Bahraini citizens, specifically loyalists, wonder: "Why has the so-called National Day become a holiday for all foreign communities in Bahrain where they celebrate and dance in the streets, while the streets are almost devoid of Bahrainis, who have become strangers in their homeland?"

It is said that the homeland is a compassionate mother who loves her children and embraces them, but the Kingdom of oppression, Bahrain, is like the stepmother who hates her husband's children and prefers strangers to them. Some of you may say that Bu Keshma exaggerates or is pessimistic looking through black and broken glasses, and some may say he is an agent who distorts Bahrain's reputation like all dissidents and human rights and homeland defenders.

Let's look into some statistics and discover the truth. Bahrain's population is a little bit over one million and seven hundred thousand and the percentage of Bahraini nationals does not exceed 47%, which means they are a minority in their country. Some may comment and say: "What's new? The percentage of Emiratis and Qataris is approximately 11%". Bu Keshma replies here, do foreigners work in Qatar or Emirates while citizens are unemployed? Jamal Fakhro, member of the Shura Council, said in a statement: It is unreasonable and unacceptable to have 20,000 unemployed Bahraini, most of whom hold degrees that cannot be replaced among 450,000 foreign workers.

He adds, is there a citizen in any country who receives a salary less than the foreigner and asks: Do you know that, according to official statistics and not to Bu Keshma's pocket or opinion, 5% of Bahraini citizens who are employed in the private sector receive salaries of more than 1,500 dinars, while foreigners take up 95%. Unfortunately, the percentage decreases as the salary category increases. Hence, it is not strange that Bahrain ranks first place in the Arab world and 12th in the world, and it is not surprising that Bahrain is at the top of the Arab countries and the seventh in the world in the preferred countries for foreigners.

The latest humiliating acts of the stepmother, the Government of Bahrain, besides the flexible permit that enables the foreign worker to work without being linked to a Bahraini sponsor in exchange for paying a fee to LMRA this time, is the golden residence granted by the immigration and passports department for only a BD 300 fee. The golden residence enables the foreigner to guarantee his/her wife/husband and children and even bring a maid or driver to serve him.

A man living on another planet here interferes, saying: "It is normal, the United Arab Emirates has already done this". Bu Keshma answers angrily, "an indigenous Bahraini woman can't guarantee her foreign husband and children, while her foreign colleague whose salary is BD 2,000 can!"

Here we are telling Bahraini citizens that their father prefers foreigners to them and that their demands and appeals for equality with foreigners are to no avail.  

 *Bu Keshma is a simple and ordinary person. He has a sharp mind, white heart and awakened conscience. He feels terrible for what the county of a million palms has come to.

Arabic Version