Bahraini regime enjoys Saudi, UK support: Analyst

Press TV interviewed Jalal Fairooz, former Bahraini MP based in London, about the Human Rights Watch (HRW) demanding the Bahraini regime to stop deporting citizens after stripping them of their citizenship, saying the illegal expulsions are causing numerous sufferings. 

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Looking at this situation, how can the Bahraini government get away with basically deporting its own nationals out of the country? What is it going to take to stop this regime from these illegal practices?

Fairooz: Well it is over and over being said that the Bahraini regime is really getting away because it has support regionally from Saudi Arabia with its petrodollars which keeps mum everybody who dares to speak about the atrocities committed by the Bahraini regime or the Saudi regime and internationally unfortunately it is being backed up by the United Kingdom.

At this time, the United Kingdom is defending the Bahraini regime in the United Nations Conference [on] Human Rights in Geneva because there [have] been several European countries who are trying to bring up a strong statement about Bahrain and regarding of the human rights violations. The Bahraini regime does not have that power but it seeks its power from its masters like these two countries.

Press TV: Are you optimistic that there is going to be change? We know that this has been going, this particular time the people have gone on the streets for several years now. Are you optimistic that by continuing the resistance that is taking place in Bahrain, that the people will reach their goal and basically have this regime overthrown or are you still looking for perhaps reforms?

Fairooz: Well actually let me tell you that the people are seeking that there will be a fair government in Bahrain, probably they are not seeking to overthrow the government but at this time they are still struggling with all the military presence of the Saudis in Bahrain along with the Bahraini army against the Bahraini people and with all the atrocities, all the crackdowns, the Bahrainis have not retreated from their demands, they are still protesting in the streets, so it is very, very much clear that after five years the Saudis and the Bahrainis could not stop the Bahrainis, of course the Bahraini protesters.

That is why there is all the positive aspects that this movement will not stop but with some of the common grounds between the people and the regime in Bahrain, that would be at least. The Bahrainis now are more stronger. Of course they have international friends as well and also they have all the right in their hands. They have legitimate demands and they have the freedom lovers in the world, they have all the international organizations of human rights, they have also the High Commissioner [for] Human Rights of United Nations. Lately also Mr. Ban Ki-moon has stated that the atrocities have to stop in Bahrain, so it is all positive on the Bahraini people side and against the Bahraini regime.

Press TV: And do you think that you are getting more support from, because you talked about the international community side of things and people will have that connection with those outside of the country, do you think that there has been more international support for the Bahraini human rights cause?

Fairooz: It is not the so-called international community because nowadays this term refers to more of European and Western states unfortunately but it is the people in the West and the parliaments in the West. Now there are resolutions in European Parliament and also in UK Parliament for example, also some congressmen following up the Bahraini matter.

So it is …, yes there are from the official institutions and from the politicians and also lots of the media now are trying to focus [on] what is going on in Bahrain because for long it has been the Saudi money which has stopped them from talking about what is happening in Bahrain, also in Yemen. So now things are turning upside down …

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