Sandeep Singh Grewal
Staff Reporter
Rights advocates have stepped in to train policemen on non-violence strategies and human rights principles.
The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) has offered proposals to train policemen as part of its campaign for non-violence.
“We have conducted two workshops in the past where we discussed human rights principle with the officers. This time we want to discuss our non-violence strategies with them,” said society President Mohammed Al Maskati.
Sandeep Singh Grewal
Staff Reporter
Rights advocates have stepped in to train policemen on non-violence strategies and human rights principles.
The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) has offered proposals to train policemen as part of its campaign for non-violence.
“We have conducted two workshops in the past where we discussed human rights principle with the officers. This time we want to discuss our non-violence strategies with them,” said society President Mohammed Al Maskati.
BYSHR has established a centre, the first of its kind in the Middle East, under the theme “Youth Against Violence”, to help prevent violent demonstrations.
The centre has trained about 150 youth in seven villages in Bahrain on non-violent strategies to be used in protests.
The society has trained youth from villages – Sanabis, Bilad Al Qadeem, Bani Jamra, Dumistan in addition to parts of Manama and Sitra.
Al Maskati said that they would launch a first of its kind ‘balloon campaign’ by December.
“We will release balloons with messages of human rights written on them on the same day and time from different villages,” he said.
The society is also preparing a ‘sticker campaign’ where the youth will place stickers in key areas of Bahrain with the message of non-violence.
Al Maskati said that they have given printing orders for stickers, which would be in four languages mainly- Arabic, Urdu, English and French.
“The stickers will be put in cars, malls, schools and other key areas to promote the message of peace,” he said.
The society has tied up with the Centre for Applied Non-violent Action and Strategies (Canvas) in Serbia, which will send trainers to Bahrain for the programme.
The strategies implemented by the centre include presenting bouquets to riot police before a protest and wearing common colour attires as a symbol of protest.
“We have held football matches in different villages and plan to organise similar sports activities. The youth of Bahrain will be ready to protest using these strategies by next year,” Al Maskati said.
The society will also screen movies about Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela to the youth.