Bahrain's Rejection Of Arab Tunisia: A Historical Perspective

In 2010, a small town in Tunisia became the epicentre of an unexpected wave of pro-democracy protests that shook the Arab world. Widespread grievances with high unemployment rates, corruption, and unyielding autocratic governments led to the Arab Spring in various countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Long-serving autocratic leaders were ousted in a handful of countries, including Tunisia, where the Jasmine Revolution took place. However, despite the initial optimism, there have been few positive developments to come out of the Arab Spring. Economic and political concessions made by countries such as Bahrain have had minimal impact on the conditions that instigated the initial onslaught of protests.

The Bahraini government's use of sectarian violence to justify its crackdown on peaceful protesters

The Bahraini government's crackdown on peaceful protesters in 2011 was justified by officials as a necessary response to the risk of the country descending into sectarian abyss. This justification was underpinned by the narrative that the protests were not only anti-government but also sectarian in nature, with the Shia majority population aiming to overthrow the Sunni monarchy.

The protests in Bahrain, inspired by the Arab Spring and the successful uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, began in February 2011 and were led by the Shia-dominant opposition, demanding greater political freedom, equality, and an end to systematic discrimination. The Bahraini government's response was heavy-handed from the outset, with riot police using tear gas and clubs to disperse demonstrators and smashing protesters' tents. This initial crackdown resulted in the death of four protesters.

The government's justification for its actions was twofold: firstly, it framed the protests as a threat to national unity and stability, pushing the country towards sectarian conflict. Secondly, it accused the protesters, particularly the Shia majority, of being influenced and supported by neighbouring Shiite-majority Iran, seeking to expand its regional influence. This narrative was used to justify the brutal suppression of the protests and to garner support from other Sunni-led Gulf states, who intervened with military force to crush the uprising.

The crackdown on protesters was characterised by human rights organisations as "brutal" and included midnight house raids in Shia neighbourhoods, beatings, denial of medical care, and torture. The Bahraini security forces, bolstered by troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, employed excessive force to quash the demonstrations, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries. The Bahraini government's actions were widely condemned by the international community, including human rights organisations and Western governments, despite their strategic alliances with Bahrain.

The sectarian narrative employed by the Bahraini government served to deflect attention from the legitimate grievances of the protesters, who were calling for political and social reforms, and to portray the uprising as a threat to national security and regional stability. This justification enabled the government to maintain its power and crush the pro-democracy movement, but it came at the cost of deepening societal divisions and a legacy of human rights abuses that continue to plague Bahrain.

The role of the media in influencing public opinion about the protests

The Bahraini government recognised the potential of social media to shape public opinion and attempted to control its use. They monitored social media activity, blocked certain websites, and even blocked specific mobile phone towers in areas where protests were taking place to restrict access to communication and social media platforms. Despite these efforts, activists were still able to utilise social media to spread awareness about the protests and human rights abuses, such as police brutality. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube played a crucial role in this regard.

The impact of social media on public opinion during the Arab Spring in Bahrain was significant. Social media provided a platform for different movements and frustrated citizens to connect, organise, and spread their message. It enabled the circumvention of state-controlled media channels and allowed for the spread of information beyond Bahrain's borders, attracting international attention to the protests. Additionally, the use of social media platforms more than doubled in Arab countries during the Arab Spring, indicating the pivotal role it played in shaping public opinion and influencing the course of events.

However, it is important to note that the influence of social media on public opinion was not unidirectional. While it provided a powerful tool for activists, it also created an environment where misinformation and fake news could spread rapidly. The task of distinguishing between real news and fake news became increasingly challenging for both news editors and the general public. This issue was further exacerbated by the proliferation of satellite channels and social media pages created by political actors to amplify their messages and shape public opinion.

In conclusion, the media played a crucial role in influencing public opinion about the protests in Bahrain during the Arab Spring. While the state-controlled traditional media largely propagated the government's narrative, the emergence of new media technologies provided activists with tools to spread their message, mobilise supporters, and shape public opinion both within Bahrain and internationally. The complex interplay between traditional and new media shaped the information landscape and had a significant impact on how the protests and the subsequent crackdown were perceived by the Bahraini public and the international community.

The impact of the crackdown on press freedom in Bahrain

Bahrain's only independent newspaper, Al Wasat, has been repeatedly harassed and temporarily suspended from publishing. In addition, the government controls all broadcast media through the Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation (BRTC), leaving only one platform, Al Wasat, to battle constant harassment while striving for objective journalism. The government has also blocked satellite channels, such as Lualua TV, and jammed signals to prevent access to unwanted content.

The Bahrain News Agency, the major national news broadcaster, is state-owned, and six out of seven daily newspapers are pro-government, owned by figures closely associated with the regime. The remaining independent daily newspaper, Al-Wasat, was indefinitely suspended in 2017. The government firmly controls all media outlets and publications through the Ministry of Information Affairs, whose head is appointed by royal decree.

The government has also targeted social media platforms, introducing stricter measures to monitor discussions. The Public Prosecution Office (PPO) and the Cybercrime Directorate play a significant role in summonses for interrogation, prosecutions, and threats against those expressing critical opinions of the government and its policies. As a result, people are less willing to voice their thoughts freely, and criticism of the authorities rarely goes unpunished.

Moreover, Bahrain has revoked the citizenship of at least seven journalists and citizen-journalists since 2011, including award-winning photographer Ahmed al-Mousawi, journalist Mahmoud al-Jaziri, and blogger Ali al-Maaraj. Dozens of journalists, bloggers, photographers, and media workers have been prosecuted and imprisoned for covering demonstrations, anti-government activities, or expressing dissenting opinions.

The failure of the Arab Spring to bring about lasting change in Bahrain

The Arab Spring, a series of anti-government protests and uprisings, swept across the Middle East and North Africa in the early 2010s. While it brought about significant change in some countries, it failed to bring lasting change to Bahrain. Here's why:

The Failure of the Arab Spring in Bahrain:

• Strong Military Response: Bahrain's security forces, aided by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), violently suppressed the protests. In March 2011, a GCC security force entered Bahrain and helped stifle the mass protest movement. The Bahraini military opened fire on protesters, resulting in deaths and injuries.
• Regional Intervention: Bahrain received support from neighbouring countries, particularly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Saudi forces quashed protests in their own country and assisted Bahraini authorities in suppressing demonstrations. This external intervention prevented the protests from gaining momentum and challenged the unity of the protest movement.
• Lack of International Support: Unlike in other countries, such as Egypt and Tunisia, Bahrain did not receive significant international media coverage or intervention to protect protesters. This allowed the Bahraini government to act more freely in cracking down on the protests without international scrutiny or pressure.
• Internal Divisions: Lingering frustration among Bahrain's Shiite majority, who are ruled by a Sunni government, was a root cause of the protests. However, these internal divisions may have also hindered the protest movement's effectiveness and made it easier for the government to maintain control.
• Leadership and Organisation: The protests in Bahrain lacked centralised leadership and organisation. While various groups, such as human rights activists and Shiite representatives, played a role, there was no unified front to present a strong and cohesive challenge to the government.
• Counter-Revolutionary Measures: The Bahraini government took swift and harsh counter-revolutionary measures to crush the protest movement. These included arrests, convictions, and imprisonment of protest leaders, as well as the dismissal and persecution of Shiite workers and the demolition of Shiite mosques. An independent investigation concluded that the government used excessive force and torture against protesters.
• Lack of Lasting Change: While the protests in Bahrain achieved some initial concessions, such as the release of political prisoners and negotiations with Shiite representatives, these changes were not lasting. The government clamped down on opposition groups in the years following the Arab Spring, and the country's political landscape remained largely unchanged.

In conclusion, the failure of the Arab Spring to bring about lasting change in Bahrain can be attributed to a combination of factors, including a strong and unified response from the government and its regional allies, a lack of international support for the protesters, internal divisions within Bahrain, and the government's swift and harsh counter-revolutionary measures.

The role of foreign intervention in quelling the protests

The 2011 Bahraini uprising was a series of anti-government protests in Bahrain, led by the Shia-dominant and some Sunni minority Bahraini opposition. Inspired by the 2011 Arab Spring and protests in Tunisia and Egypt, the Bahraini protests were initially aimed at achieving greater political freedom and equality for the 70% Shia population. The protests escalated to daily clashes after the Bahraini government repressed the revolt with the support of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Peninsula Shield Force.

On 14 March 2011, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) agreed to deploy Peninsula Shield Force troops to Bahrain to secure key installations. The intervention included sending 1,000 troops with vehicles from Saudi Arabia, 500 United Arab Emirates (UAE) policemen, and naval ships from Kuwait. The Bahraini government requested this intervention, marking the first time the GCC used such a collective military option for suppressing a revolt.

The Bahraini opposition pleaded for foreign help, calling the intervention an occupation and a declaration of war. The intervention was also criticised by the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, who said he was "troubled" by the deployment.

The intervention was carried out to guard Bahrain's oil infrastructure and to maintain the country's strategic importance to Saudi Arabia for economic, sectarian, and geopolitical reasons. Bahrain is home to the United States Fifth Fleet, and any Shia power assertion would directly affect US interests in the region.

The Saudi-led intervention in Bahrain resulted in the suppression of the anti-government uprising. By 2014, 5,000 Saudi and Emirati forces were positioned near the Pearl Roundabout, the centre of the country's protest movement. The Bahraini uprising was quashed, and the country's monarchy remained intact.

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