Isa ibn Salman al-Khalifah
The Emirate of Bahrain Prospered Under Autocratic Rule
Jan 17, 2009 William Silvester
British Bahrain
Bahrain is a tiny island kingdom in the Gulf of Bahrain between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Here Isa bin Salman was born on June 3, 1933 into the al-Khalifah family in the village of Jasra. The young prince received his education from British and Arab tutors at the royal court of his father Sheikh Salman ibn Hamad al-Khalifah of Bahrian. After the Second World War, anti-British sentiment increased throughout the Arab world and led to riots in Bahrain, focused mainly on the Jewish community. By 1947 most of the Jews had emigrated to India or Palestine
Isa bin Salman held a number of political positions and by the time he was 23 he had become president of the municipal council of Al-Manamah, the capital and largest city in Bahrain. 1956 was a year of crisis in Al-Manamah between the city’s Sunni and Shia Muslims but Isa bin Salman led them through it to open municipal elections in 1958. Pleased with his talents in politics his father named Isa bin Salman heir apparent in the same year and took him to meet King Saud to negotiate with Saudi Arabia to establish marine boundaries and offshore oil rights.
Emir of Bahrain
When Sheikh Salman died in November 1961, Isa bin Salman was installed as head of state. The new ruler would dedicate his life to the betterment of Bahrain. He established the Bahrain Monetary Agency, issued the island’s first national currency, the dinar in 1965, and opened the port of Salman in 1967. He started the Isa Town housing project, established a National Guard and in 1969 allotted land for satellite tracking stations.
At the time Bahrain’s future was in the hands of the United Nations Secretary-General after the British had requested international arbitration. When Iran stepped forward and laid claim to Bahrain and other islands in the Persian Gulf, a plebiscite was held and Bahrain opted for independence from Britain. On December 16, 1971 the British withdrew and Bahrain became an independent emirate. For a time Emir Isa bin Salman considered joining the United Arab Emirates but his dissatisfaction with the proposed constitution led him to refrain and instead attempt a moderate form of parliamentary democracy. Elections were held in 1973 but he dissolved parliament two years later when they refused to pass his State Security Law and it was never restored.
Under Emir Isa bin Salman Bahrain’s economy diversified and when civil war broke out in Lebanon in the 1970’s, Bahrain became the Middle East’s financial hub, replacing Beirut. With the backing of money made from oil, the Emir was able to improve housing, education and transportation, including a causeway linking his island to Saudi Arabia in 1986.
Bahrain and the Gulf War
With the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 Bahrain publicly called upon Iraq to comply with international demands. Isa bin Salman supplied ground troops for the Peninsula Shield Force of Kuwaiti and Saudi soldiers as part of Joint Forces Command East. The Emirate was base for the U.S. Fifth Fleet and for air operations during the war. Bahraini pilots joined other coalition members in launching strikes against Iraqi targets. Though the target of scud missiles during the conflict there were no Bahraini casualties.
Shia Extremists Riot
For most of his 38 year reign, Isa bin Salman’s the island nation was peaceful. It was not until the mid-1990’s that unrest returned. A wave of riots was sparked by Shia Muslim extremists over women participating in sports. This expanded to sporadic outbursts between the cleric led opposition and the government as they demanded the restoration of the National Assembly. For several months the protests continued as the Shia clashed with police. Talks faltered and ceased by 1995 and the next year saw the arrests of dozens of protestors for sabotage and rioting. Forty people were killed and in 1996 Isa bin Salman overcame his opposition to the death penalty and ordered the execution of a man for murdering a soldier. This led to further protests and dissension.
On March 6, 1999, Emir Isa bin Salman died suddenly and Hamad ibn Isa al-Khalifah, his eldest son, succeeded as Emir and head of state.
Bibliography
James Onley, The Politics of Protection in the Gulf: The Arab Rulers and the British Resident in the Nineteenth Century, Exeter University, 2004
The 1991 Gulf War – San Francisco Chronicle - 2002
Isa ibn Salman al-Khalifah
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