Loyalty declaration campaign gains currency

Manama

Launched last week, as many as 45,000 Bahrainis and expatriates have already signed a loyalty declaration affirming their loyalty to the Bahraini leadership. People from various religious and political backgrounds signed the declaration, which is part of a campaign run by Bahrain Association for Religious Coexistence and Tolerance. It will be available for the public to sign until this Friday. 

The association's Chairman Yousif Buzaboon, who masterminded the initiative, said that the number of signatories expected to surpass 100,000.

"We are not focusing on the number of signatures. Having a big number of signatures is not the success of the campaign. The success is to have the main message of the campaign across the nation as well as internationally. We want to make it clear that the people living in Bahrain are fully backing its leadership and denounce foreign intervention," he explained.

“The campaign began last Friday and it received 18,000 signatures on the first day,” he said. Numerous mosques, churches, temples and various public places have been organised to receive signatures. "We have organised tables and kept the documents on the tables inside religious buildings and other public places for the people to sign," he said. 

Commenting on the public response, Buzaboon remarked: "Expatriates are also very keen on this campaign. They are grateful to be living here and appreciate the religious tolerance and the open-minded attitude of Bahrain. So they are more than happy to sign the declaration. I can confidently say that they love the Kingdom as much as Bahrainis do. In fact, I was surprised to see the enthusiasm and the eagerness they have shown towards our campaign.”

The declaration is a 90-word document titled 'Loyalty to His Majesty The King'. "Based on our patriotic responsibility and in assurance of our refusing the interference in the Kingdom’s internal affairs by Iran; we hereby proudly announce our full support and loyalty to the wise political Bahraini leadership. We support its firm stand in refusing the Iranian Interference and preserving the legal sovereign rights of the Kingdom of Bahrain. We hereby announce our full loyalty to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to fulfill our duties with dedication and loyalty and to be loyal soldiers for this dead nation," the declaration states.