Bahrain Center for Human Rights

Bahrain Center for Human Rights

October 13, 2006
Ref: 06101300

A devastating report leaked last month alleged that a secret organisation led by a senior government official is working to ensure that Bahraini Shias remain disenfranchised and unrepresented in government, and to maintain sectarian mistrust.

The report contained around 200 pages of purported evidence, including cheques (which have been confirmed as authentic), receipts, bills, expense breakdown charts, and letters. (For details about the report, see: "Al Bander-Gate": A Political Scandal In Bahrain)

Today, one month after the man who compiled the report was hastily deported, and just under six weeks before the elections, there has still been no word or action from the government.

While the subject has dominated the media (until it was censored, see: Bahraini Higher Criminal Court: Banning Publication of News or Information Related to the “Bandar-Gate” Scandal), discussion among civil societies and the Bahraini public, the only response from the authorities has been a continuing silence.

Officials implicated in the report continue to hold their positions of authority, and continue to be a part of the electoral process.

The BCHR is concerned at the evidence suggesting the practice of systematic sectarian discrimination in Bahrain.

This has been investigated in our 2005 report on discrimination, and appears to have been proven by the Al Bander report.

The BCHR is concerned with the lack of a response from the authorities to questions raised by the Bahraini people.
This has the effect of undermining national unity, which could lead to a loss of faith in the electoral process and reform programme as a whole.

"The lack of response from the authorities to very serious allegations - which seem to prove that a policy of systematic sectarian discrimination is practiced in Bahrain - raises grave concerns about how far back the chain of command for this operation goes," BCHR vice-president Nabeel Rajab said.

"It also raises fears that these policies could in fact be sanctioned at the highest level of government.

"It is important that the authorities take swift and decisive measures to answer questions raised by the Al Bander report, and to investigate the allegations contained within it.

"It is only by doing this that this incident will be prevented from becoming yet another grave setback undermining the spirit and promises of the national reform programme since its launch in 2001." Measures are also needed to win back people's trust in the reform and elections process, he added.

Recommendations to deal with Al Bander report:

• A committee consisting of credible members of Parliament, human rights workers, activists and political societies' members should be formed to investigate the findings of the Al Bander report.
• All officials implicated in the report should be temporarily removed from their positions of authority and from their involvement in the elections, pending the duration of the investigation.

Further recommendations to make amends to the damaged trust between people and government, and to convince people of the genuine nature of the reforms:

• Put the constitution into action by creating a law that criminalises the practices and policies of discrimination.
• Heed calls made by Bahrain's public for a number of years, and redraw electoral voting districts to ensure fairer representation of people at the polls.
• Heed calls made by local and International activists and suspend restrictive laws including the gatherings code and anti-terror bill ratified this year.
• Heed calls made by local political societies and open up the political arena to further public participation by creating a law for political parties, since the law for political societies is
  restrictive in this regard.
• Answer peoples' questions regarding allegations of a politically-motivated naturalisation process, put an end to this practice, and ensure that the naturalisation process is carried out in a transparent and fair manner.
• Revoke the gag placed upon media outlets in the country over the Al Bander report, which undermines freedom of speech in the country as guaranteed in the constitution and suggests the authorities' lack of trust in the media to play its role in Bahrain's democratic process by providing accurate and important information.