BICI Reading - Part 7 (Demolition of Religious Structures)

Demolition of Religious Structures

[bici] 1306-1307: The Commission received reports that 53 religious structures were demolished. It selected 30 for detailed investigations. Note here that 23 more religious structures were NOT investigated.

[bici] 1313: Of the 30 places of worship investigated, 28 were mosques, 1 was a matam/mosque and 1 was a shrine

[bici] 1313: Five of these places of worship had a royal deed and building permit

[bici] 1313: Six were located on private land owned by a third party.

[bici] 1313: 19 were located on public land; two had a royal deed but no building permit, one had a building permit but no royal deed and 16 had neither a royal deed not a building permit

[bici] 1315: The 30 sites were demolished between 31 March and 1 May

[bici] 1316: The places of worship were demolished by MoI’s General Security and Riot Police and National Security Agency, as per the complainants allegations.

[bici] 1316: The Commission was unable to determine which government agencies were directly involved in any specific demolition. I can’t understand how the BDF involvement was ignored. Please see this video (and there are tens more):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oReQs66IgIM

[bici] 1318: The MMAUP reported that it had attached a municipal notice of violation to the 28 places of worship that were demolished after adoption of Decree No. 2105-05 of 2011. Some of the notices were issued as early as 15 March 2011, even though [bici 1319] Decree No. 2105-05 of 2011 was issued on 10 April 2011!!! The notices were issued before the Royal Decree!!

[bici] 1320: Three methods were used for demolition: manual tools, heavy machinery and burning.

[bici] 1322: Commission investigators were informed that General Security and Riot Police forbade the locals from removing Qurans prior to their demolition. Isn’t that clear enough to prove and show the intentions of demolitions??!!

[bici] 1324.a: Amir Mohammed Barbagi constituted a clear and present danger to the users of the highway!! The mosque was built 400 years ago and demolished in the middle of the night without proper notification of the orders for demolition!! Instead of paving a proper entrance for the mosque, the remedy is to demolish it!! Please save us the crap of “illegal” and “no deeds” and “building permits”!!!

[bici] 1324.b: On 21 September 2011, Dr Al Kaabi said that these sites (mosques in Barboura, Nuwaidrat) were labeled by the MoI as dangerous sites where Shia youth gathered, organized and armed themselves!! So, that’s why!! First of all, GoB did not prove the above and CANNOT prove it, as it never happened in the first place! Secondly, do you just go and demolish buildings where you think or allege that youth gather??!! With regards to “youth arming themselves”, the GoB failed and will continue to fail in proving this, as the GoB knows very well that the people, with the exception of security personnel connected to governmental agencies, are unarmed.

[bici] 1324.b: On 21 September 2011, Dr Al Kaabi further stated that the sites were also used as staging grounds to attack government forces stationed nearby and that incitement and provocation against the government took place there!!

[bici] 1324.b: On 21 September 2011, Dr Al Kaabi also added that MMAUP was also informed that some of these sites were used for weapons storage, especially for Molotov cocktails and associated materials. If we assume, hypothetically, that Molotov cocktails were stored in the site, does that give any authority to demolish the site? Wouldn’t the “criminals” look for another site? Wasn’t it a better idea to arrest those involved?! Did the demolition fix the problem?!!

[bici] 1332: The applicable administrative law was not followed; the order (of demolition) was deemed applicable immediately without providing an opportunity for those who opposed the demolition to be heard before an administrative body and eventually before the judiciary.

[bici] 1333: On its face this (storing weapon and staging violent attacks) is a valid justification qualifying for imminent danger and thus demolition without any more than the issuance of the administrative order and the posting if the notice. Are you serious?!! Bring down to the ground any site that MAY host danger?! I wonder why weren’t the places bombed with F-16s?!! It seems the Commission believes that Bin Laden rebels are hiding in Barboura, Nuwaidrat and bombing the site is necessary to kill the rebels once and for all!!! Mr. Bassiouni, those who were alleged to be criminals are set free. They can return at any time, in any mosque, in any house, in an y building and gather again, that's if we assume they constitute a "threat"!

[bici] 1333: The GoB has acted pursuant to National Safety Laws. I thought the National Safety Law itself raised question marks on its constitutionality…

[bici] 1334: The GoB had not stopped the construction of these structures not taken actions to remove them for a number of years. Great conclusion. Next conclusion is even greater.

[bici] 1334: The Government should have realized that under the circumstances, the manner in which demolitions were conducted and the fact that these were primarily Shia religious structures, the demolitions would be perceived as a collective punishment and would therefore inflame the tension between the GoB and the Shia population.