The Issue
In the small island country of Bahrain, located in the Persian Gulf, government and security forces have clashed with protesters seeking democratic reform. Bahrain’s leaders belong to the Sunni sect of Islam, a minority in the country; the majority of Bahrainis are Shiite. Bahrain has a history of Sunni-Shiite tension. However, that tension is only one dimension of the problems that have unfolded in the country. Broader societal stressors also drive calls for reform. These issues include repression, disenfranchisement, and limited economic opportunity for the country’s majority.
Bahraini activists gathered in the country’s capital, Manama, in February 2011. They demanded reforms from the government. These reforms included a new constitution that would provide an elected parliament and independent courts. Also included in the reforms were the release of protesters arrested in police crackdowns as well as freedom of expression. Opposition groups made more forceful calls for Bahrain to become a true constitutional monarchy and for an end to King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s rule. The ruling Al Khalifa family responded to these protests with force and mass arrests.
Similar uprisings in the Middle East received robust international support. Most notably, the UN Security Council voted to authorize military intervention in Libya to protect civilians amid a popular uprising against the ruling Muammar al-Qaddafi regime. However, Bahrain’s opposition movement was unable to rally the same international support. This lack of support was, in part, because two permanent UN Security Council members, the United States and the United Kingdom, had long-standing military and economic ties with the country. Nevertheless, continuing unrest and repression in Bahrain raised the question of whether international action would be needed to ensure the protection of human rights in Bahrain.
Decision Point—Set in August 2014
Three years after Bahrain’s 2011 uprising, progress toward reform has stalled. In January 2014, the government suspended its “national dialogue” with opposition groups. The government blamed opposition groups for the breakdown. Soon after, renewed unrest gripped the country. On February 14—the anniversary of the initial uprising—thousands of protestors calling for King Hamad’s ouster gathered in Bahrain’s capital, Manama. The protestors met stiff resistance from security forces. This resulted in several injuries and dozens of arrests. Outside the capital, a bomb struck a police bus in a Shiite village, killing one police officer. Three more officers were killed by another bomb weeks later. Although mainstream opposition groups denied any connection to the bombings and condemned the acts, the attacks only amplified an already severe crackdown by Bahrain’s security forces. This crackdown was especially focused on predominantly Shiite areas. Activists, along with international human rights organizations, are calling for an international response. In this context, the UN Secretary-General has called a meeting of the UN Security Council. The Council will assess whether the situation warrants a response and, if so, what kind.