Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry

Chapter IV — Narrative of Events of February and March 2011
20. Police units used tear gas, rubber bullets and sound bombs to confront the
demonstrators.
478. Later in the day, members of the “Students First” list announced their
resignation from the University of Bahrain Student Council to protest what
they claimed was the “breaking into the university campus by armed vandals
(baltageyya) with the acquiescence of the government security forces”. 249
479. In light of the events of the day, the administration of the University
of Bahrain announced the suspension of classes until further notice.
480. Meanwhile, Al Wefaq issued a statement commenting on the
developments that had occurred during the day. The statement claimed that
“security was no longer available in Bahrain due to the presence of armed
groups and militias throughout the country who were attacking people, their
neighbourhoods and educational institutions using sharp objects and similar
weapons.” The statement also asserted that Bahrain was witnessing a
“security void” that was imputable to the “disappearance of the institutions of
the State that were supposed to protect citizens.” Al Wefaq claimed that these
armed groups were associated with the government security agencies, since
the latter took no measures to confront the armed groups that were blocking
roads and setting up roadblocks and checkpoints.
481. In another response to the developments of the day, the GFBTU
issued a statement calling for a general strike in Bahrain.
482. Among the other significant events of the day was the increase in
both the number and intensity of attacks against foreign expatriate workers,
particularly those of South Asian origin. Late in the evening, a group of
individuals entered a residential building in Manama that was mostly
inhabited by Asian workers. Those individuals began attacking residents,
among whom was a Pakistani citizen named Mr Abdul Malik Gholam Rasul,
who was violently beaten to death. Later, Mr Farid Maqbul was attacked and
sustained severe injuries from which he subsequently died. As the night
proceeded, more cases of attacks against Asian expatriates were recorded. A
Pakistani Muethini, Sheikh Orfan Mohamed Ahmed, was attacked by a group
of individuals who violently assaulted him causing severe injuries, including
deep lacerations to his tongue. 250
483. Allegations were made that when some of these Asian expatriate
workers were taken to SMC they were denied medical treatment, were
verbally and physically abused and called mercenaries by some of the
protesters gathered at the car park adjacent to the emergency department and
allegedly also by some medical staff. Many of those individuals were later
transferred to BDF Hospital for treatment.
484. That night, as the security situation and law and order in Bahrain
continued to deteriorate, the Gathering of National Unity and the seven
opposition political societies (Al Wefaq, Wa’ad, the Islamic Action Society,
249 See Chapter VII, Section C.
250 See Chapter VIII, Section A.
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