BAHRAIN HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH SOCIETY LAUNCHED

UNCLAS MANAMA 001878 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR NEA/ARPI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PGOV KDEM BA SUBJECT: BAHRAIN HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH SOCIETY LAUNCHED REF: MANAMA 1726 Sensitive but unclassified (deliberative process); please protect accordingly. Not for Internet distribution. ¶1. (U) The Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society (BHRWS) held a press conference December 11 to inaugurate its activities and launch its website: www.bhrws.org. Led by Shura Council member Faisal Foulad, founding members of the NGO called for stronger advocacy of human rights issues and vowed to play a role in the kingdom's democratization process. Members said they would organize campaigns to encourage the GOB to sign international agreements related to human rights. They also expressed concern for draft laws on the regulation of public gatherings and political and non-governmental societies. The BHRWS supports the re-opening of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) and the integration of human rights education in schools. ¶2. (SBU) Comment: Many civil society activists criticize the BHRWS for being too close to the government and point out that it is not a substitute for the dissolved Bahrain Center for Human Rights. They are correct in that the BHRWS will not fill the void once occupied by the Bahrain Center, but BHRWS members are genuine in their concern for human rights issues and interest in advocacy. They will likely avoid highly sensitive areas and seek to work with the system, but they are unafraid of calling for close monitoring and evaluation of the GOB's policies. Representatives of several human rights organizations, including some who worked closely with the BCHR, attended the launch and gave their support for the society. MONROE