Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry

Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry
433. Other schools, including the Al-‘ahd Al-Zakher High School for Girls
and the Yathreb Elementary School for Girls, reported incidents of violence
between students, albeit on a smaller scale than at the Saar High School.
Later in the day, it was announced that in light of the deteriorating situation
and the large number of absent students, all schools in Hamad Town had
suspended classes until further notice.
434. The University of Bahrain also witnessed its first major
demonstration. At 09:30, around 300 students and some university staff began
to gather in the main yard of the Sakhir Campus in the area between the
administrative buildings and the library. The demonstration took the form of a
march followed by a silent sit-in. The participants declared their solidarity
with the protesters at the GCC Roundabout, denounced the killing of peaceful
protesters, affirmed their commitment to national unity and rejected
sectarianism. The march ended at around 11:30 after senior university
administrators met with the students and listened to their demands.
435. As the day proceeded, more demonstrations were reported in various
parts of Bahrain. One of these was organised during the afternoon at the
premises of the UN offices in Manama, in which over 3,000 individuals
participated. Most of the demands expressed at that protest mirrored those
heard in other demonstrations, including calls for the removal of the regime
and departure of the royal family (“erhalo Al Khalifa”), the rejection of
sectarianism and the denunciation of the killing of peaceful protesters. Some
of the demonstrators also accused the UN of adopting double standards by not
intervening in Bahrain to halt what the protesters considered to be violations
of human rights.
436. As a result of the visit of HRH the Crown Prince to Saudi Arabia, the
United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar on 1 and 2 March, it was announced
that the GCC would present $10 billion to Bahrain and Oman for
developmental purposes.
437. At 16:40, the Gathering of National Unity organised an event in the
Al-Haneneya district, where speeches were given about the unfolding
situation. Later, a large gathering of individuals was reported at the
headquarters of the Al-Asala political society in Al-Beseteen, where some
speeches were made that were generally supportive of the GoB. At 22:00, the
leader of the Gathering of National Unity, Sheikh Abdullatif Al-Mahmood,
joined those gathered at the premises of Al-Asala, where he gave a speech.
438. Opposition leaders congregated at the GCC Roundabout and the
Bahrain Financial Harbour, where representatives of all the major opposition
groups addressed the demonstrators. It was reported that some of the political
figures encouraged demonstrators to join a march towards the Royal Palace in
the Riffa district that was planned for the next day.
439. That night, the seven main opposition political societies issued a joint
communiqué about the events planned for the following day. Those societies
were Al Wefaq, Wa’ad, the Islamic Action Society, the National Democratic
Assemblage, the Nationalist Democratic Society, Al Ikha’ National Society
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