Bahrain Shiites Hold Another Mass Rally

Thousands of Shiite Bahrainis rallied Friday outside Manama in the second mass demonstration organized by al-Wefaq opposition group since a mid-March crackdown on pro-democracy protests.

Demonstrators gathered on the island of Sitra south of Manama for the rally, a week after another protest was held in another Shiite village with the blessings of the authorities, according to al-Wefaq's Facebook page.

Al-Wefaq leader cleric Sheikh Ali Salman told the protesters that the opposition was not against dialogue but that it needed the right interlocutor and officials.

His remarks came more than a week after King Hamad named the parliament speaker, Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Dhahrani, to lead a national dialogue starting July 1.

"The success of dialogue, reform and transition to democracy need officials that believe in it. One of the problems of the past was that many officials did not believe in democracy and reform," Salman told the crowds.

"We need those who believe in reform and democracy to occupy posts of responsibility," he added.

King Hamad had named his son Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad to lead a wide-reaching dialogue with the opposition when Shiite-led protesters were occupying Manama's central Pearl Square, demanding democratic reforms.

The opposition demanded a proper constitutional monarchy by which the prime minister would be elected, and vesting the elected chamber with exclusive legislative and regulatory powers.

Bahraini security forces in mid-March drove protesters out of Pearl Square and launched a crackdown on Shiite activists that led to the arrest of hundreds of people, while some 2,000 were dismissed from their jobs.

Authorities said 24 people were killed in a month of unrest in the Shiite-majority kingdom that is ruled by the Sunni al-Khalifa dynasty.