Opposition
activists in Bahrain have rallied to protest a proposed union with neighboring
Saudi Arabia. Some protesters view the plan as an attempt by Riyadh to end the
uprising in the Gulf island nation.
Tens of
thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Bahrain on Friday, denouncing
proposals for closer military and political cooperation with neighboring Saudi
Arabia and other Gulf states.
The mainly
Shiite demonstrators blocked one of the island nation's major highways outside
the capital, Manama, in a rally that stretched for nearly five kilometers
(three miles). The demonstrators chanted slogans such as "No, no
unity" and "Bahrain is not for sale."
On Monday,
the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council met for a summit meeting in the
Saudi capital, Riyadh, to disclose closer union between the organization's six
member states. The council is comprised of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi
Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The meeting
postponed any decisions on closer political integration for later in the year.
Some critics believe the proposal is a push by Saudi Arabia's Sunni monarchy to
consolidate its regional power against its main rival, Shiite Iran.
Regional
power politics
Bahrain, a
small island state in the Persian Gulf, plays an important strategic role in
the region: it is home to the US Navy's fifth fleet. Once a province of Iran, a
Sunni monarchy currently rules over the majority Shiite population.
In February
2011, mainly Shiite activists - inspired by the revolts in Tunisia and Egypt -
rose up against the Al Khalifa monarchy, calling for greater political
participation. At least 50 people have died in the unrest so far. The monarchy
blames the unrest on Iran.
Saudi
Arabia, which has a large Shiite population in its eastern, oil-producing
regions, deployed troops last year to help shore up the Al Khalifa family. Some
opposition activists suspect that Riyadh wants to use the GCC proposal to
secure control over Bahrain and deny Tehran influence in the region.
Protests
against a Saudi-Bahraini union also took place in Iran on Friday, with the
cleric Kazem Sediqi delivering a sermon broadcast live on state radio.
"This
is an ill-fated plot that is taking place with the American and Zionist
(Israeli) green light but they should know that the people of Bahrain and the
region, Muslims around the world and in Iran will never tolerate it,"
Sediqi said.
"Instead
of surrendering to its own people, it (the Bahraini government) is surrendering
its identity, with total abjectness, to another country," Sediqi said.
slk/jm (AP, Reuters)
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