Bahrain A'ara'a: Who Occupied Salmaniya Medical Complex? The Full Saga

Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC), the largest public hospital in the Kingdom of Bahrain, hosting up to 5,000 people, was the scene of unprecedented events in Bahrain, in February and March of 2011.

Beginning

It all started when one person was inspired by the Arab Spring movements throughout the Arab world and decided to call for peaceful sit-ins all over Bahrain, on 14^th of February 2011, on the 10^th anniversary of the National Action Charter, which was blessed by 98.4% of Bahrain’s people, then overturned by the King of Bahrain when he declared a new Constitution that overruled the contractual Constitution of 1975. The King, his Crown Prince and Minister of Justice, prior to people voting for the National Charter, promised the People of Bahrain that 1975 Constitution fundamental Articles shall remain intact, in an attempt to attract the people to vote for the National Charter. They did that through popular visits to opposition leaders, through local newspapers and through local media statements.

People responded, reacted and interacted to the call for sit-ins. On the 14^th of February 2011, all villages and cities arranged peaceful sit-ins, calling for political reforms, the revoking of “2002 Constitution”, ceasing illegal/political nationalization and setting up a real legislative parliamentary institution.

What Happened?

All sit-ins, with no exception were cracked down, brutally. Riot Police killed Ali AbdulhadiMushaima (21, from Daih) with a shotgun, while he was standing in the alley next to his home in Daih village, on the 14^th of February. The next day, and just prior to the commencement of Ali’s funeral, riot police killed another citizen, Fadhel Matrook (32, Mahooz) with a shotgun. The King appeared on TV, apologized, passed his condolences and ordered investigation; investigation that was never commenced.

Brutal crackdown on peaceful civilians

People gathered in Pearl Roundabout on the 15^th of February. 16^th of February was smooth.

With no prior notice or warning, riot police, viciously, attacked the protestors at the roundabout, at 0300 hours, while they were asleep, killing four citizens, Ali Khudair (53, Sitra), Mahmood Abu Taki (23, Sitra), Ali Ahmed Al Momen (21, Sitra) and Isa AbdulHassan (60, Karzakkan). As a matter of fact, Abdul Hassan and Khudair were executed. Witnesses saw the murder. Those witnesses were subject to arrest and torture.

SMC

People started gathering at SMC, the closest and safest point to the Pearl Roundabout. People were furious. Riot police attacked thousands of innocent and peaceful citizens during their sleep. Ministry of Interior and SMC administration banned ambulances from reaching the Roundabour site. Ambulances were only allowed to enter once the Roundabout was completely evacuated. And even then, medics were beaten and ambulances were vandalized by riot police at checkpoints surrounding the Pearl Roundabout area.

Bahrain Defense Force (BDF) entered the loop. Tanks and armored vehicles, supported by thousands of soldiers entered the city and surrounded the Roundabout area. People are still in SMC. Medics arranged marches in the parking lot of SMC, demanding the resignation of the Minister after his inhumane response and after he lied on TV about the oveall situation and about the number of injuries and dead; he said, "There are no deaths; only seven minor injuries"! At least 250 people were admitted for treatment. Thousands of raged people were demonstrating in the parking lot of SMC also, demanding the resignation of the Minister, condemning the atrocities of riot police and the use of excessive force and demanding the King and the Prime Minister to step down, due to the brutal attack on Bahraini civilians.

Bahrain Defense Force shooting unarmed, peaceful protestors

On the 18^th of February, and after the commemoration of the final day of Ali Mushaima consolation, people marched to the Roundabout. Again, the peaceful demonstrators were shot at; by BDF forces this time. Live ammunition was used. AbdulredhaBu Humaid (32, Malkiya) was shot in the head by live rounds. He died three days later.

People went back to SMC, shocked, infuriated, enraged, hurt, compassionate, traumatized and angry. “How can the Government do this to us, and why?”, they ask. “How can our army kill us?”. “What have we done?”. People assembled sit-ins and demonstrations in the parking lot of SMC, in solidarity with the doctors and medics and in unity with the hundreds of injured people inside SMC.

Medica demonstrating in SMC, demanding the resignation of the Minister of Health and holding banners that say, "BANNING AMBULANCES IS A CRIME"

People started calling for the fall of the regime. Police forces and army withdrew from the Roundabout on the 19^th of February. People returned to the Roundabout. The Crown Prince gave a safety latch to the protestors. He said on TV that people have the right to protest and that they can return to the Roundabout.

Doctors

All government atrocities were witnessed by the medics. They treated the wounded. They attempted to treat the ones who died. They have records of each and every single injury. They talked to international media. They appeared on foreign media TVs. They exposed the regime’s crimes, acts of violence, brutality, cruelty and atrocities. They haven’t done anything but fulfil their humanitarian and professional duties.

SMC was quiet between the 3^rd week of February and 2^nd week of March.

The regime started again on the 9^th of March, this time through spreading thugs and mercenaries inside villages, schools and universities, to terrorize and attack peaceful civilians. SMC started admitting the wounded once again. And, once again, people gathered in SMC parking lot, in solidarity with the wounded.

Medics performing their humanitarian and professional duties

People of Bahrain during a sit-in in SMC parking lot, peacefully praying for their brothers and sisters

The scene is no different than February. Angry People. Silent and/or provokatove Government.

Regime Version of the Narrative

The disgraceful atrocities of the regime were exposed by doctors and medics. The regime was put in a corner. Their only way out was to fabricate stories and lies about SMC and medics. The regime claimed that SMC was occupied, using weapons (Kalashnikovs). The regime alleged that medics refused to treat patients based on their sects. The regime claimed that medics took as hostages the wounded Asians, who participated in pro-Gov attacks against civilians. The regime accused medics of abusing the use of ambulances and using them to transport weapons! The regime accused medics of attempting the overthrow of the regime. The regime accused the medics of violating the Declaration of Geneva articles. The regime accused the medics of smuggling medicine to the Roundabout. The regime accused the medics of operating on needless cases, which caused death to the injured. The regime’s media showed a video of an ambulance delivering Asian thugs to SMC and accused the doctors of throwing them on the ground like animals. The regime’s media showed a video of medics demonstrating and demanding the resignation of the Minister and accused the doctors of disregarding and neglecting patients inside SMC. The regime’s media showed an ambulance attending events that took place in the University of Bahrain and accused doctors of using the ambulance to transport weapons from SMC to the University!

The Regime arrested those medics, beat them, tortured them, threatened them with rape and then sentenced them to 5-15 years imprisonment. Check http://www.doctorsinchains.org/ for the doctors testimonies.

Some doctors were arrested from their homes. Others, like Dr Ghassan Dhaif was arrested at the airport. Dr. Ali Al-Ekri was arrested from the theatre while operating on a child!!!

Refuting the Regime’s Allegations

1) On the 9^th of March, Bahrain TV visited SMC with the Minister of Health and interviewed medics from both sects. Situation was very normal. The Minister praised the performance of the medics. Interviewed medics announced that SMC was operating with high performance. All declared that SMC was open to the public and requested people to ignore rumors spread by unknowns.

Minister of Health visit to SMC and BTV coverage

2) International media, before being expelled from the country by the regime, were present at all times. They mirrored what they experienced to their respective media channels, honestly and transparently.

The Independent reporter Robert Fisk said, "I saw these brave doctors trying to save lives - these charges are a pack of lies", on Tuesday, June 14, 2011.

3) The Minister of Health, after allegedly accusing doctors of performing unnecessary surgeries with the intention of killing the injured, in a public media conference, withdrew the allegation a few weeks later!!

The conference in which the Minister of Justice and Minister of Health lied to the workd and accused Dr. Nabeel Hameed of operating on an injured protestor for the purpose of faking the real injury! This accusation never reached the court because it was a LIE!

4) ALL the medics were exposed to severer torture, for which they were forced to sign hundreds of papers, blindfolded. Check http://www.doctorsinchains.org/ for the doctors testimonies. The following are snapshots for some tweets by one of the doctors, Dr. Bassim Dhaif, who was sentenced for 15 years imprisonment.

Dr. Bassim Dhaif tweets on his arrest

5) Many allegations were dropped by the General Prosecution due to the insufficiency of evidences. This is the link to the National Safety Court Rulings in the case against doctors. Very funny and cruel. I urge the reader to read it.

6) 40+ people were witnesses on the innocence of the medics and they delivered their testimonies in court.

7) The regime accused 20 doctors of occupying a public hospital that can host up to 5,000 people!

The "criminal" doctors

8) The 20 doctors accused of occupying SMC are the best doctors in the region in their respective fields.

9) These were their crimes...

Doctors treated the injured and felt compassionate towards them

They were in the Pearl Roundabour, in solidarity with their own oppressed people

They spoke!!

They said, "NO"!

10) During February and March, not a single case was reported on patients being abused. Only after 16^th of March did that happen.

11) Dr. Nihad Al-Shirawi stated the following, "We're held like hostages inside Salmaniya Hospital (by the Army). We're not allowed to go back home. Some doctors are being physically harassed".

12) No summons, whatsoever, from the military or the general prosecution were presented at the time of the arrest. All doctors were physically attacked at the time of their arrests.

13) Doctors were not informed about their charges or their constitutional or legal rights

14) Doctors were prohibited from contacting their families and/lawyers. Some doctors were only allowed to meet with their lawyer 24 hours prior to their miltary trial

15) Doctors were tried before a military court

Army

The army raided SMC on the 16^th of March. This is what they did.

Army beating, torturing then arresting medics inside SMC - Part I

Army beating, torturing then arresting medics inside SMC - Part II

SMC tunred into a militay camp; a scary one... Any injured protestor who gets admitted into SMC gets beaten, tortured and then arrested, by those...