A group of Bahraini nationals held a small vigil for the martyrs of their country. Braving the cold British weather they stood outside Downing Street with candles lit. London, United Kingdom. 16th December 2011.
Men women and children lit candles to remember the dead. The Bahraini’s stood in a specially designated area, which was closed off. The railings were adorned with the national flags and on the floor they arranged polystyrene cups, each with a candle inside in the words “Down With The King” in Arabic. Along the back wall were images of the martyrs, some graphic. There was just one man outside the pen, who was handing out information to the passers by.
Martyrs’ Day is an annual observance held on December 17th in Bahrain to honour those recognized as martyrs for the nation. The government of Bahrain has chosen the 16th December as the National day of Bahrain, when the truth is Bahrain gained independence from Britain on the 14th August 1971. The people of Bahrain have never accepted nor agreed to it since the previous.
In 1994 uprising the first two martyrs, Hani Alwasti and Hani Khamis were killed on 17th December. Since then the Bahraini people designated it as Martyrs’ Day.
Many lost their lives during the 1990’s uprising including women such as Fahdela Almetghawy and Zahra Kadhem. Now in 2011 the martyrs continue to fall, the youngest martyr is Sajida Faisal Jawad. Sajida was only a baby girl of just 5 days of age. She had inhaled tear gas in her house.
Ahmed Radhi Al Qassab was killed in only yesterday (15th December 2011).
Bahraini people are pressuring the U.S and the U.K governments to stop arms sales to the Bahrain government. All the arms used against the people of Bahrain are made in Western countries.
There was also another underlying message, which is to save Bahrain from Saudi occupation, the Al Khalifa dictatorship.
The Bahraini revolution began in mid-February 2011, when the people, inspired by the popular revolutions that toppled the dictators of Tunisia and Egypt, started holding massive demonstrations.
The Bahraini government promptly launched a brutal crackdown on the peaceful protests and called in Saudi-led Arab forces from neighboring states.
More than 95 people have been martyred in the crackdown, and the security forces have arrested hundreds, including doctors and nurses accused of treating injured revolutionaries.
A report published by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry in November 2011 found that the Al Khalifa regime had used excessive force in the crackdown and accused Manama of torturing political activists, politicians, and protesters.
The protesters say they will continue holding anti-regime demonstrations until their demand for the establishment of a democratically elected government is met.
source : http://abna.ir
