15th Sep, 2013 –
The new Human Rights Watch report – Bahraini Children “Beaten by Security” – contains several disturbing allegations which deserve investigation by the new independent ombudsman, which was established to look into alleged abuses.
However, once again, Human Rights Watch are guilty of only telling one side of the story when it comes to the abuse of children’s rights in Bahrain.
Although we do not deny the cases of juvenile detainment in Bahrain, we find it necessary to address the root cause of these cases: the opposition’s systemic use of children in militant activity – which the HRW report fails to mention.
Children on the frontlines
On any given evening, if you sit at a safe distance watching preparations being made for the night’s rioting and violence, one fact becomes obvious; the average age of those building roadblocks, stopping traffic and brandishing Molotov Cocktails is likely to be around 12-16 years old, with several significantly younger children also actively involved.
Although older youths will emerge later on, often wielding iron bars, firebombs and other makeshift weapons – we have to ask; why so many young children?
Mainstream opposition groups like Al-Wefaq Islamic Society often distance themselves from the violent excesses of the rioters and the fatal attacks on police, talking about radicalized youths and militant elements outside of their control.
But, for all of these under-18 rioters who constitute a large majority of the militant youth – don’t they have parents?
Where are the parents?
In these small villages where the violence is centered, it would be naïve to believe that parents simply don’t know where their 12-year old son is at 10.00 at night. Although many of these youngsters cover their faces with masks, it is not unreasonable to assume that they are well known to others living in the same street, local figures of influence and those coordinating the rioting behind the scenes.
Because of the systematic use of children in all riot hotspots across Bahrain, it is obvious that such exploitation is a deliberate policy by the opposition, with a number of benefits:
1) Numbers of those willing to protest has dropped sharply over the last year, with many sectors of the Shia community disaffected with the aims and results of the unrest – so using ‘child soldiers’ can increase the numbers of those on the streets.
2) In traditional societies, children are more likely to do what they are told, so with the blessing of their parents they can be exploited to fulfill tasks that others are unwilling to do.
3) It is relatively easy to brainwash children with no grasp of the wider political context, through a narrative of martyrs and suffering and by demonizing Bahrain’s leadership.
4) Because of legislation on the rights of children, it is a problem for the Bahraini authorities to deal with children who are breaking the law on a daily basis, and who are committing acts of violence; ethically it looks bad when the police do take action.
Brainwashed by religious leaders
Therefore, we would argue that Human Rights Watch, by only listening to opposition rhetoric and allegations, is completely ignoring the context of the role of children in the unrest.
Why are legal minors being arrested and detained? Because they are repeatedly coerced into breaking the law and committing acts of violence and are putting public safety at risk.
However, we would argue that the crime is not so much with the youngsters who have been caught in the act; but rather with those who are encouraging them, inciting them, and in many cases paying them.
Almost all of these children will have parents back at home who in most cases will know exactly where they are and what they are doing. Often, these youths will be manning the frontlines and roadblocks alongside older brothers, fathers and uncles.
These children have no idea why they are really there. They have been brainwashed by figures of influence; parents, religious leaders, local dignitaries – all of whom have told them that they are part of some existential battle between good and evil; a jihad of blood and martyrdom against the forces of darkness.
Reconciling angry young boys
When minors are detained, this is an issue of concern for society. But as well as ensuring that the authorities do their utmost to uphold the rights of all those in their custody; we have to look deeper and further than that; in particular to the militants and extremists who are cynically exploiting children.
Even after the unrest in Bahrain has been definitively solved through the National Dialogue process, we will face a much greater long term challenge of a generation of radicalized children who have been brainwashed into believing that everybody outside their communities are the enemy; Sunnis, the ruling family, expats and non-Muslims.
The unrest during the 1990s gave rise to the generation of angry young people from these communities, who later turned out in force during February 2011. Bahrain has a substantial reconciliation task on its hands in ensuring that those brainwashed twelve year-olds who today are out throwing rocks at police, can find their way back into society, and don’t become the foot-soldiers of future social unrest.