Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry described the decision by the Minister of Interior to stop all gatherings and rallies with wise. The decision also does not allow organizing any activity unless there is an assurance of stability and desired security is being achieved. It also stated that the decision has been long-waited, valuing it, saying that it is issued as an outcome of many requests from several private institutions, firms and the chamber itself that demanded of reconsidering such rallies and gatherings.
They said that the rallies and gatherings are oftentimes accompanied with violations, acts of violence, vandalism, sabotage and assault on public and private properties.
The Chamber stressed in its statement today that any act which threatens the national unity and the integration of the social fabric should be immediately stopped regardless of any other considerations, as security comes first before any other issue.
The Chamber pointed out that those violations have extremely dangerous impacts on the state of civil peace and security and could have dire consequences on Bahraini society, which may involve Bahrain in the midst of strife of unexpected outcomes. Therefore, the freedom of expression and opinion should be stopped when they exceed the freedom and rights of others and it is wrong to immunize those violations under the pretext of freedom of expression.
The Chamber called on the responsible parties for those rallies to resort to reason and put forward priority for the supreme national interest, and participate together hand in hand to enhance the national goals and aspirations in a way to encourage promoting new horizons in addressing all problems, and reaching a consensus on all national issues.
The Chamber also stressed that although protests and organized rallies are a kind of civilized expression ensured for all as stipulated by law, but what is happening in Bahrain is a misuse of the freedom of expression and deliberate attempts to disrupt the security of the nation, destroy the national economy and paralyze the commercial movement.
Therefore, the Chamber is against any act of prejudice to the civil peace and social security, which threatens the safety of homeland and citizens, and harms the efforts done particularly those concerned with raising the national economy to achieve a sustainable growth on the economic and social levels, and accomplish a better life for all the people of Bahrain.
The Chamber highlighted that together with the private sector will continue to support and assist benevolent efforts and all attempts towards being one family and achieving national cohesion under the wise leadership of Bahrain. It also reinforced the need to keep the interest of Bahrain and its citizens as priority, saying that it supports all the efforts done by the Ministry of Interior to preserve security, and all the measures taken to prevent targeting economic sites or terrorizing citizens and residents.
The Chamber renewed its call for the wise people to exert their efforts to achieve the stability and security of their country to ensure the sustainability of the development process. It also announced together with the industrial and trade family their stance and support of the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa and all the measures taken to preserve security, stability, and order.
The Chamber also declared its stance and support of the measures taken by HM the King to protect the nation’s gains, its national unity and social fabric, as well as supporting the respected government under the chairmanship of HRH the Prime Minister, Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa and also the Crown Prince, and Deputy Supreme Commander, HRH Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa.