Abdul Amir al-Jamri

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Abdul Amir al-Jamri
Member of Parliament (1973–5)
Judge
(1977–88)
Muslim leader
Influenced by
Websitealjamri.org

Shia clerics and opposition leaders in Bahrain
. He was also a writer and a poet.

Born in the village of

parliament. The parliament was dissolved two years later by the Emir, Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa, after it had rejected the State Security Law
. In 1977, al-Jamri was appointed as a judge at the High Religious Court of Bahrain. He held the position until 1988, when he was briefly arrested due to his criticism of the government.

Al-Jamri is most notable for his role during the

leftists together against the monarchy. The events began in the form of petitions in 1992 and 1994 calling for restoration of the parliament and reinstatement of the suspended constitution
, but led to widespread violence and the death of 40 individuals. Due to his civil rights activity, al-Jamri was imprisoned between April and September 1995, before being arrested again in January 1996 and imprisoned until July 1999, which was followed by a year and a half of house arrest.

In January 2001, al-Jamri was released along with other opposition activists. The new emir,

multiple organ failure
.

Early life and Islamic studies

Al-Jamri was born in the village of

Atiya al-Jamri.[1][4] He also obtained a job in the Manama Souq, working there until 1962.[4]

In 1957, al-Jamri married his cousin's granddaughter, Zahra' Yousif Atiya al-Jamri, who was 16 at the time.

Mansoor Al-Jamri, editor-in-chief of Al-Wasat newspaper.[9]

In 1959, al-Jamri began his religious studies in Bahrain.

Ashura.[1] In 1985, he founded a small hawza in the mosque next to his house.[1]

Member of Parliament

The religious block in Parliament. Sheikh Abdul Amir al-Jamri is on the right

Bahrain became

National Assembly of Bahrain, ranking second behind Isa Qassim.[12]

In August 1975, the constitution was suspended and the assembly dissolved[13] by the Emir, Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa, after it had rejected the State Security Law.[14] The act – also known as "the precautionary law" – was proposed by the British adviser Ian Henderson.[14] It gave police wide powers of arrest and allowed individuals to be held in prison without trial or charge for up to three years (renewable[5]) for suspicion "that they might be a threat to the state".[14] Al-Jamri was a member of a foreign relations committee,[12] and an outspoken critic of the State Security Law.[5]

1977–1988

In the period from 1975 to 2001, the Emir ruled by decree.[5] Human rights activists and opposition leaders made repeated allegations of systematic torture, the arbitrary arrest of thousands, and assassinations, all of which were denied by the authorities.[14] Bahrain's Shia population widely claimed that they were being discriminated against by the government, and that they were being treated as second class citizens.[5]

Judge

In 1977, the government offered al-Jamri the opportunity to serve as a judge at the High Religious Court of Bahrain (

Shia branch).[1] Al-Jamri agreed after Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei issued him with a religious permit to do so.[1] The decision was controversial within Bahrain, as many Shia clerics had refused to participate in the government-run judiciary ever since its foundation in the 1920s.[15] Al-Jamri held the position until June 1988, when he was suspended due to his criticism of the government.[5][15]

Political activism

Following the

1979 Iranian Revolution,[6] and continuing throughout the 1980s, the intensity of Bahrain's political situation sharply increased.[15] Al-Jamri, who was then participating in several petitions, was questioned multiple times and put under strict surveillance by the Security and Intelligence Service.[6][15] In 1984, the Islamic Enlightenment institution, with which al-Jamri was associated, was closed by the government.[15] The government also closed other places of meeting and prohibited public seminars.[15] Al-Jamry however opened his house for daily meetings, also offering a weekly space for public debates; he continued to do so despite several government attempts to stop him.[15]

In 1988, the situation came to a head when al-Jamri ignored a final warning by the government.[15] In June, he was dismissed from his job as a judge.[15] In August, his son-in-law Abduljalil Khalil was arrested and sentenced to seven years imprisonment.[4][15] In September, his elder son Mohamed Jameel was arrested and sentenced to ten years.[4][15] The authorities then ordered al-Jamri's arrest; on 6 September, Colonel Adel Flaifel and a number of security forces arrived at his house.[8] Al-Jamri's wife rushed to the nearby mosque and called people from its speakers.[8][15] Amid neighbours' protests, security forces decided to let al-Jarmi go after only an hour's detention.[8][15]

Role during the 1990s uprising

Background

Main article: 1990s uprising in Bahrain

There was a time of civil strife in Bahrain from 1994 to 1999,[13] during which leftists, liberals and Islamists joined forces to demand democratic reforms.[16] The uprising was the largest in the country's history, and included widespread demonstrations and violence.[14]

In 1992, a petition was signed by 280 leading figures in civil society, demanding the restoration of parliament, reinstatement of the suspended constitution, the release of political prisoners, and the start of a reconciliation dialogue.[17][16] The government rejected their demands and instead set up a thirty-member appointed "Shura council" assigned with "commenting" on government proposed legislation.[17] In 1994, another petition was launched with the same demands,[4] this time open to all citizens.[17] Organisers said that they had collected over 20,000 signatures.[17]

Violence broke out in June 1994 when riot police used tear gas on 1,500 demonstrators who had organised a sit-in in front of the Ministry of Labor. The protesters were campaigning against the increasing rate of unemployment, which had reached 15 percent.

Molotov cocktails to attack "police stations, banks and commercial properties".[17] Riot police used tear gas and rubber bullets, some of which were fired at the crowd from police helicopters.[17] It was also reported that police used live ammunition in some cases.[17] Overall, about forty people were killed,[5] including several detainees who were in police custody (allegedly due to torture), and at least three policemen.[17]

During the uprising, al-Jamri "rose to prominence", becoming the lead figure among the opposition, who saw him as "their father figure and spiritual mentor."[13] To the Shia, he was their "spiritual leader".[5] He was a "chief architect"[16] and a signatory of the 1992 and 1994 petitions.[4] He was also the informal leader of the U.K.-based Bahrain Freedom Movement.[18] Al-Jamri, himself a Shia Islamist, had good relations with secular and liberal opposition forces and united them into "an effective opposition movement".[9][19] Due to his civil rights activity,[5] the pro-democracy cleric[13] was arrested and placed under house arrest for years.

First arrest

In 1995, following clashes between security forces and students, the government accused al-Jamri of having links to Iran and seeking to establish an "Islamic republic" in Bahrain.[5] Al-Jamri denied the accusations.[5] Nevertheless, on 1 April the government imposed a blockade on al-Jamri's home of Bani Jamra, placing him and 18 members of his family under house arrest.[4][6] At least one man was killed and 16 others injured during clashes with police.[4][20] That day became known locally as the Black Saturday.[6] Two weeks later, al-Jamri was transferred to a detention centre.[4] Along with other opposition figures he was released on 25 September 1995, following a deal with the government to calm down the situation in return for opening up talks on the restoration of parliament.[4] Tens of thousands of Bahrainis gathered to welcome al-Jamri following his release.[1] He gave a speech in which he promised to stay loyal to the hopes and sufferings of the Bahraini people.[1]

Second arrest, trial and conviction

On 23 October, al-Jamri and other released opposition activists began a 10-day hunger strike in his house to protest what they called the government's failure to fulfil its pledges.

Hizbullah" or receiving support from Iran.[5]

Al-Jamri spent 3 and a half years in prison, during which he allegedly spent the first 9 months in solitary confinement and was closely observed during the remaining period.

International Pen and Amnesty International[23] led campaigns in solidarity with al-Jamri. The latter also named him a prisoner of conscience.[24]

Release, reconciliation and disappointment

Emir Isa bin Salman died suddenly on 6 March and was succeeded by his eldest son,

Hamad bin Isa al Khalifa.[25] The new emir pardoned al-Jamri and released him a day after his conviction (8 July), but placed him under house arrest until 23 January 2001.[4][16] Before getting pardoned, al-Jamri had to appear on national television and read a "humiliating letter of apology" to the Emir.[26] Repeated meetings between commissioners of the Emir and al-Jamri were held during the house arrest period.[7] Subsequent days saw the release of further political prisoners, and exiles were allowed to return.[27] On 8 February, al-Jamri and 3 other opposition leaders —Abdulla al-Ghuraifi, Abdulwahab Hussain and Ali Rabea— met with the emir to discuss his reform plans, the National Action Charter of Bahrain.[28]

The Charter called for the introduction of a

Joseph", before Abdulwahab announced that the opposition had decided to accept the reform plan.[30] The National Action Charter was voted on in a referendum on 14 and 15 February, gaining massive popular support (98.4%).[28] In November 2001, the Al Wefaq Shia political society was founded,[19] with al-Jamri being seen as its mentor.[5]

On 14 February 2002, the Emir introduced the new constitution of 2002, which gave him wide-ranging powers and gave the upper appointed house more powers than the elected lower house, including the right to legislate.[16] The "honeymoon" period between the opposition and government was over; al-Jamri stated his disappointment with the new constitution, stating that it fell short of the opposition's demands.[31] "[T]his is not the type of parliament we had demanded," he said.[16]

Illness and death

Then under house arrest, in May 2000 al-Jamri suffered a

Bahrain Defence Force Hospital, where he underwent surgery.[4] During his stay at the hospital, he was visited by the King and Prime Minister.[6] In May 2002, al-Jamri traveled to Germany for spinal surgery.[32] While undergoing medical check-ups, it was discovered he had a thrombus behind his eye, which had developed when he was in prison.[6] Following the surgery he suffered a stroke, also developing kidney problems and a blood infection, soon falling into a coma.[32] He woke from the coma on 30 June,[33] but shortly after suffered a second stroke, resulting in internal bleeding,[32] and incapacitating him for the rest of his life.[16]

On 27 January 2003, al-Jamri was transferred from Germany to

heart and kidney failure.[5]

Aftermath

Funeral

Although al-Jamri's death was announced in the morning, the mourning processions only began after the sunset Maghrib prayer.[35] The funeral course was changed several times.[15] Ultimately, it began at 6:00 in Muqsha village before moving along the west side of Budaiya highway to Bani Jamra, where al-Jamri was buried at 10:00.[6][15] The weather was extremely cold for Bahrain, yet thousands showed up wearing black mourning clothes and carrying black flags.[35] According to a number of Al-Wasat writers, the funeral was the largest in the modern history of Bahrain.[6][15][35]

Successor

Following the 2002 deterioration of his health, al-Jamri's position as a political and religious leader of Bahrain's Shia opposition was taken over by his lifelong friend, Ayatollah Isa Qassim.[36] Qassim was less revolutionary than al-Jamri, having opposed the 1992 and 1994 petitions,[19] but his views were kept private, in part as a sign of respect for al-Jamri.[19] Al-Jamri's role as leader of the opposition remained empty, as the opposition became fragmented.[37][38]

Publications

Al-Jamri wrote several books and poems (in Arabic).[1] He kept writing poems even when he became bedridden.[39] His books include:

  • Women in Islam[5]
  • Islamic Duties[12]
  • Islamic Teachings[12]
  • The Story of My Life[8]

References

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s الشيخ عبدالأمير منصور الجمري. Al-Wasat (Bahraini newspaper) (in Arabic). 27 January 2009. Archived from the original on 2011-04-27. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  2. ^ Hani al-Fardan (19 December 2011). كم نحن بحاجة إليك أبا جميل. Al-Wasat (in Arabic). Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  3. ^ Ali Rashid Al Asheri (11 January 2007). لا أقول وداعا أبا جميل. Al-Wasat (in Arabic). Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v الشيخ عبدالامير الجمري. Al-Wasat (in Arabic). 3 July 2003. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Phil Davison (20 December 2006). "Sheikh Abdul Amir al-Jamri". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Amani al-Maskati (12 December 2007). الشيخ الجمري... الاعتقال والحصار والإقامة الجبرية لم تثنه يوما عن شعبه. Al-Wasat (in Arabic). Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  7. ^ a b Haidar Mohammed (12 December 2007). محمد حسين الجمري يروي يوميات عائلة تحت الحصار!. Al-Wasat (in Arabic). Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Abdul Amir al-Jamri (10 February 2001). قصة حياتي [The story of my life] (in Arabic). aljamri.org. p. 5. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  9. ^ a b c Hassan M. Fattah (21 December 2006). "Abdul-Amir al-Jamri, 67, Bahrain Shiite Cleric, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  10. ^ Mansoor Al-Jamri (2007). ذكريات غير متناثرة من النجف الأشرف [Non-scattered memories of Najaf] (PDF) (in Arabic). Al-Wasat. p. 17. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  11. ^ Mansoor Al-Jamri (2007). ذكريات غير متناثرة من النجف الأشرف [Non-scattered memories of Najaf] (PDF) (in Arabic). Al-Wasat. pp. 17, 19. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g Wesam Al-Seb'a (22 October 2010). "الكتلة الدينية" في برلمان 1973. Al-Wasat (in Arabic). Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  13. ^ a b c d "Bahrain pro-democracy cleric dies". BBC. 18 December 2006. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  14. ^ a b c d e Adam Curtis (11 May 2012). "If you take my advice - I'd repress them". BBC. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
  15. ^
    Mansoor Al-Jamri (12 December 2007). الشيخ الجمري أوفى لشعبه... فأوفى له
    . Al-Wasat (in Arabic). Retrieved 7 June 2013.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g Mansoor Al-Jamri 2010, p. 20.
  17. ^
    UNHCR
    . Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  18. ^ Fran Abrahams (7 December 1998). "Detained by state". The Independent. Archived from the original on 19 June 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  19. ^ a b c d Mansoor Al-Jamri 2010, p. 21.
  20. ^ Stephen J. Sosebee (31 July 1996). "Arrests, Fatal Firebombing, Execution Raise the Stakes in Bahrain Unrest". Washington Report on Middle East Affairs.[dead link]
  21. ^ "Bahrain: Bahrain:Abdul-Wahab Hussain". World Organisation Against Torture. 6 March 2000. Archived from the original on 6 December 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  22. ^ a b "The poverty puzzle". The Economist. 10 July 1999. Archived from the original on 30 January 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  23. ^ "Freeing the Dissident Sheikhs: Saudis, Bahrainis Relaxing Strictures?". XI. The Estimate. 16 July 1999. Retrieved 6 June 2013. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  24. ^ Shaikh 'Abd al-Amir Mansur al-Jamri Jailed for calling for reform (Report). Amnesty International. 30 April 2007. p. 2. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  25. ^ "Bahrain's ninth al-Khalifa". BBC. 6 March 1999. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  26. ^ "Bahrain:Sunni and Shia Muslims want more than political gestures from Sheikh Hamad". The Economist. 17 July 1999. Archived from the original on 17 November 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  27. ^ a b Mansoor Al-Jamri 2010, p. 18.
  28. ^ a b عبدالوهاب حسين. Al-Wasat (in Arabic). 30 April 2005. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  29. ^ "Country Theme: Elections: Bahrain". Programme on Governance in the Arab Region. Archived from the original on 10 May 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  30. ^ Haidar Mohammed (12 December 2007). "صادق الجمري يروي حواريات والده مع القيادة السياسية". Al-Wasat. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  31. ^ Mansoor Al-Jamri 2010, pp. 18–20.
  32. ^ a b c d Adnan Malik (12 July 2003). "Bahrain's leading Shiite cleric returns home after receiving medical treatment abroad for more than a year". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  33. ^ "Bahrain's leading Shiite cleric comes out of coma at German hospital". Associated Press. 30 June 2002. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  34. ^ Nada al-Wadi (27 January 2007). "أم جميل: بعد 49 عاما... لايزال الشيخ الجمري معي". Al-Wasat. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  35. ^ a b c Kassim Hussain (12 December 2007). الليلة الأخيرة... مهابة التشييع. Al-Wasat (in Arabic). Retrieved 7 June 2013.
  36. ^ Mansoor Al-Jamri 2010, pp. 20–1.
  37. ^ "Bahrain's Controversial Political Associations Law". Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 20 September 2005. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
  38. ^ "A field guide to Bahraini political parties". The Daily Telegraph (via WikiLeaks). 18 February 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
  39. ^ Malik Abdulla (12 December 2007). "سيد طالب: تميز الشيخ الجمري بالشجاعة وعلاقاته المتميزة بجميع المناطق". Al-Wasat. Retrieved 9 June 2013.

Bibliography

External links
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