Kareem Fakhrawi Dies in Bahrain Police Custody - Flags Waved at Funeral

Amongst much civil unrest in Bahrain, news has emerged that opposition activist Kareem Fakhrwai has died whilst in police custody in a prison. Mattar Mattar, a member of Bahrain opposition group, Wefaq said "Either he was sick and didn't receive treatment or was tortured". Fakhrawi's death was the 4th similar death in Bahrain in recent days, the Bahrain government have promised to investigate.

The Bahraini Government has admitted to holding 453 detainees at the moment, to prevent civil unrest. Bahrain is currently under "martial law". Mattar has said "After these problems, many are afraid to contact us, I estimate the real number is not less than 600. That's one in every 1,000 Bahrainis," he said.


Funerals have surprisingly perhaps become a source of much anger amongst Shi'ites. The Bahrain government has banned all demonstrations, so protestors are waving foreign flags and symbols during funerals. Bahrain's Ministry of Interior warned against this action in a statement on Tuesday 12th April.


Flags being waved around the country at funerals include the Tunisian, Iranian and Iraqi Flags.

New Caledonia Flag Protest Marches Banned

The tiny oceanic territory of New Caledonia may be small in population (just 245,000) - but is causing a stir politically.

Recent months have seen much tension over the issue of the national flag. New Caledonia is a French Overseas Territory and the French High Commission have banned protest marches for tomorrow (2nd April 2011). The Commission have also banned meetings of more than 10 people, which are organised to discuss the flag issue.

The issue of the national flag has caused the collapse of three governments in the past two months. A group which has been advocating the abolition of the current flag, has planned tomorrows marches many weeks ago. The labour party in New Caledonia were planning a rival pro-flag march. Rival party the Caledonia Together Party are pro-abolition and were to be involved in the anti-flag marches.

Attempts to form a new government are now entering a third month. It seems amazing to think that the national flag is a root cause of these tensions.

The New Caledonia Flag, the cause of much controversy.