Bahrain gave seven churches serving the country’s Indian community two weeks to acquire licences allowing them to operate legally or they might face eviction, a newspaper said on Thursday, November 29.
The row over the churches erupted when local residents living in the neighbourhood of Sebaea in the capital Manama complained about parking problems caused by 10 churches existing on an 8-metre-wide road, according to the daily al-Sharq al-Awsat.

 

It transpired that only three churches had licences from the municipal authorities, which prompted the government to give the unlicensed churches a deadline for registration or they would face eviction.
In response to protests by various Christian groups in India and the West, the tiny Gulf country stressed that churches enjoyed unrestricted freedom of religion, the paper said.

 

“The Bahraini people are cultured, aware and open towards different human civilizations. They are distinguished by their acceptance of others and have no hatred or animosity towards anyone,” Bahraini sources told al-Sharq al-Awsat.
Bahrain urged all religious institutions operating in the country to abide by the church registration rules.

 

Muslim Arabs constitute the majority of the kingdom’s population but with the influx of foreign workers, mainly from South-East Asia, the number of Christians and members of other faiths is growing.

 

 

 

Country profile: Bahrain

 

Bahrain - whose name means “two seas” - was once viewed by the ancient Sumerians as an island paradise to which the wise and the brave were taken to enjoy eternal life.
It was one of the first states in the Gulf to discover oil and to build a refinery; as such, it benefited from oil wealth before most of its neighbours.

 

OVERVIEW
But Bahrain never reached the levels of production enjoyed by Kuwait or Saudi Arabia and has been forced to diversify its economy.
The country has been headed since 1783 by the al-Khalifah family, members of the Bani Utbah tribe, who expelled the Persians. From 1861, when a treaty was signed with Britain, until independence in 1971, Bahrain was virtually a British protectorate.

 

The king is the supreme authority and members of the Sunni Muslim ruling family hold the main political and military posts. There are long-running tensions between Bahrain’s Sunnis and the Shia Muslim majority. On occasion, these have spilled over into civil unrest.
In 2001 Bahrainis strongly backed proposals put by the emir - now the king - to turn the country into a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament and an independent judiciary.

 

Elections were duly held in 2002 for a 40-member parliament, the Council of Deputies. It was the first such poll in nearly 30 years. The new body included a dozen Shia MPs.
The country has enjoyed increasing freedom of expression, and monitors say the human rights situation has improved. However, opposition groups and campaigners continue to press for political reforms, including greater powers for the elected assembly.

 

Bahrain - a chain of around 30 islands - is a haven for tourists from the region, who take advantage of its relaxed social environment. A close ally of the US, it is home to the American navy’s Fifth Fleet.

 

FACTS
Full name: Kingdom of Bahrain
Population: 754,000 (UN, 2005)
Capital: Manama
Area: 717 sq km (277 sq miles)
Major language: Arabic
Major religion: Islam
Life expectancy: 73 years (men), 76 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 Bahraini dinar = 1,000 fils
Main exports: Petroleum and petroleum products, aluminium
GNI per capita: US $14,370 (World Bank, 2006)

 

LEADERS

 

King: Sheikh Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifah
Sheikh Hamad’s title changed to king when Bahrain switched from being an emirate to a monarchy in February 2002.
He had been crown prince since 1964, when, on the death of his father Sheikh Isa in March 1999, he became emir.

 

Born in 1950, he was educated at a public school in Cambridge, England, and went on to study at Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot, England, and at the US Army Command and Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
In 1968, he founded and became commander-in-chief of the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF). He served as minister of defence from 1971 to 1988.

 

Crown prince, commander-in-chief of Bahrain Defence Force (BDF): Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifah
Prime minister: Sheikh Khalifah bin Salman al-Khalifah
Foreign minister: Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmad al-Khalifah
Finance minister: Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed al-Khalifah