By lifting its 13-week martial law decree on Wednesday, Bahrain’s government meant to signal the end of a violent crackdown against its Shi’ite opposition — and show a nervous international business community that normality had been restored in the embattled island nation. Instead, however, the day was marked by tear gas attacks on peaceful protesters in the Shi’ite enclave of Sitra. They continued on Thursday and Friday with government forces firing tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters marching on the site of the torn-down Pearl roundabout, as activists elsewhere were called into police stations to face charges of anti-government activity.
Most prominent Shi’ite activists are either missing or behind bars, leaving those remaining to protest the government’s attempt to paint a patina of normality over the turmoil that has engulfed the country since February. “Bahrain’s not going to go back to normal; that’s not going to happen anytime soon,” says Joost Hiltermann, deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa at the International Crisis Group. “The lifting of emergency law is done to placate international opinion, which has been very harmful to the business climate in the country.”
Maryam al-Khawaja, head of the foreign relations office at the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, says the crackdown will continue even as the country reopens for business. “Things are not going to change… the [lifting of] martial law is just the government realizing that they need to save some of their tarnished international image.”
The biggest reason the regime is looking to quickly restore its tarnished reputation is to ensure that the Bahrain leg of the Formula 1 Grand Prix — arguably the most high-profile international event on the country’s calendar — is held later this year. The auto race was supposed to have been held in March, but was postponed as a result of the turmoil. On Friday, the world motor sport’s governing body, the FIA, announced it would restore the race to this year’s calendar. FIA chief Bernie Ecclestone had told CNN earlier this week, “If it’s safe and everything is good, then I think the teams will be happy to support it.” In a statement, the FIA said that their decision “reflects the spirit of reconciliation in Bahrain, which is evident from the strong support the race receives from the government and all major parties in Bahrain, including the largest opposition group.”
The F1 showpiece isn’t the only reason the regime is trying to portray a restoration of normality. Bahrain’s role as the Middle East epicenter for foreign investment banking has been threatened by the defection of nervous Western expats and a decrease in foreign investment since violence erupted in downtown’s Pearl roundabout in February, and Saudi tanks arrived to violently suppress protests. “A lot of banks are thinking of leaving and relocating, so they have been really worried,” Hiltermann says. “Keeping martial law in place is not good for business or for its image. [Bahrain’s] reputation has taken a hit and they want to overcome that as much as they can.”
