Bahrain Mirror: On the 18th anniversary of its establishment, a statement issued by Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, which began its work on November 7, 2001, confirmed that this establishment resulted from the accumulation of long decades of national struggles.

Al-Wefaq expressed its commitment to the country first and foremost and its absolute keenness on the Arabism of Bahrain, the unity of its land, its independence and its sovereignty. It also asserted its commitment to the causes of the nation and the preservation of its diverse national fabric, coexistence and deep-rooted relations with its Gulf, Arab and Islamic surrounding and balanced relations with the world.

The society stressed its national and Islamic vision and its consistent stance towards preserving public money and public and private properties, distributing wealth fairly, providing dignity and human rights for all the people of Bahrain and taking care of their interests, and adopting the standards of good governance, pluralism, competitiveness, efficiency and the principle of "wherever the authority is, lies the responsibility".

Al-Wefaq further stressed that its comprehensive national project, which was presented in many of its documents, statements and speeches, represents real political partnership, which is safeguarded through the rights of the people and preserves the freedom of the country.

It pointed out that preserving the national identity and refusing to sell the country through political naturalization, seizing of lands, and acquiring money and national wealth, by force and through theft, is an essential and indispensable demand that must be achieved no matter how defiant the government is.

Al-Wefaq also pointed out that its program in fighting corruption, correcting the path and getting the state back on the right track revolves around raising the standards of living for citizens, developing the reality of employment, investment and salaries, linking the educational process with employment, promoting the economic standards and business and trade environment, and creating strategic opportunities to reduce dependence on oil as a sole source of income.

The society paid tribute to the great people of Bahrain and commended the role of the opposition leader, the man of peace, Sheikh Ali Salman, who gave all that he has in the service of his people. Al-Wefaq also brought to mind the free detainees and the martyrs who paved the way of freedom. In addition, it praised the role of national forces that are active in struggling for achieving the goals.

Al-Wefaq asserted that it is continuing with its people and all their living forces in its project, according to its firm national approach, which is based on defending all the people's rights with strength and resolution and confronting the project of sabotage and destruction, which is adopted by the authorities through tyranny, autocracy, marginalizing citizens, stealing public money, emptying the authorities of their signification, transforming the institutions into cantons serving dictatorship and manipulating the law for more acquisition and domination.

Arabic Version