DEARBORN, Mich — While media coverage of atrocities committed against peaceful protesters in the Gulf island nation of Bahrain has been spotty at best in the United States and even in many international and Arab world media outlets, local events have continued to spread awareness.
A string of rallies for Bahrain earlier this year in downtown Detroit, Dearborn, and in Washington, D.C. from locals were supplemented by an event at the Islamic Center of America on Thursday, May 26.
Raw footage of events in Bahrain, speeches by local Muslim leaders, displays showing the devastating and brutal human toll of violence by government and invading Saudi troops and more were all included as part of the ICA's "Bahrain: The Island of Fear" presentation, which drew around 150 guests on the evening.
A glossy booklet describing in detail the events of Bahrain's attempted peaceful revolution of hundreds of thousands against King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa was also distributed at the event.
Speakers noted that both the Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya TV networks were "silent" at key times during the events unfolding in Bahrain and that the people were peacefully rebelling against a ruling family that has been in power for more than 200 years.
Footage shown at the event including one scene of a peaceful protester being shot at nearly point-blank range in the street showed that the violence perpetrated against Bahrainis deserved more attention from the media and strong condemnations from world leaders, especially in the U.S., where such a declaration never came.
Guests were encouraged to write to their local, state, and national representatives to raise awareness of the plight of the people of Bahrain.
Quotes from American media members who were able to cover the atrocities committed in Bahrain were also posted through the halls of the ICA as part of the event.
The Doctors Without Borders organization noted that "health facilities were being used as bait to identify and arrest those who dare seek treatment (from) wounds, especially those inflicted by distinctive police and military gunfire," one banner stated, corroborating numerous reports on the ground about heartless violence against hospital workers.
Another featured quotes from Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter Nicholas D. Kristof on nearly unprecedented levels of brutality he encountered on assignment.
"A column of peaceful, unarmed pro-democracy protesters marched through the streets...they threatened no one, but their 21st-century aspirations collided with a medieval ruler," Kristof wrote on the situation.
"I've seen corpses of protesters who were shot at close range, seen a teenage girl writhing in pain after being clubbed, (and) seen ambulance workers beaten for trying to rescue protesters."
The popular news website Politico.com was also quoted, speaking what many believe is a hypocritical stance by the Obama administration on the situation.
"President Barack Obama calls Syria's response to its protesters abhorrent, but he loses his voice when it comes to Bahrain...He is apparently conceding to Saudi Arabia, whose rulers seem determined to stamp out any uncontrollable democracy (in the region)."
Human Rights First issued a statement that it is gravely concerned at reports that peaceful protesters in several locations across Bahrain have been attacked by security forces using teargas, buckshot and rubber bullets. This week marked the official lifting of Bahrain's State of Safety, but the crackdown appears to be continuing.
"We are hearing reports from Bahrain that protesters have been attacked by government forces. The wounded are staying away from hospitals fearing that they will be detained if they seek medical treatment. In another ominous development, human rights defenders are being summoned to report to police stations. The U.S. government must speak out against any attacks on peaceful demonstrations with at least the same urgency and level of concern that it has demonstrated elsewhere in the Middle East when pro-democracy protesters have been attacked," said Brian Dooley of Human Rights First.
Community Addresses Forgotten Violence in Bahrain
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Anonymous
Posted Jun 8 2011
Thank you very much
Anonymous
Posted Jun 8 2011
Bahrain under occupations from Saudi army >>> we need help from Internationale media to see what happen
Anonymous
Posted Jun 8 2011
Bahrain under occupations from Saudi army >>> we need help from Internationale media to see what happen
Anonymous
Posted Jun 8 2011
Bahrain's only torture and killing of unarmed people in need who are demanding democracy for hundreds of years and now
Bahraini people gave hundreds of martyrs killed by the unjust system of which this martyr who broke through lead
Smashed his head and fully hope to change this thug regime of the people
Anonymous
Posted Jun 8 2011
Bahrain's only torture and killing of unarmed people in need who are demanding democracy for hundreds of years and now
Bahraini people gave hundreds of martyrs killed by the unjust system of which this martyr who broke through lead
Smashed his head and fully hope to change this thug regime of the people
nader
Posted Jun 8 2011
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nader
Posted Jun 8 2011
Thank you for the media release great
We want more coverage for the Bahraini people to be killed on a daily basis
Without coverage by this unjust system must change this system to other
Even people live permanently democracy
nader
Posted Jun 8 2011
Thank you for the media release great
We want more coverage for the Bahraini people to be killed on a daily basis
Without coverage by this unjust system must change this system to other
Even people live permanently democracy
Anonymous
Posted Jun 8 2011
plz save bahraini people not only by speach !? the regim is daily byond the bahraini rights and the human rights.
Anonymous
Posted Jun 9 2011
thank u for talking about Bahrain .. peacefull people are surrounded by the regime and the Saudi army .. they are killing us without mercy .. why they did that with us and no body in this world care ?? Everybody talk about Tunisia , Eygpt, Yamen , Lybia, but not about Bahrain.
Anonymous
Posted Jun 9 2011
thank u for talking about Bahrain .. peacefull people are surrounded by the regime and the Saudi army .. they are killing us without mercy .. why they did that with us and no body in this world care ?? Everybody talk about Tunisia , Eygpt, Yamen , Lybia, but not about Bahrain.
Anonymous
Posted Jun 9 2011
Death to Alkhalifa
Anonymous
Posted Jun 9 2011
beleve me
nothing happen in bahrain. they are only young gays want to be a heros
Anonymous
Posted Jun 9 2011
beleve me
nothing happen in bahrain. they are only young gays want to be a heros
Anonymous
Posted Jun 9 2011
Al-Khalifa's regime has gone too far in punishing their citizens for protesting against discremenation and frauds. They used all kinds of weapons to kill and humulate people. They arrest doctors, teachers, lawyers and even young students. They toture prisoners and some of them have died. They sacked shia from their jobs and stopped the schoolarships from shia students. They kidnapped others in checking points and in hospitals. However, Obama still keeping silenet??????
Anonymous
Posted Jun 9 2011
Al-Khalifa's regime has gone too far in punishing their citizens for protesting against discremenation and frauds. They used all kinds of weapons to kill and humulate people. They arrest doctors, teachers, lawyers and even young students. They toture prisoners and some of them have died. They sacked shia from their jobs and stopped the schoolarships from shia students. They kidnapped others in checking points and in hospitals. However, Obama still keeping silenet??????
Anonymous
Posted Jun 9 2011
For last 70 years UK played passive rule against Bshraini ppl by helping brutal Alkhaleefa family . Now USA has also joined UK to do so . They talk about human rights while supporting Alkhaleefa . They are playing politics with Bahraini ppl. They played this game with iranians and ended with the hearted of Iranian ppl. Now they ask themselves , why Iranian hare USA and UK ?!! I am saying to UK and USA : you only harvest what you seeded in earth . Do not complete this silly political game with Bahraini ppl
Anonymous
Posted Jun 9 2011
For last 70 years UK played passive rule against Bshraini ppl by helping brutal Alkhaleefa family . Now USA has also joined UK to do so . They talk about human rights while supporting Alkhaleefa . They are playing politics with Bahraini ppl. They played this game with iranians and ended with the hearted of Iranian ppl. Now they ask themselves , why Iranian hare USA and UK ?!! I am saying to UK and USA : you only harvest what you seeded in earth . Do not complete this silly political game with Bahraini ppl
Anonymous
Posted Jun 9 2011
"YEP WHEN IT COMES TO BAHRAIN IT REMAINS SILENT"... AND THAT JUST PERFECTLY SHOWS HOW HYPOCRITICAL & CAPITALIST IN ITS ATITTUDE THE AMERICAN ADMIN. IS!
I MEAN... THE AL KHALIFA REGIME SINCE THEIR OMNIOUS ARRIVAL TRIED NOT TO COMPROMISE WITH THE "BAHRANI PPL" OR THE ORIGINALS, AND SO THEY KILLED,RAPED,STOLE,SPREAD HATRED AND RULED WITH A SECTARIAN BREATH!
IN THE 1930'S OIL WAS DISCOVERED AND THE U.S AND THE U.K WERE OUR SO-CALLED PROTECTORS (IMPERIAL FORCES) AND THEY WEREN'T CONCERNED ABOUT ANYTHING BUT THIER OIL AND MONEY, MONEY AND OIL, THUS AL KHALIFA KEPT ON BEING A*SHOLES... NO NEED TO CONTINUE TEACHING YA HISTORY BUT BREIFLY BAHRAINI PEOPLE (WITH ALL THEIR CLASSES AND SECTS) BEGAN IN THE 1970'S CALLING FOR AN URGENT REFORMS (CONSTITUTIONAL AND SOCIAL...)
NOW WHEN BAHRAINI PPLE HAVE BECAME SO INDIGNANT, AND SO CULTURED AND EDUCTAED INDEED, WITH THEIR SITUATION COPING THE EGYPTIAN ARAB STYLE... THEY ATTACHED THEIR INTERNAL DEMANDS WITH THE OUTSIDE!!!
AND THE U.S KEPT SILENT ABOUT A LOT OF ATROCITIES AND HR VIOLATIONS IN BAHRAIN AND NOW THEY WANT US TO GO FOR DIALOGUE... BTW, WHILE MOST OF THE OPPOSITION LEADERS ARE GETTING F*CKED IN THE DUGEAONS!
NOW THE BAHRAINI PPLE ARE REALLY SMART AND WILL NEVER FORGET THE AMERICAN STANDS, BY THE AMERICAN COOL AND KIND PPLE, IN SUPPORT WITH THEM... BUT WILL ALSO NEVER FORGET THIS HYPOCRITICAL ATITTUDE BY OBAMA'S ADMIN. !
THANK YA!
Anonymous
Posted Jun 9 2011
"YEP WHEN IT COMES TO BAHRAIN IT REMAINS SILENT"... AND THAT JUST PERFECTLY SHOWS HOW HYPOCRITICAL & CAPITALIST IN ITS ATITTUDE THE AMERICAN ADMIN. IS!
I MEAN... THE AL KHALIFA REGIME SINCE THEIR OMNIOUS ARRIVAL TRIED NOT TO COMPROMISE WITH THE "BAHRANI PPL" OR THE ORIGINALS, AND SO THEY KILLED,RAPED,STOLE,SPREAD HATRED AND RULED WITH A SECTARIAN BREATH!
IN THE 1930'S OIL WAS DISCOVERED AND THE U.S AND THE U.K WERE OUR SO-CALLED PROTECTORS (IMPERIAL FORCES) AND THEY WEREN'T CONCERNED ABOUT ANYTHING BUT THIER OIL AND MONEY, MONEY AND OIL, THUS AL KHALIFA KEPT ON BEING A*SHOLES... NO NEED TO CONTINUE TEACHING YA HISTORY BUT BREIFLY BAHRAINI PEOPLE (WITH ALL THEIR CLASSES AND SECTS) BEGAN IN THE 1970'S CALLING FOR AN URGENT REFORMS (CONSTITUTIONAL AND SOCIAL...)
NOW WHEN BAHRAINI PPLE HAVE BECAME SO INDIGNANT, AND SO CULTURED AND EDUCTAED INDEED, WITH THEIR SITUATION COPING THE EGYPTIAN ARAB STYLE... THEY ATTACHED THEIR INTERNAL DEMANDS WITH THE OUTSIDE!!!
AND THE U.S KEPT SILENT ABOUT A LOT OF ATROCITIES AND HR VIOLATIONS IN BAHRAIN AND NOW THEY WANT US TO GO FOR DIALOGUE... BTW, WHILE MOST OF THE OPPOSITION LEADERS ARE GETTING F*CKED IN THE DUGEAONS!
NOW THE BAHRAINI PPLE ARE REALLY SMART AND WILL NEVER FORGET THE AMERICAN STANDS, BY THE AMERICAN COOL AND KIND PPLE, IN SUPPORT WITH THEM... BUT WILL ALSO NEVER FORGET THIS HYPOCRITICAL ATITTUDE BY OBAMA'S ADMIN. !
THANK YA!
Anonymous
Posted Jun 9 2011
poeple not living in bahrain and looking at this from their own eye shouldn't be talking. Why would u want democracy when you already have a kind and smart leader. Im seeing the protest and il tell you that they are not peaceful. Shii'te People killing innocent people. Mostly foreign policemen.
Youll never see that shit in the news. All u see are middle eastern gov. killing their people.
The Media is a bunch of bullshit.
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