Bahrain under occupation

[oberliner]

As I pass through the airport security in Manama, my passport is stamped; “BAHRAIN – GOOD FOR BUSINESS”. Huge posters line the wall, asking visitors if the Middle-East is part of their “expansion plan”. But unfortunately for the Khalifa monarchy, the sheen is wearing off the shiny image.

On the road from the airport into town, Saudi and other armies occupied major junctions. Tanks lay stationary at the side of roads, some with Bahraini flags. Police cars are parked with their lights flashing. At one junction, a soldier came across to look into the taxi. His face was covered in a black balaclava, and his finger lay resting on the trigger of the automatic weapon hanging over his shoulder. Behind him, army jeeps were parked with a group of six soldiers standing up through their roofs, all with their weapons ready in firing positions. The soldier muttered a few words about more armed forces on the road ahead, and the taxi driver continued on his way.

We have to take a much longer route, due to the army presence. I am on my way to meet Nabeel Rajab, head of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, at a nearby coffee shop. It is almost empty when I arrive.

“Normally we wouldn’t be able to get a seat here,” Nabeel tells me, “but people are afraid. We are still in shock about what has happened over the last couple of days.”

http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/03/18/bahrain-under-occupation/