population are primarily of a social nature," Fatima Al-Hawaj, one of eight female candidates, said. "The fight against unemployment and an improvement in the standard of life are the main worries of voters and consequently feature on the manifestos of candidates."
Yussef Sharfi, another of the 174 candidates standing for 37 parliamentary seats in the election, said: "Unemployment is a real problem in Bahrain and the solution to it can not only be economic."
Other issues include the government’s decision whether or not to grant nationality to nearly 10,000 stateless, mainly Shiite, residents of the kingdom.
"The naturalization issue is not as pressing as those of unemployment and poverty," Ibrahim Al-Dossari told fellow candidate Thabet Huzaa, who is of Yemeni origin and was defending the "patriotism" of the bidoon, during a debate in the presence of journalists late Monday.
When asked about speculations over the real motives for the government responding to many campaign demands, Prince Salman said, "The country is in an era of reform. All these changes are the outcome of adopting democracy."
The crown prince was firm in his rejection of support for another war in the region. "We don’t support any war in the Gulf. Any war now will affect our economy negatively and our plans for progress and development."
Asked about the many groups in Bahrain that are taking advantage of the elections to rally support for Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, Prince Salman commented, "The Bahraini people are free to take up any issues they like."
Bahrain’s Minister of Cabinet Affairs Mohamad Al-Mutawae yesterday confirmed that the Qatari television channel Al-Jazeera had been banned from covering the Bahraini election. He explained that the Bahraini reaction to Al-Jazeera had no effect on Qatari-Bahraini relations.
