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Wahleed Al Balushi, public relations manager, Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA)
It could definitely help weed out bad business practices in terms of contractors not paying labourers’ wages or providing poor living conditions and other such things. Protests can help highlight these issues, so there are certainly social benefits by way of improving democracy and equality.
I don’t think any country would welcome protests because there are no economic benefits to be gained, but socially we are very happy to have the right.
We need our freedom of expression to say what we like, but within the boundaries of the law of course. The problem is that the majority of people striking or protesting are not mature enough to know the boundaries of protesting in a civilised way. The fishermen’s strike recently was very civilised and very polite. They just protested by stopping work and staying in their own premises. Everyone in the country respected this protest.
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But the protest with the contractors was a bit annoying because they blocked the entrance to the LMRA and were very disruptive. People need to know the boundaries and not get carried away. I am also noticing that many of the strikes now are being done by employers, especially regarding the LMRA, when usually it is workers protesting.
It is a trend that we need to look at and analyse why these people are going on strike. In this way it raises social and business issues that may well have otherwise not been heard.
Faisal Fulad, founder of Human Rights Watch Society Bahrain and member of the Bahrain Government's Upper House (the Shura Council)
The right to protest is good for Bahrain if protesting is within the laws and not violent. The construction committee practiced their rights in front of the LMRA recently and this was fine. The fishermen were also very civilised when they protested against land development. Sometimes it is necessary for workers or trade unions to protest and if it is civilised and within the law I think it is a very good thing.
In the long run it creates a healthy society and will indeed prevent some bad business practices. It also gives Bahrain worldwide recognition as a state of law and free society. But it has to be used as a last resort; you have to have delegations first, then go to the media, then parliament, and at the end if your voice has still not been heard then a protest can be considered.
I have some concerns that given the economic crisis we will be faced with construction closures and factories closures which will lead to an increase in protests. What is coming in the second half of this year could be severe.If 400,000 labourers are unemployed or not being paid and these people come to the street then it’s all over; this is a big danger.
But at the end of the day it is their right to protest and so far there has been no violence from workers. I hope it will remain that way because protesting is used as a last resort to highlight injustices.
Read: Contractors rally for second protest against fees
Read: Contractors protest but LMRA stands by labour fees
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