Naturalised Bahrainis return home

Hundreds of people gathered at Bahrain International Airport, some waving flags and pictures of the King and others with bouquets, to receive 230 of their relatives who returned from Iran yesterday after being granted citizenship by royal order.

A private plane, ordered by His Majesty the King, Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, brought the returnees from Shiraz, where they have been living since they were deported in the early 1980s for political reasons.

The returnees are mostly people who were born in Bahrain of Iranian origin, but who have Bahraini relatives such as a wife, husband, brother or sister. Two groups returned home last week. Another 77 Bahrainis, who are still in Iran, are expected to arrive soon.

More than 1,000 family members and friends waited patiently at the airport to receive their loved ones who have been away from Bahrain for over two decades.

Some had flowers and chocolates for their loved ones while many others proudly carried the Bahraini flag and pictures of the King, the Prime Minster and the Crown Prince.

Children could be seen holding back tears whilst waiting for their parents of whom they had been robbed when they were toddlers.

Head of the committee for exiled Bahrainis, Sheikh Abdul Azeem Al Muhtadi, told Gulf News that there are more exiles living in Denmark, Lebanon, Sweden and Canada. "Their papers are being processed and they should be back in Bahrain soon," he said.

He thanked the King for issuing his 'special royal decision' to grant them the Bahraini passport.

"They are Bahrainis; born and raised here, however due to political reasons or actions they were deported and, basically, swept away from their families. We have a lot of broken homes due to this; fathers who left their year-old children and so on," he said.

Al Muhtadi was in Iran in 1981 continuing his religious higher education when the exiles took refuge in Iran.

"I was also one of the exiles, however I decided to get everyone back and worked with different authorities and organisations, including the Bahraini government and human rights associations," he said.

In all there are around 500 deportees, he said.

Member of the exiled Bahrainis committee Abdul Nabi Al Akri said the committee had met with the Prime Minister, Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, three weeks ago.

"A committee has been formed headed by the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Mohammed Al Mutawa, to look into the conditions of the 'new' Bahrainis including housing, employment and education" he said.

Newly-naturalised Bahraini, Abdul Hussein Bahlawen, 60, said he is more than happy to be back in Bahrain, united again with his family.

"The only problem I have is housing and employment, only my son has a job and he gets paid 150 Dinars. I am too old to get a job," he said.

His brother Ghuloom said he left Bahrain in 1981 leaving behind his four-year-old daughter and three-year-old son.

"My children have only seen me twice during the 22-odd years. I didn't want to take them with me because they were born in Bahrain and are part of this society," he said.

His children received their Bahraini passports last year.

The royal gesture is the latest of a series of humanitarian initiatives taken by the King since he ascended the throne three years ago as part of his political and social reforms.