Gulf | Bahrain
Activist condemns killing of policeman in Bahrain arson attack
A human rights activist has condemned the killing last week of a policeman in an arson attack. Protesters should be aware of the consequences of their action, the activist said.
- By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
- Published: 13:44 April 16, 2008
Manama: A human rights activist has condemned the killing last week of a policeman in an arson attack. Protesters should be aware of the consequences of their action, the activist said.
However, Nabeel Rajab, the vice president of the dissolved Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, warned that unless the Bahraini government and protesters seriously reflected on their policies and practices, the killing would be "a dangerous sign of things to come".
"We condemn the use of violence, which according to official reports led to the death of a 24-year-old policeman, and the injury of his two colleagues," Rajab said in a statement sent to Gulf News.
"The killing of the policeman was wrong, and should be dealt with according to fair and independent principles of law. As human rights activists we cannot support such an action and call on protesters to cease any violent attacks on human beings, and to consider the meaning and consequences of such actions. At the end of the day, it is a detriment to the validity of their cause," he said.
But, Rajab said that while protesters "must carefully consider the outcome of their actions, and the method of protest they choose", the government should also review its policies.
"The violent situation has been developing for a long time in Bahrain, and this incident has shown that it is necessary to examine how it reached this terrible stage. The government must realise that putting those responsible for this act on trial is not enough to resolve the situation at this point. They must also explore the factors which have contributed to such hatred and violence towards security forces," Rajab said.
Bahrain has witnessed sporadic violence since rioters and the police clashed last December during a rally. The death of 31-year-old demonstrator Ali Jassem, from inhaling tear gas, according to the interior ministry, has compounded the standoff.
Majid Ali Asghar died on Wednesday after masked protesters hurled Molotov cocktails at his car patrolling a village where tension was high following an arson attack in February on a farm belonging to a senior security officer.
The killing sparked wide public and official condemnation and led to the government announcing stringent measures to curb violence and sect-based vilifications on the internet and in religious places.
Claims by one of Majid's colleagues that the protestors had received training in Iran, Iraq and Syria have been rejected by their embassies and by the interior ministry.
Majid's grand father settled in Bahrain in 1959 and worked in the police force before his retirement. His father also served as a policeman for 27 years.
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