MPs call for Al Bandar probe
By kanwal tariq hameed
Published: 27 September 2006
MEMBERS of human rights organisations, political societies and MPs are to meet tomorrow, to decide what action to demand over the Bandargate report.
They will hold a “national gathering” at the National Democratic Action Society (NDAS) premises tomorrow night.
MPs and civil societies yesterday called for an official investigation by an independent commission into the Bandargate allegations.
The allegations were made in a report allegedly compiled by activists at the Gulf Centre for Democratic Development (GCDD), after a six-month investigation.
MPs call for Al Bandar probe
By kanwal tariq hameed
Published: 27 September 2006
MEMBERS of human rights organisations, political societies and MPs are to meet tomorrow, to decide what action to demand over the Bandargate report.
They will hold a “national gathering” at the National Democratic Action Society (NDAS) premises tomorrow night.
MPs and civil societies yesterday called for an official investigation by an independent commission into the Bandargate allegations.
The allegations were made in a report allegedly compiled by activists at the Gulf Centre for Democratic Development (GCDD), after a six-month investigation.
GCDD secretary-general Dr Salah Al Bandar, who had been working as a strategic planning adviser to the Cabinet Affairs Ministry since October last year, was deported to the UK on September 13.
He was arrested, questioned and put on a plane to London after circulating copies of the 240-page Bandargate report to Bahraini authorities, the British, US and German embassies and local political society heads.
The Bandargate report charts a money trail which purportedly leads back to a senior government official directly involved in organising the elections.
It alleges that payments totalling more than BD1 million have been made to government employees, members of the local Press, MPs, parliamentary candidates, civil societies, lawyers, bank employees, a Jordanian intelligence team and a Shura Council member.
One MP called for an investigation into Dr Al Bandar, claiming he may be a spy for Britain or Iran.
The now-dissolved Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) called for Dr Al Bandar to be allowed to return to Bahrain, saying his deportation was a violation of his own and his family’s rights.
BCHR vice-president Nabeel Rajab, Women’s Petition committee head Ghada Jamsheer and NDAS secretary-general Ebrahim Sharif, called on the government to begin an open investigation.
They also called for a freeze on the positions of all officials named in the report and bring anyone found guilty of corruption to justice.
“The report shows that for this project the money was issued from the account of a gentleman of the rank of a minister, but the hidden question is who deposited the money in his account?” said Mr Rajab.
Ms Jamsheer urged Bahraini authorities to give protection and moral support to Dr Al Bandar’s Bahraini wife Layla Rajab, condemning the “unwarranted” entry of security forces into the couple’s Riffa home.
“Keep the people implicated in the report away from the next elections until the committee is finished with its investigation and issues its report and brings those implicated to justice for wasting public money and causing damage to the country and its people,” said Ms Jamsheer.
Mr Sharif criticised what he called the practice of running “GONGOs” – in which what should be non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are actually run by the government.
“It’s not just unfair, it’s illegal,” said Mr Sharif. “These societies (mentioned in the report) are not supposed to receive financing under the table, their finances should be scrutinised by the Social Development Ministry or the Justice Ministry.
“We want the government to give NGOs funding, but give it on a fair formula – what we’re talking about is secretive, under the table.”
“GONGOs” work to discredit genuine NGOs and alter local and international public opinion, said Mr Sharif. He also called for MPs and candidates to have their funds scrutinised. “The other issue is that the state is involved in the practice – this is a slush fund financed by a minister and that minister should be sacked if the allegations are proven to be true,” said Mr Sharif.
“In the meantime, he should be set aside and have nothing to do with the election process.”
MPs have begun talks over the issue, said MP Jassim Abdul Aal.
“Funding MPs is against the law, and I think the contents of the report are very dangerous,” said Mr Abdul Aal.
“What really strikes me and what I am really shocked about, is the plans to undermine an important sector of the community and plans to support one community against another, plans to divide the country based on religious sects.
“We are discussing ways to amend the issue without going into confrontation, but we need a serious and honest response from political leaders in Bahrain to deal with this logically and wisely.
“I think this affects the hardliners in the country who don’t believe in the reform, this will increase their levels of doubt and uncertainty about them.”
An investigation should determine whether allegations in the report are true, and if so then “why and for the sake of whom this was happening”, said MP Abdulnabi Salman.
“So far we don’t know if it’s true or not, but I think everybody in Bahrain is expecting the government to explain, because what we have seen in the newspapers and in the report are very dangerous to Bahrain and the reform process,” he said.
“I think if there were any candidates or MPs who received money the government should prove that, to make things clear for the people. Some may be innocent – we never know.
“Things should be cleared, by the government otherwise we have all these politicians who have been accused and they have full rights to take legal action.
“If it is proven (that they are guilty), I think legal action should be taken against them.”
MP Mohammed Khalid called for a court investigation into the author of the report rather than its findings, claiming Dr Al Bandar may have been a spy and agitator working for Iran or Britain.
Payments shown in the report may have been for legitimate work, he said. “I know some of the people and I swear they did not take any money from the government and I know some people who worked with (the government official allegedly financing the activities) who took money one time, because they were working in the Central Informatics Organisation.
“The question is – is the report right or not right? The problem is Al Bandar, who took some secret papers and showed them to other people. It will make trouble between Shias and Sunnis – I think he is not working for Bahrain, I am sure he is working for Iran or Britain.
“If he is a gentleman, he should come here and take all this information to the court.”
He called for Public Prosecution officials to investigate the report and its author.
© Gulf Daily News
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