Bahrain Video Diary, Part 1: The Freedom Torch Marches Across the Country

The father of the martyr Ali Alshaikh holds the “Freedom Torch” and leads the march in Markuban, 27 October

See also Bahrain 1st-Hand: Friday's "Festival of Loyalty" Opposition Rally

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An EA correspondent has been following the opposition's Freedom Torch as it moves across Bahrain, culminating in a ceremony on 22 November in Sanabis, near Pearl Roundabout, the symbolic centre of the protests that began 14 February:

26 October: Mehaza, Sitra

The lighting of the Freedom Torch in Mehaza village on Sitra Island --- for more than one reason, this is a great victory for the 14 February Coalition. Most importantly, it shows the ability of the group to organise and encourage people to take part of their festivals.

After the festival ended, a rider on horseback took the flame and vanished into the dark.

27 October: Markuban, Sitra

During a Shia ritual, commemorating the death of Imam Al Hassan in the village of Markuban a youth showed up holding the “Freedom Torch” and chanting “Down with [King] Hamad”. People responded with a march through the village until police answered with tear gas.

28 October: Sitra

The torch moved from village to village on the island until it led the near-daily march in Kharijia, with the father and brother of the “Eid Martyr” Ali Alshaikh participating. The march ended with the lighting of a picture of King Hamad --- it burned on the ground next to the slogan "Down with Hamad".

28 October: AlEker

The Torch was handed from the rider to the son of the detainee Sheikh Edris Alakrawi, followed by a speech and a march to the graveyard where village martyrs have been buried. Only then was the procession attacked by security forces.

29 October: Nabeeh-Saleh

The arrival of the Torch on Nabeeh-Saleh, the smallest island of Bahrain, sent a strong message: the island is a sensitive area for security forces because it has the Ministry of Interior Officers Club and the villas of many of the officers.

The festival to welcome the Torch” started late at night, with youth from AlEker running with the flame. Reaching the stage, he handed the torch to another masked youth, wearing a white shroud to show he is ready to die for Bahrain.

Holding the flame, the youth walked among the crowd who where chanting “Down Down Hamad”. Arriving at a group of revolutionaries holding Bahrain flags, he raised the flame high, sending the message that even in an island that is full of officers, protesters will not be fearful and will continue the fight for freedom and dignity. In a short speech, the residents of the village thanked the 14 February Coalition for their trust in handing over the flame, promising to continue the demonstrations until achieving victory.

30 October: Alma'ameer

Youth from Nabeeh-Saleh took the Torch by a boat to Ma’ameer, handing it to a young man who ran with the flame to the centre of the village.

After a reading from the Qur'an, a masked man wearing the customary "thoob" of Bahrain spoke traditional custom (Thoob) spoke in the name of the martyrs, prisoners, and free women to swear for all Bahraini men that the revolution will continue until victory.

31 October: Sanad and Nuwaidrat

The Freedom Torch was carried to nearby Nuwaidrat, but police mercenaries broke into the festival and started attacking the protesters, forcing the cancellation of the rally before the main speech.

Immediately after the attack, the 14 February Coalition --- sending a message that the uprising cannot be suppressed that easily, as "the flame shall never be extinguished" --- organised another festival just before midnight in the village of Sanad.

Protesters in Sanad carried the youth holding the flame on their shoulders as they chanted, “We will sacrifice our blood and souls for the martyrs”. At the stage, a woman took the flame where a speaker insisted that the main demand for the people of Bahrain is the fall of the regime.

1 November: A'ali

Residents A’ali decided to hold the festival in broad daylight as a sign of defiance. Chairs were set out for the crowd, as a group of youth carried a coffin with pictures of the village martyrs. At the stage, the coffin was put on the ground, and a youth held up the Torch and a shroud covered with "blood" (red ink), chanting "Allah Akbar (God is the greatest" and "Down Down Hamad".

The flame was handed to another revolutionary from the villag, who walked down the stage and broke the bars of a "prison" to free youths. The flame was then taken among the crowd, which formed a human chain.

2 November: Bori

The village of Bori,once called “The Cradle of Scholars”, has sustained regular attacks during the uprising. Many youth from the village are still detained.

The “Freedom Flame” was welcomed by the standard ceremony, a youth from the village with the Torch marched between a chanting crowed. However, instead of the regular speeches, a letter from the family of the village martyr, Abdulrasool Alhujairi, was read. When the festival ended, a horse rider from the village Shahrakan took the flame and rode away in the dark.

Later this week: Part 2 of the Torch's March