“Bahrain is now suffering the biggest political crisis throughout its history,” the opposition groups said in a statement on Monday, adding that at present the will of the people is fully ignored and the country’s dictatorial regime is unharnessed, clamping down on the people with full force.
“In this phase, the nation does not have any representation and people’s votes and views have been completely isolated in all aspects,” said the statement.
A majority of the Bahraini people only calls for their basic democratic rights, namely justice and humanity, it stressed, adding that no one can ignore or postpone exercise of these democratic values.
The statement reiterated that the Bahraini nation is entitled to the right to have an elected government, real parliament with required authorities, independent judiciary without any corruption and national security systems.
The opposition figures reiterated that popular protests would continue until the realization of democracy and their demands.
Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has recently claimed that the Persian Gulf state respects liberties and has tolerance towards dissents, while there is ongoing crackdown on protests in capital, Manama.
Anti-government protesters have been holding peaceful demonstrations across Bahrain since mid-February 2011, calling for an end to the Al Khalifa dynasty’s over-40-year rule.
Violence against the defenseless people escalated after a Saudi-led conglomerate of police, security and military forces from the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) member states – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar – were dispatched to the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom on March 13, 2011, to help Manama crack down on peaceful protestors.
So far, tens of protesters have been killed, hundreds have gone missing and thousands of others have been injured.
Police clampdown on protesters continues daily. Authorities have tried to stop organized protests by opposition parties over the past month by refusing to license them and using tear gas on those who turn up.
The opposition coalition wants full powers for the elected parliament and a cabinet fully answerable to parliament.