Protests mark fourth anniversary of Bahrain uprising
Hundreds take to the streets of the capital Manama calling for political reform and release of Shia opposition leader.


Protests comes after the opposition group February 14 Coalition urged demonstrations and strikes across the tiny kingdom [EPA]

Hundreds of people took to the streets of the Bahraini capital, Manama, to mark the fourth anniversary of an uprising that deeply divided the Gulf Arab state.

Police on Saturday fired tear gas and used rubber bullets at the mainly Shia Muslim demonstrators who were calling for political reforms by the ruling Sunni royal family.

They also called for the release of the main opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman, who was arrested in December.

Protests comes after the opposition group February 14 Coalition, a cyber-youth group, urged demonstrations and strikes across the kingdom under the slogan "Strike of defiance".

But the public security chief, Major-General Tariq al-Hassan, warned that even calls to take part in the protests will be treated as a crime, and said people should "stay away from disruptive activities that might affect security or public order".

"Action would be taken against those who spread terror among citizens or residents, put the safety of others at risk or try to disrupt the nation's security and stability," Hassan said.

Uprising crushed

Bahrain's Saudi-backed Sunni authorities crushed protests led by its majority Shia shortly after they erupted on February 14, 2011, taking their cue from Arab Spring uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa.

Tensions are running high in the kingdom where a sectarian divide is deepening and there is a growing gap between the Sunni minority government and the Island’s Shia majority.

The opposition is demanding a "real" constitutional monarchy with an elected prime minister who is independent of the ruling royal family.

But the Al-Khalifa dynasty has refused to yield.

Shia opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman is behind bars for allegedly trying to overthrow the regime.

His arrest on December 28, shortly after he was re-elected head of Bahrain's main opposition party Al-Wefaq, has sparked near-daily protests in Shia villages. Attacks targeting security forces have also increased.

"The movement has reached its four years with the situation only getting worse and deteriorating with citizens threatened by losing their nationalities any minute," Al-Wefaq said on Twitter.

In October, a court banned Al-Wefaq for three months for violating a law on associations.

Bahrain has revoked the citizenships of scores of activists over the past few years, drawing condemnation from rights groups.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/0...074700114.html
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Sedikit trivia :
1. The Bahraini uprising is also known as 14 February uprising and Pearl uprising....
2. Kelihatanya protes Bahrain ini berawal dari protes untuk penegakan demokrasi, kemudian beralih menjadi demonstrasi untuk persamaan keadilan sunni-shiah...
3. Beberapa demonstran telah dicabut kewarganegarannya, dipenjara, dan mengalami penyiksaan sebagai bagian dari aksi pemerintah dalam meredam demonstrasi ini..Selain itu pemerintah juga menyensor beberapa site seperti facebook dan google earth karena dapat digunakan demonstran untuk mengorganisasi gerakan mereka...
4. Media-media utama tampaknya tidak banyak memberi porsi berita yang besar akan protes ini, demi menjaga hubungan baik antar pemerintah pemilik media dan pemerintah Bahrain...