How International Support Hinders International Justice

Protestors in Bahrain

    The island country of Bahrain in the Middle East has recently been in the news over the large scale demonstrations by the Shiite majority of the country. The ethnic group has been marginalized under the Sunni controlled Sheikdom. They have been reduced to 'second class citizens' and government repression has violated many human rights. While Bahrain is heavily supported by countries like Saudi Arabia and the U.S., the government's grip on power seems unlikely to change anytime soon. Despite this reality and the use of violence against them, the Shiite majority still protest publicly and are in turn met with tear gas and stun guns.
    The Arab Uprising which began in January of 2011 has sparked a wave of anti-government protests and authoritarian regimes have acted very differently. Some have conceded, like in Tunisia and Egypt. Others pursued political reforms like Morocco and Jordan. Then there are those countries; Iran, Syria, and Bahrain which have chosen to clamp down on peaceful protests and do so often through violent measures.

Sheikh Hamad meeting with UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon

     The country of Bahrain is very small and has a population of a little over a million people (Foreign & Commonwealth Office). Now while there are no official figures, it is said about 70% of the population are Shiite Muslim while the other 30% are Sunni Muslim (Foreign & Commonwealth Office). Despite being such a large portion of the population, social benefits and economic opportunity is extremely limited and is often reserved for the Sunni minority. This is an anomaly in the Muslim world, where almost 90% of all Muslims are considered to be of the Sunni sect of the faith (Rossi).

     A method that was implemented by the government to quell internal discontent was the implementation of constitutional reforms after Sheikh Hamad's accession to the throne (Minorities at Risk). There was also the annulment of the 1974 State Security Act, the release of all political prisoners, and secret trials were also abolished (Minorities at Risk). These reforms included the creation of a partially elected bicameral legislature which attracted over half the eligible voters in 2002 to the polls (Minorities at Risk). For these reasons it seemed for many in Bahrain that change was on the way. These changes though did not change the situation for the ordinary Shiite Bahraini, as the amount necessary to effectively influence legislation in the parliament was nowhere near the amount available for election after the reforms.

Iran has also a vested interest in Bahraini Shiite dominance in the country, as Iran is the only Shiite ruled government in the Middle East (Rossi). Because of this Iran has been suspected of fomenting revolts and even funding the Shiite majority to overthrow the Sunni government. This has led to sour relations between the two governments, and in particular the Saudi Arabian government, which has an enormous interest in keeping it's neighbor ruled by the Sunni monarchy (Rossi).
    Because of international support, the small kingdom has maintained grip over it's people. When the uprising first happened in February of 2011, at the request of the Bahraini government, Saudi Arabia sent military forces into the country to quell the protests (BBC). Other countries that provided support to the Bahraini government were Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (BBC). It's because of international support like this that the Bahraini government can maintain power and use force willingly against it's own people in an effort to subdue the ethnic conflict.
    This conflict is not bound to simply just Bahrain; this ethnic conflict can be seen all across the Middle East, with Sunnis and Shiites battling in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Iran and elsewhere. This source of conflict has destabilized the region and has hampered efforts to control the region politically. Between the power play of Shiite dominated Iran attempting to exert it's influence over the region, and the current regional hegemon Saudi Arabia seeking to maintain it's influence, the conflict between the two groups has spiraled out of control. This conflict has quickly accelerated from inter-communal to international. Without a proper assessment of the situation and an attempt to find a common ground between the two sects, the war between Sunnis and Shiites does not look like it's going to dissipate anytime soon.