Bahrain’s reputation between sports and torture. This is what the tyrant Al Khalifa has been thinking about since he inherited power after his father’s death in 1999. For decades, the country’s reputation has been tarnished by severe repression, especially in the last thirty years. Since the outbreak of the Dignity Uprising in December 1994, a dark page began in the history of the Khalifa rule. The country’s youth were able to convey some of their grievances to the world and explained the ugliness of the Khalifa rule. The first result of this was the cancellation of the Formula One race in 2011. That day, the ugliness of the Khalifa face, which had been covered with makeup for decades, became clear. Bahraini athletes had been thrown into the depths of prisons, including the national team player, Alaa Hubail. Since then, the ruling gang has sought to do the impossible to bring back those makeups. They began replacing the people of Bahrain with thousands of foreigners whom they brought in and granted citizenship in order to balance the demographic structure in their favor. They became more dependent on foreigners to implement their diabolical policies. They now have an army of Pakistani, Yemeni and Jordanian mercenaries, in addition to British, American and Israeli experts. Not only that, they also brought in sports personnel from various countries. This policy has become blatant to the world, and is shameful and disgraceful, but they have not stopped. Despite these policies, the Khalifas, especially their leader, do not feel safe and stable, but rather continue with policies that negatively affect security. Policies of oppression never achieve security, and the continuous arrest of innocents only adds salt to the bleeding wounds of the people and pushes activists to escalate their activities against the jailers and executioners. Hamad bin Isa is not known for any mercy or compassion, but they have hard hearts that contain no mercy.
Last week came the big surprise that was a painful slap in the face to the criminal Al Khalifa gang. The international bodies that organize the races asked the Al Khalifas to stop naturalizing African athletes, as part of the sanctions imposed on them after their athletes were found to have used doping. They also reduced the number of competitors from Bahrain to ten in the Paris Olympics currently underway, as well as the international races in Tokyo next year. These measures were not announced until this week. This confirms that the Al Khalifas have followed a destructive policy of using foreign athletes as part of their policy of hostility to everything that is Bahraini and national, and based on everything that is foreign and alien to the homeland. The Bahraini team in Paris includes the runner Winnfred Yafi, born in Kenya, who won the gold medal in the 3000-meter race, and Salwa Al Nasser, a Nigerian who won the silver medal in the 400-meter race. The Bahrain Athletics Federation admitted to one charge of “acting in relation to doping with negligence and/or recklessness and/or harming the interests of the IAAF or bringing the sport of athletics into disrepute,” and another charge of employing staff to work with athletes, the IAAF said. The developments were the result of the Al Khalifa clan’s misguided policies. That prompted international sporting bodies to investigate allegations that two athletes used blood transfusions at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics and that the IAAF “contracted” a coach who was under a doping ban, the IAAF added.
These developments may have come as a surprise to some, but Bahrainis have known for decades that the Khalifas have been pursuing three-dimensional sports policies: First, marginalizing indigenous Bahraini athletes (Shiites and Sunnis) due to political differences that have played a clear role in the political and social polarization in the country. Second, relying on foreigners in most of their policies, including sports. The current Khalifa tyrant is fond of foreigners and cannot stand the Bahraini element, and therefore sought to replace the indigenous Bahraini people with a new people whose members do not belong to Bahrain, its culture, or its religious affiliation. Third, the love of boasting and pretending to achieve imaginary achievements, and always seeking “prestige” to the point of calling himself “His Majesty the King.” These policies direct the country’s affairs in a path completely different from the aspirations of the people, whether by allying with Western countries or granting them military bases or normalizing relations with “Israel” or entering into futile regional conflicts, or relying on emergency provisions to continue ruling, rather than on stability, security, justice, and the rule of law. The policies of this ruler were to extend his legs longer than his blanket, to boast of the title of “king”, to use two giant jumbo jets of his own, to build palaces for himself and his gang, and to squander the people’s money in areas that are of no use to the country or the people, such as endurance racing and “Formula 1” cars, and to bring in foreign athletes to achieve imaginary accomplishments. He proceeds in these policies from his constant feeling of the need to appear and stand out, in response to what is imposed by the “disease of grandeur” that afflicts the tyrant of Bahrain.
For decades, the Bahraini people have been known for their love of sports and their constant work to build themselves and their country. These people have practiced every profession in order to live with dignity. Their ancestors sailed the sea in search of pearls, a profession that requires strenuous physical skills and effort. They also relied on the sea to catch fish and used every means of fishing, including building what is called “Al-Hadra”, which lures fish to a relatively deep spot that allows them to survive at low tide so that the sailor can catch them. They also sailed the seas for trade by traveling to India and Africa to earn their living. They dug water wells after natural springs dried up as a result of the wrong policies practiced by the Khalifas through coastal drilling works that forced seawater to seep into underground water reservoirs. These people built their civilization with the hands of their sons, starting from the Dilmun civilization to the construction of modern civilization today. Bahrainis have never been accustomed to laziness or slackness in seeking a livelihood. They did not rely on foreigners for survival in exchange for relinquishing sovereignty, but rather considered Bahrain a trust in their necks to be developed and preserved through successive generations. Since the Bahrainis voluntarily embraced the religion of God in the seventh year after the Hijra, they considered it a source of pride for them and an important aspect of their identity that lasted for centuries. This identity the Khalifas seek to destroy, but they are unable to achieve this, as they
Like someone who butted a rock one day to weaken it, but it did not harm it, and the ibex weakened its horn.
The problem with the Khalifas is that they seek to rule a rebellious people with a history that confirms their patriotism, determination, dignity, and refusal to surrender to aggression or evil. Rather, they actively contribute to building civilizations within their capabilities, and their sons participate in the battles of dignity that the nation has been fighting since they embraced Islam and established themselves to follow the authentic Muhammadan approach, guided by the family of the Messenger of God, may God’s prayers and peace be upon them. This people has never slept on injustice, but rather confronted invaders and aggressors without mercy, and forced all forces that attacked the country to admit defeat and leave the field. So who are the Khalifas who bargain with the Bahrainis over their freedom, identity, and affiliation? Perhaps the Khalifa ruler seeks to create imaginary glories for himself and his gang, while the Bahrainis play the role of building civilization, strengthening the connection with God, affirming affiliation with Islam, and permanent loyalty to the Prophet and his family, peace be upon them. Therefore, they stand firm in the battlefields and do not flee before the onslaught. They confront the other, regardless of his identity or goal, carrying the banner of good news, justice and faith, seeking nothing but the face of God Almighty. The Bahrainis will stand firm on their path until God inherits the earth and those on it, and the end is for the righteous.
O God, have mercy on our righteous martyrs, and grant them a position of truth with You, and release our prisoners, O Lord of the worlds.
Bahrain Islamic Freedom Movement
August 30, 2024
2024-08-30 10:35:13