Opposition Forces: On the 55th Anniversary of Bahrain’s Independence, We Reaffirm Our Commitment to Building a State of Institutions, Preserving National Unity, and Safeguarding the Country’s Sovereignty
The opposition forces in Bahrain express their pride in and appreciation for the national history of our dear people. On the occasion of the 55th anniversary of Independence Day, August 14, we recall the sacrifices and national contributions made by the Bahraini people with all their strength and through all their authentic components. We affirm that this glorious occasion will remain a landmark commemorating the bright chapters in the history of our country and our people.
On this occasion, we state the following positions:
1. Bahrain’s Independence Day is an occasion on which we, as opposition forces, renew our national and struggle-based commitment to following in the footsteps of our fathers and forefathers, in pursuit of building a genuine constitutional state that safeguards the country’s sovereignty and the dignity, identity, and values of its citizens, and fulfills their hopes and aspirations for freedom, justice, and a dignified life, under a just government deriving its legitimacy from the people and their elected representatives.
2. The authorities have squandered the great sacrifices of our dear people and were directly responsible for derailing the experience of advancing state-building over the past decades, particularly after the assault on the 1973 Constitution, the reneging in 2002 on the commitments arising from the National Action Charter, and the imposition of a non-consensual constitution that plunged the country into the darkness of authoritarianism and violations of its sovereignty.
3. The achievement of independence in 1971 was undermined by the authorities beginning in 1975, continuing through 1995 with the expansion of foreign military bases in Bahrain through the U.S. Fifth Fleet, and extending to 2018 with the British military’s return to the country, followed by the signing of the normalization agreement in 2020, and subsequently, in 2025, the inclusion of our country in the American-British alliance under the name “Cooperation and Prosperity Agreement.”
This took place in the absence of popular will and resulted in our country becoming completely subject to foreign tutelage and losing its sovereignty. It also paved the way for involving Bahrain in the midst of wars and conflicts that serve the interests of foreign powers hostile to peoples.
4. The undermining of institutions and the rule of law in Bahrain has led to the spread of financial corruption and the squandering of the state budget and its wealth, resulting in an unprecedented rise in public debt, the failure of development projects, and the erosion of equitable economic advancement. This has occurred alongside the expansion of poverty, deprivation, discrimination, and social problems among citizens, with this tragic reality being further aggravated by the serious consequences of naturalization and the dominance of predatory capital.
In conclusion, the national opposition forces reaffirm their commitment to their historic responsibility to defend legitimate popular demands and to uphold the national project of building a state of institutions, preserving national unity, and safeguarding the independence and sovereignty of the homeland. They will not relinquish these principles despite the challenges facing our country and our people as a result of the repercussions of the war of aggression against Iran and the devastating consequences that followed, which have led to a decline in freedoms and in the levels of security and dignity, after the authorities chose to retaliate against the people and their religious leaders and to unleash a new wave of repression, persecution, and aggression against religious beliefs.
Bahraini Opposition Forces
Friday, August 14, 2026
