Two political activists from Bahrain described their fight for social justice and called on students to help bring democracy to the Middle East at the Marvin Center Amphitheater Thursday night.
The activists were hosted by Students Defending Democracy, a student organization striving to educate Americans about the threat of terrorism and promote democratic ideals. One of the speakers, Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, is president of a grassroots human-rights organization in Bahrain and a fugitive from the Bahraini government. The other speaker was Dr. Salah Al-Bander, secretary-general of the Gulf Centre for Democratic Development, who lives in political exile from Bahrain.
Bahrain is an Arab island kingdom off the coast of Saudi Arabia.
Both speakers touched on the issue of terrorism, but talked mostly about the phenomenon in the context of American failures in the Middle East. Alkhawaja and Al-Bander said U.S. ties to the ruling families of many Arab states and its failure to support democratic reforms as the main motivating factors behind terrorist attacks. They added that these factors have caused widespread animosity towards America throughout the region.
"It's not because (the terrorists) hate the United States," Al-Bander said. "They feel that America kept silent at times when they were fighting for their rights and instead supported the oppressive regimes who were denying rights."
Al-Bander said many Arab people turn to terrorism after being discouraged from expressing the problems they are having in a less violent way.
Alkhawaja said he is confident true reform will be achieved in his lifetime, but more American support is needed.
"The United States is losing the hearts and minds of people in the Middle East by supporting dictators that act contrary to the people's needs." he said.
Living in and out of prison for the past two decades, Alkhawaja is no stranger to the consequences of fighting the government. Bahraini authorities incarcerated him Feb. 2 when they discovered he was planning a trip to D.C. to deliver a lecture on political reform in Bahrain at the American Enterprise Institute.
The activists were hosted by Students Defending Democracy, a student organization striving to educate Americans about the threat of terrorism and promote democratic ideals. One of the speakers, Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, is president of a grassroots human-rights organization in Bahrain and a fugitive from the Bahraini government. The other speaker was Dr. Salah Al-Bander, secretary-general of the Gulf Centre for Democratic Development, who lives in political exile from Bahrain.
Bahrain is an Arab island kingdom off the coast of Saudi Arabia.
Both speakers touched on the issue of terrorism, but talked mostly about the phenomenon in the context of American failures in the Middle East. Alkhawaja and Al-Bander said U.S. ties to the ruling families of many Arab states and its failure to support democratic reforms as the main motivating factors behind terrorist attacks. They added that these factors have caused widespread animosity towards America throughout the region.
"It's not because (the terrorists) hate the United States," Al-Bander said. "They feel that America kept silent at times when they were fighting for their rights and instead supported the oppressive regimes who were denying rights."
Al-Bander said many Arab people turn to terrorism after being discouraged from expressing the problems they are having in a less violent way.
Alkhawaja said he is confident true reform will be achieved in his lifetime, but more American support is needed.
"The United States is losing the hearts and minds of people in the Middle East by supporting dictators that act contrary to the people's needs." he said.
Living in and out of prison for the past two decades, Alkhawaja is no stranger to the consequences of fighting the government. Bahraini authorities incarcerated him Feb. 2 when they discovered he was planning a trip to D.C. to deliver a lecture on political reform in Bahrain at the American Enterprise Institute.
