The proximity of the roundabout to the capital city’s major business district and congestion of traffic in and around the roundabout where at least 800 protesters meet and greet each other, serving traditional coffee and dates to passers-by has virtually bring the movement of traffic at halt.
The protesters had reoccupied the roundabout after evacuation operation carried out by the law enforcing agencies on the wee hours on Thursday leaving many dead and injuring 300 civilians and 50 law enforcing
With fall of dusk the number of protesters start swelling making it even harder for the movement of trawlers and big vehicles which come to the central market to offload the fresh vegetables, fruits and other daily use commodities including the fresh fish and meat.
According to Central Market requirements, adjacent to Pearl Roundabout, at least 150 to 200 trucks of load needed every day to meet the demand of the eatables and grocery.
Khalid Amin, a leading businessman and the member of the BCCI board urged all the parties to give a serious thought to the call of dialogue given by HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa to resolve the issue.
“We are one community and one nation in Bahrain and we do respect the people who have demands but you can’t resolve such things through protests but through dialogue,” he added.
Talking about the impact of the prolonged protests Khalid Amin said it would leave a major impact on the Kingdom’s economy and nobody, including the protesters, will benefit from this ongoing impasse.
“The businesses and economic activity can’t be ensured without the peaceful environment and anybody with grievances should discuss them with the leadership or by using other means to resolve those issues,” he asserted.
“Sooner we reach the agreement, the better would be for the country as we can’t sit idle and watch deterioration of the economy and destruction of the businesses,” he said.
“It is very difficult for the suppliers in the current situation to keep the supply chain intact which may also cause temporary shortage of food supply. This can be an additional burden on the general consumers who are already pressed hard due to price hike and inflation,” a member, who sought anonymity, of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) board, while commenting on the situation, said.
Generally speaking, he added, the majority of Bahrainis and residents do not want this mayhem created by few thousand people in the country.
Bahrain, he said, is democratic country and this is not right of any group including Shias to stand up and demand of the removal of the Royal family members.
A large number of pro-government segments of the society, which represents more neutral view on the political issues, have started now coming on the streets for the third consecutive day demanding the immediate end to these protests which according to them being used by certain group’s for their own political agenda.
The Jurists and Human Rights Committees expressed their full support to the leadership of Bahrain.
The Jurists and Human Rights Committees expressed their loyalty and support to His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, and lauded HRH’s great historical role and enormous efforts to the Kingdom over decades.
The Committee in a statement posted on the Bahrain News Agency website said that despite the some genuine demands of some segments of the society it would not support demands related to removal royal family members from the government positions.
Both Committees called upon the citizens to obey His Royal Highness Crown Prince Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa’s directions to remain calm and return to dialogue for a peaceful solution to the situation.