| Bahrain Freedom Movement |
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Information AboutBahrain Freedom Movement |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT BAHRAIN FREEDOM MOVEMENT | |
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It is led by Dr Said Shehabi, who was formerly a leading member of Bahrain’s main Shia Islamist party, Al Wefaq Islamic Action but resigned along with several other members in September 2005 in a dispute with the Bahrain-based leader, Ali Salman . Mr Shehabi is a columnist with the London based Arab newspaper, Al Quds Al Arabi . Like many London based Islamist organizations, the Bahrain Freedom Movement operates with two names: a secular name in English but a name which reflects its Islamist roots in Arabic: Harakit Ahraar Al Bahrin Al Islameya. This duality of name reflects a duality of message depending upon whether it has an English or Arabic speakign audience. As such the two names are crucial to the presentation of the organisation's message. In English, it criticizes Bahrain’s government from a Liberal Progressive perspective, highlighting issues of Discrimination , Unemployment and Human Rights and is careful not to indicate an Islamist agenda as it seeks to undermine the credibility of reforms since 2001. In Arabic it criticizes the government over so-called morality issues and the 'genocide' represented by immigration. The Bahrain government’s political reforms in 2001 presented the Movement with its biggest challenge resulting in a major schism. Under the reforms all exiles were invited to return to the Kingdom to participate in the political process, and leading members returned to their homeland: Ali Salman to found Al Wefaq, Mansur Al Jamri to set up and edit a new independent newspaper, Al Wasat, and Dr Majeed Al Alawi to become Assistant Secretary General for the Bahrain Centre for Studies and Research, a Bahraini think tank, and later to join the government in the post of Labour Minister. Although all of its members have received political amnesties and most have returned to Bahrain to participate in the political process, several remain in London where they hold the status of asylum seekers. SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS |
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