When the Arab Spring spread into Bahrain in 2011 the population took to the streets in demand of greater political freedom and human rights.
While the demonstrations were peaceful, the response from the Bahraini Government was brutal. During the initial protests, 25 protestors were killed by the Government and on March 14th 2011 the Bahraini Government enlisted the Saudi-led GCC forces to quell the protestors by force. (These mercenaries are sourced from a variety of regional countries including a large number from Pakistan, although they are also sourced from Jordan, Syria and Libya). Protests have continued to happen on a near daily basis, concentrated predominantly in Shiite villages and suburbs, typically away from the main centres. The army and police forces have used a combination of birdshot and toxic teargas as weapons to try and quell the protestors.
The birdshot, shoots small, metal ball-bearings (similar to a shotgun) which lodge themselves into the flesh of the victim. At close range they are powerful enough to shoot through a persons torso, and as with a shotgun, the ball-bearings spread further apart as their distance from the blast increases. Tremendous trauma to the body is experienced, with severe eye injuries and blindness being common.
Teargas is the other main weapon used by the government forces to combat protestors. This teargas is extremely toxic and is blamed for an increased amount of miscarriages amongst the population. The teargas works its way into homes and air-conditioning vents where it plays havoc, especially with the old and young who’s respiratory systems are more sensitive to the gas. The long-term damage by inhaling this teargas is still not known.
