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Bahrain must do more to heal rifts after unrest: US

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 21:27 GMT

Source: reuters // Reuters

* Posner: Govt, protesters must refrain from violence

* Uprising anniversary approaches

* Bahrain key U.S. ally, hosts U.S. Fifth Fleet (Adds quotes, background)

MANAMA, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Bahrain has taken "important steps" towards reform, but needs to do more to heal the rifts left after it crushed a pro-democracy uprising last year, a senior U.S. official said during a visit to the Gulf state on Thursday.

Assistant Secretary of State Michael Posner also called for restraint from the government and anti-government protesters ahead of the Feb. 14 anniversary of the uprising. Violence has escalated in recent clashes between police and youths.

Almost a year after the protests, quickly put down with help from Saudi troops, police still clash daily with youths in mainly Shi'ite Muslim neighbourhoods who complain of political and economic marginalisation by the Sunni ruling elite.

"We call on all Bahrainis to refrain from violence... (It) is a moment for all Bahrainis to come together, to move beyond the pain of last year," Posner told reporters.

"We continue to receive credible reports of excessive force by police, including widespread and sometimes indiscriminate use of tear gas."

Bahrain, host to the U.S. Fifth Fleet, is a key ally to Washington and Saudi Arabia in their dispute with non-Arab Shi'ite power Iran over its nuclear energy programme.

Some opposition activists accused Washington of standing by while Bahrain crushed the democracy movement, after uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia succeeded in bringing about a change of ruler.

Posner's visit comes after the State Department said last month it would go ahead with a sale of $1 million of equipment to Bahrain while maintaining "a pause on most security assistance for Bahrain pending further progress on reform".

Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday that decision sent a wrong signal to Bahrain.

"Bahrain has made many promises to cease abuses and hold officials accountable, but it hasn't delivered," said Maria McFarland, the group's deputy Washington director.

"Protesters remain jailed on criminal charges for peacefully speaking out and there has been little accountability for torture and killings - crimes in which the Bahrain Defence Force is implicated."

Posner said charges against those accused of offences related to political expression should be dropped and peaceful protests allowed to go ahead.

He urged all sides to remain peaceful, criticising recent violence by some opposition demonstrators.

"We condemn the violent street actions that have escalated in recent months and that have included attacks on police with Molotov cocktails, metal projectiles and other instruments of harm." he said. "Such violence undermines public safety and further divides society."

Fourteen opposition figures convicted of leading the protests are in jail, some serving life sentences.

Opposition parties, which this week launched a week-long sit-in to put pressure on the government, have said their protests will not stop until the ruling Al Khalifa family ends its monopoly on power and the 14 are released.

Activists say more than 60 people have died in the past year's violence, including some in recent months from tear gas inhalation or police cars chasing youths during clashes. The government disputes the causes of death.

The opposition, led by Shi'ite Islamist party Wefaq, wants the elected parliament to have the power to form governments, but the government has so far only agreed to allow parliament more powers of scrutiny over ministers and budgets.

The government has said the island's majority Shi'ite Muslims coordinated the protests with Iran for sectarian reasons, an accusation the opposition has denied. (Reporting by Andrew Hammond; Writing by Isabel Coles; Editing by Tim Pearce and Andrew Heavens)