Bahrain Mirror: Bahrain Opposition Bloc in Britain called on the British government to open up to Bahraini opposition forces instead of supporting the political regime in Bahrain.

The bloc said in a political statement on the 23rd Martyrs Day that "We are aware that the British Government prefers its interests with the regime and considers them a stone pillar in its relations with Bahrain. But we also recognize that the relationship between the British and Bahraini people are stronger than these interests and that the continuation in policy of turning blind eye to the regime's irregularities raise concerns about the regime's employing of this relation in proceeding in human rights violations that negatively affect these peoples."

Bahrain Opposition Bloc in Britain hold the Bahraini regime accountable for the blood of the martyrs who have fallen since 1993. The statement also condemned what it called "Saudi domination" and its interference in the states' affairs, indicating that "this poses a clear threat to demands of reform, peaceful expression and democracy, and devotes the military and security nature in dealing with the rights and aspirations of peoples."

The statement also tackled the US president recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and the angry reactions that resulted from this announcement, indicating that people staged demonstrations in over 30 Bahraini villages on which the security forces cracked down. The bloc also condemned the Bahraini delegation visit to the occupied Al-Quds, stressing that this delegation doesn't represent the Bahraini people.

It also noted the deterioration of Sheikh Isa Qassim's health and the continuation of the house arrest imposed on him as well as the Diraz siege, considering that this represents "the brutal face of the regime".

The statement reiterated the opposition's stance which demands complete democracy and need to take action in order to achieve full and real democracy, criticizing the regime's attempts to "filter the opposition forces, silence their voice and retaliate against activists as an alternative option for democracy" pointing out to the " death chambers" and the new case against Sheikh Ali Salman and Al-Wefaq leaders linked to the US-Qatari initiative.

The statement also tackled the impunity policy followed by the Bahraini government, reiterating its refusal of decree 56/2011 that "protected the killers of the martyrs of the constitutional uprising".

It also stressed that Saudi Arabia should stop interfering in Bahrain's internal affairs, indicating that this constitutes "a clear threat to demands of reform, peaceful expression and democracy".

The Opposition Bloc send a message through the statement "to the Bahraini people, and other messages to the international organizations and civil society institution." It also sent messages to the ruling regime in Bahrain and British government.

Concluding its statement, the bloc said "the opposition in Britain expressed its absolute rejection to all that would threaten peace and security in the region and refuses that the people be victims to proxy wars, whether political or military wars. It also expresses its conviction that the ideal is to work together to build solid democracies instead of regimes that act like they own humans and land without any regard to the terms of international human rights and to what developed countries aspire to achieve, i.e. to protect their people's resources and their political and economic rights as stated in the International Covenants on human rights."

Arabic Version