Sawsan Al Sha'er
Encyclopedia
Sawsan Al Sha’er is widely regarded as Bahrain
’s most influential liberal intellectual. A journalist and author, she is a columnist with Al Watan newspaper, having joined the staff there from the pro-government Al Ayam.
Ms Al Sha’er is well known for her liberal opinions and has been an outspoken critic of religious extremism. Unlike many Arab liberals, Ms Al Sha’er has not been afraid to debate with religious clerics and criticize their opinions. This has brought her into confrontation with many of Bahrain’s Islamist politicians, such as Ali Salman
and Adel Mouwda
. She has accused extremists backing suicide bombers in Iraq of trying to ‘lead Bahrain to hell’.
While a leading supporter of King Hamad’s political liberalization
, Ms Al Sha’er has criticised the government whenever it has failed to meet its reform commitments and over the performance of individual ministers. On 26 February 2006, in Al Watan she was scathing about the Minister of Housing, Fahmi Al Jowder, over his "ludicrous praise reminiscent of the Saddam Hussain coterie" http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/06/03/01/10022312.html.
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
’s most influential liberal intellectual. A journalist and author, she is a columnist with Al Watan newspaper, having joined the staff there from the pro-government Al Ayam.
Ms Al Sha’er is well known for her liberal opinions and has been an outspoken critic of religious extremism. Unlike many Arab liberals, Ms Al Sha’er has not been afraid to debate with religious clerics and criticize their opinions. This has brought her into confrontation with many of Bahrain’s Islamist politicians, such as Ali Salman
Ali Salman
Ali Salman is the president of the Al-Wefaq political society in Bahrain. He is a Twelver Shi'a cleric educated in Qom. In January 1995 the Bahraini government forcibly exiled him to Dubai for leading a popular campaign demanding the reinstatement of the constitution and the restoration of...
and Adel Mouwda
Adel Mouwda
Sheikh Adel Al Mouwda was the second deputy chairman of Bahrain's parliament of 2002, the Chamber of Deputies, and the former leader of salafist party, Asalah...
. She has accused extremists backing suicide bombers in Iraq of trying to ‘lead Bahrain to hell’.
While a leading supporter of King Hamad’s political liberalization
Politics of Bahrain
Politics of Bahrain takes place in a framework of a constitutional monarchy, with an executive appointed by the King of Bahrain, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and a bi-cameral legislature, with the Chamber of Deputies elected by universal suffrage, and the Shura Council appointed directly by the king...
, Ms Al Sha’er has criticised the government whenever it has failed to meet its reform commitments and over the performance of individual ministers. On 26 February 2006, in Al Watan she was scathing about the Minister of Housing, Fahmi Al Jowder, over his "ludicrous praise reminiscent of the Saddam Hussain coterie" http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/06/03/01/10022312.html.
External links
- MEMRI translates into English a debate in the Bahraini press on suicide bombers between Sawsan Al Sha’er and Akhbar Al Khaleej columnist Hafez Al-Sheikh Saleh (8 July 2005).
- The Proponents of the Suicide Ideology Have Taken Advantage of Global Communications (Eng trans by MEMRI), Free Muslims, (15 May 2005)