UN Urges Bahrain to Enter into Dialogue with Opposition
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The United Nations called on the Bahraini regime to enter into talks with opposition groups in a bid to hold the upcoming parliamentary elections in a way that would be acceptable to the opposition.
The UN asked the Al Khalifa government to engage in dialogue with the opposition in order to implement new reforms in the Arab country ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections in November, Al-Mayadeen network reported.
However, opposition groups have decided to boycott the elections, Secretary General of Bahrain’s main opposition party, Al-Wefaq, said in a press conference earlier this month.
Sheikh Ali Salman described the upcoming parliamentary and municipal elections in the country as “symbolic", and underlined that opposition groups will refuse to take part in the polls.
Over the last few days, the Bahraini people have staged protest rallies in various cities to show their opposition to the symbolic elections.
Since mid-February 2011, thousands of pro-democracy protesters have held numerous demonstrations in the streets of Bahrain, calling for the Al Khalifa royal family to relinquish power.
On March 14, 2011, troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates invaded the country to assist the Bahraini government in its crackdown on peaceful protesters.
According to local sources, scores of people have been killed and many others injured in the crackdown.