Laurie Ferguson (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) on 15 February 2012, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon, called for a genuine, all-inclusive and meaningful dialogue that meets the legitimate aspirations of all Bahrainis as the only way to promote peace and stability in the country, and noted the harsh sentences given to 21 political activists, human rights defenders and opposition leaders;

(b) on 23 November 2011, His Majesty Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa announced his acceptance of a report from the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry headed by Professor M. Cherif Bassiouni where, systematic violation of basic human rights were established;

(c) major international human rights organisations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights First and Physicians for Human Rights expressed their disappointment that the Bahraini regime did not stop the ongoing violation nor stop the impunity given to senior officials responsible, and the United States and European governments are calling for the regime to apply real political reform; and

(d) on 21 December 2011, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Navanethem Pillay, released a call to Bahraini authorities to address the ‘deepening mistrust’ between the Bahraini Government and civil society, advocating the release of people detained for participating in peaceful protests and calling for confidence-building measures, including unconditionally releasing those convicted in military tribunals awaiting trial for merely exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly, also stating that Bahrain trials bear marks of ‘political persecution’; and

(2) calls on the Australian Government to raise these human rights abuses in international fora.

In early April I met a former member of the Bahrain parliament, Matar Ebrahim, Dr Nabeel Hameed and members of the Bahraini-Australian Youth Movement. When there were other events in Bahrain, in what they call the 'April Spring', they received resounding international coverage of support. However, perhaps because the population of Bahrain is 66 to 77 per cent Shia, in a country ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family, who are Sunnis, and because Saudi Arabia might be disturbed by any change within Bahrain, there has been a degree of quiescence at what has occurred.

In February 2011 there was a day of rage associated with other events in the Middle East and, on 17 February, there was a storming of the Bahrain pearl roundabout, which had been the main focus of demonstrations. In March the Saudi Arabian and United Arab Emirates forces invaded Bahrain at the behest of the royal family. One of the manipulations by the royal family and their supporters has been the allegation that the Iranians are behind these demonstrations. The United States administration has systematically denied that. Realistically, in the early part of these struggles, there was a clear pro-secular position taken by demonstrators. However, when you suppress people, on many occasions you get a reaction. Ian Black, in the Guardian, of 27 April, noted:

… reforms have so far been negligible, so the grievances that exploded last year have festered and worsened in an atmosphere of political polarisation in which hardliners in government and the opposition are now setting the pace.

So the more moderate, the more secular, have been marginalised by the government's firm opposition to any relevant change. The suppression has been characterised by 87 deaths. They are shooting at people at funerals. There has been oppression of doctors who assisted the victims of shootings; jailings; and deaths in jail, supposedly while being restrained or as a result of heart attacks et cetera.

Interestingly, at the recent Universal Periodic Review hearings in Geneva, a number of countries voiced their position on Bahrain. The United States said that it:

… was concerned that several of the Commission’s most important recommendations had not been implemented.

It was referring to an independent commission that was forced upon the government. It also talked about the failure to investigate deaths. The United Kingdom said that it was:

… deeply concerned by reports of human rights violations that continue to occur.

Australia stated that it:

… remained concerned by reports of human rights violations against peaceful protestors and would like to see prisoners have access to lawyers …

Unfortunately for Bahrain, it houses the US 5th Fleet and, as I say, has Saudi Arabia as a neighbour. Saudi Arabia itself is of course infamous for a variety of activities, including very trenchant suppression of its own Shia minority, the Wahabis.

Ashara, the main Shia celebration each year, is severely suppressed. It is quite inappropriate that Saudi Arabia should be allowed by the world to interfere with this nation. What people have been seeking is democratic reform. As I said, at the start of this process there was no allegation by any party, including Israel and the United States, that there was an Iranian involvement. Yet this regime has slogans: 'Down, down with the Iranian conspiracy' in an attempt to provide an image that the issue at hand was Iranian interference.

The latest turn of events has seen Saudi Arabia promoting a political federation with Bahrain, which is essentially shorthand for 'Saudi Arabian control of the regime'.

A number of people have been on hunger strikes, including Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, the founder and former president of the Bahrain Centre of Human Rights, who lost 25 per cent of his weight in a three-month hunger strike. Recently it has been conceded that he would have a civil rather than a military trial. Zainab al-Khawaja, was jailed for 'insulting female police officers'.

Nabeel Rajab, of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, was involved in 'an illegal gathering in March'. As I say, we are seeing severe oppression, with the collaboration of the Saudi Arabian regime. (Time expired)

See this speech in context