Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Scepticism About Reforms

Armoured vehicles move through Sanabis in Bahrain today

See also Bahrain Follow-Up: Humpty Dumpty and the Regime's Friends in the US Congress
Mauritania Feature: The Popular Unrest Grows
Syria Wired: The Latest from Social Media and EA's Readers
Turkey Live Coverage (4 April): A "Casus Belli" for Syria?
Tuesday's Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: 70+ Dead, 70+ Bodies Found as Homs Hospital "Liberated"

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1925 GMT: Former Formula 1 champion Damon Hill has expressed concern over the staging of the Bahrain Grand Prix, ""It would be a bad state of affairs, and bad for Formula One, to be seen to be enforcing martial law in order to hold the race. That is not what this sport should be about."

In February, Hill had appeared to support the staging of the race, "There are sincere efforts to resolve the difficulties. There has been a change. Human rights organisations say there is a process in place to help Bahrain recover its reputation."

However, Hill, who won the title in 1996, said today, "Things are different now. The protests have not abated and may even have become more determined and calculated. It is a worrying state of affairs."

1845 GMT: Over the past two days, we have raised questions about the current trip of four members of the US Congress to Bahrain, a visit used by the regime as a public-relations bonanza. Now one of the four legislators, Democrat Jim Himes, has posted messages on Twitter:

On way back from #Bahrain. Visited sailors, govt officials and opposition. Also toured villages where protestors are met with tear gas.

— Jim Himes (@jahimes) April 4, 2012

On way back from #Bahrain. Visited sailors, govt officials and opposition. Also toured villages where protestors are met with tear gas.

— Jim Himes (@jahimes) April 4, 2012

1630 GMT: A Syrian Red Crescent distribution centre in Homs burned to the ground on Wednesday, amid conflicting reports over the cause.

Some activists said the building had burst into flames after shelling on the Qarabees section of Homs. A source close to the Red Crescent said unknown saboteurs had set fire to the building.

State news agency SANA said police had blamed the fire on "terrorist groups".

1500 GMT: Our correspondent in Bahrain reports, "The situation has been tense since early morning when protesters blocked main roads and highways with burning tires, demanding the release of [political prisoner and hunger striker] Abdulhadi Alkhawaja."

Our correspondent also notes a photograph of a new type of tear gas, made by a French company, on the streets.

Protesters on the streets of Sanabis:

1410 GMT: The Russian Foreign Ministry has said envoys from the Syrian opposition will visit Moscow for talks on 17-18 April.

The visit was announced earlier Wednesday by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who did not specify a date.

The sessions will follow Lavrov's meeting with his Syrian counterpart Walid al-Moallem on 10 April.

The news of the opposition visit to Moscow sits alongside Lavrov's comments in Azerbaijan today:

Everyone has supported Kofi Annan's plan, but decisions at the Friends of Syria group meeting aimed at arming the opposition and at new sanctions undermine peace efforts. If the opposition is armed to the teeth, it will not defeat the Syrian army. Instead, there will be slaughter for many, many years - mutual destruction.

1400 GMT: From Bahrain, activist Zainab Alkhawaja --- whose father Abdulhadi, sentenced to life in prison, is on Day 56 of a hunger strike --- has been narrating a story about the possible release of another political prisoner, Naji Alifateel, and his continuing defiance:

What put a smile on all our faces was the news that activist @najialifateel is going to be released today. @Najialifateel has worked with my father for years, and my father loves and respects Naji like a son. The list of Naji's heroism in this revolution and be4 it seems never ending, Naji has never feared being on the frontline....

Despite injuries @najialifateel headed to Pearl Roundabout on the anniversary of the revolution and was arrested. And now more than a month later, he is being told he'll be released on bail, he will be able to go home to his newborn baby.

But Naji is refusing to be released, "It is Alkhawaja who should be free," he said.

When Naji was detained he made a request to meet my father, prison guards asked him, "Who is he to you?" Naji said, "My teacher".

Naji's family and friends are devastated, they have called & spoken to him, to convince him to leave prison. But Naji is determined, "If I leave prison, I will head straight to the Fort Prison where Alkhawaja is, and I'll get arrested again"

I was asked to speak to Naji, I could hear the pain in his voice, "I cannot be released while ur father is still in prison" he said.

1350 GMT: A photograph of yesterday's mass protest in Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania --- for more information, see a href="http://www.enduringamerica.com/home/2012/4/4/mauritania-feature-the-popular-unrest-grows-whitaker.html" target="_blank">our separate feature, "The Popular Unrest Grows":

1330 GMT: Back from an academic break to find, courtesy of The Guardian, footage of military units --- including an anti-aircraft gun --- moving around Hama in Syria today:

The Guardian also reports, from Waleed Fares in the neighbourhood of Khalidiya in Homs, that it was attacked this morning by tanks and mortar shells. Fares said residential areas in the adjacent district of Quosoor had also been targeted.

Footage of a residential block hit in the assault:

Activist Abu Ghazi, said: "Assad gangs stormed the city with tanks and anti-aircraft guns since the morning. There is a campaign of arrests of young men in the neighbourhoods Hamidiya, al Faryah and Baraziah."

0940 GMT: Graphic footage has been posted of the bodies found on Monday when the Free Syrian Army reportedly took over the National Hospital in Homs.

0908 GMT: Al Jazeera English reports on economic problems in Bahrain amidst the political tensions:

0748 GMT: Local officials said militias from rival towns in western Libya killed at least 22 people in fighting on Tuesday that included tanks and artillery .

The clashes erupted over the weekend 70 miles west of the capital Tripoli between the militia in Ragdalein, where most of the 90,000 residents are Arab, and fighters from Zuwarah, a town about half that size, where Berbers predominate.

The Berbers have complained of discrimination under the Qaddafi regime, including neglect and a ban from high-level posts. They accuse Ragdalein’s fighters of raping women, looting property, and blocking them from reaching their farms south of the city.

Prime Minister Abdel Rahim el-Keeb said he, the Minister of Defense, and his chief of staff met with elders from Zuwarah on Tuesday and would meet later with tribal leaders from Ragdalein to discuss a cease-fire and reconciliation.

0723 GMT: Reporters Without Borders has expressed its shock at the slaying of Ahmed Ismail Hassan, shot to death early Saturday as he filmed a demonstration in Salmabad in Bahrain.

“We strongly condemn this murder and call on the Bahraini authorities to make every effort to find those responsible and bring them to justice,” said Reporters Without Borders. “Despite the undertakings it has given to the international community, the kingdom of Bahrain is still in the grip of a bloody crackdown aimed particularly against news organizations and the visual media.”

Ismail Hassan was shot by an assailant in a Land Cruiser which had been firing at the protesters. Activists claim the shooter is connected to Bahrain's security forces.

0626 GMT: Bahraini human rights activist Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, imprisoned for life last year, is on Day 56 of his hunger strike.

The regime has now stated that Alkhawaja has been moved to the Qalaa police hospitale.

0623 GMT: A protest in Anadan in Syria's Aleppo Province --- the sign reads, "If you see Bashar Al Assad in Anadan, know that we've been martyred."

Last week, after the regime's siege and takeover of Baba Amr in Homs, with widespread death and destruction, President Assad toured the area.

0615 GMT: Human Rights Watch has claimed that Jordanian security forces beat almost 30 demonstrators at a police station this weekend.

Interviewing six witnesses of Saturday's arrests, including two detainees who were later freed, Human Rights Watch asserts, “Jordan’s response to demonstrations looks more and more repressive. Its security forces violently break up peaceful protests and then continue to beat and insult detainees in custody.”

Military prosecutors charged 13 demonstrators over their criticism of Jordan's King Abdullah.

Saturday's protest was over the continued detention of seven activists from Tafilah in southern Jordan, following a demonstration in mid-March.

0610 GMT: Female students try to prevent the arrest of a classmate at Syria's University of Aleppo:

Tear gas and the sound of shots as security forces chase protesters near the university:

0545 GMT: Much of the chatter on Tuesday was about the Syrian regime's claimed acceptance of the peace process put forward by United Nations envoy Kofi Annan. Damascus re-affirmed that withdrawal of its forces would begin on 10 April --- Annan's deadline to start impementation --- and the Foreign Minister said support would be given for Red Cross access to devastated areas and beleaguered people. In an initial step which may or may not prove significant, a team from the United Nations peacekeeping department is expected in Damascus by Thursday to discuss monitoring by observers.

Yet, as the Al Jazeera English report at the top of the entry shows, there is still scepticism that the regime will fulfil the six points of the Annan plan.

And the scepticism is not just over Syria. Amid a turbulent 72 hours in Bahrain, the British Minister for the Middle East, Alistair Burt, met one of King Hamad's ministers, Sheikh Ahmed bin Atiyatallah Al Khalifa, on Monday. Note Burt's careful wording in the British Foreign Office statement after the encounter:

We have consistently encouraged the Government of Bahrain to implement in full the recommendations from last year’s Independent Commission of Inquiry. We hope that the steps taken so far by the Bahraini Government will provide the basis for further reform and will help prevent future abuses from being committed. Reports of ongoing violence and street protests in Bahrain make clear this is long-term process and more needs to be done. The Bahraini Government should continue to make progress on a political dialogue that is inclusive, constructive and realistic, but I also encourage all other parties to take the necessary steps to achieve this as a matter of urgency. We are ready and willing to provide assistance to Bahrain to help them implement these reforms.

Not "we welcome" the reforms in the regime's steps, but "we hope" the steps will lead to reforms. Not the regime "is continuing to make progress", but "should coninue to make progress".

I doubt this British scepticism will lead to any significant steps --- after all, Burt was meeting the regime's minister, not listening to an opposition representative --- but at least the statement pulls back the curtain, amid the "ongoing violence and street protests", on King Hamad's claims of the "sweeping and broad" reforms.