2 November 2005
2 November 2005
The Bahrain Centre for Human rights express its concerns on the decision of the Bahrain government to prevent the president of the Bahrain Centre from attending the sessions of the Forum for the Future held In Bahrain on 11-12 November 2005. Mr. Alkhawaja was chosen by Human rights groups in the region to represent them in an International event, of which Bahrain was a host. The BCHR also express concerns on the passive role of the UK, G8 and other governments in this issue, which gives an example of how powerless are civil societies and NGO’s are captives of government.
Around seventy activists and representatives of civil society organizations in the Broader Middle East had met in Doha in 7-8 Nov 2005 to discuses human rights in the Middle East. The meeting was a part of a preparation mechanism adopted by the G8 and BMENA Governments as preparation for the Forum for the Future on 11-12 Nov. 2005 in Bahrain.
The workshop was organized and facilitated by the National Human Rights Committee (Qatar) and the International NGO Training and Research Centre INTRAC (U.K). The meeting adopted a number of recommendations relating to the role of civil society and reforms related to promotion of human rights. The participants formed a group of six persons to represent them in the meetings of the Forum for the Future in Bahrain. Among the group was Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights.
At the closing meeting, the participants were outraged when they were informed that the Bahrain Government will not allow Abdulhadi Alkhawaja to attend the Forum as their representative. The organizers said that they were informed by the UK foreign ministry about the issue. The UK Government position was presented to the participants as follows:
Official UK Government 08. 11. 05:
- Whilst we are the G8 president, the final decision over participation in the Forum rests with the Bahraini Host.
- We have good story to tell at the Forum and are concerned that past differences between Abdulhadi Alkhawaja and the Bahrain government may distract attention away from the good work undertaken at the Forum
- Knowing that Bahrain will not allow him to attend, it is for Mr. Alkhawaja to decide whether he wishes to offer his seat to another civil society delegate to go in his stead.
The participants insisted that Alkhawaja would continue to be apart of there delegation to the forum in Bahrain, and they reflected their position and concerns in the Closing Statement as follows:
“The participants have condemned the objection by the government of the Kingdom of Bahrain against the participation of the struggler Abdulhadi Al. Khawaja, the most distinguished defender for human rights in the Arab world and the Director of Bahrain Centre for Human Rights to participate in the sessions of Forum for the Future. They express their surprise that the government of the Kingdom of Bahrain had committed such an assault on his human rights and the right of civil society organizations in choosing their representative, in a meeting whose priorities are issues of human rights and reform.
The civil society organizations do not accept that any party has the right to VETO their choice of representation. They consider the collusion of other countries will destroy any remaining credibility for the Forum for the Future.”
In Bahrain, The Bahrain Center for Human rights and its president Abdulhadi Alkhawaja urged representatives of civil societies to exclude the option of boycotting the meetings. Hence, the human rights group participated in the meetings and raised the case during the sessions while the seat of sixth member remained empty.