‘Just Bahraini’ push takes off
By TARIQ KHONJI
Published: 16th November 2006
A TOTAL of 89,000 more buttons have been ordered for an anti-sectarianism campaign launched by a Bahraini blogger.
This is in addition to 11,000 pins that have already been made and distributed for Mahmood Al Yousif’s ‘Just Bahraini’ campaign.
The campaign is being financed by donations from the public, with BD5,689 collected so far.
Mr Al Yousif, who runs the popular blog mahmood.tv, placed the orders even though he has yet to collect the full BD8,500 needed to make all 100,000 pins.
“We have received BD5,689 so far with BD2,811 to go,” he said.
‘Just Bahraini’ push takes off
By TARIQ KHONJI
Published: 16th November 2006
A TOTAL of 89,000 more buttons have been ordered for an anti-sectarianism campaign launched by a Bahraini blogger.
This is in addition to 11,000 pins that have already been made and distributed for Mahmood Al Yousif’s ‘Just Bahraini’ campaign.
The campaign is being financed by donations from the public, with BD5,689 collected so far.
Mr Al Yousif, who runs the popular blog mahmood.tv, placed the orders even though he has yet to collect the full BD8,500 needed to make all 100,000 pins.
“We have received BD5,689 so far with BD2,811 to go,” he said.
“I placed the order because I’m confident that the rest of the money will come in.
“We also received BD290 in sponsorship for 1,000 silicon bracelets.”
Mr Al Yousif said that donations were accepted in any amount, small or large. The campaign’s logo includes the slogan No Shi’i, No Sunni, Just Bahraini!
Its goal is to eradicate sectarianism in the country and encourage laws that prevent the rise of discrimination in any form.
The progress of the campaign is being chronicled on the website justbahraini.org which has been attracting a growing number of local and international visitors.
Mr Al Yousif says that he is also pleased to see that politicians have taken up the cause, some of them even wearing the buttons on the campaign trail.
“More than 150 candidates have included the principles of our campaign within their programmes,” he said.
“I can’t take credit for all of them, but many included this issue after the campaign was launched so I like to think that it has had an effect.”
Fifteen candidates from the Democratic Progressive Forum Society and the National Democratic Action Society (NDAS) have signed a pledge that was launched as part of the campaign.
The signatories promise that they will fight sectarianism and will not introduce laws that institute it.
Mr Al Yousif is in discussion with several companies in Bahrain to help make the buttons easily available to the public. “The main companies we are talking to are Jawad Business Group and Midway Supermarket,” he said.
© Gulf Daily News
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