The 1990s Uprising in Bahrain or 1990s Intifada was an Islamist led uprising that took place in Bahrain between 1994 and 2000.

Like rebellions in Egypt and Algeria during the 1990s, its stated aims were for democratic reform, however those who interviewed the uprising's leadership were left in "little doubt about the totalitarian nature of their type of Islamic fundamentalist ideology. Their final aim is to declare an Iranian-style Islamic republic."^*.

The uprising began with the stoning of female competitors in a marathon race after they entered conservative villages. Women's participation in the race had been cited as immoral by conservative clerics in the run up to the race. The uprising was characterised by riots, stonings and bomb attacks, which targetted the government, the middle classes, third world immigrants and liberals. The Iran based Islamic Front for the Liberation of Bahrain was one of those organisations behind the bomb attacks. On 1 November 1996, the group claimed responsibility for the bombing of the Diplomat Hotel, with the group telling the Associated Press "We put a bomb in the Diplomat hotel 20 minutes ago...after the feast...tell the government that we will destroy everyplace."^*

Over forty people were killed in violence. The overwhelming majority of the deaths and injuries were caused by the government, who employed widespread torture, extra-judicial killings, incommunicado arrests and forced deportations.

Most of the events of the Uprising took place in the villages and towns of the Baharna population.

The violence generally subsided after King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa carried out political reforms after he ascended to the throne in 1999.

See also

• History of Bahrain
• Torture in Bahrain
• Bahrain Freedom Movement

References

• Rebellion in Bahrain, Middle East Review of International Affairs, March 1999
• Amnesty International: A human rights crisis (Sep 25, 1995)
• Human Rights Watch: Routine Abuse, Routine Denial: Civil Rights and the Political Crisis in Bahrain (June 1997)
• Khalaf, Abdulhadi (1998). Contentious politics in Bahrain: From ethnic to national and vice versa. University of Lund.
• Fakhro, Munira A. 1997. “The Uprising in Bahrain: An Assessment.” In The Persian Gulf at the Millennium: Essays in Politics, Economy, Security, and Religion, eds. Gary G. Sick and Lawrence G. Potter: 167-88. New York: St. Martin’s Press. ISBN 0312175671
• Bahry, Louay. The Socioeconomic Foundations of the Shiite Opposition in Bahrain. Mediterranean Quarterly 11.3 (2000) 129-143.
• Al-Mdaires, Falah. Shi'ism and Political Protest in Bahrain. Domes. Milwaukee: Spring 2002. Vol. 11, Iss. 1; pg. 20
• Wiktorowicz, Quintan ed Islamic Activism, A Social Theory Approach Indiana University Press, 2004

• Voice of Bahrain (mouthpiece of Bahrain Freedom Movement)

Politics of Bahrain | History of Bahrain | Terrorist incidents | Terrorist incidents of the 1990s