Bahrain Mirror: Opposition activists have emphasized their adherence to the option of boycotting elections until a real reform process is made, through which the opposition can be involved in decision-making.

Activists who participated in a dialogue session organized by the opposition Al-Wefaq Society on Twitter saw that the council with its current structure is a tool in the hands of the executive authority.

Former Al-Wefaq MP Jalal Fairooz said that the experience of Al-Wefaq and opposition proved that parliament, in its current form, has harmed the interests of the people, on the economic, political and legal levels, and has not fulfilled the promises of reform and empowerment of citizens, but has devoted marginalization and exclusion.

"The parliamentary experiences since 2002 have confirmed that there are no powers for this decorative council to represent the people and perform its legislative and supervisory roles as well as its services and legal roles, while the government is granted broad powers," he said.

Fairooz stressed the adoption of Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim's stance that the current parliament has enshrined an unjust unilateral policy that circumvents the rights of the people and marginalizes the oversight role assigned to it. 

Hasan Al-Marzooq, Secretary-General of the Unitary National Democratic Assemblage (Al-Wahdawi party), said that the message of the boycott is to demand cooling the political arena, releasing prisoners, repealing the political isolation law, providing a favorable environment for fair and democratic elections and ending the injustices to the livelihood of citizens. 

"The current parliament does not represent constituencies fairly, and its powers are incomplete because it is unable to question any minister or the government," he said. 

Opposition leader Fadhel Abbas said the current parliament is unfair in its arbitrary practices against citizens, and there is no possibility of real change in accordance with the current division in the light of absence of serious will for a comprehensive reconciliation, and the authority's efforts to subdue the opposition and turn it into a false witness. 

Al-Wefaq member Khalil Al-Madhoun said that the existing political isolation denies the seriousness of the authority for reform. Besides, normalization and infringement of people's rights confirm that the principle of boycott is to demand real change, overlook self-interest and preserve the interests of the people.

Meanwhile, activist Ali Al-Fayez stressed that the principle of opposition led by Ayatollah Qassim "is the active participation in political work, but the failure of parliament, its transformation into a tool in the hands of the authority, lack of political participation, blocking the doors of solution and unjust legislation require a boycott."

Activist Hassan Al-Sitri stressed the boycotting stance, saying that "it is true that we are to participate in real decision-making and reduce the burdens on citizens, but participation in its current sham form is useless."

Arabic Version