According to Bahrain’s official news agency, BNA, King has dropped four ministers, taking in two new Ministers and changing the portfolios of a few others. The King also announced a 25 per cent reduction in installments of the citizens’ monthly pay for their housing services provided by the government.
A prominent Bahraini opposition leader Hassan Mushaima who returned home after months of self-imposed exile from London has urged the rulers to be responsive to demands for more political freedom.
Meanwhile, eighteen Bahraini MPs from Al-Wefaq Shiite opposition bloc officially submitted their letter of resignation today to protest the killing of anti-regime demonstrators. In Oman, there are reports of clashes between police and anti government protestors in the town of Sohar. Police fired rubber bullets on anti-government protesters and military moved in to secure the area. In Yemen, pressure is growing on President Ali Abdullah Saleh to resign after the leaders of two of Yemen’s most important tribes abandoned the president and joined the anti-regime movement.
In Egypt, a panel tasked with amending the country’s constitution has recommended several amendments to the constitution to strengthen democracy in the country. Protestors in Bahrain are demonstrating and camping at Pearl square while fresh protests have been reported in Oman where cabinets have been reshuffled to redress public grievances. Iraqi Prime minister has given 100 days to his ministers to perform after deadly protests and Egypt government has accepted the recommendations of a panel, which has suggested amendments to the constitution strengthening democracy. Yemeni protestors are demonstrating asking its president to step down who is in power for more than 32 years. Countries in the region are taking desperate measures with making financial and some political concessions to ease the situation but analysts say that steps taken so far have proved far less than the expectations, as people are looking for real political reforms, reflecting their aspirations.