Opposition strongholds boycott elections

In the historic town of Arad in Bahrain's second biggest island of Muharraq, scores of people were waiting patiently in the sun for their turn to get inside the polling station to cast their votes.

However, in a dire contrast, going through some of the main island's northern villages, just five minutes away form the capital Manama; one could hardly notice the country was holding its first national elections in nearly three decades. The area, after all, is the traditional stronghold of the opposition which is boycotting the polls.

In all of Muharraq's districts, voters' turnout was expected to reach 80 per cent, the highest percentage in the country, election officials said.

Affirming the integrity of the process, front runner Arad candidate Abdullah Hashim, president of the Democratic Coalition Society, told Gulf News the turnout was so "massive", it is hard to even tell there was a boycott movement.

His opponent, Abdullah Al Huwaihi, president of the Arab Wassat Society, said the heavy turnout in the district may be a "message" the people of this area wanted to send to those who are boycotting the elections.

He was referring to the four political groups that are boycotting the process.

These groups, led by the Islamic National Wefaq Society, are protesting the 2002 constitutional amendments, in which a bicameral legislature was created and which granted the appointed Shura (consultative) Council equal powers to the elected House of Deputies.

"There is a clear domination by the executive branch over the legislature through the appointed council," said an election-eve opposition communique, "Consequently, the key constitutional principle of 'the people are the source of all powers' is violated."

Huwaihi said: "The people of Muharraq want perhaps to tell (the boycotters) that they believe in the reform project and want to be part of the system which enables us all to participate in the decision-making process,".

But it seems the message was lost somewhere between Muharraq and the Budayyi Road area, north of the capital. The sleepy villages on both sides of the famous road lacked the same enthusiasm.

The polling centre was almost empty five-and-a-half hours after the start of voting, in the northern region's third district which includes villages of Deraz, Barbar and Bani Jamra.

The three villages are considered the traditional stronghold of the opposition movement and to which most of the Wefaq followers belong.

Only 1000 people, out of the district's 9,500 eligible voters, have voted until 1:30pm local time, said Judge Mohammed Nasruddine Barakat, the centre's chief supervisor.

"Yes, of course, definitely," he said when asked if the boycott was the reason. But more people may come in after the weather outside cools off, he said pointing at an old man, accompanied by a young lady, entering the centre.

The opposition says the turnout in the northern region, and even the capital, would not surpass the 20 per cent mark. "I would say between 15 and 20 per cent," said Sheikh Ali Salman, the Wefaq president.

Between the expected 80 per cent in Muharraq and 20 per cent in the north, he predicted a national 35 per cent turnout. The government says this is too low to be true.

"Between 40 and 50 per cent," said Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalid Al Khalifa, the Minister of Justice and Chairman of the Supreme Election Committee, when asked by reporters about the expected numbers.