National Liberation Front - Bahrain
Encyclopedia
The National Liberation Front—Bahrain (جبهة التحرير الوطني—البحرين) is a clandestine Marxist-Leninist party in Bahrain
. It was founded on 15 February 1955, the first left party in the Arab states of the Gulf region. Among the founder-members were Hassan Nezam (1922–1958), the principal founder, who was killed in Tehran
in 1958 by SAVAK
(this extraordinary activist was also a leading regional figure in the Tudeh Party of Iran, Khuzestan province, under the name Hassan Dorood); Erik Mansoorian, who died in Abadan
after returning to Iran in 1964; Hassan M. Saleh (1926–2000), who, from the early 1960s, was in a state of a chronic mental dysfunction as a result of severe torture; Ali Madan (1932–1995); Ahmed al-Thawadi, “Saif Bin Ali” (1937–2006); and Ali Dwaigher (born 1930).
In the 1960s and 70s the NLF, headed by Saif Bin Ali, assisted by Yousif Ajaji (born 1939) and Abdulla Rashid Binali (born 1935), played a leading part in two major events: the March Intifada
(uprising) of 1965, in which nationalist forces rose up against British colonialism, and the labour movement
of the early 1970s. The first event led eventually to the independence of Bahrain from British in 1971; the second event accelerated the move towards a significant improvement in the political atmosphere and the emergence of the first parliament in the history of the island and the first constitution (the constitution of 1973).
By the first half of the 1970s the NLF was the major political force in the country, and following the 1974 parliamentary election it succeeded in having eight members in the first Bahrain National Assembly (parliament) or 40 per cent of elected MPs (twenty elected and twenty appointed). In 1976, however, the parliament was dissolved and the constitution was suspended. The NLF was harshly repressed by the regime, and many activists and leaders went into exile. The most severe assault came in the mid-80s, specifically in 1986, with the decision of the authorities to crush the NLF. Almost the whole clandestine organisation collapsed, some members died under torture
, and a large number were sentenced to long terms of imprisonment after false and illegal confessions. Another reason behind this setback was the ultra-leftist policy that the organisation pursued at that time.
In spite of the unprecedented political circumstances that faced the surviving activists of the NLF, a handful of fighters remained, though in different method of activity. One can see their fingerprints on the events of the 1990s called the “constitutional movement.”
In the early 2000s, after a reasonable change in the regime’s policy, exiled leaders were allowed to return to Bahrain and to work politically. Before the election of 2002 some elements affiliated to the NLF, in co-operation with other independent activists (leftists and liberals), launched a legal political body under a new rule governing the establishment of political associations. In this way the Progressive Democratic Tribune Association was founded as a leftist progressive political organisation, but not as an alternative to the NLF. Since then it may appear that the PDTA has replaced the NLF, a grounless claim for which there is no documentary evidence. Moreover, the NLF never issued any statement that it has ceased to exist. The reality is that the NLF continues to exist and to struggle, though illegal and not openly active, because of the sensitive transformation period that Bahrain is passing through.
Between 2002 and 2006 the NLF and PDTA had three members in parliament, including the deputy speaker, Abdulhadi Marhoon. However, all lost their seats in the election of 2006 when Sunni and Shi‘a communal “Islamist” forces won almost all seats.
for more information please go to the official site of NLF ; http://www.nlf-bahrain.com
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...
. It was founded on 15 February 1955, the first left party in the Arab states of the Gulf region. Among the founder-members were Hassan Nezam (1922–1958), the principal founder, who was killed in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
in 1958 by SAVAK
SAVAK
SAVAK was the secret police, domestic security and intelligence service established by Iran's Mohammad Reza Shah on the recommendation of the British Government and with the help of the United States' Central Intelligence Agency SAVAK (Persian: ساواک, short for سازمان اطلاعات و امنیت کشور...
(this extraordinary activist was also a leading regional figure in the Tudeh Party of Iran, Khuzestan province, under the name Hassan Dorood); Erik Mansoorian, who died in Abadan
Abadan
Abadan is a city in and the capital of Abadan County, Khuzestan Province, Iran. It lies on Abadan Island , from the Persian Gulf, near the Iraqi-Iran border. The civilian population of the city dropped to near zero during the eight-years Iran–Iraq War. In 1992, only 84,774 had returned to live...
after returning to Iran in 1964; Hassan M. Saleh (1926–2000), who, from the early 1960s, was in a state of a chronic mental dysfunction as a result of severe torture; Ali Madan (1932–1995); Ahmed al-Thawadi, “Saif Bin Ali” (1937–2006); and Ali Dwaigher (born 1930).
In the 1960s and 70s the NLF, headed by Saif Bin Ali, assisted by Yousif Ajaji (born 1939) and Abdulla Rashid Binali (born 1935), played a leading part in two major events: the March Intifada
March Intifada
The March Intifada was an uprising that broke out in Bahrain in March 1965. The uprising was led by the Leftist groups, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Bahrain and the National Liberation Front - Bahrain, calling for the end of the British presence in Bahrain...
(uprising) of 1965, in which nationalist forces rose up against British colonialism, and the labour movement
Labour movement
The term labour movement or labor movement is a broad term for the development of a collective organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for better treatment from their employers and governments, in particular through the implementation of specific laws governing labour...
of the early 1970s. The first event led eventually to the independence of Bahrain from British in 1971; the second event accelerated the move towards a significant improvement in the political atmosphere and the emergence of the first parliament in the history of the island and the first constitution (the constitution of 1973).
By the first half of the 1970s the NLF was the major political force in the country, and following the 1974 parliamentary election it succeeded in having eight members in the first Bahrain National Assembly (parliament) or 40 per cent of elected MPs (twenty elected and twenty appointed). In 1976, however, the parliament was dissolved and the constitution was suspended. The NLF was harshly repressed by the regime, and many activists and leaders went into exile. The most severe assault came in the mid-80s, specifically in 1986, with the decision of the authorities to crush the NLF. Almost the whole clandestine organisation collapsed, some members died under torture
Torture in Bahrain
Torture in Bahrain refers to the violation of Bahrain’s obligations as a state party to the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and other international treaties and disregard for the prohibition of torture enshrined in Bahraini...
, and a large number were sentenced to long terms of imprisonment after false and illegal confessions. Another reason behind this setback was the ultra-leftist policy that the organisation pursued at that time.
In spite of the unprecedented political circumstances that faced the surviving activists of the NLF, a handful of fighters remained, though in different method of activity. One can see their fingerprints on the events of the 1990s called the “constitutional movement.”
In the early 2000s, after a reasonable change in the regime’s policy, exiled leaders were allowed to return to Bahrain and to work politically. Before the election of 2002 some elements affiliated to the NLF, in co-operation with other independent activists (leftists and liberals), launched a legal political body under a new rule governing the establishment of political associations. In this way the Progressive Democratic Tribune Association was founded as a leftist progressive political organisation, but not as an alternative to the NLF. Since then it may appear that the PDTA has replaced the NLF, a grounless claim for which there is no documentary evidence. Moreover, the NLF never issued any statement that it has ceased to exist. The reality is that the NLF continues to exist and to struggle, though illegal and not openly active, because of the sensitive transformation period that Bahrain is passing through.
Between 2002 and 2006 the NLF and PDTA had three members in parliament, including the deputy speaker, Abdulhadi Marhoon. However, all lost their seats in the election of 2006 when Sunni and Shi‘a communal “Islamist” forces won almost all seats.
for more information please go to the official site of NLF ; http://www.nlf-bahrain.com
See also
- March IntifadaMarch IntifadaThe March Intifada was an uprising that broke out in Bahrain in March 1965. The uprising was led by the Leftist groups, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Bahrain and the National Liberation Front - Bahrain, calling for the end of the British presence in Bahrain...
- Majeed MarhoonMajeed MarhoonMajeed Marhoon was a Bahrani saxophonist, and a former Leftist political activist with the National Liberation Front of Bahrain. He spent 22 years in prison in Bahrain between 1968 and 1990, accused of planting a bomb in the car of a British intelligence officer of 21 March 1966...
- National Union CommitteeNational Union CommitteeThe National Union Committee was a nationalist reformist political organization formed in Bahrain in 1954 . The committee was formed by reformists in response to sectarian clashes between Sunni and Shia members of the population...
- Ahmad Al-ThawadiAhmad Al-ThawadiAhmad Ibrahim Al-Thawadi was the chairman of the Democratic Progressive Tribune, a leftist political party in the Kingdom of Bahrain. He was born in 1938 during the British colonization of Bahrain. He was also a founding member of the National Liberation Front...