Bahraini Opposition Marks Independence Day by Reaffirming Call for Sovereignty

Bahrain’s opposition factions are marking the country’s 55th Independence Day by reaffirming their commitment to building a sovereign state based on institutions and national unity, while accusing the Manama regime of dragging the country into wars that serve the interests of foreign powers.

In a joint statement on Friday, six opposition groups, including Al-Wefaq and the February 14 Youth Coalition, said the ruling regime had “squandered the great sacrifices of our dear people” made for independence and imposed an authoritarian constitutional system.

Bahrain declared independence from Britain on August 15, 1971, but the Manama regime does not celebrate the date. Instead, it marks National Day on December 16, commemorating the accession of the Al Khalifa clan to power.

According to the opposition groups, Bahrain’s sovereignty has been progressively weakened over the years by the expansion of the US and British military presence and normalization with Israel.

“This was a prelude to dragging the country into the furnace of wars and conflicts that serve the interests of foreign powers hostile to the people,” the opposition statement reads.

The opposition concluded the statement by vowing to continue working toward a sovereign, united state based on institutions, despite the “new wave of repression” triggered by the fallout from the US-Israeli war on Iran.