Theocracy versus democracy

Manama, June 16 (BNA): The government’s decision to suspend Al Wefaq National Islamic Society was inevitable. For when scanning Al Wefaq’s history in a calm and cool manner, it becomes blatantly obvious that its sole aim, right from the very beginning, was to destabilise Bahrain’s government and society, Anwar Abdul Rahman, the Chairman and Responsible Editor of Gulf Daily News (GDN), said in his column today. During the early decade of this century, His Majesty the King chose full democratisation based on national interests and the evolution of political establishments towards more transparency. What was not entirely transparent at that time, however, was that Al Wefaq had other agendas in mind – like the ancient proverb which says "the camel rider has a plan and the camel has his". What was relatively unclear in those days was that Al Wefaq’s very foundation is based on theocracy, which is the antithesis of democracy. What was also not clear then was that every Al Wefaq parliamentary candidate had been carefully chosen by the cult’s highest theocracy, with religious orders for voters to back them irrespective of their intellectual credentials or national commitments. This strategy contradicts the very essence of any democratic process. And it is now plainly obvious that Al Wefaq’s superior authority was the deputy of the highest theocracy in Tehran! Today, by their deeds, Bahrain has recognised them, and by their actions known them. No government regionally or worldwide can tolerate such a guise in the name of democracy. But let us delve deeper than that, and ask ourselves, has Al Wefaq ever been an asset, or merely a continuous liability? To what extent has it participated in boosting the national economy? Or to reverse the question, how much has it damaged it? How much mistrust, agitation, and fear has Al Wefaq planted in this country? And how disastrously has it stained the name and reputation of our peaceful nation? Can this honestly be called the official opposition? After Al Wefaq’s withdrawal from parliament in 2011, it planted members in Washington DC and London to propagate and spread lies about its own country, using treacherous propaganda – a tactic it continues right up to this very minute! Irresponsible statements are issued almost hour-by-hour, yet this government, for more than 15 years, gave them the opportunity to rethink and reform themselves. Unfortunately and sadly, days and years passed with them causing more and more harm, without shame, regret or remorse. In fact the damage they have inflicted on Bahrain is huge, yet many out-of-touch officials in Washington have swallowed Al Wefaq’s poison and been issuing statements parrot-fashion. The US capital has representatives in Bahrain, and it is hard to believe that such officials here would ever file such false reports. God forbid, if this were to happen, would it mean that we are finally living in an era where truth had become a rare and irrelevant commodity? Truth is the main cornerstone of life, which means living decently, thinking decently and acting decently. Unfortunately Al Wefaq has never been decent or truthful, because it seems that these two words don’t exist in its political dictionary! Should we blame our government for taking this decision too late? My answer is that they tried all avenues of possibility and probability, but each overture was rejected. In fact Al Wefaq adopted a blanket policy of indifference to national interests. Their aim was to force investors to flee Bahrain, which eventually would create severe economic depression, in order to render people disappointed and helpless. During its one-and-a-half decades as an existing society, Al Wefaq followers burned, killed, and instigated damaging national strikes – calls to which few of the few heeded, and the masses ignored. These crimes alone are sufficient for any political society to dissolve itself after such a failure. But of course there is nobody to dissolve it, because that decision is out of its hands. Only Tehran’s highest theocracy can ‘adjudicate’. Faced with all these truths, the Prime Minister was impelled to take action, which is not a threat to freedom. Rather it should be seen as unshackling, and freeing the country from Al Wefaq’s threats. An opportunity to start afresh. The great Chinese philosopher Confucius says: "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising from the fall." It is vital for residents and citizens of Bahrain to realise how Al Wefaq tried to transform Bahrain into another Beirut, not hesitating to create sedition, ethnic turmoil and even civil war in order to achieve its warped agenda. Bahrain fortunately, has wise and peaceful citizens and a responsible government which have ultimately thwarted its evil aims. We hope that more pragmatic steps will now be taken to foster and nurture our society, the GDN said.