Ayesha Saldanha
Stories
May 3rd, 2008
Bahrain: Lebanese singer causes political storm 
· 18:12
· Middle East & North Africa Earlier this week the provocative Lebanese singer Haifa Wehbe performed in Bahrain, but not before Bahrain's MPs protested and tried to ban her concert.
Mahmood gives us a taste of Haifa Wehbe's music in a vlog:
He adds:
So what’s so special about this lady then, that would make her so damnably dangerous that they’re all frothing at the mouth to bar her from performing in Bahrain?
Well my friends, I hope this vlog will demonstrate that there is really nothing unusual about her, other than being a beautiful lady who can’t sing! But those qualities could hardly be held against her, she is not the first and most certainly not the last person to use what Allah has given her to her advantage.
Munther was offended by the high price of tickets - for a concert which happened to be on International Workers' Day:
Oh and bringing Haifa Wahbi to celebrate the day is the biggest insult to the working class especially with tickets starting from BD 50 ($132.642) - who are you kidding?
What's Up Bahrain is also shocked by the ticket prices:
WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD PAY 200 DINARS TO SEE A TALENTLESS WOMAN SING ON STAGE !!!!!!!! Seriously what's up with those ticket prices, if you're willing to charge that much for a hayfa wehbe concert why not get someone who deserves it.
Nevertheless, the concert sold out - and Mahmood has a theory why:
In spite of the 'severe' objections from Islamist MPs, Hayfa sang last night at the Gulf Hotel and thrilled the audience who filled the hall with all tickets sold! What does this demonstrate? Does it demonstrate that the MPs have no authority whatsoever, or is it that the government chose - in its wisdom - to simply stall and ignore them completely and do nothing to let the concert go on? To me, I think it clearly demonstrates that at the very least the MPs did not choose their battle wisely, they rushed things, polarised opinions, stepped on multiple toes and in the end, the lady sang despite all their objections, resolutely poking her fingers in their wandering eyes while thanking them, even subliminally, for making her show a memorable sellout concert. Hang on, maybe it was that in the first place, both Hayfa and the MPs were in cahoots. It was a planned PR and marketing exercise to ensure that the tickets - even the expensive ones - sell out completely! Smart! Those MPs are very very smart!
Ammaro looks at the bigger picture:
I wasn't even going to go into the whole Haifa Wahbi issue, since I believed the whole fuss raised about her was, to say the least, ludicrous. But when I … just mentioned the fact that I thought our MPs were being really, very silly by trying to ban the concert, I get our dear Mr. Anon arguing at how he didn't like what I said. Well, the truth is, the are unfortunately a number of people who are with our MPs on this, and who believe banning a singer was the right thing to do. This isn't a reply to you, Anon, but it's a reply to all Islamists who believe our country should turn into a mini Saudi Arabia, all those who believe our MPs have a job to enforce their religious extremist beliefs on us, and is a direct message to all our MPs to stop their stupid antics and do the job they were hired to do. Anon, you mentioned that Bahrain is supposed to be an ‘Islamic Country'. Well allow me to say that really has no relevance; countries don't go to heaven or hell, countries don't get judged under of the eyes of God. People do. It doesn't matter how ‘Islamic' you try to make a country, it won't affect the people in it; the good people will be good, and the bad people will be bad, regardless of where they live. … Now let's jump back to our MPs. Trying to ban a singer? Bahrain has ISSUES, guys! From unemployment problems, to housing, to corruption, to figuring out who stole what from where.. We didn't hire you to do religion, we hired you to do politics. But you guys focus on a bloody singer, and you're giving me Islam as an excuse? Islam is about behaviour, actions, and what's inside your heart first before anything else. Things banned are only a small part of it, but you've turned it into a HUGE issue. When you guys sit in a parliament session swearing at each other, that's not Islamic. When you guys skip a session to fulfil your own agendas while the people who trusted and elected you wait, that's not Islamic. Hell, when you try to do a job you're unqualified for, sitting on your butts earning a salary that you don't deserve, that's not Islamic. So get off our backs and start doing your jobs, or resign and let someone whose qualified to create progress do them.
And in a follow-up post, Ammaro has some disappointing news for the MPs:
0 comments · »»Here's to our MPs and everyone else trying to ban Haifa Wahbi thinking THAT will solve all our morality issues. A big slap in the face for you, Manama has been ranked as the NUMBER EIGHT sin city in the world.
April 29th, 2008
Bahrain: Food, Money and Traffic
· 14:10 · Middle East & North AfricaBahraini bloggers are sticking to the important subjects this week: food, money and traffic congestion.
But we start with a painting by Bashayer, who has a blog called Bashayer Art:
The art of cooking
Reeshiez explains why she has a cooking blog:
If you knew me, you'd be surprised that I started a cooking blog. Although I love cooking, I am more interested in politics, religion and current events. … So why a cooking blog? Well a cooking blog doesn't take much effort. You just post your recipes and thats about it. But
most importantly, cooking makes me happy. I see it as an outlet to life's frustrations. Whenever something is bothering me, be it personal or political, I start cooking something. Cooking is almost magical - You take a bunch of ingredients, put them together and then end up with something delicious and satisfying. If someone enjoys a dish I made or a recipe I gave them, then I feel happy and satisfied. I also love listening to people's ideas on how to improve a recipe and make it even better. I love how recipes can become personal - with each cook adding a special something that makes a recipe uniquely their own. I hope you enjoy my recipes and please feel free to send me some of your own!
Naz, a Bahraini student in Melbourne, also has cooking on her mind as she writes an open letter to her neighbours:
Is it Ramadhan already? Last week I suffered the taunting and delicious samboosa cooking fumes that you sent up my window, for a whole week, every night at midnight. … Right now I would like to not only thank the mystery chef for sending me a smell I so dearly missed, hitting me with waves of nostalgia, but I would also like to reprimand them for the very same reason. It is a beautifully cruel thing you are doing. Getting my stomach to rumble with hunger even though I’ve just had dinner. … But to take it another step further, and to start cooking ramadhan kebabs?? Now that’s just playing dirty. So dear mystery chef, if you happen to read this, and feel sorry for me, and suddenly get the urge to feed this poor international student who loves food just as much (if not even more than) her boyfriend, then please feel free to do so.
Food for thought
Gardens of Sand is another Bahraini studying abroad, in the States. She tells us about something that made her stop and think in her economics class:
Dr. C was pontificating on how non-economists wrongly view the world through pessimistic eyes and how we economists being the wiser need to dispel the misconceptions. For example he says, most people are negatively biased towards immigration. They think it’s the worst thing that can happen to their country. They blame the foreigners. Everyone blames the foreigners. No jobs, it is the foreigners’ fault. High crime, it is the foreigners’ fault. Inflation, foreigners’ fault. Failing education and health systems, yup you guess it, foreigners’ fault. … Foreigners are always to blame yet who those foreigners are depends from one country to another. One thing the countries have in common: IT IS NEVER THE LOCALS’ FAULT! … In the USA, people are freaking about the influx of the Mexicans. The Mexicans meanwhile are going crazy trying to stop the Guatemalans from illegally entering Mexico! An Indian newspaper lamented the influx of Bangladeshi immigrants to India. Apparently they are lowering the standard of living in India and taking away all the jobs! Upon hearing the last statement I burst out laughing. How many times did I hear Wonderlandians [Bahrainis] complain about the Indians taking all the jobs and driving the wages down….aaaaah sweet justice!
Paying for the privilege
Jaafar Salman is also thinking about economics:
مدرسة خاصة , مستشفى خاص , مدرس خصوصي , هذه من الصطلحات المتدوالة بشكل يومي في البحرين , فحياتنا تتجه تدريجيا نحو ( الخاص ) , والخاص ببساطه هو مصطلح معبّر عن الخدمة المتلقاه لمن يستطيع ان يدفع والتي بدورها تختلف من ناحية الجودة عن تلك المتوفرة لمن لا يستطيع ان يدفع. … في بلدنا للاسف الحياة تتحول الى ثقافة الخاص وثقافة المال , فمن يملك يحصل ومن لا يملك لا يحصل , فانت هنا تقاس آدميتك على حسب المال الذي تملك فكلما كثر مالك كثر مقدار آدميتك , وربما انتهز الفرصة لالفت نظر الحكومة الموقرة الا ان في بعض البلدان مثل تايلند واندنوسيا هناك شوارع سريعه غير مزدحمة يستطيع المرء السير فيها باريحيه تامة بعد ان يدفع قليلا من المال فياحبذا لو تضع الحكومة الموقرة المشروع نصب اعينها وتبني طرق جديدة كما في تايلند لحل مشكلة الزحام , فحينها لن يستطيع احد ان يشتكي من الزحام , فالرد سيكون ادفع قليلا وانت تتخلص من الزحام
A private school, private hospital, private tutor - these are the main phrases being circulated among people on a daily basis in Bahrain. Our lives are gradually moving towards the private, which is simply a word which connotes a service rendered to whoever can pay, and which, in turn, is different in quality than that available for those who can't.. In our country, it is unfortunate that life is moving towards the cultures of private (services) and money. Those who own, get what they want, and those who don't, don't. Your humanity is measured according to the money you own. The more money you have, the higher the level of your humanity. I might take the opportunity to tell the government that in some countries like Thailand and Indonesia, there are highways, which are not congested, where people can drive at ease in return for paying a little money. I really hope that the government takes this project into consideration and builds new highways to put a solution to congestion. When that happens, no one will complain about traffic and the reply to them would be: Pay a little and get rid of congestion.
Birthday boy
Yagoob asks a question, and gives us a surprising answer:
What do all people born in Bahrain during the 20th Century until the mid-1960’s have in common? … They all have the same birthday!
If you want to know why that is the case, see here.
In fact Yagoob's blog celebrated its first birthday this week. Yagoob has taken a new direction, by starting vlogging - and he's encouraging other Bahraini bloggers to do the same.
0 comments · »»Bahrain: MPs call to deport homosexuals
· 00:46 · Middle East & North AfricaBahrain's MPs have tabled a motion to root out homosexuality in the country.
Veteran vlogger Mahmood Al Yousif, who has just started a new series of vlogs called the M.Report, gives his opinion about the demand by Islamist MPs that homosexuality be stamped out in Bahraini schools, and foreign homosexuals be deported:
He adds:
Sex is never too far from Islamists’ minds, it seems, especially if they are law makers. This might be because they view their legislative role as nothing more than protecting people from themselves - according to their views anyway - and ensuring that society toes the straight and narrow - again, according to their definitions - in order to prevent them from going to hell and eternal damnation. It could also be for selfish reasons, where they view that with executing that “over-sight” role in parliament and life, they would receive untold brownie points from Allah in Heaven and by that ensure that they can have as much sex as they want then. Deferred payment, if you like. I’m not sure if anyone calculated how much time they spent in parliament discussing what they find objectionable: sex in general, homosexuality, lesbianism, butch girls, you name it, but the amount of time they dedicate to penalising sexual criminals and child rapists is close to zero. The time they spend in ensuring that personal freedoms are sacrosanct, is probably nil, and the time they consumed even discussing changing their own bylaws in order for them to be more effective is zero.
Kawthar, at Mideast Youth, is not impressed with the MPs' demand either. She writes:
3 comments · »»The proposal - which has been ratified by parliament called on:
1.The Interior Ministry to stop granting residence permits to foreign homosexuals
2.The Education Ministry to monitor students, and punishing those who veered towards homosexuality
3.The Industry and Commerce Ministry to monitor massage and hair salons to ensure that they have no closed rooms and that violators be prosecuted
In short, the MPs are calling for the creation of an Orwellian society.
April 20th, 2008
Middle East & North Africa
Yagoob has started vlogging (video blogging) and is encouraging other Bahraini bloggers to do the same.
April 18th, 2008
Bahrain: Blogging for the environment
· 18:32 · Middle East & North AfricaIn recent months Bahrain's bloggers have been turning more and more to environmental issues, and one group of bloggers have even started a campaign to raise awareness about the environmental damage caused by plastic bags.
We start, however, with Mohammed AlMaskati, who a while back expressed disbelief after hearing a minister say that the environment was a priority for the government:
The WHO?!.. Environment? In Bahrain?! … Dare I remind you sir that Bahrain has the sixth highest level of carbon dioxide emissions in the world? Dare I remind you that our beaches literally serve as “litter bins” and are practically unsafe to even walk on? … I honestly don’t understand how any Bahraini official could even talk about environmental protection issues given the miserable situation of the country…
Lizardo is worried about the rise in temperature:
I did a kind of a study for school before and found that with this rate of temperature increase we are in two hundred years losing 10% of our islands area due to sea level rise, which with simple little math equal an area of Manama and Muharraq together!
A group of bloggers decided to use their blogs to help raise awareness about plastic bags, and started a campaign in January. Writer and blogger Deonna Kelli Sayed interviewed Sayed Aqa, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bahrain, because the 2007-2008 UN Human Development Report was on climate change:
Deonna Kelli Sayed: What are some of the main challenges to Bahrain’s environment?
Sayed Aqa: As a small island state, sea level rise as a result of climate change will be a major challenge for the development and economy of Bahrain. Therefore, coastal area management as well as fresh water scarcity are major issues. Per capita, Bahrain has one of the highest rates of carbon emissions in the world, mainly from the energy sector. Scientists have agreed that if we don’t address these issues within the next few years, our planet will face catastrophic disasters that will affect our survival, particularly in countries like Bahrain.
…
DKS: What about plastic bags?
SA: Plastic bags are non-biodegradable. Therefore, their negative environmental impact is long lasting. Switching to cloth bags is something everyone can do without compromising much. This also is the most effective way of creating public awareness, as every one will get involved and people will have to make decisions on a daily basis NOT to use plastic bags. It is a constant reminder with a very positive contribution.
A number of supermarkets have recently introduced reusable bags, and announced they will soon be charging customers for plastic bags; Yagoob is pleased to hear it:
Another blogger, Maldita, is also happy at the supermarkets' move:
I have started using the jute bags and they are adorable. I feel strangely proud bringing my jute shopping bag with me as I walk through the hypermarket entrance. It’s practically easy to pack groceries with more space and being and more durable. What more, it is easy to lug around instead of those small plastic bags. Just sling them over your shoulder if you really don’t have enough loads that require use of the trolleys.
Hubby has complained that now we can’t use those bags as trash bags anymore. Yes we do our part of recycling the plastics but it isn’t enough. I patiently told him that the earth is there giving us what we she can offer. Yet, think of it, what about our children’s children? Will she have enough to give the same? I already talked my friends and everyone I know to make use of the bags and contribute to the effort of saving our planet. If you are in Bahrain, please grab one when you do your groceries!
We end with Mahmood, who was pleased to tell us recently about Bahrain's first Farmers' Market:
1 comment · »»It is very much hoped that this event will become a regular seasonal market with facilities that will promote local seasonal produce and handicrafts, enshrining the concepts of “buy local” and of course cutting the greenhouse gases at the same time. This is local produce with all the goodness of being picked fresh and consumed fresh with no frozen, shrink-wrapped pseudo-green things in sight!
April 13th, 2008
Bahrain: Policeman's death divides bloggers
· 23:54 · Middle East & North AfricaEarlier this week a Bahraini policeman, Majid Asghar Ali, 27, was killed after a patrol car was attacked and set on fire near a village called Karzakan. Bahrain's bloggers have been quick to comment.
SoulSearch is in shock:
What happened last night? What provoked a gang of 30 to 40 hooligans to do what they did last night? What's happening to Bahrain? When folks just want to get a good night's sleep to be able to go to work the next day and earn an honest living?
Does violence solve anything?
Majid Asghar Ali from the Police Force is dead. And for what? Does this help Bahrain in any way? Does this violence serve any cause?
It was a total shock to read the papers this morning. I almost choked on my coffee and sandwich!
God help us. Where are we going?
Peace people. You don't want to turn into another Lebanon. Trust me.
Peace for Bahrain.
So is Naz:
I am angry. Angry, shocked, Stunned that any kind of person find this kind of behaviour acceptable, or even worse, justifiable!
What is wrong with people?
Now I consider myself quite politically illiterate, and I’m happy to admit it, but surely there are better ways to make a point than throwing tantrums like 6 year olds? ways other than burning, hurting, sabotaging? better than violence?
Is it just me that wants home to remain home? To be able to see a happy future for my country and countrymen (and women)?
Butterfly remembers the death of a demonstrator, Ali Jassim Makki, in December, and blames both deaths on sectarianism:
وكل ما يعني البعض هو اختلاق الذرائع وتوزيع الاتهامات .. اما بالنسبة لهم فلم يعد مهما من يدين من ومن يلصق التهمة بمن .. لم يعد مهما ان يشحذ بعضهم الهمم لإثبات ان كان الضحية خائن أم شهيد آخر من شهداء الوطن.
فهؤلاء من فقدوا ابنائهم بين ليلة وضحاها بسبب ذنب لم يقترفوه ولم يقترفه صغارهم هم من أصبحوا ثكلى وأرامل ويتامى .. هؤلاء من سيحتفظون بسرادق العزاء في ذاكرتهم لا لثلاثة أيام ولا لأسبوع بل الدهر كله .. هؤلاء هم من يدفعون ثمن جرائمكم .. طائفيتكم واحقادكم .. طائفية عنصرية تفرق حتى في الموت بين نفس ونفس وفقا لجنسيتها وعقيدتها!
Manama Republic compares the lives of the demonstrators in Karzakan to the policeman, who came originally from Balochistan:
However, not all Bahrainis are convinced by the official story of Majid Asghar Ali's death. Ebtihal Salman has her doubts:
Haythoo, a political activist, also expresses his disbelief at the government's story:
And in another post he says:
But Mahmood is fed up of the conspiracy theorists:
2 comments · »»Who benefits from violence? … And the thing that beggars belief is that we find people condoning this activity or are in complete and utter denial. Putting “their side” on a pedestal and who can do no wrong whatsoever; while on the other hand, they blame the government for all ills without recognising a single positive aspect of its creation. Yes, we do have problems, but the line must be drawn in our own psyche to ensure that we actually do recognise wrong when we see it, regardless of who perpetrates it. And we should also drop those continuous conspiracy theories which some use to justify wrongs. In this particular instance; can anyone come up with a valid scenario in which we see elements in our government would actually sponsor people to throw Molotov cocktails on their own occupied police vehicles and sacrifice a human life while putting others in jeopardy simply to score a point? What insanity is this? […] Enough is enough. On both sides. We want to live with a semblance of harmony for goodness’ sake. These vandalism and criminal acts are not helping one little bit. Everybody, even who are called the opposition should come out and unambiguously condemn these criminal acts.
April 7th, 2008
Bahrain: Should young girls wear hijab?
· 03:39 · Middle East & North AfricaBahrain's bloggers have recently looked at topics including the difficulties of being a pedestrian in Bahrain, negative thinking amongst Bahraini youth, the pressure placed on young girls to wear the headscarf – and the need to communicate more with Americans.
Walk - don't walk
We start with Ammaro, who feels sorry for all the visitors currently in Bahrain for the Formula One Grand Prix currently taking place, who imagine they might be able to walk around:
Watching the streets of Bahrain fill up with foreigners, here for the Formula 1 race, gives the country a whole different feel. Driving around Manama I see random nationalities walking on the sidewalks; Americans, Europeans, Chinese, and so on. They're walking because, unlike us, they actually consider walking a reasonable means of getting around. If you've lived in Bahrain for anything longer than a few days, however, you would understand that walking is probably the least pleasant method of moving around. First, there are hardly any decent paths for pedestrians to walk on, making the whole experience a ‘try not to get hit by car as you walk on side of road' exercise. Second, the places most people want to visit are few and far in between, and coupled with very rough walking makes cars a bit of a necessity. Still, I do see the tourists walking from place to place, walking on the edges of the roads, on half built pavement, over uneven surfaces, looking a little frustrated. I don't blame them for being frustrated; we really have made the country very inconvenient for walkers. Public transport is really lacking, so everyone has to have a car. Everyone has to have a car, so more roads are built to accommodate cars, and somehow the pedestrians are forgotten. Fine when everyone in the country is used to not walking. Not fine when you have thousands of people visiting and would like to have a decent walk around town. … So remember, dear Bahrain visitors; our country has a lot to offer, lots of things for you to see, and lots of places for you to go; just make sure you drive there!
No hope?
Not everyone can follow Ammaro's advice, as they do not have a car; Mohammed AlMaskati recently gave a lift to young Bahraini hitchhiker, and was shocked by the pessimistic opinions he heard:
I dropped him to where he stayed and went on with my way, still shocked by the negativity this youngster carried, how could anyone live with such dark views when it comes to the future of their own country? How could one wake up everyday carrying such hate towards everything and anything that resembles Bahrain? At least back in the 90’s youngster in the same age group as he is would probably share more or less the same amount of hate and distress, but at least there was hope back then, there was a saviour in sight. One with a clear vision and objective, a shadowy agenda but that’s a whole different story altogether. While someone like Mr. Hitchhiker here has no faith in anyone, or anything. Has completely lost hope! To the extent that he would just blame anyone and anything for all the problems in the world. I mean…to blame the royal family for inflation? And he is supposed to be educated as well… well, at least he looks it…Such mindsets are the ideal breeding grounds for extremism and even terrorism eventually, but who is to blame really? The guy was raised in a way that he would completely rely for everything he needs to government, be it free schooling, health care and even the daily chores of the house and what have you there is always someone to take care of it for him, it is only natural that he would continue to rely on the government for housing and a proper income, how do you expect him to walk out of university and compete out there when he has simply never done it before? Or maybe it is the government to blame after all, it is easy to throw accusations left and right but boy do we have some depressed souls in this country!
Hijab: choice or obligation?
Butterfly is certainly depressed, but about something in particular. She tells us the story of Fatima:
عرفت ذلك من تعابير وجه فاطمة التي تغيرت في لحظة منذ ان بدأ الحديث يدور حول غطاء رأسها .. من احتقان عينيها بالدموع .. من اخفاءها لوجهها بوسادة المقعد الذي كانت تجلس عليه .. من تواريها بعد لحظات عن المكان. وتيقنت حينما سردت على والدتها قصتها مع المعلمة .. معلمة الفصل التي أستمرت طيلة العام الماضي في تأنيب فاطمة والسخرية منها على مرأى ومسمع جميع زميلاتها في الفصل لانها لا ترتدي الحجاب. ففاطمة حالة شبه شاذة في مدرستها التي يندر ان تجد فيها تلميذة لا ترتدي غطاء للرأس.
المربية الفاضلة، مربية الاجيال والتي يفصل بينها وبين فاطمة عشرات السنوات الضوئية لم تجد حرج في النزول بمستواها الفكري والعقلي لمستوى طفلة في الثامنة لتشن عليها نوع من الحرب النفسية، تارة بتبويخها وتلقينها دروس في مبادئ الاسلام والاخلاق الحميدة التي لم تتعلم هي أي شئ منها وتارة أخرى في مناصبتها العداء وانتهاز أي فرصة سانحة لاسقاط عقدها النفسية عليها لأنها لم تمتثل لأوامرها وترتدي الحجاب.
والنتيجة ان فاطمة بدأت ترزح تحت مجموعة من الضغوط النفسية، اضطهاد المعلمة لها من جهة وسخرية التلميذات منها من جهة أخرى…
كان ذلك في العام الماضي واليوم ترفض فاطمة الذهاب الى المدرسة دون غطاء الرأس بل انها قد تبكي لو ان أحدا منهم طلب منها ان تنزعه عنها. ليس ايمانا ولا حبا في ارتدائه ففاطمة ما زالت صغيرة جدا على استيعاب مثل هذه الأمور .. انها ترتديه خوفا من اساليب القمع التي تُمارس عليها في مدرسة حكومية في بلد ينادي بالديموقراطية، ووالديها التزما بالصمت لانهما لا يستطيعان نقلها الى مدرسة حكومية أخرى لأن القانون في البحرين يجبر التلميذ او الطالب على الالتحاق بمدرسة المنطقة التي يقطن فيها، ولا يستطيعان الحاقها بمدرسة خاصة لضيق ذات اليد، ولا يستطيعان الشكوى لوزارة التربية والتعليم خوفا من تعرض فاطمة للمزيد من المضايقات التي قد تؤثر سلبا على تحصيلها الدراسي.
حقيقة لم أكن أصدق ان قصص كهذه ما زالت موجودة في مدارسنا .. لست ضد الحجاب ولا المحجبات ولكني ضد القيم التي تُغرس قسرا ..
Fries with that?
S as in Saudi, a Swedish woman living in Bahrain, is also frustrated with how the young are treated:
“Please change A’s yoghurt, she likes Al Marai yoghurt. Please also change her cake to chocolate”
That was the note in my two year old daughter's nursery bag the other day. I didn’t know whether to laugh or get pissed off. Chose both. Since when did my daughter know what different brands are? Since when do I give my kids whatever they point at? And since when did it become a norm to eat chocolate cake every bloody day? This is not how I am raising my kids and I don’t even approve of the idiotic idea that they are actually required to bring a piece of cake every day. Is that what they call a snack? Look around you… There are obese kids all over the place and these are the habits they are taught at a the tender age of two? It’s sickening that an institution that is supposed to raise kids and educate them seems to think it is normal to eat crap like this every day. A while back I received a news letter from my sons school. Some of the elementary kids had been on a school trip. Did they go to a museum and learned about the heritage of Bahrain perhaps? No. Did they go anywhere and learned anything of use? No. Where did they go one may ask? They went to bloody Pizza Hut and had the honour of touring the kitchen and put their “favourite” topping on pizzas…
Talk the talk
We end with Mohammad Al-Ubaydli, a Bahraini living in Washington, who wants Arabs to talk more:
0 comments · »»As a university student in the 1970s Condoleezza Rice did the smart thing and learned to speak Russian. Today, the smart thing is to study Arabic. In Washington DC, a lot of people are trying to learn the language. One American I know found the experience so difficult that he switched to a diplomatic career in Europe. … And yet more and more Americans attend The Washington DC Arabic Language & Culture Meetup Club to practice their language skills. When I ask them why they are learning, many are uncomfortable. Some, I suspect, are trying to avoid telling an Arab that they want to become spies for the US government. But Americans in particular, and the West in general, must learn how to communicate with Arabs. There is an opportunity here for Arabs. … But the opportunity for Arabs is much larger than a business one: we can help Americans understand our Arab viewpoints, and why we hold these, rather than lamenting misunderstandings and fighting in frustration. An interesting example is from the Wikipedia, a free encyclopedia that allows anyone to improve existing work. … There is, of course, an Arabic language website…written by Arabs for Arabs but still mostly focuses on computing technology, reflecting the interests of its enthusiastic authors. But more of us should be writing more. Because just as Ms. Rice was smart to learn to talk to the Russians, we should be smart and learn to talk to Americans.
March 31st, 2008
Bahrain: Scorn for inflation package
· 00:07 · Middle East & North AfricaTo alleviate the effects of inflation in
Ammaro tries to make sense of the plan:
Inflation has hit
Bahrain hard; the price of basic goods has increased dramatically, and the people on the lower end of the earning scale (ie, most Bahrainis) are feeling the pressure. Give it up to our government to get up and do something about it; BD40 million has been assigned to help combat the inflation issue (approx USD105m), and the decision to decide what to do with it has been given to our parliament.The 40 million hasn't been used to help subsidize some of the basic goods that are being sold, nor work it out with the companies that provide these products. Nope, it has been given out to people in cash. You're not curing inflation here, you're watering it and helping it to grow. Each family is to get BD50 (approx USD130), every month for a year, to help them fight inflation. Any family earning a total of less than 1,500 is eligible. That means that if you're earning BD250 and have 4 kids (and feeling the pinch of inflation a little too much), you're getting the same as the childless couple earning BD1,500 (who are relatively shielded from it). […] The scariest thing about this issue, is that 33,000 families have been chosen to receive this aid. That's 33,000 families, getting 50 dinars, for a total of 12 months. Now, pull out your calculators for a second:
33,000 x 50 x 12 = Almost 20 million dinars.
Budget assigned, 40 million.
Where's the rest of this money going?
Concerned ‘Citizen X' is cynical:
Do the MPs believe this aid is going to resolve the crisis, curb it in any way, or dampen the effect on our pockets?
Prices will continue to rise, good will continue to get even more expensive, and the freaking cost of living will be more unbearable. Yet Dumb Ass proposals are being made by our “highly educated” MPs, who are convinced this quick fix is exactly what the doctor ordered. […] I suspect a lot of the price increases are due to GREEEEEEEEDD, not increasing supplier costs or transportation expenses…. All the MPS are recommending is a fix that is short term, I guess maybe up to the end of their Term in office……!!!!!!!
Gardens of Sand has some questions:
I quickly grew wary (I guess it’s the economist in me, or the libertarian thought that dominates the economic department of my college), how does the Bahraini government know who is eligible and who isn’t? Does the government keep tabs on its citizens’ earnings? The answer may not be as puzzling really, it can determine what an individual makes based on the amount that gets deducted for retirement etc. But what about the self-employed, most of whom do not make a bunch of money. The women that drive children to schools and such, it would be ridiculous to assume that they are putting any funds into retirement. How is their eligibility determined? With the different questions popping in my mind, a final one leaves me worried, however flawed the means of determining eligibility, the government has a plan in place to do that, right? Or does it just pick names from a hat, or a favorable list???
Coolred38 is asking much the same - for personal reasons:
Lately there has been the news that the govt will be giving needy families BD50 a month to help with the rising cost of living. I seen the list of names recently in the Arabic press…and here is my question. Just how does the government determine who is needy and deserves that BD50? I ask this question for purely personal reasons actually….and the reason I ask is because while going down the list of names I came across my ex husband's name. Now, from what I understand this money is meant for families that are in need. Considering my ex no longer has his family with him…and is only giving his 5 children the court ordered BD150 a month and claims he cant afford more than that…which I also know is not true…I wonder exactly what he had to do to apply for the BD50 under the label of family man?
Silly Bahraini Girl is astounded that recipients' names were printed in the newspapers:
FORTY pages of newsprint!
Four Zero.
That is what three newspapers dedicated inBahrain for announcing the names of the beneficiaries of a BD50 hand out from the government to help them cope with the increasing costs of living inBahrain . Forty pages, line by line, name by name. 30,000 names.
I am speechless. The cat has eaten my tongue. Had it been BD200, what would we have done? Written a book in honour of the beneficiaries or built a pyramid and carved their names on it?
And Khalid has some suggestions as to what could be done instead:
إلى أن يحين الوقت لحل معضلة الاربعين مليون نقدم مجرد 40 مقترح لعل وعسي إن يجد احده صدا .. أو آذان صاغية ..!!!
- يتم توزيعها على النواب الكرام لكل نائب مليون دينار .. وعلى النائب أن يقوم بتوزيعها في دائرته بما يمليه عليه ضميره …!!!
- إن توزع الأربعون مليون عن طريق اليانصيب ..!!
- تنشأ مدينة خاصة للمتقاعدين المحتاجين على إن تكون بقرب المقابر ..!!
- إن تطبع ملصقات برتقالية توضع على جبين كل محتاج و معوز ..ويكتب عليها صنع في البحرين ..!!
- معاهد لدعم التراث البحريني الشعبي لنشر قصة وملحمة ونشيد ” ماذا فعل الأربعين نائب ..بحق المواطن للرفاهية راغب .. والذي يعيش في بلد العجائب ” ..!!!
- جلب أطباء وخبراء في علم التنويم المغناطيسي لمنح كل مواطن جرعات مركزة من الثراء والرفاهية النفسية بدل الواقع المستحيل …!!!
- شراء بخور من الهند أو السند وإحراقه في الأزقة و الشوارع لكي يضمن توزيعها ووصول أبخرتها لأنوف جميع المواطنين …!
Until the time comes for the BD40 million crisis to be resolved, I present 40 suggestions, which I hope will not fall on deaf ears.
- Giving each MP BD1m and have every member distribute it among his constituents in the manner his conscience dictates!!
- Disbursing the BD40m in a lottery!!
- Developing a special town for the needy retired people, provided it was constructed next to the cemetery!!
- Printing orange stickers which would be stuck on the foreheads of all the needy people .. with the message Made in Bahrain written on them!!
- Setting up institutes to promote Bahraini folkloric culture to spread the story, saga and song of “What did the 40 MPs do for the prosperity of Bahrainis .. who are living in Wonderland!!”
- Bringing in doctors and experts in hypnotism to provide Bahrainis with concentrated doses of psychologically induced feelings of luxury and prosperity to replace their impossible reality!!
- Purchasing incense from India and Sindh and burning it on all the streets and alleys to ensure their fair distribution and that the odour reaches every citizen's nose!!
March 13th, 2008
Bahrain: Frustrated Fayrouz fans
· 18:35 · Middle East & North AfricaThis year's Spring of Culture, the biggest arts festival in Bahrain, has just started. Bloggers have got plenty to say about it – especially about the star attraction, Lebanese singer Fayrouz; tickets for her concert sold out almost immediately, and many are now being resold on the black market for highly inflated prices.
Image credit: Al Kaseef
We start with Hasan, who looks back to the controversy that surrounded Spring of Culture last year:
I just came back from the first event of the Spring of Culture here in Bahrain; the Armenian National Opera and Ballet Theatre was performing “Gayane” at the Culture Hall in Bahrain.
I actually felt different things while sitting in the Culture Hall in Manama. Exactly a year ago, the whole Majnoon Layla controversy was 'staged' in this place. This year’s opening act, interestingly, is also a dance based on the theme of love - which I found encouraging for those who stood on Marcel Khalife and Qassim Haddad’s message last year.
The Culture Hall, to me, is a pseudo-battlefield in which Bahrain is trying to figure out where it stands on different issues regarding its own identity. But I may be over-analyzing things.
Yagoob is confident that the Spring of Culture will be better than ever:
…reasons why this year’s spring will be much better than last year’s:
- Fairooz, you can’t get any classier!
- Much more family oriented shows such as Jump, Stomp and the Japanese Garden than the years before
- The big shows in Arad Fort are extended to two and three days unlike last year where most shows were one night only and left many people cursing themselves for missing out
- More Bahraini artists are participating
- Fayrouz (yes I changed the spelling) selling out in an hour!
Fayrouz is such an icon that everyone knew tickets to see her would sell like hot cakes; however some bloggers feel there is more to the story than meets the eye. Maroon Al Ras has a conspiracy theory, that he backs up with anecdotal evidence, about the involvement of the Lebanese community in Bahrain:
وعلى مسئوليتي، وبعد الاعتذار ممن يجب الاعتذار منه في إيراد هذا الاتهام، فإن متابعتي لموضوع تذاكر فيروز التي اختفت من مراكز البيع في دقائق معدودات، تبين الآتي:الشكوك تدور حول ” لوبي” من جنسية عربية في البحرين، وتحديدا هي”اللبنانية” قام بشراء معظم التذاكر، وهو يقوم بيعها الآن في الأسواق، وهناك أكثر من حادثة ” بيع سوداء” تشير إلى ذلك.
I take full responsibility and after apologising to those I should apologise to, those following the Fayrouz tickets issue, which have disappeared from box offices in a matter of minutes, have come to the following conclusion: There are suspicions surrounding a lobby from an Arab country, specifically the Lebanese, who have purchased most of the tickets, and are selling them on the black market. There are a number of incidents which point to that.
Butterfly blames other reasons for not being able to get a ticket:
أنا مستاءة .. مستاءة جدا .. ليس فقط بسبب عدم حصولي على تذكرة يتيمة لحضور حفل فيروز رغم أني ومنذ الاعلان عن مشاركتها في ربيع الثقافة لهذا العام وأنا أتصل يوميا بل كل ساعة للسؤال عن الوقت الذي سيتم فيه البيع فعليا، وليس لأنني ناقمة على من سلبوا مني ومن آخرين حلم أنتظرناه طويلا ولا ندري ان كان سيتحقق يوما فهذه هي المرة الثالثة وربما تكون الأخيرة التي سيهطل فيها صوت فيروز على أرض البحرين
أنا مستاءة .. مستاءة جدا لان ثقافتنا أصبحت ثقافة على قياس أصحاب الكروش الكبيرة وليسمح لي زميلي المدون الكسيف على استعارتي لعبارته التي وجدتها التعبير الأمثل لربيع ثقافة البحرين
أنا مستاءة لسلسلة الاكاذيب والتصريحات المتضاربة التي كنت الشاهد الاول على عدم صحتها او مصداقيتها .. لم تنفذ التذاكر في الساعة العاشرة صباحا ولا في الثانية عشرة ولا حتى في الصباح الباكر رغم استحالة حدوث ذلك بسبب وقوع أحد مركزي البيع في مجمع تجاري لا يفتح ابوابه قبل الساعة العاشرة صباحا. لقد نفذت التذاكر قبل ذلك الموعد بكثير بعد ان تقاسمتوها بينكم وبين اقاربكم واصدقائكم ومعارفكم هنا وهناك ولم تكتفوا عند هذا الحد فمنحتم المتبقي منها للمزايدين وتجار السوق السوداء
انا مستاءة ولكن عزائي الوحيد ان حضور جارة القمر كشف وجه ثقافتكم الحقيقية .. ثقافة الواسطة والمحسوبيات
I am annoyed… very annoyed; not just because I wasn't able to get a single ticket to attend Fayrouz's concert although I have been calling the organisers daily - no hourly - since the announcement was made that she will be performing at the Spring of Culture event to see when the tickets will actually go on sale. I am not envious that they have denied me and others a dream we have been waiting for a long time for, one which we don't even know will ever recur. This is the third and perhaps the last time Fayrouz sings in Bahrain. I am annoyed .. very annoyed because or culture has now become a culture which is measured by those with huge bellies. If my blogging colleague Al Kaseef would allow me, I would like to borrow some of his phrases which I found to be the most suitable to describe the Spring of Culture festival. I am annoyed with the series of lies and contradicting announcements which I witnessed personally … The tickets did not run out at 10am or at noon or at the wee hours of the morning simply because one of the sales points was at a commercial mall which doesn't open its doors before 10am. The tickets have run out before that by a long period of time - after you have split them up among yourselves, your relatives, friends and acquaintances from here and there. You did not stop there but distributed the rest to the black market traders. I am annoyed, but my only condolence is that the presence of Fayrouz exposed the true face of your culture - the culture of nepotism.
The Girl with No Face explains why Fayrouz means so much to her - but she is still prepared to part with her ticket:
I’m going to her concert.. YES .. i DID manage to get Fairouz concert tickets. I am fabulous. haha .. […] When I was younger, Every morning my mum would play fairouz and Majda al Roumi all the way from Adleya to Isa town (where we went to school for a few years). so now, when i listen to her music (some songs more than others) I get funny carefree feelings. I feel 5 years old again and happy =D
p.s. anyone willing to pay 400 dinars [approx. 1060 USD] for the ticket I have, I am willing to sell (need to pay off my credit card)
Al Kaseef is hanging onto his ticket, and going to the concert:
أنا ذاهب لفيروز. ومتيقن في ذهابي هذا أنني لن أستمع إلى بعض روائعها التي أحب وأعشق.. متأكد، فما عساها أن تكفي الساعة أو الساعتين.. لا تكفي لاختزال عملها.. لكن المحب غير الأناني لا يطلب الكثير.. المحب يستطيع تفهم أن فيروز الآن في السبعين في عمرها أو أزيد بقليل.
I am going to Fayrouz .. while knowing that I will not hear all her marvels which I love. I am confident of that as what is an hour or two? They are not enough to summarise her work … but a lover, who isn't selfish, doesn't ask for a lot. The lover understands that Fayrouz is now in her 70s or a little older.
1 comment · »»February 22nd, 2008
Middle East & North Africa
Bahraini blogger emoodz questions the appointment of a female judge – who only graduated in 2005.
About Ayesha Saldanha
I am a translator and writer, so I live with words; nothing makes me happier than learning a new language! I was born in India, grew up in Britain, have lived in various countries in the Middle East, and these days live in Bahrain, which may be tiny but is an incredibly complex and interesting place. I feel very attached to Bahrain, and I hope that in my coverage for Global Voices I can convey some of its cultural richness, as well as its social and political complexities. I blog at bint battuta in bahrain. Advocacy
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