The opposition backed by most people of Bahrain boycotted Saturday's legislative and municipal polls, the first since an uprising nearly four years ago.The uprising in early 2011 calling for democratic reforms was crushed by the Al-Khalifa regime.
Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets of the Shiite village of Diraz on Friday pledging to boycott the polls, with police firing tear gas to disperse them, witnesses said.
"Boycott! Boycott!" the demonstrators chanted. People of bahrain also today cast ballots in a referendum against the Manama regime.
A Bahraini man, votes in a referendum organized by protesters asking people whether they support having the people choose a new political regime in Bahrain under United Nations supervision, during a rally calling for the boycott of the upcoming parliamentary elections, in the Shiite village of Diraz, west of Manama on November 21, 2014.
"everything is possible... as long as the regime and the opposition do not reach a political agreement"
Ali, a man in his 60s, said: "I will not vote so long as my neighbors have a son in prison or martyred" in the protests.Security forces in Bahrain frequently crackdown demonstrators demonstrations and hundreds have been arrested and faced trial since the uprising.
Al-Wefaq chief Sheikh Ali Salman
Al-Wefaq chief Sheikh Ali Salman told AFP on Friday that the opposition could only resume talks with the government if it agreed to implement reforms in line with a strict timetable.
"This has been our strategy in the past, it is our strategy today and will be our strategy tomorrow... in order to reach a consensus that would end the ruling family's monopoly of all power," he said.
Sheikh Salman warned that failure to reach a political accord could spark an "explosion" of protests in Bahrain, home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet and a partner in the US-led campaign against the ISIS terrorists group.
"everything is possible... as long as the regime and the opposition do not reach a political agreement," he said.
The boycott stems from "the people's demand for democratic reforms," he said, predicting a maximum 30 percent turnout at the polls.The electorate of almost 350,000 will be called to choose 40 deputies. Most of the 266 candidates are Sunnis.
Constitutional monarchy
The opposition wants a "real" constitutional monarchy with an elected prime minister independent from the ruling Al-Khalifa royal family.But the Saudi-backed Sunni dynasty which rules over the majority Shiite kingdom has rejected the demand.
Al-Wefaq was in October banned by a Bahraini court from carrying out any activities for three months accused by “violating a law on associations”.The movement engaged in several rounds of talks with the authorities but refused to resume discussions in September and call the talks futile.
Opposition blamed the security forces for the deaths of dozens of protesters and said the murderer won’t be punished in Al-Khalifa dependent judicial system.
Bahraini protesters run for cover from tear gas fired by riot police
At the time, Al-Wefaq chief Salman said the proposals of Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa to resuming talks by opposition"ignores the legitimate demands of the people".
He said Friday he did not expect the opposition to reach an agreement with the government, following protests which he said had cost "at least 100 lives" over the past three years.
attacks on anti-government protesters
The fresh clashes erupted on Friday as thousands of people took to the streets of the northern village of Diraz to protest against the government.The protesters said the elections, scheduled to be held on Saturday, are doomed to fail. They also cast ballots in a referendum against the Manama regime.
Bahraini protestors hold signs calling for the boycott of the upcoming parliamentary elections, as they stand in front of riot police during a rally in the Shiite village of Diraz, west of Manama on November 21, 2014. Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets of Diraz pledging to boycott the polls on the weekend, with police firing tear gas to disperse them, witnesses said.
Bahrain’s main opposition group al-Wefaq and four other Sunni and Shia groups have boycotted the legislative and municipal polls. The opposition says it wants a real constitution with an elected, independent government.