Bahrain's opposition wants the nation's rulers to guarantee they will back up their conciliatory words with actions, a Shiite leader said today as he and other activists weighed the regime's offer for talks after nearly a week of protests and deadly clashes that have divided the Gulf nation.
The streets in the island kingdom were calmer as efforts shifted toward political haggling over demands for the monarchy to give up its near-absolute control over key policies and positions.
But bitterness and tensions still run deep after seesaw battles that included riot police opening fire on protesters trying to reclaim a landmark square and then pulling back to allow them to occupy the site. At least seven people have been killed and hundreds injured since the Arab wave for change reached the Gulf last Monday.
Bahrain's rulers appear desperate to open a political dialogue after sharp criticism from Western allies and statements by overseers of next month's Formula One race that the unrest could force the cancellation of Bahrain's premier international event.
Opposition leaders appear to be in no hurry to talk.
"Yesterday you kill people and today you want them to sit with you. It's not that easy," said a leader of the main Shiite opposition group Al Wefaq, Abdul-Jalil Khalil, adding no talks have yet taken place.
"We are not refusing a dialogue with the crown prince, but we need guarantees they will back words with action," Khalil said. He said the opposition's main demand is for the resignation of the government that is responsible for this week's bloodshed and has been led by the same prime minister - the king's uncle - for 40 years.
Bahrain holds particular importance to Washington as the host of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, which is the main US military counterweight to Iran's efforts to expand its armed forces and reach into the Gulf. Bahrain's ruling Sunni dynasty has strong backing from other Gulf Arab leaders, who fear that Shiite powerhouse Iran could gain further footholds through the uprising led by Bahrain's Shiite majority.
More specifically, the protest demands include abolishing the monarchy's privileges to set policies and appoint all key political posts, along with addressing long-standing claims of discrimination and abuses against Shiites, who represent about 70% of Bahrain's 525,000 citizens.
No violence was reported today, but many parts of the country were paralysed by a general strike called by opposition groups and workers' unions.
Hundreds of protesters spent the night back in the square after the withdrawal of security forces a day after firing on marchers trying to reach the site, which was the symbolic centre of the protest movement inspired by Egyptian demonstrators who refused to leave Cairo's Tahrir Square until Hosni Mubarak resigned as president.
Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, deputy supreme commander of the armed forces, appealed for calm and political dialogue in a brief address on state TV last night.
President Barack Obama discussed the situation with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, asking him to hold those responsible for the violence accountable. He said in a statement that Bahrain must respect the "universal rights" of its people and embrace "meaningful reform."