[ad_1]
Prince Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, the world’s longest-serving prime minister, died at the age of 84.
Manama, Bahrain:
Bahrain’s crown prince, Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, was appointed prime minister on Wednesday following the death of his great-uncle, who had held the post since independence in 1971.
Prince Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, the world’s longest-serving prime minister, died at the age of 84 while undergoing medical treatment in the United States, state media announced.
Prince Khalifa was a controversial figure during his five decades in office, accused of opposing reforms and cracking down on activists. He was also deeply unpopular with the Shiite population of the Sunni-dominated kingdom.
When Shiite-led protesters occupied Manama’s Pearl Square for a month in 2011, before being driven out by Saudi-backed security forces, their main demand was that Prince Khalifa resign.
His successor, who belongs to a new generation of Western-educated Gulf leaders, has instead sought to build bridges with his opponents.
After studying in the United States and Great Britain, including a master’s degree from Cambridge University, he served as First Deputy Prime Minister and is the Deputy Supreme Commander of the Bahrain Defense Force.
King Hamad issued a royal decree appointing his son as head of the Council of Ministers with immediate effect, the Bahrain News Agency said.
Prince Khalifa’s burial will take place after his remains have been transported home and, in accordance with new coronavirus restrictions, only a limited number of family members will attend.
The country will celebrate a week of official mourning, during which flags will be flown at half mast. Government ministries and departments will be closed for three days.
Gulf leaders paid tribute and praised the veteran leader’s long career “that has shaped Bahrain’s recent history,” according to the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum.
– Attacked by protesters –
Prince Khalifa played a key role in Bahrain’s political and economic affairs, including setting the stage for a referendum that ended the Shah of Iran’s claims on the small Gulf archipelago.
Born on November 24, 1935, he began attending his father’s royal court at the age of seven along with his older brother, Prince Issa.
In 1970 he was appointed head of the council of state, the executive branch of government that became the council of ministers after independence from Great Britain.
He conducted difficult negotiations with the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, prior to independence, over Iran’s Shiite claims on the Bahrain island chain.
A referendum to determine the future of the country resulted in an overwhelming vote for independence under the rule of the Sunni Al-Khalifa dynasty, despite the large Shiite population, the size of which is disputed by the government to this day.
Prince Khalifa strove for many years to establish Bahrain as a regional financial center. Unlike other Gulf states, the kingdom has only modest oil resources.
Working closely with his brother, the late Emir Sheikh Issa bin Salman Al-Khalifa, he fostered strong ties with Washington.
Those relationships have continued to grow, and Bahrain is now home to the United States Navy’s Fifth Fleet as one of Washington’s most trusted allies in the region.
– History of riots –
Political unrest has simmered in Bahrain since independence, but after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990, it witnessed renewed pro-democracy protests alongside pressure from the United States and Britain.
Shiite-led demonstrations escalated in 1994, with protesters demanding the restoration of an elected parliament, the return of political exiles and a more equitable distribution of wealth.
The riots, which claimed at least 38 lives, lasted until 1999, when King Hamad, the son of Sheikh Issa, ascended the throne and initiated reforms, turning Bahrain into a constitutional monarchy and reinstating the elected parliament.
But the protesters returned to the streets in February 2011, following the example of the Arab Spring uprisings, demanding a “royal” constitutional monarchy, with an elected prime minister to replace Prince Khalifa.
Although the government quelled the protests after a month, the country continues to face political repression, with several opposition leaders behind bars. At least 89 people died in the riots.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
