The move follows King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa’s instruction to Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa to lead talks with the opposition.
Bahrain’s Minister of Interior Sheikh Rashed bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa told local newspaper editors that King Hamad had ordered a round of new hires in a number of government institutions, including 20,000 jobs in his ministry.
“We hope this step will have a positive effect on the safety and security of citizens,” Al-Wasat daily quoted the minister as saying. “The minister said national dialogue was the way to achieve political stability and raise demands.”
Senior opposition leader Muneera Fakhro described it as a welcome development. “The government’s decision to recruit 20,000 youngsters into the Ministry of Interior will help integrate members of the deprived sections of society into the country’s mainstream,” she said.
According to Fakhro, this will build confidence among people and help the government tide over the current crisis. “This is also a good decision because these youngsters are Bahrainis and they will help defend the country in a better way. This will also remove suspicions among a large section of society, which felt that it was not being trusted by the government.”
Fakhro said this is one more confidence building measure and will put more pressure on the opposition parties to come to the negotiating table now. “The government has gone the extra mile and now the opposition parties have to respond positively. There is a lot of optimism in the air now,” she added.
Mansoor Al-Jamri, editor in chief of the opposition-leaning Al-Wasat newspaper, was not too impressed with the decision. “This move is coming at a time when the government is facing a crisis. It will therefore not go down very well with the population,” he said.
According to Al-Jamri, such measures are isolationist and will not have a great impact. “What is required at this stage is a comprehensive political package to take into consideration all demands of the opposition,” he said.
Measures such as the recruitment of 20,000 youngsters will not carry much weight if they are not supported by a holistic political reform, he added.
“I think it’s mainly meant for the opposition, in particular for the coming graduates. Unequal opportunities is one reason why we’re having people in the street,” Jasim Husain of Wefaq, said. “The Ministry of Interior has been slow in creating jobs.”
Meanwhile, thousands of opposition supporters blocked on Sunday the entrance to Gudaibiya Palace — where Bahrain's Cabinet meets — but failed to disrupt a government meeting as the campaign for reform enters its third week.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa, the prime minister and the king's uncle, who has been in power for 40 years, was presiding over the meeting.
White-helmeted police with riot shields stood behind one gate, looking on as the flag-waving demonstrators chanted “Down Hamad! Down Hamad!,” in reference to Bahrain's king. “The people want to topple the regime!” the protesters roared, shaking their fists toward the light pink palace with its pearl-colored dome.
The state news agency BNA said that the gathering went ahead as usual, despite the protests outside.
“The government supports freedom of expression, in a peaceful way, which is guaranteed by the constitution,” Kamal Ahmed, the minister for Cabinet affairs, said according to BNA.
But the Cabinet warned against “harming the public, commercial and economic interests,” he said, adding that “jeopardizing the interests of the people ... goes against the calls for calm and dialogue.”
In a statement released Sunday, Bahrain's Chamber of Commerce said that “general economic conditions in the kingdom are very difficult.” The island's tourism industry was hit the hardest, the statement said, adding that the revenue fell “by about 80 percent” and the losses stemming from damage to the sector were estimated in “hundreds of millions of dollars.”
“Hey Khalifa, get out! Get out!” demonstrators chanted. “We want the prime minister to go,” said Alaa Al-Nasr, a 24-year-old demonstrator.
Another protester, 42-year-old Osama Al-Nuwain, agreed. “It’s mainly against Sheikh Khalifa — they want this government to go,” said Nuwain.
Protesters also chanted for the 2002 constitution, which established an appointed upper house that has veto powers over the decisions of the elected chamber, to be scrapped.
“The 2002 constitution falls for the sake of Bahrain,” demonstrators chorused in a refrain that rhymes in Arabic.
“Our problem is a political one,” Sheikh Ali Salman, the head of the opposition Islamic National Accord Association, or Al-Wefaq, told the crowd of protesters.
“We need political reforms — lead the people to elect their government, and not a government that remains on our chests for 40 years, with all its failure,” he said.
The government warned Sunday against sliding into sectarianism saying “acts that perpetuate sectarianism and sedition are rejected by the people and the religion,” BNA reported.
