In “The Manama Paper”, a document described as Bahrain’s “path to freedom and democracy,” the five groups, including the largest Shia formation Wefaq, called for restructuring the political system while “preserving the monarchy.”
“The reality is that Bahrain resembles any non-democratic country; it is a copy of (ousted) Zine al-Abidine (Ben Ali’s) Tunisia, (deposed Hosni) Mubarak’s Egypt, or (embattled President) Ali Abdullah Saleh’s Yemen,” said the document, presented at a press conference.
Nearly seven months after a deadly crackdown on a month-long pro-democracy protest, the groups repeated their demand for “an elected government”.
The list of demands also includes “a fair electoral system,” redrawing constituencies to guarantee better representation and “a legislative authority with a single chamber that would have exclusive legislative, regulatory, financial and political authorities.”
A chief complaint of the opposition is the naturalisation of foreigners “on political grounds,” suspected as being an attempt to change the demographic balance.
The document demanded an end to this policy as well as reversing “all kinds of tribal, sectarian and political discrimination.”
It also called for international guarantees for a “genuine dialogue” after the opposition pulled out in July of a high-profile national dialogue called for by King Hamad to discuss reforms in the kingdom.
