Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): It is not strange that the Bahraini Interior Ministry, which raided over 15 Shia villages across the island kingdom to take down all black banners and Ashura mourning manifestations from the streets, claimed to "honor the Ashura commemoration as a religious occasion." King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has made even more peculiar statements.

Hamad bin Isa assumed that Hussein bin Ali (the third Shia Imam) would have stood by him if he were still amongst us. The King of Bahrain now can be added to the list of wretch former presidents such as Iraq's Saddam Hussein and Libya's Muammar Gaddafi who used to constantly make unusual statements.

Saddam Hussein alleged that he was a descendant of Imam Hussein, while Gaddafi claimed that his lineage went back to Imam Mousa Al-Kadhim (the seventh Shia Imam). Now, the Bahraini King has joined them, making similar absurd announcements, and probably he will have a similar fate too.

Hamad bin Isa was furious when he was addressing one of the heads of "Husseini" obsequies two years ago. He was protesting against an incident where pictures of him were positioned on the streets through which the mourning processions would march. "If Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein were present at this time, they would have stood by the regime," he said!

It is unclear how the King came up with this serious theory. However, it could be possible that he is attacking "Ashura rituals" based on this allegation, since he claims to have religious support of a higher power. The Al Khalifa regime forces have attacked Ashura rituals for the sixth consecutive year, summoning Shia preachers and reciters of laments for interrogation and banning others from entering the country.

Since 2011, the King, who claims to have the support of the second and third Shia Imams, has led a campaign that demolished more than 40 mosques and religious centers for the Shia sect, which represents the majority of the indigenous Bahraini population. Numerous campaigns were also launched targeting religious Shia beliefs.

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) said in a statement last week that it documented violations against Ashura commemoration rituals, stressing that "government security forces removed Ashura banners and flags in at least 15 villages across Bahrain," adding that "policemen used tear gas to clamp down on demonstrators who protested against the removal of the religious banners and flags."

The security forces, which have been enforcing a siege on the village of Diraz since four months ago, also denied religious preachers access to the village, preventing them from taking part in the commemoration of this occasion with the residents of the area. The residents of Diraz, which comprises about 18 obsequies, have complained that the siege is restricting their freedom to practice their religious rites.

BCHR's report issued last year (2015) documented 175 cases of harassment over the practice of Ashura rituals, including the arrests of 15 persons (Shia preachers, reciters of laments and heads of obsequies), in addition to 45 injuries as a result of the government forces' crackdown on four Ashura mourning processions using tear gas and shotgun pellets.

The King summoned one of the heads of obsequies who was held in prison to his palace, stressing to him that he has given the Shia complete control over their "Endowments" administration and over their particular affairs, yet did not receive what he expected in return. "You have the Jafaria Endowments. No one else in the Gulf states has that. Is this the outcome?," he said angrily.

The outcome that the King desires is to have the people pledge political allegiance to him in return for their religious freedoms. Since 2011, he has indirectly informed the Shia that they will only have the freedom to practice their religious rites if they submit to his rule. The King; however, doesn't realize that no people anywhere in the world would compromise their beliefs or religion for any purpose whatsoever.

Arabic Version