For more than a month, instead of the pearl is the center of events. It began with the movement of 14 February. That day, police blocked access to that place to the protesters, before allowing the next day. Two days later, police stormed into the night to get them [there were four dead and the area around the square were then blocked by tanks].
On 19 February, new shift of authorities: the Crown Prince has ordered the withdrawal of the army and allowed the demonstrators to return. They then installed on site with their tents. That lasted less than three weeks until the police returned to the charge on March 16 and dislodged again.
What happened between these two operations? There has been an exacerbation of sectarian tensions. Some media have pushed the Sunnis to unite their ranks against the protesters [predominantly Shia], while the latter began to radicalize. The regime has released political prisoners [most of which were close to the radical opposition group Al-Haq.
It also authorized the return home of its leader, Hassan Mushaima.] Demonstrators organized marches daily [to downtown], then they blocked a major artery of the capital and camped outside the financial center. In addition, youth were encouraged to set up roadblocks. Others have carried out attacks with knives in order to pour oil on fire confessional.
Finally, the Arab satellite television came on stage to fan the embers not only in Bahrain but across the region - since it is a deluge of rumors and mutual accusations, confusion reigns. Thus, the wishes of a peaceful and legitimate opposition, which had attracted international public opinion have been drowned under a wave of sectarian resentments.
It was there in March 12 when the Minister of Defense, Robert Gates, was received in Manama to reassert the American point of view in favor of measures to reach a compromise with the opposition. Crown Prince seemed ready to follow this advice, because the next day he renewed his offer of dialogue.
Yet at the same time, clashes occurred between police and protesters and armed groups began attacking neighborhoods similar to the opposition [to majority Shiite] by firing live ammunition. This deterioration of the security situation has allowed the regime to justify the intervention of his Saudi ally.
Thus, on March 14, the first contingents of the "Peninsula Shield" [joint force to the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, including Saudi and Emirati soldiers] arrived. In the aftermath, the state of emergency was declared on 15 and the final assault against the place of the Pearl gave 16.
Similarly, six opposition leaders were arrested, including Ibrahim Sharif [Sunni leader of the secular left and moderate Waad], the leader of the Al-Haq, Hassan Mushaima, and a number of doctors, including Salmaniya hospital, surrounded by police [on the grounds that it was the basis for the opposition].
And finally, 18 the authorities destroyed the monument to the Pearl, a vain attempt to erase these facts from memory. Today, we live in a country dotted with military checkpoints, overflowing garbage because utilities no longer work, crying almost two dead private citizens but also foreign residents and police.
A country ravaged by sectarian strife. Bahrain has long been the "Pearl of the Gulf." It is now the island of ghosts. Nobody will win, regardless of the power it will deploy. So is everyone's responsibility to restore social cohesion while defending the right to live in dignity and freedom. 
On 19 February, new shift of authorities: the Crown Prince has ordered the withdrawal of the army and allowed the demonstrators to return. They then installed on site with their tents. That lasted less than three weeks until the police returned to the charge on March 16 and dislodged again.
What happened between these two operations? There has been an exacerbation of sectarian tensions. Some media have pushed the Sunnis to unite their ranks against the protesters [predominantly Shia], while the latter began to radicalize. The regime has released political prisoners [most of which were close to the radical opposition group Al-Haq.
It also authorized the return home of its leader, Hassan Mushaima.] Demonstrators organized marches daily [to downtown], then they blocked a major artery of the capital and camped outside the financial center. In addition, youth were encouraged to set up roadblocks. Others have carried out attacks with knives in order to pour oil on fire confessional.
Finally, the Arab satellite television came on stage to fan the embers not only in Bahrain but across the region - since it is a deluge of rumors and mutual accusations, confusion reigns. Thus, the wishes of a peaceful and legitimate opposition, which had attracted international public opinion have been drowned under a wave of sectarian resentments.
It was there in March 12 when the Minister of Defense, Robert Gates, was received in Manama to reassert the American point of view in favor of measures to reach a compromise with the opposition. Crown Prince seemed ready to follow this advice, because the next day he renewed his offer of dialogue.
Yet at the same time, clashes occurred between police and protesters and armed groups began attacking neighborhoods similar to the opposition [to majority Shiite] by firing live ammunition. This deterioration of the security situation has allowed the regime to justify the intervention of his Saudi ally.
Thus, on March 14, the first contingents of the "Peninsula Shield" [joint force to the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, including Saudi and Emirati soldiers] arrived. In the aftermath, the state of emergency was declared on 15 and the final assault against the place of the Pearl gave 16.
Similarly, six opposition leaders were arrested, including Ibrahim Sharif [Sunni leader of the secular left and moderate Waad], the leader of the Al-Haq, Hassan Mushaima, and a number of doctors, including Salmaniya hospital, surrounded by police [on the grounds that it was the basis for the opposition].
And finally, 18 the authorities destroyed the monument to the Pearl, a vain attempt to erase these facts from memory. Today, we live in a country dotted with military checkpoints, overflowing garbage because utilities no longer work, crying almost two dead private citizens but also foreign residents and police.
A country ravaged by sectarian strife. Bahrain has long been the "Pearl of the Gulf." It is now the island of ghosts. Nobody will win, regardless of the power it will deploy. So is everyone's responsibility to restore social cohesion while defending the right to live in dignity and freedom.
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