Abdulrahman al-Nuaimi
Encyclopedia
Abdulrahman al-Nuaimi was a Bahrain
i politician
and opposition leader. Al-Nuaimi, who spent more than thirty years in self imposed exile
from Bahrain
, founded some of the country's most important political opposition group
s.
He was born in 1944 on Muharraq island
to the Sunni Al Nuaim
family that has close ties to the traditional ruling circles. In the 1960s he became increasingly politically active and joined the Arab Nationalist Movement
. In 1966 he graduated from the American University of Beirut
with a degree in mechanical engineering.
He founded the Popular Front for the Liberation of Bahrain
(PFLB), a resistance group, during the 1970s. The groups was inspired by the Arab Nationalist Movement which was sweeping though the Arab World
at the time.
After a crackdown on the workers' movements at the power station where he was working in 1968, he left Bahrain to live in exile, spending 33 years in Damascus
.
In 2001, al-Nuaimi returned to Bahrain from aboard and re-entered politics. He founded the National Democratic Action Society (NDA), Bahrain's largest leftist political party
, with members of the former PFLB.
The NDA is also known as the Wa'ad party. Al-Nuaimi ran for a seat in the Council of Representatives of Bahrain
during the 2006 parliamentary election
, but lost to a pro-candidate candidate by a small margin.
Abdulrahman al-Nuaimi suffered from deteriorating health in the mid-2000s. He fell into a coma
in April 2007. He was succeeded as head of the National Democratic Action Society by Ibrahim Sharif
. Al-Nuaimi remained in a coma until his death on September 1, 2011, aged 67.
His successor as head of the National Democratic Action Society, Ibrahim Sharif
, was sentenced to five years in prison in June 2011 following the 2011 Bahraini protests as part of a crackdown on opposition leaders.
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
i politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and opposition leader. Al-Nuaimi, who spent more than thirty years in self imposed exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
from Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, founded some of the country's most important political opposition group
Opposition (politics)
In politics, the opposition comprises one or more political parties or other organized groups that are opposed to the government , party or group in political control of a city, region, state or country...
s.
He was born in 1944 on Muharraq island
Muharraq Island
Muharraq Island is the third largest island in the archipelago of Bahrain after Bahrain Island and Hawar Island. It is named after Muharraq City, the former capital of Bahrain.There are several towns and villages located on the Island, including:...
to the Sunni Al Nuaim
Al Nuaim
The Al Nuaim or Al Noaim tribe is large Arab bedouin tribe, based primarily in the Arab states of the Persian Gulf and Al Sham Desert. Therefore, Al Nuaimi tribe can be found in many countries, such as Qatar, UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, KSA, Syria, Jordan and Iraq...
family that has close ties to the traditional ruling circles. In the 1960s he became increasingly politically active and joined the Arab Nationalist Movement
Arab Nationalist Movement
The Arab Nationalist Movement , also known as the Movement of Arab Nationalists and the Harakiyyin, was a pan-Arab nationalist organization influential in much of the Arab world, most famously so within the Palestinian movement.-Origins & Ideology:The Arab Nationalist Movement had its origins in a...
. In 1966 he graduated from the American University of Beirut
American University of Beirut
The American University of Beirut is a private, independent university in Beirut, Lebanon. It was founded as the Syrian Protestant College by American missionaries in 1866...
with a degree in mechanical engineering.
He founded the Popular Front for the Liberation of Bahrain
Popular Front for the Liberation of Bahrain
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Bahrain was an underground political party in Bahrain with origins in the Arab Nationalist Movement. Its members were inclined towards the leftist Marxist trend within the ANM...
(PFLB), a resistance group, during the 1970s. The groups was inspired by the Arab Nationalist Movement which was sweeping though the Arab World
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
at the time.
After a crackdown on the workers' movements at the power station where he was working in 1968, he left Bahrain to live in exile, spending 33 years in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
.
In 2001, al-Nuaimi returned to Bahrain from aboard and re-entered politics. He founded the National Democratic Action Society (NDA), Bahrain's largest leftist political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
, with members of the former PFLB.
The NDA is also known as the Wa'ad party. Al-Nuaimi ran for a seat in the Council of Representatives of Bahrain
Council of Representatives of Bahrain
The Council of Representatives , sometimes translated as the "Chamber of Deputies", is the name given to the lower house of the Bahraini National Assembly, the main legislative body of Bahrain....
during the 2006 parliamentary election
Bahraini parliamentary election, 2006
Bahrain held parliamentary elections on 25 November 2006 for the 40-seat lower house of parliament, the Chamber of Deputies, as well as municipal elections. There was a 72% turnout in the first round of polling...
, but lost to a pro-candidate candidate by a small margin.
Abdulrahman al-Nuaimi suffered from deteriorating health in the mid-2000s. He fell into a coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
in April 2007. He was succeeded as head of the National Democratic Action Society by Ibrahim Sharif
Ibrahim Sharif
Ibrahim Sharif al-Sayed is a Sunni Arab opposition political activist in Bahrain, currently serving as the General Secretary of the secular liberal National Democratic Action Society . He succeeded former General Secretary Abdulrahman al-Nuaimi, who fell into a coma in April 2007 and died in 2011...
. Al-Nuaimi remained in a coma until his death on September 1, 2011, aged 67.
His successor as head of the National Democratic Action Society, Ibrahim Sharif
Ibrahim Sharif
Ibrahim Sharif al-Sayed is a Sunni Arab opposition political activist in Bahrain, currently serving as the General Secretary of the secular liberal National Democratic Action Society . He succeeded former General Secretary Abdulrahman al-Nuaimi, who fell into a coma in April 2007 and died in 2011...
, was sentenced to five years in prison in June 2011 following the 2011 Bahraini protests as part of a crackdown on opposition leaders.