Manama: Al Wefaq, the largest opposition society in Bahrain, on Sunday reiterated its stance that it would boycott the social theme in the national dialogue.
“Bahrain is going through a political crisis and this requires addressing specific issues,” Khalil Al Marzooq, the head of Al Wefaq team for the dialogue, said. “We do not want to have a role in compounding the situation,” he said, without elaborating.
The national dialogue was launched last week to help shape the future of Bahrain following weeks of political turmoil and unrest.
More than 300 participants from political parties, NGOs, the parliament, the government, the municipal councils, trade unions, business community, women’s groups and the media as well as religious and social figures are taking part in the evening talks held three times a week.
Political parties have been invited to send five delegates each to discuss the political, economic, social and rights themes of the dialogue.
However, Al Wefaq, which agreed to take part in the talks only hours before they started, has insisted that it was interested mainly in the political theme and has told the organisers that it wanted all its delegates to take part together in the political talks.
Participants in the social theme will on Sunday evening address social peace, dealing with security and social peace disturbances, the application of the rule of law, religious speeches, religious processions, houses of worship and dealing with illegal entities.
According to the dialogue organisers, 78 participants will discuss political issues while 62 will debate social topics, 74 will talk about the economy and 66 will debate human rights.
