Drafting a Just Bahraini Protocol: Inclusion, Justice, and Patriotism

by Hamad Aljufairi

Since Day-one October 4th 2006, and I have been involved, mostly virtually, in what I have always thought of and believed in: a truely untied, nationalistic, and patriotic attempt to bring about a more coherent Bahraini identity. The Just Bahraini Campaign was initiated Mahmood Alyousif as a result of the increasingly mounting and devastating silence and indifference following the dissemination of the Al-Bandar report.

As a contribution to the movement, I have been anticipating a need for a clear and detailed mission statement or protocol, as others sought a need for securing copywrites and the like. However, although a mission statement or protocol is not the one-man job that I would be able to take on, I simply write these words to encourage those who possess the qualities required to fulfill such a need. What follows is far too short of a complete and comprehensive protocol, or even a draft for that matter. However, there is always a starting point, and the most sucessful ideas in life begin with a considerable amount of contemplation, a handful of thoughts, and a wishlist of efforts. May I begin with the contemplation.

Just Bahraini a grassrooted movement seeking to minimise, rectify, and ultimately abolish sectarian-based discrimination and favouritism, and embrace a patriotic and nationalistic identity. The movement draws upon a better life for all, rather than some.

Inclusion and Acknowledgement: The Just Bahraini movement advocates the inclusion of all sub-groups of the Bahraini community without any exceptions. This goes hand-in-hand with the acknowledgement of every one’s group entity to one another. This acknowledgement is based on defining one’s group by it’s intragroup’s properties and commonalities rather than it’s intergroup’s differences. That is, a group is a group for what it resembles and not for what it does not, and thus increasing group coherency. This will in turn reduce the tension created by intergroup differences. It is crucial this “inclusion principle” is facilitated both at a micro and macro level (i.e. common properties rather than difference and national identity rather than sectarian, respectively). Inclusion and ackowledgement are the rules rather than the exception.

Fairness and Jusitice (Equal Opportunities): Following a modern-world-wide lead, Just Bahraini embraces an “equal opportunities” policy that mitigates and ultimately abolish discrimination and favoritism based on gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, and, here, specifically sectarianism. The Just Bahraini movement is guided by truth, reason, justice, and fairness and envisions it’s “Just” mentality through the Bahraini community. Although “opportunities” are very closely tied up with governmental and organisational policies, the greater community is encouraged to maintain and impose a “Just” community.

Decentralising sectarian membership from national identity: Crucial to the initial mission of the movement, to decentralise subgroup (i.e. sectarian) membership from the national Identity is a core objective. Nationalism is not exclusive to a specific group without an another, or at least it shouldn’t be. A patriotic sense of identity is the goal that is to be achieved by members of the Bahraini community.

Misconceptions: The “No Shi’i.. No Sunni.. Just Bahraini” message does not entail secularising the Bahraini identity, but rather embrace inclusion and acknowledgement. Also, the Just Bahraini campaigns, activities, and financial status, etc, are non-profitable, but it is rather a public charity, limited by guarantee, supported by volunteering members and reinvests donations to achieve it’s goals.

These are only a few dimensions of what I could gather at the moment. Much is synthesized from comments, replies, personal posts, as well as tea time conversations with open-minded intellectuals. There is only much hope in that someone will pick up from where I leave you now. We are all Bahraini, and we should circle-join hands rather than brick-up boundaries.

---

Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically each day to your feed reader. If you don't have a feed reader, you can always have these articles delivered to your email inbox every day. Click here to sign up.

Just Bahraini | Powered by WordPress | ElegantBlue is a custom theme by Nathan Rice