National Dialogue Fails in Bahrain

Mohammad Khajouei

Master’s Degree in Middle East Studies

After Al-Wifaq, which is Bahrain's largest opposition political society, withdrew from National Dialogue which had started on July 2 by Bahraini monarch the dialogue has practically hit a deadlock.

Although dialogue is a good way to end political disputes, absence of necessary conditions for negotiation will naturally prevent achievement of that goal. This problem has been stalling National Dialogue in Bahrain ever since it started.

Although National Dialogue in Bahrain was supposed to put an end to widespread opposition to the Bahraini government, the low number of opposition groups which had been invited to negotiations cast serious doubts on its usefulness from the very onset. While 320 political figures had been invited to take part, only 10 percent were opposition figures. On the other hand, the main reason for organizing such negotiations was to end political unrest which has been plaguing the country for the past few months. Low number of opposition figures in the National Dialogue practically stripped the opposition groups from an opportunity to give voice to their demands and, therefore, they had no reason to take part in negotiations.

Focusing on less important issues and forgetting about main points of difference was another factor which rendered negotiations useless. There is no doubt that major issues in the present-day Bahrain include the choice between absolute rule or constitutional monarchy, election or appointment of state officials, main duties of the judiciary, and election system.

General topics put on the agenda of National Dialogue encompassed such a wide range of political, economic, social and legal issues that the main problems had been practically marginalized.

Although broad-based dialogue, per se, is a good measure, the present conditions in Bahrain required for negotiations to be focused on the main points of difference before attending to less important problems.

Therefore, performance of Bahraini statesmen shows that National Dialogue has been just a political gesture aimed at sidelining the opposition.

While Bahraini opposition does not seek to overthrow the ruling system and only pursues reasonable reforms, the country’s rulers spare no effort to suppress the opposition. Al-Wifaq society, which is the most important opposition group in Bahrain, has frequently announced that it does not seek to overthrow the government but looks for profound democratic reforms in the country. Election of government, enabling the legislature to do its legal and supervisory duties, establishing a transparent election system, fair distribution of electoral districts, independence of the judiciary, and curtailing influence of the intelligence are the main demands of the society.

It seems that Bahraini rulers do not intend to use the opportunity that has been offered to them by a reformist and pacifist opposition. Other Arab leaders that are beleaguered by popular uprisings would have wished to have such a pacifist opposition which would be ready to sit at the negotiating table and oppose overthrow of the government. However, Bahraini statesmen are just alienating such an opposition instead of trying to win its trust.

The root cause of this behavior on the part of Bahraini government is lack of self-confidence. A government that believes destruction of a square which had become venue of protestors and replacing it with a crossroads will quench street protest cannot be expected to give easy concessions to the opposition.