Page 8 - IDFR-Diplomatic Voice Vol 2 2014

NEWS Reflections: Arab Spring in Bahrain Contributed by Mohd Shahafeez Shaharis, Malawakil Dakar It was a normal morning on 14 March prove futile to curb such widescale Embassy had been preparing for this 2011. Normal in the sense that every- protests, the government allowed scenario for quite some time by updat- thing was the same since a month demonstrations to be held at the Pearl ing the list of registered Malaysians in ago, when the Arab Spring movement Roundabout under the condition that it Bahrain as well as having an evacua- which started in Tunisia and Egypt should be done peacefully. And the tion plan should the situation turn out made its way to the Kingdom of protestors flocked to the area in record for the worst. But personally, I was not Bahrain. As it has been for the past numbers. Rallies were held, speeches prepared for the onslaught that came month, I had grown accustomed to were made, food served aplenty. It later as hundreds of unregistered being stopped at several roadblocks was like a festival. Malaysians came out of the wood- manned by local youths who would work. Some were reasonable, simply randomly check vehicles that passed However, after weeks of 'festivities', asking us to inform them of develop- by. In a number of instances, my car the demonstrators grew restless as ments, while some were not, demand- would be up for search. With my there were no reaction or provocation ing to be evacuated instantaneously. limited Arabic, I would argue that by the authorities. They decided to We even received a call from a Malay- diplomatic cars should be exempted march from one side of the town to the sian Member of Parliament informing from such treatment. Sometimes I won other. And yet, the authorities did us that he received complaints from the argument, and sometimes I did nothing. The demonstrators grew even members of his constituency that the not. more restless. Rumours of impending Embassy did not extend assistance to government crackdown made them them. Now, this is not a fair reflection of agitated. The demonstrators felt what Bahrain is all about. It is quite a threatened and they made the first The ordeal lasted for two weeks. Luck- developed country with a vibrant move. The roads were blocked with ily, no evacuation was deemed neces- capital, Manama, that hosts upscale stones and garbage cans by vigilantes sary. The crackdown was successful shopping complexes and exquisite armed with iron rods. They searched in quelling the uprising. However, the supercars. The people were friendly cars that passed by to seek out aftermath was not without a great and life was good. However, for 'government agents' allegedly trying cost. Casualties on both sides, though decades, the Shia majority in the to sabotage the Pearl Roundabout. not as many as recorded in other country claimed that they have been similar uprising, were casualties none- marginalized by the Sunni minority, And this was my daily routine until that theless. As I bid my farewell to Bahrain headed by the Al-Khalifa family. fateful day on 15 March 2011. All the in July 2013, the country was still Protests and demonstrations were a makeshift roadblocks were left mending its wounds. The government daily occurrence albeit on small scale unmanned. It was not until I came had initiated an independent inquiry and swiftly cordoned by the authori- across several armoured cars and and a national dialogue with the hope ties. As a local friend would jokingly tanks moving towards the direction of of reaching reconciliation. say, “ if you see burning tires on the the Pearl Roundabout that I realized streets of Bahrain, keep calm and just what was happening; the crackdown Sometimes, I shuddered imagining move along.” on the protesters had started! such scenario happening on our shores. I hope that despite the differ- But when the uprising wave hit I turned back and informed the ences and issues that we have with Bahrain in February 2011, the Ambassador. The decision was made one another, we would always resort response by the masses was to close the chancery and our homes to dialogue and tolerance which have overwhelming. Knowing that it would were transformed to an office. The been the foundation of our country. Panel Discussion in Conjunction with the 40th Anniversary of Malaysia-China Diplomatic Relations The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Malay- held to commemorate the 40th anni- ween Malaysia and China to the sia, in collaboration with the Malaysia- versary of the establishment of diplo- public. China Friendship Association and the matic relations between Malaysia and Institute of China Studies, University China. It was also aimed at providing The event commenced with welco- of Malaya, organised a Panel Discus- an overview and understanding of the ming remarks by Dato’ Hussin Nayan, sion in Conjunction with the 40th Anni- relationship of these two countries as Director General of IDFR. He reminded versary of Malaysia-China Diplomatic well as enhancing awareness of the us of the significant visit made by Relations. This panel discussion was importance of bilateral relations bet- Malaysia’s second Prime Minister, Tun 8 bulletin@idfr.gov.my