The Bahrain military has open fired on thousands of protesters on Friday, according to AP. The number of dead and injured is unknown yet. The international community must not tolerate this atrocity. The Bahrain leaders and military commanders must face charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court. If such barbaric act goes unpunished, dictators in other countries, including in Ethiopia, will continue to commit similar atrocities. Ethiopia’s tyrant Meles Zenawi must be smiling today.
MANAMA, Bahrain (Associated Press) — Soldiers opened fire Friday on thousands of protesters defying a government ban and streaming toward the landmark square that had been the symbolic center of the uprising to break the political grip of the Gulf nation’s leaders.
Officials at the main Salmaniya hospital said at least 50 people were injured, some with gunshot wounds. Some doctors and medics on emergency medical teams were in tears as they tended to the wounded. X-rays showed bullets still lodged inside victims.
“This is a war,” said Dr. Bassem Deif, an orthopedic surgeon examining people with bullet-shattered bones.
Protesters described a chaotic scene of tear gas clouds, bullets coming from many directions and people slipping in pools of blood as they sought cover. Some claimed the gunfire came from either helicopters or sniper nests, a day after riot police swept through the protest encampment in Pearl Square, killing at least five people and razing the tents and makeshift shelters that were inspired by the demonstrators in Cairo’s Tahrir Square.
An Associated Press cameraman saw army units shooting anti-aircraft weapons, fitted on top of armored personnel carriers, above the protesters, in apparent warning shots and attempts to drive them back from security cordons about 200 yards (200 meters) from the square.
Then the soldiers turned firearms on the crowd, one marcher said.
“People started running in all directions and bullets were flying,” said Ali al-Haji, a 27-year-old bank clerk. “I saw people getting shot in the legs, chest, and one man was bleeding from his head.”
“My eyes were full of tear gas, there was shooting and there was a lot of panic,” said Mohammed Abdullah, a 37-year-old businessman taking part in the protest.
condemns violence in Bahrain, Libya and Yemen
US President Barack Obama is condemning reports of violence in response to protests in Bahrain, Libya and Yemen. He is calling on the governments of those countries to show restraint.
Obama said the governments of the three countries should respect the rights of citizens demonstrating peacefully in the aftermath of Egypt’s uprising. He expressed condolences to the families of those killed.
The president’s statement was read aloud by White House press secretary Jay Carney to reporters traveling with the president on Air Force One from California to Oregon.
Crown Prince Al Khalifa promises a national dialogue
(BBC) — Witnesses said the army fired live rounds and tear gas, and officials said at least 25 people had been hurt.
Many of the protesters are calling for the overthrow of the royal family.
Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa appeared on state TV on Friday to promise a national dialogue once calm has returned.
The prince, who is also deputy supreme commander of the army, called for everyone to withdraw from the streets.
The BBC’s Caroline Hawley, in Manama, says the funeral procession of one of the dead protesters turned into another anti-government demonstration.
The mourners were trying to make their way to the Salmaniya Hospital, where their injured colleagues are being treated.
But they came under fire as they passed close to Pearl Square, which has been sealed off by the army for the past day to prevent further large-scale demonstrations.
An eyewitness told al-Jazeera TV that the authorities gave no warning.
“They just started shooting us. Now there is more than 20 injured in the hospital. One guy has already passed away because he got shot in his head,” said the witness.
3 thoughts on “Bahrain leaders must face crimes against humanity charges”
This is a crime against humanity and the west specially the US must condumn the actions of the government in the strongest possible term, not just mildly asking for restraints. I see some kind of double standard regarding Bahrain as compared to Egypt and Tunisia. The CNN’s Anderson Cooper was on a daily basis covering the Egyptian revolution and has contributed a lot in the down fall of the regeme. But this time he is no where to be found. Is it because the US 5th fleet is stationed in Bahrain; or is it a tiny country and doesn’t deserve any attention.
When these events are moving so rapidly, what kind of immediate leverage do we have in our diplomatic corps? There should be funds available to the State Dept. to help in these emergencies. And I agree about the complicity of the Egyptian army. I am very sorry for that poor plastic surgeon who was almost killed trying to tend the wounded. I wish we could immediately respond with humanitarian aid, and fly that doctor out and get help for him and others who need it. But the worst problem is that the USA has been teaching all these countries counter-terrorism and anti-insurrection techniques to use against their own people. We sell them weapons and tear-gas. We are a big part of the problem– not only our lack of respect for the democratic yearnings of the people, but the maintenance of the bully-dictatorships.
It’s very naive to think let alone believe that the “international community” will tell off the US-UK propped up baherainian monarchic dictator…… Who are we talking about the “International Community”?…… It is a vague concept…… If it is the US & UK, we’ve heard from both but nothing is as rediculous as the comment made by The sec of State, Hillary Clinton regarding the Arab uprising for Justice….. She said…. That she condemns the brutal crushing of protesters in Iran….. lol….. Two people were killed where as hundreds are killed in Bahrain yet Clinton pleaded for calmness be restored in Bahrain…… lol….. How rediculous is can that be…… At least Iran has conducted 10 election(however controversial or disputed the west claim those to be) since the overthrow of the US-UK imposed tyrant shah was deposed by a similar people’s uprising some 30 yrs ago. Even the UK don’t make such a rediculous statement that William Hague, “the vague”(UK’s foreign minister) is trying to balance his statement, however vaguely……earning himself a Nick name, this last couple of weeks,….. “Hague, the Vague”, particularly during the Egyptian uprising…… The puppets and their puppet masters are finding themselves in hot water…….lol…..
US-UK puppets & their lackeys are, no doubt, quaking in their boots…… wherever they are……
But one should not expect the people if Ethiopia will rise up as they know Meles will mow’em down like ducks and get rewarded by his financiers in the west as he had been in the recent past……besides, the people of Ethiopia cannnot sustain the protest as they depend on the Weyane hand outs for their daily survival of their family….. weyane had already bought 99.7% of the the votes with his doner’s aid food…… the west basically bailed out their puppet using their donated food…… Do long as the people are dependent, there is no way that they can sustain a peotest for 2 days let alone for nearly 20 dYs in Egypt…… The people of Ethiopia are under a total clout of Weyane & its handlers in the West(US-UK)
GOD HELP THE PEOPLE OF ETHIOPIA IN THEOR QUEST GOR A JUST JUSTICE.