Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): Former Secretary General of the National Democratic Action Society (Wa'ad), Ebrahim Sharif, summed up all that is related to the dissolution of Bahrain's largest opposition group Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, and the confiscation of its properties, in a brief message on his official "Twitter" account. He addressed the message at what he described as "those who do not know the value of things". Indeed, those who stand behind this do not seem to realize the severity of this move, nor do they seem to appreciate Al-Wefaq's popularity and political value.

They are probably either ignorant, or ignoring the significant political and electoral weight that Al-Wefaq enjoys, as well as its widespread bases of supporters, which made it become the largest political party in the Gulf. They also are denying the fact that the society was never a mere office or headquarters to be robbed and seized in broad daylight.

Al-Wefaq can never be put to an end, because it is simply a dream of every Bahraini hoping to terminate the despotic rule, and build a real state. When a notion this big lives in the conscience of the people, it would be foolish to think of uprooting it, merely by confiscating the funds and properties of the society.

"To those who do not know the value of things: Al-Wefaq can neither be sold nor bought, for gold can never be sold in a flea market. Al-Wefaq is not furniture and buildings, it has deep roots that cannot be dug up," stressed Sharif, who always stood by Al-Wefaq in its national movement.

Sharif's comments came in response to news reported by the Royal Court-affiliated Al-Watan newspaper, revealing that "all movable properties of the dissolved Al-Wefaq society, found in its headquarters and branches, will be sold in an auction within 3 weeks", adding that "following the sale of Al-Wefaq properties, the money will go to the state treasury."

The opposition leader and member of Wa'ad, Yousef al-Khaja, responded by stressing that "Al-Wefaq is not for sale".

pic.twitter.com/8GBRFP7MeZ

— yousif alkhaja (@yousifalkhaja) October 20, 2016

Deputy Secretary General of Al-Wefaq Society, Sheikh Hussein Al-Daihi, issued a statement in which he said: "Al-Wefaq is a popular, historic, and legitimate entity that is deep-rooted in the heart of this country. The ideology of suspension, demolition, exclusion, and oppression does not change anything about this reality."

For his part, head of Al-Wefaq's consultative council, Jamil Kazem, described Al-Wefaq as "a course of action, conscience of a people, school of stability and nationalism that is rooted in the heart of the nation," further highlighting that "the enforced absence of its title does not confiscate its presence and the outreach it has."

Meanwhile, Activist Abdulnabi Al-Ekri reminded the ruling regime that Al-Wefaq won 62% of the votes in the last parliamentary elections it participated in, and that this percentage is enough to qualify it to form a government in democratic states."

For his part, former Al-Wefaq Member of Parliament, Ali Al-Aswad, said that to the authorities in Bahrain, shutting down Al-Wefaq means "closing its headquarters and imprisoning its leaders", stressing that this is a pathetic outdated strategy, which ended with the demise of the most notorious regimes in the past century.

It is worth mentioning that those who made the decision to dissolve Al-Wefaq, aiming at eradicating its roots and history, were never "fit to plant the pillars of civilization", as historian Nasser Al-Khairi wrote; for they seek to uproot any society or group that attempts to plant the seeds of civilization, since they threaten the survival of their Bedouin nature.

Tags: Ebrahim Sharif, Al-Wefaq, Dissolving Al-Wefaq, Wa'ad Society

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