Bahrain’s efforts to ensure educational services for students and promote their rights and the attempts to drag the schools into violence took a center stage at the UN Headquarters in Geneva.
Education Ministry’s media spokesperson Lubna Slaibeekh gave a presentation during the meeting of Committee on the Rights of the Child Committee (CRC) at the UN headquarters in Geneva.
She outlined the violations targeting the educational system and students during the deplorable incidents which gripped public schools as they were dragged into the sectarian and political disputes.
She also updated the UN panel on the blatant of students, and even small children, who had been dragged into acts of sectarian polarization and animosities, stressing particularly the educational and psychological trauma resulting from the violations.
Lubna Slaibeekh highlighted the measures undertaken by the Ministry of Education during and in the aftermath of the crisis to address its traumatic pitfalls in cooperation with specialized parties, teaching staff and parents.
She also briefed the UN panel on cooperation and contacts with regional and international organizations and experts in this field to promote the values of co-existence and bolster civic peace between all social segments. A documentary film detailing educational achievements benefiting children was also shown.
The presentation came as part of visit made by a Bahraini delegation to Geneva to discuss a report on the Kingdom’s commitment to the UN Child’s Rights Convention. Assistant Undersecretary for students’ services and educational activities Dr. Khalid Al-Alawi answered questions relating to the educational sectors in Bahrain.
Police officers are capable of handling the situation with extreme caution: DG Police
The police officers are capable of handling the various situations with extreme caution when dealing with lawbreakers, according to Director General of the Capital Police Directorate Brigadier Naji Al Hashil.
In a statement published by the Bahrain News Agency he said it was necessary for police officers to resist provocations otherwise the consequences could be detrimental to the civic peace.
“The power the security forces are derived from their loyalty to the nation and leadership as well as their sense of responsibility and keenness on people’s security,” he stressed.
He also pointed out that the law allows the police officers to use force while fulfilling their duty as per article 77 of the Law on Penal Procedures and article 12 of the Public Security Forces Law.
“Article 13 of the Public Security Forces Law regulates the use of weapons when breaking up riots in case it becomes necessary to deter dangers,” he clarified detailing procedures followed in dealing with authorized and unauthorized marches and sit-ins.
He said when a march veers off its goals and legal regulations, we need to deal with it with utmost self-control in order to ensure the safety of both the security officers and participants in the march as well as protect private and public properties.
Brigadier Al Hashil pointed out many legal offences made during the recent unrest in Bahrain such as staging an illegal sit-in at the formerly-known Pearl Roundabout, setting up illegal checkpoints by the lawbreakers, chanting illegal and unethical slogans, kidnapping people and guiding them to the Pearl Roundabout where they have been beaten up and treated cruelly.
“The social and economic impact of these offences was clear and felt by everybody like damaging properties and endangering people’ life by blocking roads and attacking people, including even women,” he said.
Regarding the role of the directorate in enforcing the State of National Safety Law, Brigadier Al Hashil said that the leadership declared the State of National Safety at a time the kingdom witnessed an unrest which sought to destablise the nation.
The directorate has worked with other concerned parties on gathering information about illegal marches called for by the lawbreakers. Then, the required security procedures were taken to break up the unauthorized march as per the State of National Safety Law.
The false allegations made by the rioters that the protests were peaceful laid bare for their heinous terrorist and criminal acts were obvious to all, he asserted pointing out the attack he and other security officers were subject to on March 13, 2011 when they tried to remove barriers set up by the rioters to block King Faisal Highway.
Brigadier Al Hashil extended thanks to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa for his wise handling of the crisis and great concern for the welfare of the nation and people.
He also thanked His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and His Royal Highness Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa for their strenuous efforts to ensure Bahrain’s stability and prosperity.
He thanked, the Interior Minister Lieutenant General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa for his valuable directives to restore stability and bring life back to normal in Bahrain.
Bahrain’s Health Minister Dr Al Balooshi highlights the traumatic impact of the riots on children
Social Development Minister and Acting Health Minister Dr. Fatima Al-Balooshi addressed a forum on the impact of recent unrest in Bahrain on children.
Officials representing the Educational Ministry, the Public Prosecution, the Social Development Ministry and Bahrain’s NGOs attended the symposium under the theme “Recent Unrest and Traumatic Impact on Children”.
The forum was on the sidelines of the meeting of the Committee on the Rights of the Child Committee (CRC) to discuss Bahrain’s report. The GCC and Arab ambassadors and foreign delegations attended the session. The forum outlined flagrant violations targeting educational establishments and students, particularly terror acts and the disruption of studies wish resulted in psychological and social trauma for children. NGOs’ officials outlined the efforts of the non-governmental organisations to survey violations and draw up special programmes aimed at alleviating the detrimental and traumatic impact of the unrest on children. Bahrain’s delegation also held press conference on June 3 at the UN headquarters in Geneva.
Dr. Al-Balooshi, also head of the National Children’s Committee, outlined the measures, plans and programmes undertaken by ministries, government departments and NGOs in the aftermath of the unrest in Bahrain. A documentary film detailing violations during the unrest which gripped the Kingdom of Bahrain was also shown.