Workers’ victory in dictatorial Bahrain

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This video says about itself:

Bahrain 14 February revolution: medical employees detained

May 1, 2011

Scores of medical employees detained for treating injured demonstrators, rights groups say.

In Bahrain, human-rights workers say at least 50 medical staff are still missing after a crackdown on hospital care for injured anti-government demonstrators.

There are fears that some of the detained staff could face the death penalty for treating protesters. Among them is Dr Al Akri, a prominent physician arrested on March 17 during a military raid at Salmaniya Hospital in Manama.

His wife, who was also arrested and beaten under custody last Tuesday, told Al Jazeera in an interview that he has had no access to lawyers.

Even in police states, anti-oppression movements can sometimes score (relatively) small victories; which may be preludes to bigger victories against dictatorship.

From the Gulf Daily News in Bahrain (a pro-regime source which may have omitted some aspects of this strike in its report):

Workers call off strike after demands are approved

By BASMA MOHAMMED

Posted on Monday, August 26, 2013

AROUND 500 labourers who went on a strike to call for better living conditions returned to work yesterday.

The workers – from Nepal, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh – demanded increased wages, additional vacation days and a canteen inside their Sitra accommodation on Saturday.

They were also outraged by the death of their Nepali colleague, who took his own life on Thursday under mysterious circumstances.

Deu Ram Rai, 22, hanged himself at the company’s labour camp after only being in Bahrain for 20 days.

However, the workers called off the strike following a meeting with senior management at Awal Gulf and Labour Ministry officials.

Ministry inspections and labour unions director Ahmed Al Haiki told the GDN the labourers submitted a list of 20 demands, the majority of which were approved by company officials.

“The meeting had ten workers representing the labourers with company officials,” he said. “They talked about their demands and issues freely and most demands were approved by the company.”

The demands included improving living conditions such as increasing the number of bathrooms and appointing a chef for each nationality.

They also called for transportation to Manama during weekends and having their own grocery store at the camp.

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