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Syndicated News from Bahrain

Bahrain Logistics Zone set to open

Date Added: Mon, 12 May 2008 01:11:23 GMT

Gulf Times

Bahrain Logistics Zone set to open
Gulf Daily News, Bahrain - 9 hours ago
MANAMA: The region's first boutique-style logistics area that focuses on re-export and logistics activities will soon open in Bahrain. ...
TWO QATARI PAPERS PRAISE BAHRAIN-QATAR CAUSEWAY AGREEMENT Bahrain News Agency
Giant tribute to Bahrain... Gulf Daily News
Shaikh Nasser earns world's No 3 ranking Gulf Daily News
Gulf Daily News - Bahrain News Agency
all 49 news articles

bite 2008 a sell out

Date Added: Mon, 12 May 2008 01:11:22 GMT

AME Info

bite 2008 a sell out
Gulf Daily News, Bahrain - 9 hours ago
The Crown Prince will inaugurate the expo at 5pm on Wednesday at Bahrain International Exhibition Centre. Jamil Wafa, group chairman of Magnum Holdings, ...
BITE 2008 a sell-out Trade Arabia
BITE PUMPS USD 1 MILLION INTO NATIONAL ECONOMY Bahrain News Agency
BITE first for training institute Gulf Daily News
all 5 news articles

'Welfare day' invite for Filipinos

Date Added: Mon, 12 May 2008 01:10:45 GMT

'Welfare day' invite for Filipinos
Gulf Daily News, Bahrain - 9 hours ago
FILIPINOs in Bahrain are invited to attend the Philippine Overseas Worker's Welfare Administration (OWWA) third anniversary. Fiesta sa OWWA 2008 will be ...

Hunt for talent hots up

Date Added: Mon, 12 May 2008 01:10:38 GMT

Hunt for talent hots up
Gulf Daily News, Bahrain - 9 hours ago
It is being organised by Nescaf? in collaboration with the Bahrain-based show business company Out Of The Box. Ali Falah, Hector Raul Brito, Akeel Ahmed, ...

The art of managing people...

Date Added: Mon, 12 May 2008 01:11:04 GMT

The art of managing people...
Gulf Daily News, Bahrain - 9 hours ago
THE Art of Managing People is the theme of a three-day forum that opened at the Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel and Spa yesterday. More than 150 office managers, ...

A gift of love for children

Date Added: Mon, 12 May 2008 01:10:57 GMT

A gift of love for children
Gulf Daily News, Bahrain - 9 hours ago
Mrs Trueman has lived in Bahrain for 30 years and held numerous public and private positions in the aviation industry. She was also governor of the 1999's ...

Islamic finance 'is set to grow'

Date Added: Mon, 12 May 2008 01:11:29 GMT

AME Info (press release)

Islamic finance 'is set to grow'
Gulf Daily News, Bahrain - 9 hours ago
The bank, which is based in Singapore and recently opened a GCC regional office at Bahrain Financial Harbour, has more than 30 regional shareholders. ...
$231m Sharia fund launched Gulf Daily News
all 9 news articles

Joy for teachers

Date Added: Mon, 12 May 2008 01:10:40 GMT

Joy for teachers
Gulf Daily News, Bahrain - 9 hours ago
By SOMAN BABY PRIVATE schools in Bahrain yesterday welcomed a government decision to exempt their teachers from new sponsorship regulations, which they said ...

MACDONALD ON MONDAY

Date Added: Mon, 12 May 2008 01:11:28 GMT

MACDONALD ON MONDAY
Gulf Daily News, Bahrain - 9 hours ago
I read recently that some Bahrain members of parliament were arguing that the government should give lots of money to football in the kingdom to achieve ...

Firms to bid for telecom licence

Date Added: Mon, 12 May 2008 01:11:33 GMT

Firms to bid for telecom licence
Gulf Daily News, Bahrain - 9 hours ago
MANAMA: Six companies are planning to bid for a third mobile network operator (MNO) in Bahrain. The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has ...
Results 1 - 10 of 1 Headlines for Bahrain

Bahrain Headlines

Results Page: 1,

BAHRAINI GOVERNMENT TRYING TO PACIFY SHIITES BEFORE POLLS

Date Added: Wednesday, August 28th, 2002
Contributed by: RCN Administrator
www.stratfor.com -- Bahraini authorities promised Aug. 27 to grant nationality to an estimated 10,000 stateless residents, mainly Shiite Muslims, living in the Gulf state, Agence France-Presse reported. The decree was in part an attempt to pacify opposition to a June decision by the Sunni-led government to grant dual citizenship to all Gulf Cooperation Council nationals in a bid to bolster Bahrain’s Sunni population and dilute the Shiite majority’s electoral power prior to Oct. 24 parliamentary polls.

The GCC comprises Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the predominantly Sunni states Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The elite Sunnis in those countries are the most likely to apply for dual citizenship, and the Bahraini government has the power to vet applicants to ensure that mainly Sunnis receive approval before the elections.

The plan has not sat well with Bahrain’s Shiite Muslims, 100 of whom protested against the measure in June. Shiites account for 70 percent of the tiny island’s approximately 645,000 people, and they oppose measures that might upset their demographic advantage in the elections.

Shiites have fought for years for a greater political role in the country, with violent clashes that have left dozens of people dead since 1994. Their perception of the fairness of the October elections -- in which they are expected to make major gains -- will have an immediate impact on Bahrain’s continued stability.

Political unrest in the country could radiate throughout the Persian Gulf and would be especially destabilizing for American forces in the region. Manama serves as home for the U.S. 5th Fleet, which is responsible for all U.S. naval operations in the Gulf. Violent protests and clashes between American military personnel and Bahraini residents -- such as in May when two U.S. soldiers and one of the soldier’s wives were wounded after a mob attacked them in a mainly Shiite neighborhood -- already have heightened security concerns in the country.

The granting of citizenship to 10,000 mainly Shiites will be a major boost to that group’s numbers. It will help keep tension contained and act as a bridge-building measure with a group that is poised to take advantage of its huge numbers in the country to win a majority in one parliament chamber in October. The elections are the first since 1973 and represent a major shift in the country’s political structure.

Last February Bahrain transformed itself from a sheikhdom into a constitutional monarchy in order to allow room for more political participation by the Shiite majority. But the Sunnis are loath to give up power, and with the Shiites presenting a major challenge, they have taken recent steps to dilute the power of a Shiite-dominated parliament.

Bahrain leader Sheik Hamad bin Isa al Khalifa has already announced his intention to create a second chamber of parliament that would also have legislative powers and whose members will be appointed by the king. Manama will also try to co-opt the Shiite opposition leadership, as it is currently holding talks with the National Action Movement, one of the largest Shiite political parties in the country.
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