Bahrain’s opposition parties have agreed to an invitation by the king to join new political talks, the first since 2011 when Arab Spring-inspired protests erupted in the country.
The invitation to resume discussions on a set of “pending issues to be agreed upon, aiming to achieve further consensus around the political agenda”, was issued by the minister of justice, Sheikh Khaled bin Ali Al Khalifa, according to a statement from the country’s information affairs authority (IAA).
The discussions are expected to be the broadest in Bahrain's recent history, including both opposition and traditionally more loyalist political representatives.
“We are waiting for a positive response and we would like all parties to know that we are ready to sit at the table of dialogue, keen on reaching a final and comprehensive national consensus,” the state news agency quoted the minister of information, Samira Al Rajab, saying.
Late on Tuesday, Bahrain’s largest opposition party, the Shia Al Wefaq bloc, released a statement affirming “its seriousness to engage in a genuine process of dialogue and political negotiation that responds to the aspirations of freedom, dignity and equality.”
By phone from Manama, a Wefaq spokesman confirmed its members would join the talks, although they had concerns about the level of government representation.
“The opposition groups will send their representatives, though they have not yet received an official call,” said Khalil Al Marzouq, a former MP and a spokesman for Al Wefaq.
“But unfortunately it’s not a direct dialogue with the rulers,” he said, expressing his concern that the ruling family was not directly involved.
“That means [the government is] just trying to press on idea that the dispute in Bahrain is just between the people, not between the people and the ruling family.”
A coalition of 10 Sunni political societies also indicated that they would support the initiative, according to a statement by one of the groups, the National Unity Assembly.
“While welcoming this invitation as a way out of the crisis experienced by the country … we emphasise our positions in the defence of the interests of the masses and their aspirations to achieve a secure and stable life,” the statement said.
Although details about the exact arrangements for forthcoming talks, the IAA statement said that they were a resumption of a national dialogue first convened by the Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa at the height of protests in February and March 2011.
Those talks collapsed after the largest Shia bloc pulled out of discussions when a Gulf Cooperation Council military operation dispersed street protesters. At least 80 people have died since the unrest first began in 2011.
Despite the plan for new talks, a youth coalition of opposition activists under the umbrella name February 14, the anniversary of the demonstrations, called for a protest in Manama tomorrow, according their Facebook page yesterday.
The group has also called for a general strike on the demonstration's two-year anniversary.
edickinson@thenational.ae
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Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest
Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.
Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.
Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.
Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.
Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.
Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia
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Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
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Fire and Fury
By Michael Wolff,
Henry Holt