Millions of people throughout the Middle East are gathering together in a demonstration to their leaders that they will no longer tolerate their incumbent regimes.
In alphabetical order
Bahrain
My heart goes out to the protesters here in Bahrain where people are faced with an extremely violent response to their protests. Bahrain is also very important to the US and UK economic interests in the Gulf. Britain is known to have sold weapons to the government here and the UK has a long history with Bahrain since they became independent. The US navy's fifth fleet is headquartered in Bahrain so there is much at stake for the Obama administration. Besides fear of losing a foothold in the Gulf, the West also fears a link between a new democratic Government and Iran.
The Royal family is Sunni but it appears that, despite claims to the contrary, both Sunni and Shia are demonstrating.
Today an estimated 30,000 attended a funeral rally for those slaughtered in the pre dawn raid by government forces on Pearl Square. The people chanted that they want the removal even the death of the king of Bahrain, Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa and the prime minister of 40 years, Shaikh Khalfa bin Salman Al Khalifa, also a member of the royal family;
"We know they have weapons and they are trying to drag us into violence," said Sheik Ali Salman, the leader of the largest Shia party, al-Wifaq, whose 18 MPs have resigned in protest from the 40-seat parliament to deepen the political crisis.
Egypt
I have mixed feelings about today’s demonstration and I am not at all sure that anyone can distinguish the main feelings of the people. There is certainly a massive turnout of close to a million people.
On one hand the military are said to be handing out Egyptian flags to the people; on the other hand the military have blocked an important route into the Square and they are putting a stamp of control on the proceedings by demanding ID from everyone seeking to join the demonstration.
Some are protecting a small pro-Mabarak demonstration within the large one
Jack Shenker of the Guardian reported on a speech made by Yusuf al-Qaradawi, head of the Muslim Brotherhood. The leader praised the role of the Coptic Christians and Muslims as they worked together and protected each other in the revolution in Egypt.
Iran
True information is very difficult to ascertain about Iran, mostly because international news agencies are not allowed to speak to the opposing forces there. Unfortunately I also find it hard to trust Western sources because the powers behind these groups definitely would like to see the downfall of this country. Poor as it may be this is my take on the situation there.
I am certain, that the USA and UK will be very happy to support any insurgency in the country. The State Department has openly said that it
"recognises historic role of social media among Iranians We want to join in your conversations."
Twitter feeds began on Sunday with US officials accusing Iran of double standards by supporting the anti-government revolt in Egypt on one hand but suppressing anti-government demonstrations in Iran on the other.
The State Department said in another tweet, "Iran has shown that the activities it praised Egyptians for it sees as illegal, illegitimate for its own people."
In a third tweet, it said "US calls on #Iran to allow people to enjoy same universal rights to peacefully assemble, demonstrate as in Cairo."
On the other hand these reports from Iran are very worrying,
“Thousands of government supporters called for the execution of opposition leaders at Friday prayers in Tehran this morning, the Associated Press reports.
Hardline cleric, Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati said during the Friday prayers that the opposition leaders have lost their reputation among people and are practically "dead and executed," while worshippers chanted for their actual executions.
Janati proposed more restrictions on Mir Hossein Mousavi on Mahdi Karroubi, opposition leaders who are under house arrest, but still managed to organise the largest opposition protest in more than a year on Monday.
"Their communications with people should (be) completely cut. They should not be able to receive and send message. Their phone lines and internet should be cut. They should be prisoners in their home," he said.
Iran's Opposition Leaders are Missing
Since anti-government protests swept Iran on Monday, the government has not-so-quietly moving to get rid of its detractors, the New York Times reports. Iranian opposition leader Mir Hussein Moussavi hasn't been seen since Tuesday, his daughters told an anti-government website yesterday, and sources report that the home of opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi's son was raided this week. On Tuesday, lawmakers took to parliament to call for their prosecution—according to the Times, both men have been "accused repeatedly of waging war against God," a sentence that carries the death penalty—and later today, pro-government forces are slated to hold a rally to express their "hatred, rage and disgust" for the opposition movement.
The opposition demonstrations on Monday aimed at showing solidarity with Egypt's uprising, but turned into a major opposition rally. Two people were killed in clashes with police.
Mousavi and Karroubi are leaders of a protest movement that grew after the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in June 2009. Hundreds of thousands of protesters poured into the streets then calling the results fraudulent. Opposition says scores were killed after the massive government crackdown and both international and local media were banned from freely covering the mass protests. Following this, dozens of opposition members and activist were sentenced to prison terms from six months to 15 years in the crackdown.
I suspect that the Iranian Government was forced to ‘celebrate’ the Egyptian uprising as a subterfuge to disguise what was in effect a protest against themselves. This is pure speculation on my part. The calls for death and harsh treatment of the opposition is not a popular movement but a government worried about revolution coming its way.
The Iranian Government may have support of many people but any Government which fails to recognize the power of those same people to seek change will find that the clock is ticking for them too.
Still to come my blogs on Iraq Jordan Libya Syria and Yemen
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