Bahrain: Do Bahrainis Want To Be Part Of Iran?

A few weeks ago we mentioned a report on CNN about poverty and sectarian divides in Bahrain. This week a piece appeared in the LA Times concerning a rift in the Bahraini ruling family, and LuLu is impressed:

After CNN, the Los Angeles Times takes a more intelligent look at Bahrain.

The article claims that senior members of the Bahraini ruling family have allied themselves with hard-line Sunni Muslim groups, hoping to counter a perceived threat from the majority Shi'a. Concerned Citizen X comments:

BandarGate, CNN & now the LA Times; all raising the issue of promoted sectarianism by factions within the Government. What now?

[…]

Transparency, Trustworthy & Accountable; three words that do not come into the picture when talking about entities within the Government.

Mahmood asks:

Why would a country as minute as Bahrain make it with such heavy-duty articles to some of the world’s top publications other than the world is somewhat sitting up and taking notice that inequity should not go unreported?

Mohammed AlMaskati, commenting on a disturbing story from Iraq about the tactics used by Al Qaeda to pressure people, relates it to trends he has discerned in Bahrain:

The power and numbers of the Wahabi and Muslim Brotherhood currents are on the increase around the island; one could sense that by just a quick roundup on local forums or Arabic Blogs, we need more attention on stories like those around the country. We need to educate the youth, the brainwashable youngsters that are vulnerable to fall victims so such schools of teachings aided by the lack of other social activities and religious grounds of the local communities.

Apart from the LA Times story, Bahrain has been highlighted in the press of another country this week; a senior Iranian government advisor, as well as newspaper editor, Hussain Shariatmadari, has written in his paper claiming that the main demand of Bahrainis is the return of Bahrain to Iran. Mahmood states what he thinks in no uncertain terms:

Apparently this guy – who is one of the Iranian leadership’s consultants – is demanding that Bahrain be returned to the folds of the Iranian Nation as the United Nations declaration to remain both Arab and independent is null and void as it was the word of the dual-Great Satans (Amerika and UK).

[…]

The political lines between Bahrain and Iran have been burning at one million Kelvin since this story broke when Shariatmadari authored his OpEd in his paper, I just hope that this will get resolved soon and that the Iranian leadership will come on and unequivocally state that they do recognise Bahrain as independent and kick this moron’s ass into oblivion.

Rayyash comments on the same matter, and ends with a question:

لكني أتسائل لماذا تقاد هذه الضجة من قبل أشخاص عندما يدخلون بيوتهم أو يجتمعون بعوائلهم يتغير لسانهم العربي ويتحول إلى أعجمي
But I ask myself why this outcry was led by people who, when they enter their homes or meet their families, change their language from Arabic to Persian…

Bahrainis often look at another neighbour, Dubai, as a model for advancement. Ammar comments on the new toll booth system, Salik, that Dubai has just introduced, and wonders about the larger implications:

Now, how is this relevant to us in Bahrain, or anyone in the surrounding region? Well, if you haven't noticed, Dubai is the model city that all countries around it try to follow. Dubai jumps, they jump. Dubai ducks, they duck. And now, Dubai, the tax free haven, has finally introduced a pretty direct tax on people using its roads. Sure, it's there to reduce congestion on the main roads, and generate more income for new infrastructure projects, but it's a tax nonetheless. And you can bet your sweaty GCC passport (or visa) that that the surrounding countries are going to introduce taxes pretty soon. Not necessarily taxes on major roads or highways, but any form of tax is applicable.

Yes, Salik has been criticized by many commuters, claiming that it hasn't fixed the problem, shifted it to somewhere else, or only created more problems. Some claim that it isn't fair, having to pay the same toll if you had 10 people in one vehicle, or one person, whether you were driving a tiny 2-seater or a truck, or if you were a poor labourer trying to make it to work to earn a living or a rich billionaire going to Dubai to spend a few thousand dollars for a good time.

Either way, I think it was a good start, and even though it wasn't launched as well as it should have been, it is still progress. Other measures need to be implemented to bring down congestion, and speaking of Dubai, Bahrain also needs to start moving on some strong traffic-control measures before we start turning into the next Cairo. Aside from the other available solutions for congestion, and I have a LOT in mind, we need to start looking at this whole tax situation, and start to prepare for it.

Toll booths are just the beginning.

Apart from traffic, affordable housing is another problem in Bahrain. Silver summarises the situation for many:

A typical case will be a Bahraini couple getting BD 40,000 (US $ 106,000) to buy a house form the government (Ministry of Housing). A typical liveable (not even decent) house costs at least BD 80,000. … So what does a person do? You say take a bank loan, alright let's try it. The only loan you will get is a personal loan because the house has to be mortgaged by the Ministry of Housing (for the 40K loan), so a typical couple will make around BD800-1200 (US $ 2120-3180) (combined), 50% of your income is your max installment, now take out two car loans, if you are lucky you will be able to get additional BD10-20k. As a result now you have BD50-60k. The question is what can you buy with that???

There is a suggestion to increase government loan to BD60,000, guess what that will do?? Yes, increase property prices even further!! So we will be back to square one!!

Ammar has been thinking about Bahrain's relationship to its heritage:

I read a report in the GDN today which sort of alarmed me; it seems that Bahrain is bidding for a seat in the UNESCO World Heritage Commitee. The aim is to make Bahrain the regional hub for cultural and natural heritage preservation.

OK STOP.

Cultural and natural heritage preservation?

Bahrain?

[…]

But when talking of culture and heritage? We've done all but completely destroy it. This really doesn't make sense to me; how can a country that has not only neglected but purposely destroyed a large part of its own heritage be considered for such a committee? Don't get me wrong, I love my country. I would love to see it advance and grow on the global map, but the way things go, you don't get a fat kid to work in a cake shop.

We end with Seroo, who is astounded by an instance of laziness she recently encountered:

I got up from quick lunch at a Starbucks with a friend to head back to work one afternoon.

“Where's your car?” he asked as he picks up his Gucci shades and pulled out his Mont Blanc keyring.

“At the Regency car park.” I got up, adjusted myself and picked up my hand bag.

“Laish wagafteeha b3eeed min ihneey?” (Why did you park so far away?) he asked, busy fiddling with his super cool new phone.

“Laish? (Why?) That's where my parking spot is…”

“O Shlone yeetay?” (So how did you get here?) We walked towards the door.

“Shino shlone? Meshait.” (What do you mean how? I walked.)

“You walked?!?!?!” He stops in his tracks, raises his eyebrows and mockingly drops his mouth open.

“Ee akeed.” (Yes, of course) I stopped as well and knitted my eyebrows together. “Why should I drive for 15 minutes when I could walk for 5?”

He shook his head and put on his blinging shades.

“Ma7ad yamshi ihneey terra, 7u6i hai el shai fi balech.” (You know no one walks here, just think about that.)

Well Harumph to you too.

11 comments

  • mr farog

    Bahrain is part of I.R.of IRAN and it must return to Iranian nation with out any question. We are here in London preparing a letter to submit to Bhrainies offical in this regard.It is enogh for a small mainotory of people (a small familly of suuni’s ) to rule the country which is a part of IRAN with the help of the USA ,and keep away the real and ORIGINAL nation of Bahrain to get to into looking after their country without the Americn’s and rich US lover ARABS. THANK YOU

  • mr farog

    yes they do, yes we do. enough is enough, we couldn’t talk about our right. Now we want to say we want to be part of our great mother land IRAN.the rulers of the country at moment has put for sale sign on the natural resources of our country, and forigeners with some sunnies family takes all. real Bahrainins are gain nothing from that wealth.

  • jamal

    as bahraini we should kick out all the iranis from Bahrain

  • Salim

    why Iran want to invade my countery , I hate Persian who live in Iran , they have nationality , but they like Iran lets remove all those Shia from Bahrain and send them to thier motherland

    Bahrain lover
    Arabic speaker
    I cant learn persian

  • tayfun

    no iran savas yok …………?

  • A Persian

    so sorry to see all those signs of hate in the comments. Don’t worry no one wants to invade Bahrain in Iran we have enough Islands bigger than yours and enough nice land. Do not need a place where it is summer 3/4 of the year! I am sorry that the stupid hard line newspaper in Tehran said that stupid thing. He is one of the hated figures…sorry that he upset your independent kingdom city…sorry country. Do not forget that you are always attacking our heritage and history by making up this “Arabian Gulf” thing while even from the Marco polo time, it has been Persian Gulf..if Bahrain is independent and has history of independence..fine…but remember we have a big history and you shall not play with that either.

  • […] and Iran Last week we reported on the brouhaha surrounding comments by Hossein Shariatmadari, Iranian newspaper editor and […]

  • Last time some body send me a picture shown that our HOLY QURAN was burnt by HINDUS, but I am still worried about my MUSLIM brother who are burning their bodies in JAHANAM as broken SUNNAH of our beloved PROPHET MUHAMMAD PBUH

  • ali

    bahrain is from iran ,and this part of land must be backand join to iranian land
    never ever we let bahrain be for arab country also from king of king in iran 2600 years ago untill now bahrain was for iranian people we have document can be show this part is from iran

  • sun

    and let me add this thing to my topic, demestan, gosagi , zulm a’abad, karaneh , mehmagheg ( samaheej ) manameh, deraz, mushber , karbabad ( seef area ) and many .. are all persian names many has been change to iraqi and arab names today … so stop the lie and face the fact .

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