National Union Committee - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The National Union Committee was a nationalist reformist political organization formed in Bahrain

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...

in 1954 (originally named the Higher Executive Committee). The committee was formed by reformists in response to sectarian clashes between Sunni and Shia members of the population. The original aims were to push for an elected popular assembly, a codified system of civil and criminal law, the establishment of an appellate court

Appellate court

An appellate court, commonly called an appeals court or court of appeals or appeal court , is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal...

, the right to form trade unions, an end to British colonial influence (through the removal of Charles Belgrave

Charles Belgrave

Charles Dalrymple Belgrave was a British citizen and adviser to the rulers of Bahrain from 1926 until 1957. He first served under Shaikh Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa , and subsequently under Shaikh Salman ibn Hamad Al-Khalifa ....

), and an end to sectarianism.

The original committee was made up of four Sunni representatives and four Shi'i representatives. The members were:

Abdulrahman al Bakir - Secretary
Abdulaziz al Shamlan
Ibrahim Fakhro
Ibrahim bin Mousa
Abdali al Alaiwat
Syed Ali Kamaluddin
Shaikh Abdullah Abudeeb
Shaikh Mohsin al Tajir

Arrest and deportation

The NUC successfully orchestrated a number of general strikes and demonstrations in the country to push for its demands. In March 1956, British Foreign Secretary Selwyn Lloyd

Selwyn Lloyd

John Selwyn Brooke Lloyd, Baron Selwyn-Lloyd CH PC CBE TD , known for most of his career as Selwyn Lloyd, was a British Conservative Party politician who served as Foreign Secretary from 1955 to 1960, then as Chancellor of the Exchequer until 1962...

was visiting Bahrain. Crowds of protesters lined the streets to shout anti-British slogans and threw sand at stones at the Foreign Secretary's entourage. A number of crew members, including a stewardess, were left injured. Abdulrahman al Bakir, the secretary of the NUC, was among the leaders of the demonstrations. He was asked to leave the country after the incident for an extended stay abroad, and departed to Egypt. Al Bakir returned to Bahrain September 1956.

In October 1956, the NUC called for strikes and demonstrations against the Israeli-Anglo-French attack on Egypt

Egypt

Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...

in the Suez Campaign. This led to days of violence in Bahrain. In November, the ruler Shaikh Salman ibn Hamad Al Khalifa (1895-1961)

Salman ibn Hamad Al Khalifa (1895-1961)

Shaikh Salman ibn Hamad Al Khalifa, KCMG, KCIE was the ruler of Bahrain from 1942 until his death in 1961...

, ordered the arrest of the NUC leaders, accusing Al Bakir, Al Shamlan and Aliwat of attempting to take his life. A specially set up court in Budaiya made up of three judges (all members of the ruling Al Khalifa family) tried the men and found them guilty. They were sentenced to 14 years at a prison located outside of Bahrain, in Saint Helena

Saint Helena

Saint Helena , named after St Helena of Constantinople, is an island of volcanic origin in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha which also includes Ascension Island and the islands of Tristan da Cunha...

.

In June 1961 the three prisoners were released from Saint Helena after a successful habeas corpus

Habeas corpus

is a writ, or legal action, through which a prisoner can be released from unlawful detention. The remedy can be sought by the prisoner or by another person coming to his aid. Habeas corpus originated in the English legal system, but it is now available in many nations...

action, and were later paid financial compensation from the British government.

Arrest and deportation

See also