16-member committee to promote national values
Manama : The Interior Ministry has formed a 16-member committee to reinforce loyalty and national values as part of an initiative to promote the spirit of belonging to the nation.
This was announced by Minister of Interior Lt-General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa on the occasion of the Community Partnership Day, yesterday.
The new Committee has also been tasked to draft a comprehensive strategy and vision.
He said the idea of the panel began with a desire expressed by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
“The Royal desire was for a close police presence in various areas and villages in a responsible way that showed the resolve to assist the citizens and make them feel they were secure in their homes and their interests were protected. As a consequence, we worked on the idea to set up the community police in 2005,” Shaikh Rashid said, addressing people assembled to celebrate the Community Partnership Day.
Recalling the past Lt-Gen. Shaikh Rashid said, “The country encountered the 2011 incidents and we also faced foreign interference that targeted the Bahraini nationalism and aggravated sectarianism and extremism, disrupting the community’s unity and bonds.”
“The country has succeeded in achieving security despite challenges. Today, massive efforts are being made to deploy police that is capable of meeting security challenges in the wake of the changes in the nature of the crimes. Today we have to work to create an impenetrable security barrier against foreign interference,” Lt-Gen. Shaikh Rashid said.
Referring to Iranian interference, he said, “The constant interference by Iran and other countries in our internal security affairs, Iran’s continuing efforts to recruit Bahrainis to change their national ideology and train them to carry out terrorist acts, the use of weapons and explosives, and the cooperation between the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Qatar are the regional signs of extremism and terrorism.”
“We will sincerely work together to promote the spirit of nationalism. In a nation with a strong society it is hard for anyone to disturb its security because the national will rises above foreign ambitions as it represents a righteous sentiment which is above everything,” he said.
Recalling Bahrain’s 98.4% ‘Yes’ vote for the National Action Charter under the leadership of HM the King, he said, Bahrain has overcome the chaos and reverted to order in 2011. “Bahrain voted for its parliamentarians after the resignation of those who wanted to disrupt our democratic ethos. There is no doubt that we are proud and protective of our national achievements,” he said.
“We won’t allow Bahraini children to become tools for the destruction of their own country through foreign guidance and support. We will strengthen awareness among them and advise them. They should know that their interests lie in their commitment to assume their national responsibility through constructive participation. As for saying ‘No’ to breaking the law, those who realise the truth after facing the law regret it. The option of violating the law is failing and doesn’t serve anyone, neither the family nor the nation,” he said.
Lt-Gen. Shaikh Rashid also announced a new batch of 200 community police to reinforce the community partnership, thanking all the citizens who contributed in the reinforcement of the community partnership by words and deeds.
A film on national identity and the values of nationalism, the foundations of the Reforms Project of HM the King, was screened. It focused on the responsibility of all members of society to promote the national identity, starting from the family to the schools, the universities, the educational, youth and sports institutions and the media and national organisations. The film highlighted the community partnership strategy implemented by the Interior Ministry as an advanced concept to reinforce loyalty and nationalism.
The Minister also honoured a number of officers, men and women in the police force for their distinguished community partnership roles and their efforts to reinforce the relation of trust between police and various sections of society. Citizens who assisted police in legal cases to achieve comprehensive security in all parts of Bahrain were also honoured.
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