BAHRAIN’S latest National Dialogue session was cancelled yesterday after participating opposition societies failed to show up on time.

Three government ministers, the National Coalition (Sunni representatives) and Independents (MPs and Shura Council members) waited around 40 minutes before deciding it would be useless to continue without them.

Opposition representatives then started drifting in as other participants were walking out of the Isa Cultural Centre in Juffair.

However, it was deemed too late to reconvene.

Education Minister Dr Majid Al Nuaimi questioned the commitment of opposition groups to the talks as a result of the episode.

“The Opposition is an important side on the table and without them our stay would have been meaningless,” he said.

“Tardiness reflects no commitment and if at least one out of the eight showed up, we would have debated issues as usual.”

Dr Al Nuaimi said he was told opposition representatives had shown up at the venue, but he did not spot them.

“Even if we saw them, the decision had been taken to cancel the session, with all issues being transferred to next Wednesday when we will meet again,” he said.

The cancellation of last night’s session was the latest setback to hit the talks after the Al Wefaq National Islamic Society withdrew from the dialogue for two weeks amid claims the government deliberately raided spiritual leader Sheikh Isa Qassim’s home in Duraz for no reason.

Police later said they had been searching for vandals in the area, who had taken refuge in people’s houses.

Coalition spokesman Ahmed Juma suggested the opposition had not been committed to the talks since they began, despite Bahrain being at a critical stage in its history.

“Bahrain is at a boiling point and the country is going through a national political crisis with every minute making a difference and yet the opposition considers the issue as a walk in the park,” he said.

“Last week Al Wefaq didn’t show up and today other opposition societies followed in suit and this shows that there is no commitment and that, in my opinion, has the same meaning as a withdrawal.”

His comments were echoed by Coalition deputy spokesman Khalid Al Qattan.

“They are regularly tardy and we excuse them, they come in with one purpose and that’s halting debate on major issues and today they didn’t show up,” he said.

“Where is this dialogue going to?

“Al Wefaq has never informed the dialogue’s management officially about their two-week withdrawal and it seems that the opposition is taking Bahrain’s turmoil lightly and dialogue not seriously.”

Parliament’s financial and economic affairs committee vice-chairman Abdulhakeem Al Shemmri said the opposition appeared to be taking every step necessary to stall dialogue to allow foreign interference in Bahrain’s affairs.

“We are worried that Al Wefaq is trying to open the door for Iran and the Hizbollah by deliberately trying to kill dialogue,” he said.

“Al Wefaq and the opposition are not looking for solutions and want to further escalate (violence on) the streets because it achieves more in chaos.”

MP Ahmed Al Saati said if the opposition decided to withdraw from the dialogue, it should continue without them.

“I hope that the opposition is not planning to permanently withdraw because this will really rob a section of the audience from their voice,” he said.

“Speaking with opposition representatives who showed up late, they told me that they were busy attending other business, but isn’t Bahrain’s future the biggest business?”

Opposition representatives refused to speak to the Press and media.

mohammed@gdn.com.bh