The Persian Gulf nation of Bahrain has been the site of prolonged anti-government protests in the wake of revolutions in nearby Egypt and Tunisia. But, Bahrain's great rift between two types, or sects, of Islam - Sunni and Shia - has added a different dimension to the ongoing protests there.
Bahrain's leadership is primarily Sunni, and many Shia Muslims feel they have been unfairly targeted in the wake of the protests as a result. Mostly Shias, but also some Sunnis, gathered in the Pearl Roundabout in Bahrain's capital, Manama, to call for greater freedoms and protest against their regime. However, police have dispersed them using rubber bullets, tear gas, and, in some cases, violence.
There are reports that many Shia protesters and health care workers have been detained by the government and abused, although Bahrain's minister of justice Sheikh Khalid bin Ali bin Abdulla al Khalifa denies those allegations. One Shia health care worker says she was held by the government for reasons unknown to her.
Others say they are grateful to the government for keeping the peace and for preserving the Bahrain they know and love.
Quotes
"Do you think it is for me to confirm that there is an abuse or not? The policy of the government is to respect human rights and we will not tolerate any human rights abuses." - Sheikh Khalid bin Ali bin Abdulla al Khalifa, Bahraini Minister of Justice
"And during the interrogation, whenever I said something which they don't like it, they will slap me again. And I was beaten also by a hose on my hands and my thighs. When I finished, they took me back to the other room, and they came to me later on. In the dark while my -- still I was blindfolded, they gave me the paper of confession to sign it and thumbprint without knowing what is there in that paper." - Detained health worker
"I wasn't able to come to enter my office with my people for four weeks. Why? Because the demonstrators blocked the street. It wasn't blocked by the government. It was blocked by the demonstrators. It was very important for us to have this law of -- of national security. If we didn't have it, you wouldn't have Bahrain that you see today." - Jamal Fakhro, Shura Council
Warm Up Questions
1. What has been taking place across the Arab world in 2011?
2. Where is Bahrain?
3. What is Islam? What is a sect?
Discussion Questions
1. Who do you believe in this video? Why?
2. Can you think of other examples from history of when people were divided by ideology or religious belief, like in Bahrain? What was the outcome in those cases?
3. What do you think should happen in Bahrain to ensure equality for all religious groups?
Additional Resources
How Should the United States Respond to the Demonstrations in the Middle East?
