West helps Bahrain regime to repress opponents: Analyst

Press TV has conducted an interview with Ali al-Ahmed, director of the Institute for [Persian] Gulf Affairs (IGA) from Washington, to get his take on the continuation of anti-regime protests in Bahrain and the response of the West to the popular uprising.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: What do you think, do you think given that the international outcry for change to be happened to come to Bahrain is rising? Do you think there’s any hope that we will see some changes occur in the near future as when it comes to the situation of Bahraini opposition figures?  

Al-Ahmed: The change will have to come from the inside the country brought on by the people. In terms of the international community, if we speak of the West, the UK and the United States, they have been helping and assisting the Bahraini monarchy or the monarchy in Bahrain to defeat its people, to combat the revolution that these people brought upon the absolute monarchy.

So, in that position the American and the British position supporting the rule of monarchy in Bahrain is not about to change. Let’s not delude ourselves, but what can be done is that the people in Bahrain intensify their uprising and use and resort to more aggressive tactics so they can rustle away the decision and enforce the will of people upon the government that has taken away their rights.

Press TV: We’ve been seen these demonstrations going on from 2011. So, if the people of Bahrain can actually change, we know that there’s been a crackdown on the Shia majority in the country, we know there’s been crackdown on dissent, on opposition figures and pretty much dictatorship in Bahrain. So, why hasn’t the situation change at all if people within the country can actually lead that change to happen?

Al-Ahmed: Well, I think the government of Bahrain has given us enough evidence that it will not change willingly, it will not respond to the majority of population’s peaceful demands.

So, if we are going to want change in Bahrain, we have to force it, we have to make it a reality.

Calling and protesting for your rights is not working anymore in Bahrain. I think the next step is actually taking this by force.

Press TV: We already see this situation in Yemen where the US and the UK are supporting the Yemeni fugitive president. So, we’re seeing Said Arabia backed that. And we’re seeing the people are actually suffering. Do you think this will be a similar situation in Bahrain if people actually do take the matters into their hand and they do get more aggressive?

Al-Ahmed: I think the United States has sent a clear message that we will not hear the voices of the oppressed, that we will not support your human rights, the only time we will support your human rights is when you make it happen.

When you take over power, when you make us respect you, no matter what you do. And that is an example in Syria. They support groups that are considered terrorists in their standards, but they oppose the most peaceful revolution in Bahrain.

And they support an illegitimate individual calling himself president in Yemen. So, really this is not about morality or legality. It has to do with reality. If you can make it happen, it’s yours. If you can use any resources in your hand as long as you control the ground, people will respect it.

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