Protests spreading in Bahraini capital

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011l

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011 |

Bahraini anti-government demonstrators at al Fatah Mosque in Manama, March 2, 2011.

Anti-government demonstrations in the Bahraini Capital, Manama, have spread from Pearl Square — as the hub of the protests — to the other parts of the city.

In recent days, the protests have spread from Pearl Square in central Manama and made forays into other parts of the capital, Reuters reported.

On Wednesday, thousands of Bahraini anti-government protesters took to Pearl Square, calling for fundamental changes in the ruling system.

Meanwhile, thousands of pro-government protesters took to the streets of Manama on Wednesday, insisting that the reforms implemented in the kingdom ten years ago, have turned Bahrain into a unique democracy in the Persian Gulf region.

On the other side, anti-government protesters responded them by chanting “Naturalized get out.”

“On the other side there are legions of naturalized. They (the government) give them houses and give them salaries and privileges,” Shia opposition activist Yousef Rabe`e told the crowd of anti-government protesters.

Since the protests, inspired by the revolution in Tunisia, started in Bahrain nearly two weeks ago, there has been no formal negotiation between the government and the opposition groups.

The opposition says its pre-conditions for dialogue are the release of all political prisoners, fundamental reforms in the constitution, the ouster of the incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa appointed by the king and setting up a government headed by a democratically-elected premier.

The opposition, mainly majority Muslim Shias, also criticize the Sunni minority regime for depriving them of good jobs, decent healthcare and housing injustice.

Many anti-government protesters have vowed to continue to camp out in Pearl Square and have refused to enter talks with the government until their demands are met.

So far, seven people have been killed and hundreds wounded during the protests in the Bahraini Capital.

ASH/HRF

source : http://www.presstv.ir/detail/167947.html