Sinister Cultural Marxist
17th March 2011, 20:49
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12773696
Bangladeshis complain of Bahrain rally 'coercion'
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/51718000/jpg/_51718850_011546908-1.jpg The Bangladeshi community says that parts of Bahrain are "danger areas"
Continue reading the main story (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12773696#story_continues_1) Related Stories
Bahrain urged to rein in forces (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12769168)
Bahrain onslaught on protesters (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12755852)
In pictures: Bahrain protests cleared (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12757478)
Some Bangladeshi expatriates in Bahrain say they have been forced to take part in pro-government rallies.
They have told the BBC that their enforced participation has provoked retaliatory attacks from the country's majority Shia population.
A Bangladeshi community leader said that two expatriate workers had been killed on Tuesday and shops owned by Bangladeshis were attacked.
The authorities in Bahrain have not commented on the claims.
There are 100,000 Bangladeshi expatriate workers in Bahrain, more than 300,000 Indian expatriate workers, 60,000 Pakistanis and about 30,000 Nepalis.
India and Nepal both say that their citizens are safe, but advised them to keep a low profile.
Pakistan says there are no plans to repatriate its nationals despite reports that a Pakistani was killed and four others were injured by protesters in the capital city, Manama, on Sunday.
Correspondents say that the position of Bangladeshis and Pakistanis in Bahrain is especially dangerous because they are Sunni Muslims caught up in what is partly a sectarian conflict.
'Worried' Bangladeshi expatriates estimate that about 50,000 Bangladeshis are living in the "danger area" in and around Manama.
They say that many of these people are shopkeepers who have not been able to leave their houses for three days.
Fazlul Karim, president of the Society for Bangladeshi Workers in Bahrain, told the BBC Bengali service that some expatriates in the capital had recently been forced to take part in pro-government rallies and had afterwards been attacked by Shia protesters.
He said the only thing that all expatriates wanted was better security so that they could leave their homes in safety and return to their jobs.
The authorities in the island state have not commented on the claims, although they have repeatedly stressed that they will do their utmost to protect innocent expatriates caught up in the violence.
But Bangladeshi community leaders say that the security forces are nowhere to be seen in many parts of Manama.
"We are a little worried," Mohammed Sayeed, President of the Bahrain Bangladesh Society said.
"If the situation gets any worse thousands of people will want to leave."
Sounds in some ways like a repeat of Libya... the government exploits migrants and foreigners to exacerbate the preexisting local tension about foreign workers "stealing jobs" etc, and the protesters fall for the trap by attacking the migrants. What is sad is how quickly and easily the protesters fell for the trap, and how the innocent working class from south asia, exploited for years in the Gulf States, will face the brunt of the anger of the enraged local unemployed and underemployed.
I wonder what those accusing the Libyan rebels of being racist will think about this? Its often the case that governments, when pressured by a revolution, will try to play groups off against each other. Instead of mindlessly blaming the protesters for being bigots, it's important instead to blame the government for either not dealing with or encouraging ethnic tension to preserve their rule.
Also, the idea of drafting foreign workers to protest "for" the government is beyond despicable (as is shooting protesters in the head, bringing in foreign armies and ransacking hospitals). Really, the UN needs to condemn this bullshit just as much as it is currently going after the madman in tripoli.
Bangladeshis complain of Bahrain rally 'coercion'
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/51718000/jpg/_51718850_011546908-1.jpg The Bangladeshi community says that parts of Bahrain are "danger areas"
Continue reading the main story (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12773696#story_continues_1) Related Stories
Bahrain urged to rein in forces (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12769168)
Bahrain onslaught on protesters (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12755852)
In pictures: Bahrain protests cleared (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12757478)
Some Bangladeshi expatriates in Bahrain say they have been forced to take part in pro-government rallies.
They have told the BBC that their enforced participation has provoked retaliatory attacks from the country's majority Shia population.
A Bangladeshi community leader said that two expatriate workers had been killed on Tuesday and shops owned by Bangladeshis were attacked.
The authorities in Bahrain have not commented on the claims.
There are 100,000 Bangladeshi expatriate workers in Bahrain, more than 300,000 Indian expatriate workers, 60,000 Pakistanis and about 30,000 Nepalis.
India and Nepal both say that their citizens are safe, but advised them to keep a low profile.
Pakistan says there are no plans to repatriate its nationals despite reports that a Pakistani was killed and four others were injured by protesters in the capital city, Manama, on Sunday.
Correspondents say that the position of Bangladeshis and Pakistanis in Bahrain is especially dangerous because they are Sunni Muslims caught up in what is partly a sectarian conflict.
'Worried' Bangladeshi expatriates estimate that about 50,000 Bangladeshis are living in the "danger area" in and around Manama.
They say that many of these people are shopkeepers who have not been able to leave their houses for three days.
Fazlul Karim, president of the Society for Bangladeshi Workers in Bahrain, told the BBC Bengali service that some expatriates in the capital had recently been forced to take part in pro-government rallies and had afterwards been attacked by Shia protesters.
He said the only thing that all expatriates wanted was better security so that they could leave their homes in safety and return to their jobs.
The authorities in the island state have not commented on the claims, although they have repeatedly stressed that they will do their utmost to protect innocent expatriates caught up in the violence.
But Bangladeshi community leaders say that the security forces are nowhere to be seen in many parts of Manama.
"We are a little worried," Mohammed Sayeed, President of the Bahrain Bangladesh Society said.
"If the situation gets any worse thousands of people will want to leave."
Sounds in some ways like a repeat of Libya... the government exploits migrants and foreigners to exacerbate the preexisting local tension about foreign workers "stealing jobs" etc, and the protesters fall for the trap by attacking the migrants. What is sad is how quickly and easily the protesters fell for the trap, and how the innocent working class from south asia, exploited for years in the Gulf States, will face the brunt of the anger of the enraged local unemployed and underemployed.
I wonder what those accusing the Libyan rebels of being racist will think about this? Its often the case that governments, when pressured by a revolution, will try to play groups off against each other. Instead of mindlessly blaming the protesters for being bigots, it's important instead to blame the government for either not dealing with or encouraging ethnic tension to preserve their rule.
Also, the idea of drafting foreign workers to protest "for" the government is beyond despicable (as is shooting protesters in the head, bringing in foreign armies and ransacking hospitals). Really, the UN needs to condemn this bullshit just as much as it is currently going after the madman in tripoli.