Elections back home

Some of you guys might understand my last post in Arabic - some of you might not so I will now post something of the same sort with regards to the new elections that just occurred in my beloved Kingdom of Bahrain.

Last Saturday on the 23rd of October 2010, my country underwent its third free parliamentary elections. You might know from my previous discussions that Bahrain is certainly different than its neighbors in the middle east. Perhaps being in the top 8 most sin city of the world reflects the extreme end of how a moderate-liberal society in the midst of a very conservative region; however, it does not negate the reality of what is Bahrain - where freedom thrives at the center of modern yet backwards societies where civil liberties are non-existent.

So, even though I have not yet received that privilege of voting - the voting age is 20 - my family and friends were able. It is that very same freedom that we get to exercise, the right to choose representatives in parliament, the same one that Canadians get during election time, that makes me proud and ever so excited to exercise it in 2014.

I am extremely proud to profess that where I come from, i.e. Bahrain - that tiny Kingdom island in the middle of the Arabian (not Persian) Gulf, next to dubai .



-Abdul

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المشاركة... إصرار بحريني ... بكلم ريم خليفة

عاشت البحرين أمس الأول (السبت) أجواء تجربتها الثالثة مع العملية الانتخابية البرلمانية والبلدية، وجاءت النتائج بمفاجأة منها هبوط تمثيل النواب الذين ينضوون تحت جمعية المنبر الإسلامي وجمعية الأصالة، وصعود نجم النواب المستقلين المقربين من الحكومة، هذا في الوقت الذي حققت جمعية الوفاق فوزاً تاريخياً بحصد 18 مقعداً لكتلة واحدة، في جميع الدوائر التي تنافست فيها (من أصل 40 دائرة).

ولعل الدور الثاني للانتخابات المقرر يوم السبت المقبل، وهناك دائرتان يتنافس فيهما الاتجاه اليساري - الليبرالي، ممثَّلٌ بالدكتورة منيرة فخرو والأمين العام لجمعية العمل الوطني الديمقراطي (وعد) إبراهيم شريف، وفي حال فاز أيٌ منهما، أو كلاهما، فإن التاريخ السياسي البحريني سينطلق بصورة مختلفة.

وبلاشك فإن الأجواء الانتخابية التي مررنا بها كانت مميزة، ولاسيما أن الخيام الانتخابية شهدت حراكاً كبيراً وحوارات ساخنة حضرها الناخبون والمراقبون، وطرحت فيها قضايا عبّرت بشكل جَليّ عن حيوية المجتمع البحريني، الذي كان ولايزال من المتمسكين بثوابت ومنطلقات تدعو إلى مزيد من الحريات العامة والتآلف، وبالتالي فإنه ليس مستغرباً لأن تشهد الحملات الانتخابية دعوات لتعزيز المنجزات التي تحققت، باعتبارها حقوقاً مكتسبة، وتطويرها بما يتناسب مع الطموحات.

وكمراقبين شهدنا على أرض الواقع أن الناس كانوا يستعدون ليوم الانتخابات وفي هذا الجانب كان هناك رأي لأستاذ علم الاجتماع في جامعة البحرين باقر النجار في تصريح لوكالة الأنباء الفرنسية قبيل موعد الانتخابات قال فيه إن «الوضع الأمني قد يكون أحد العوامل التي أسهمت في إعطاء هذا الانطباع»، مستدركاً «لا أعتقد أن الوضع الأمني سيؤثر على نسبة إقبال الناخبين»، موضحاً «الإجراءات الأمنية ليست شاملة بل محدودة والمقصود منها ضبط مناوشات تعتقد الحكومة أنها يمكن أن تؤثر على الانتخابات». وهذا بالفعل ما حدث وهو ما يعبّر عن إصرار بحريني على المشاركة وإصرار بحريني على إيجاد حلول لقضاياه وحفظ حقوقه من الانتهاك.

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Oh September - a quick update

So, another month has gone by since the start of my second year at UBC's Okanagan Campus, and oh my has it been an interesting ride in Kelowna, BC. Move-in, being a Resident Advisor, noisy weekends on Cascades lane, going out on out nights with some of the most amazing people I have ever encountered, and of course the grand experience of sky diving!

Many of you know that I came to Canada early this academic year in July and took a couple of courses - my summer was good to begin with - Calgary stampede (enough said). After an intense summer that challenged my balance for academia and fun which energized me for what is to come at RA training with RezLife at UBC-O. August came and the two finals that I wrote meant I was back to my crappy angry self - but I managed to do well for myself I must say; an A in English 112 and a B+ in HIST 145. The last two weeks was definitely a highlight - Boot camp for becoming an RA. Met some good people and went camping for the first time in my life - at least in North American terrain. Beautiful skies of British Columbia and a lake view that was to die for. Too bad there was still a fire ban in BC, but backstreet boys music made up for it.

Then September came and I was ready to become something that my previous RA from Kalamalka inspired me to be. However, I would lie if I were to tell you that I enjoy everything about the first two weeks. Moving in was a beauty, and a lot of people seemed like they were not the partying type - oh boy was I for a treat. Being at the heart of the party scene of ubc-o helped by the existence of a street where people could enjoy the excess amounts of alcohol, I certainly felt frustrated about life. Friends were out there having fun, something I did last year while a freshman, but I appreciate them stopping by and saying hello. Thank you guys for not making me feel completely left out.

One out night was certainly something! Rose's is the new place to be for a cold one and some food, and the occasioal nicotine injestion. And the return of Well Wednesday! Good times, thats all I have to say.

The grand finale of September, I count the weekend to complete a month - I know kinda weird but thats how I function, was the SKY DIVING. I did a tandum for that where you'd go with another person and jump from a completely perfect airplane at a height of 10,000 ft. The free fall was the most excilarating experience, falling for 30 sec at a speed of 200km/hr! Wow.

Pictures to follow soon

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