Al Muntada
Encyclopedia
Al Muntada is a Bahrain society set up by academics, journalists and businessmen to promote liberalism in the Kingdom.
It was established in 2001 to provide a place for liberals to debate how they could meet the challenge of religious extremist domination of political life, which has been a consequence of Bahrain’s democratization process
; Shia and Sunni extremists have been the best organized and most popular political parties and have quickly filled the new political space opened by reforms.
Al Muntada has since met monthly to debate the most recent political issues. It is chaired by Adel Fakhro, the vice chairman is Gulf News columnist and South Asian specialist, Dr Abdullah Al Madani, and other leading members include journalist Sawsan Al Sha’er
and Dr Ahmad Juma, the head of Al Meethaq
.
The major challenge facing Bahraini liberals is their small number, while Islamist parties such as Asalah and Al Wefaq
are mass organisations. Al Muntada does not pretend to have the same scale of support, but has sought to hold meetings to address issues of interest to a growing portion of the population. Because of the number of liberals, the group has not sought to become another political party but tries to use the new political space in civil society to influence opinion and policy.
In an Arab region where deference to religious figures is the norm, Al Muntada is unapologetically secular, giving voice to liberals’ aspirations and concerns. Its spokesmen have condemned the "dark forces" inside the parliament that want to "promote the same ideology of the Taliban".
Traditionally Bahrain’s liberals had looked to the government to be their protector, and in some ways the government has signaled its intention to safeguard personal freedoms in the new political framework by appointing sixteen members of the liberal Al Meethaq party to the Consultative Council
, Bahrain’s appointed upper chamber of parliament, to counter the dominance of Islamists in the lower chamber. However, liberals have expressed the strongest concern after the government has signaled that it will avoid confrontation with Islamist MPs over issues such as the sale of alcohol during Ramadan, and other personal freedoms.
Among the intiaitives launched by Al Muntada is a campaign to protect personal freedoms, We Have A Right
, with affiliate organisations, Bahrain Youth Society, National Liberal Thought Society, Bahrain Women's Society, National Action Charity Society, the Future Forum Society and the Alumni Club, spearheading the task force. The group has criticised legislative proposals put forward by Ali Mattar
MP for the introduction of Sharia Law. Dr Abdullah Al Madani told the Gulf Daily News "Could you have ever imagined in your lives that someone in Bahrain could ever propose a law to cut off hands?"
Within the elected Chamber of Deputies
Al Muntada is known to be close to the Economists Bloc
and to a lesser extent, the Democratic Bloc
.
Islamists have responded to the challenge posed by Al Muntada by ignoring it initially and then seeking to portray it as a pro-government, pro-American and elitist.
It was established in 2001 to provide a place for liberals to debate how they could meet the challenge of religious extremist domination of political life, which has been a consequence of Bahrain’s democratization process
Politics of Bahrain
Politics of Bahrain takes place in a framework of a constitutional monarchy, with an executive appointed by the King of Bahrain, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and a bi-cameral legislature, with the Chamber of Deputies elected by universal suffrage, and the Shura Council appointed directly by the king...
; Shia and Sunni extremists have been the best organized and most popular political parties and have quickly filled the new political space opened by reforms.
Al Muntada has since met monthly to debate the most recent political issues. It is chaired by Adel Fakhro, the vice chairman is Gulf News columnist and South Asian specialist, Dr Abdullah Al Madani, and other leading members include journalist Sawsan Al Sha’er
Sawsan Al Sha'er
Sawsan Al Sha’er is widely regarded as Bahrain’s most influential liberal intellectual. A journalist and author, she is a columnist with Al Watan newspaper, having joined the staff there from the pro-government Al Ayam....
and Dr Ahmad Juma, the head of Al Meethaq
Al Meethaq
Al Meethaq , or the National Action Charter Society, is a liberal political party in Bahrain.It won no seats in the 2002 or 2006 general elections...
.
The major challenge facing Bahraini liberals is their small number, while Islamist parties such as Asalah and Al Wefaq
Al Wefaq
Al Wefaq National Islamic Society , also known as the Islamic National Accord Association, is a Bahraini political society, and the largest party in the Bahrain, both in terms of its membership and its results at the polls...
are mass organisations. Al Muntada does not pretend to have the same scale of support, but has sought to hold meetings to address issues of interest to a growing portion of the population. Because of the number of liberals, the group has not sought to become another political party but tries to use the new political space in civil society to influence opinion and policy.
In an Arab region where deference to religious figures is the norm, Al Muntada is unapologetically secular, giving voice to liberals’ aspirations and concerns. Its spokesmen have condemned the "dark forces" inside the parliament that want to "promote the same ideology of the Taliban".
Traditionally Bahrain’s liberals had looked to the government to be their protector, and in some ways the government has signaled its intention to safeguard personal freedoms in the new political framework by appointing sixteen members of the liberal Al Meethaq party to the Consultative Council
Consultative Council of Bahrain
The Consultative Council is the name given to the upper house of the National Assembly, the main legislative body of Bahrain....
, Bahrain’s appointed upper chamber of parliament, to counter the dominance of Islamists in the lower chamber. However, liberals have expressed the strongest concern after the government has signaled that it will avoid confrontation with Islamist MPs over issues such as the sale of alcohol during Ramadan, and other personal freedoms.
Among the intiaitives launched by Al Muntada is a campaign to protect personal freedoms, We Have A Right
We Have A Right
We Have A Right is a political campaign launched to protect personal freedoms in Bahrain by the society of liberal intellectuals, Al Muntada, on 22 November 2005....
, with affiliate organisations, Bahrain Youth Society, National Liberal Thought Society, Bahrain Women's Society, National Action Charity Society, the Future Forum Society and the Alumni Club, spearheading the task force. The group has criticised legislative proposals put forward by Ali Mattar
Ali Mattar
Ali Mohamed Mattar is a salafist Bahraini MP who represents Asalah in the Chamber of Deputies.Mattar is one of Asalah’s most active MPs, and is seen as carving out a niche for himself in parliamentary life with legislative proposals that have been described by supporters as ‘bold’...
MP for the introduction of Sharia Law. Dr Abdullah Al Madani told the Gulf Daily News "Could you have ever imagined in your lives that someone in Bahrain could ever propose a law to cut off hands?"
Within the elected Chamber of Deputies
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....
Al Muntada is known to be close to the Economists Bloc
Economists Bloc
The Economists Bloc is a liberal political party in Bahrain which was represented by three MPs in the 2002-2006 parliament, but lost all its seats in the 2006 general election....
and to a lesser extent, the Democratic Bloc
Democratic Bloc
Democratic Bloc was a political alliance and an electoral bloc in Ukraine founded during the election campaign to participate in the parliamentary election held during March 4-18, 1990.-History:...
.
Islamists have responded to the challenge posed by Al Muntada by ignoring it initially and then seeking to portray it as a pro-government, pro-American and elitist.
External links
- Under the searing Bahrain sun, liberals with few illusions Daily Star (Beirut), 7 September 2004
- Bahrain Forum to campaign for personal freedoms, Gulf News, 20 November 2005
- 'Extremists should not dominate politics', Gulf News, 23 November 2005