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Our lives are in danger
By ANIQA HAIDER
Published: 14th April 2008
TEENAGE foot soldiers are being encouraged to wage a campaign of violence on the grounds they will face softer punishments than older offenders if arrested, according to police. Policemen who have been in the front line during clashes with demonstrators say they often face off with children.
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Our lives are in danger
By ANIQA HAIDER
Published: 14th April 2008
TEENAGE foot soldiers are being encouraged to wage a campaign of violence on the grounds they will face softer punishments than older offenders if arrested, according to police. Policemen who have been in the front line during clashes with demonstrators say they often face off with children.
A group of Pakistani policemen are now urging the government to seek the maximum penalty for those responsible for killing their colleague Majid Ali Asghar Kareem Baksh, 24, last week.
They accused protesters of targeting them because they were foreign, but claimed many offenders were shown leniency once their case reached court.
Majid’s cousin Mohammed Jamshed, who also works as a policeman, claimed Bahraini saboteurs were being trained in Iran, Syria and Iraq during supposed visits to historic shrines.
“I am also a policeman and I know our lives are always in danger,” he told the GDN yesterday.
“We, mostly Pakistanis, are targeted by these protesters.
“In fact, every Thursday to Saturday they burn tyres, rubbish bins and other properties in different areas of Bahrain to tease the government.
“The bigger issue is that whenever these protesters are arrested and a case filed against them, their mothers, sisters, relatives and political supporters come out to help them and protest near the courts to get them released.
“These protesters are encouraged to launch more attacks on police as they know if they are caught again, they will be released again.
“The motive behind all these protests is to defame the government with the help of foreign countries, who openly support and train them.
“They are trained in Iran, Iraq and Syria while they visit these countries.
“Earlier, Bahrainis had no idea how to make bombs, but they got the training.
“How could a simple teenager know all the secrets?
“But only Pakistani policemen get targeted as they are brave to face their harsh words and acts.
“But this is not the right way to ask anyone to leave the country.
“They think we are stealing their jobs and rights, but it’s not true. We are instead protecting them in many aspects of life.
“Some community leaders here also support these protesters and choose young teenagers to attack and damage government property because if they are arrested, the law will not give them harsh sentences as they are under 18 years.
“The government is launching many welfare programmes to help its citizens, such as the unemployment allowance, good jobs and the BD50 inflation allowance, but what is the government getting from them now?
“Their first gift of gratitude to the government for what it has done for them is killing a policeman.”
Majid was killed last Wednesday in a firebomb attack in Karzakan, which left two other policeman injured.
Another Pakistani policeman Rashid Anwar, who has served in Bahrain for more than 25 years, accused protesters of deliberately trying to tarnish the image of Bahrain abroad.
“These people intentionally try to defame the government abroad – especially when Bahrain’s human rights record was being discussed at the United Nations Human Rights Council.
“These protesters also tried to give a wrong message to Formula One tourists by setting fires everywhere.”
Some urged the government to consider giving Bahraini nationality to all foreign policemen, including Pakistanis, Indians and Yemenis.
“The government should give them Bahraini passports for their safety,” said Imam Ali.
“There are no more faithful, sincere or hard workers in this country.
“There are many policemen who have been given interviews for years, but have still not received nationality.”
Another Pakistani policeman, Ghulam Khan, urged the government to consider increasing benefits for expat members of the force.
“We love Bahrain, but are frontline targets in rioters’ eyes,” he said.
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© Gulf Daily News
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/1yr_arc_Articles.asp?Article=214518&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=31025&date=4-14-2008
