http://archive.gulfnews.com/region/Bahrain/10073500.html
10/09/2006 11:46 PM | By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
Manama: Bahrain’s highest Shiite authority yesterday called “all believers to participate in the upcoming municipal and parliamentary elections” in a move that contrasted with its 2002 stance that led to the boycott of polls by four societies.
The move is likely to deepen the rift with Haq, the movement that splintered from Al Wefaq Society last year, and which has been actively opposing participation in the November 25 elections.
“Despite all political and security crises and tensions and in spite of all the disappointments, the Islamic Scholars Council believes that participation in the elections is the best option to confront the reality on the ground with all its complexities. Participation is also the best option to tackle strife and exclusion schemes,” the council said in a statement sent to the media on Sunday evening.
http://archive.gulfnews.com/region/Bahrain/10073500.html
10/09/2006 11:46 PM | By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
Manama: Bahrain’s highest Shiite authority yesterday called “all believers to participate in the upcoming municipal and parliamentary elections” in a move that contrasted with its 2002 stance that led to the boycott of polls by four societies.
The move is likely to deepen the rift with Haq, the movement that splintered from Al Wefaq Society last year, and which has been actively opposing participation in the November 25 elections.
“Despite all political and security crises and tensions and in spite of all the disappointments, the Islamic Scholars Council believes that participation in the elections is the best option to confront the reality on the ground with all its complexities. Participation is also the best option to tackle strife and exclusion schemes,” the council said in a statement sent to the media on Sunday evening.
Marginalised
“It is certain that non-involvement in the political process despite all its shortcomings and impediments will further exclude and marginalise us, will impose on us more unjust and unfair laws and will target us in suspicious plots,” the statement said in reference to the anti-terrorism law passed by the outgoing parliament and a report that alleged the existence of a secret network to diminish the power and influence of Shiites in Bahrain. “Based on these premises and in accordance with an objective assessment of the situation, the Islamic Scholars Council calls for massive participation of all believers, men and women, in the upcoming municipal and parliamentary elections,” the statement said.
But Haq Movement insists that the reasons behind the 2002 boycott were still valid and that the last four years proved that reforms from within the parliament were not possible.
“Anyone who believes that changes can happen from within the parliament will be disillusioned. Experiences have shown that changes always come from outside,” the movement’s media relations head and founding member Dr Abdul Jalil Singace said yesterday in a press statement.
He cited popular and international factors among the dynamics that could effect change.
