Bahraini Shi’ite demonstrators burned the American flag and chanted anti-American slogans in opposition to the visit of U.S. President George W. Bush to Manama as part of his tour of the Middle East. [Full Story in Arabic]



Several thousand people participated in the demonstration in the area of al-Daraz, north of the capital Manama, which was called by the prominent Shi’ite leader, Sheikh Issa Qasim.

This demonstration took place as one act in a broad movement of Bahraini opposition political groups against the visit of President Bush.



Seven organizations announced their intention of conducting a sit-down demonstration in front of the U.S. Embassy in Manama on Saturday. The secretary general of one of the participating groups (the National Democratic Action), Ibrahim Sharif, stated that “the sit-down is in protest against American policies and the visit of President Bush, during whose term in office tensions have escalated on a global level and meaningless wars have been launched.”



The secretary general continued, “[Bush] partitioned Iraq, and fanned the flames of civil strife there, and brought about tactical wars and caused many crises in a number of countries. Certain groups in Lebanon were empowered by Bush’s positions against the national forces, causing a severe crisis that continues until now.”



According to Sharif, the participating organizations and factions include: the National Democratic Labor Organization, the “Wifaq” (Reconciliation) Association, the Progressive “Minbar” (Platform, Pulpit), the Arabic Islamic Center, the Islamic “Minbar,” the “Ikha’” (Brotherhood), Bahraini Anti-Normalization, as well as other organizations that intend to participate in the demonstration.



A number of organizations have issued separate statements condemning the visit of President Bush, while the Council of Shi`ite `Ulama’ (shi`ite religious authorities) protested Bush’s visit, saying that “arrogant and backward American policies contribute to increased tension and the instigation of disturbances in the region, as is abundantly evidenced in Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan and elsewhere.”



He added, “we do not see anything in this visit to cause optimism that deteriorating conditions will be addressed, broken relationships repaired, and there is nothing in this visit that will serve the Islamic and Arab community, but rather, all indications are that this visit will be a factor increasing tension and further worsening conditions to a great extent, and a loss to the Islamic and Arab right to Palestine the beloved and Jerusalem the noble.”



And he went on to say, “the community does not welcome or accept this visit which is nothing more than the consecration of self-importance and arrogant hegemony, a further way of subjugating and humiliating the countries of the area, beginning further political surrender to the policies of the American government, supporting the usurper entity, facilitating and focusing the empty and hollow policies of meeting and reconciliation that are rejected by the people.



The peoples of the area will only harvest further calamities and ruin on all levels, and the official interest in this visit does not evince respect and esteem for the feelings and sentiments of the sons of this country, who only see the United States of America as the chief of all misfortune and evil and tyranny.”