ABU DHABI Ñ Islamic fundamentalists scored major gains in
Bahraini parliamentary elections last week.
Arab diplomatic sources said that Islamic candidates won a majority of
the 19 seats decided into the first round of elections. Women
candidates did not win any seats in the first parliamentary elections in
Bahrain since 1975.
Runoff elections for the remaining seats of the 40-member parliament
will be held on Thursday, Middle East Newsline reported. Two women will run in the next round of elections.
Mahdi Rabiya, a leading Bahraini analyst, said 10 of the 19 winners were
from fundamentalist groups. He identified them as members of Al Asalah
and Al Minbar Al Islami, both dominated by Sunni Muslims.
The kingdom did not express concern over the victory by fundamentalists.
Bahrain has 400,000 citizens, most of them devout Muslims who attend mosque
regularly and contribute heavily to Islamic charities.
"We are all Muslims so I am not afraid of that," Bahraini Crown Prince
Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa said.
The only liberal candidate to have won election was former Education
Ministry official Ibrahim Al Abdullah. Al Abdullah ran unopposed.
The first round of elections was boycotted by the four leading
opposition groups, which charged that parliament was not given sufficient
authority. The boycott largely affected Shi'ite Muslims, who comprise a
majority of the kingdom.
Justice Minister Abdullah Bin Khalid Al Khalifa said 53.2 percent of
eligible voters cast ballots. But diplomats said the turnout probably did
not exceed 40 percent.
The United States applauded Bahrainis elections and urged the kingdom to
continue with democratic reforms. Manama is the headquarters of the U.S.
Fifth Fleet, commanded by Vice Adm. Timothy Keating, and has been the scene
of anti-American demonstrations.
Bahrain also serves as the headquarters of of the U.S. Marine Corps
component of Central Command. The marine commander is Lt. Gen. Earl
Hailston.
Britain has deployed forces in Bahrain. They included the Royal Air
Force's Tri-Star refueling tankers at Bahrain airport.