Abdulredha Mohamed Hasan Buhmaid (or Buhamaid, ) was a 28-year-old Bahraini protester shot by a live bullet in the head on 18 February 2011. He died in hospital three days later, the seventh death in the Bahraini uprising.
Buhmaid was among a group of protesters who on 18 February marched toward the Pearl Roundabout following the funeral procession of protester Ali Abdulhadi Mushaima, who was killed four days earlier. When the protesters neared Pearl Roundabout, the army opened fire. Buhmaid collapsed to the ground, and blood poured from his head after it was hit by a bullet. The army opened fire twice more. Protesters regrouped after each round of shooting. Riot police finally intervened and dispersed protesters. Over one hundred protesters were injured, some seriously. Buhmaid was taken to Salmaniya hospital where attempts to revive him failed over the course of three days. He died on the afternoon of 21 February.
Several witnesses including journalists and medics accused authorities of shooting directly at protesters, preventing some ambulances from reaching the site and firing at others. The government however, denied those statements. It stated that warning shots were fired in the air and accused protesters of faking injuries. An investigation by a government-appointed commission of inquiry blamed the army for Buhmaid's death. The incident marked the first time that the Royal Bahraini Army was used to confront civilians, and at the time was considered "the bloodiest" incident since protests erupted.
Following the incident, the government offered dialogue which the opposition said they will only take part in after the withdrawal of the army. The general labor union called for a general strike. Internationally, the attack on protesters was condemned by Barack Obama and Human Rights Watch. High Representative of European Union expressed her deep concerns and called for restraint and immediate dialogue. Britain revoked over forty arms licenses to Bahrain after an earlier announcement that it would review them and German president canceled a planned visit to the country. Buhmaid is remembered by the opposition as a martyr, leader and symbol of peacefulness.
Short biography
Buhmaid (or Buhamaid, 28) was married and had three children. He lived in Malkiya, "الرصاص الحي يخترق رأس شاب وصدر آخر". Al Wasat. 19 February 2011. Retrieved 26 July 2012. south west of Manama. According to his wife, he had strong ties with his brothers. In an interview with the Bahraini newspaper Al Wasat, she said he used to take part in any political event in his area. "He was hoping to be Malkiya's first martyr and so he became", she added. Zainab al-Tajer (24 February 2011). "زوجة الشهيد عبدالرضا: زوجي ضحَّى بحياته لأجل هذا الوطن". Al Wasat. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
Background
Inspired by the successful uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, protests erupted in Bahrain on 14 February."Bahrain activists in 'Day of Rage'". Al Jazeera English. 14 February 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2012. During the day named as the Day of Rage, over 6,000 people participated in fifty-five demonstrations and political rallies in twenty-five different locations throughout Bahrain. Security forces responded to protests by firing tear gas, rubber bullets, sound bombs and birdshot. More than thirty protesters were injured and Ali Mushaima died as a result of birdshot injury in his back. "قتيل وأكثر من 30 مصاباً في مسيرات احتجاجية أمس". Al Wasat. 15 February 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2012. The following day, during the deceased's funeral, another protester was killed the same way. Angry protesters marched to and occupied Pearl Roundabout. By nightfall, their numbers had swelled to over 10,000. On 16 February, thousands of protesters continued to occupy Pearl Roundabout.
On 17 February (later referred to as the Bloody Thursday), police launched a pre-dawn raid on sleeping protesters. Four protesters were killed and more than 300 were injured bringing the number of those killed in the events to six. Health workers and a journalist were allegedly attacked by security forces. The army was deployed following clearance of Pearl roundabout which then set up checkpoints and barriers. The Interior Ministry issued a warning to stay off the streets, and the army warned that it was ready to take "punitive measures" to restore order. Protesters resorted to Salmaniya Hospital's car parks where thousands of them protested against the government. All 18 Members of Parliament from Al Wefaq, the only opposition political party represented in Parliament, submitted their resignations.
Incident
On 18 February, over 50,000 participated in the funerals of crackdown victims.Frederik Richter (18 February 2011). "Bahrain police attack a "massacre": Shi'ite cleric". Reuters. Retrieved 25 July 2012. One was held in Al Daih, another in Karzakan. The largest however, was in Sitra. At about 4:46 in the afternoon, about a thousand protesters, most of them young men who participated in Al Daih funeral of Ali Abdulhadi Mushaima marched toward Manama,Michael Slackman and Nadim Audi (18 February 2011). "Security Forces in Bahrain Open Fire on Protesters". New York Times. Retrieved 25 July 2012. defying the government ban on gatherings."More Blood In Bahrain As Troops Fire On Protesters". NPR. 18 February 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2012. By 5:18 they had reached a road junction; to the right was Salmaniya hospital and to the left Pearl Roundabout. They turned left after a short pause. On their way, they clashed with riot police who withdrew from the site. Protesters continued their march removing barriers set by police a day ago.
By 5:30 protesters were 80 to 200 meters away from army forces stationed in Pearl Roundabout which "were armed with M16 assault rifles, Dilmun rifles and Browning .50 calibre machine guns mounted on top of armoured vehicles". The protest was peaceful and protesters were "holding their hands in the air and chanting 'peaceful, peaceful'". Some were holding flowers. Simeon Kerr, Robin Wigglesworth and Michael Peel (19 February 2011). "Troops fire on Bahraini protesters". Financial Times. Retrieved 30 July 2012. As protesters continued marching, army troops opened fire.
Abdulredha Buhmaid was among the protesters. He was shot by a bullet in the head, collapsed to the ground and in the words of a witness, "blood was rushing from his head". Others sustained severe injuries inflicted by gunshots, two of whom also fell to the ground. Several eyewitnesses said army troops "gave no warning", but one witness said he heard them issue a warning several minutes after the initial shooting. Another witness said they heard a "faint voice of someone over a loudspeaker in the distance but could not make out what the speaker was saying".
Most protesters ran after hearing gunshots and a helicopter chased them. After shooting stopped, protesters regrouped. One youth picked a rock and headed toward the army, only to be stopped by four other protesters. A witness interviewed by Physicians for Human Rights said that he and other protesters moved closer to army forces following the initial shooting. According to him he asked "Why do you shoot us? We had our hands up. We are peaceful. What do you want from us?", one soldier replied "I want you to leave. If you do not turn back, I have orders to shoot". Arriving ambulances started evacuating the injured when army opened fire again.
When the shooting stopped, about fifty protesters"Death Toll Mounts in Gulf". The Wall Street Journal. 19 February 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2012. started praying on the road, and few stood in front facing the army with their hands in the air.Robert Fisk (19 February 2011). "Robert Fisk in Bahrain: 'They didn't run away. They faced the bullets head-on'". The Independent. Retrieved 26 July 2012. The army opened fire for a third time. The period of each shooting was short, because "people immediately started running away", witnesses said."At least 4 dead in Bahrain as violence continues" . CNN. 18 February 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2012. After that, riot police intervened, firing tear gas and birdshot to disperse protesters, inflicting more injuries among them.
A cameraman working for the Associated Press said he saw "army units shooting anti-aircraft weapons, fitted on top of armored personnel carriers, above the protesters in apparent warning shots and attempts to drive them back from security cordons"."Troops open fire on Bahraini protesters". Associated Press (via France 24). 18 February 2011. Retrieved 26 July 2012.Hadeel al-Shalchi (18 February 2011). "Bahrain security forces fire tear gas on protest". Associated Press (via U-T San Diego). Retrieved 25 July 2012. Bahraini photojournalist Mazen Mahdi said that the army shot "live fire from machine guns" and that paramedics were blocked from helping the wounded. "The first was a warning shot in the air. But after that, they just opened fire at the people ... They shot at the ambulances when they came in", he added.Janine Zacharia (18 February 2011). "New clashes erupt in Bahrain after marchers rally in support of king". The Washington Post. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
A senior emergencies researcher and medics interviewed by Human Rights Watch confirmed that some of the twelve ambulances sent were prevented by security forces from reaching the site. The Daily Telegraph said ambulances and paramedics "were shot at" and that "several were detained and at least one ambulance was impounded". Michael Slackman of The New York Times reported that he and a colleague were "shot at from a helicopter" shortly after army opened fire on protesters. Associated Press witnesses, The Daily Telegraph, and The New York Times mentioned that army personnel positioned in high buildings and helicopters fired on protesters. Jalal Firooz, resigned MP of Al Wefaq, Bahrain's main opposition party, said he saw soldiers fire on protesters."Troops open fire on Bahrain protesters". Deutsche Welle. 18 February 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2012. A report by three local rights groups mentioned that "photos of the injuries suggest that army aimed at the upper body area".
Riot police chased down protesters who fled to Salmaniya, Bahrain's main hospital."Bahrain opposition rejects talks until army stops shooting". NBC News. 19 February 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2012. Security forces backed off after initially advancing toward the hospital and firing tear gas into it."Bahrain police fire on protesters". CBC.ca. 18 February 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2012. That night, over seven thousand protesters staged an anti-government sit-in in hospital parks, described by The Guardian as "the only place in Manama where they now feel safe to gather in numbers".Martin Chulov (18 February 2011). "Bahrain protest: 'The regime must fall, and we will make sure it does'". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 July 2012. The incident marked the first time that the Royal Bahraini Army was used to confront civilians,Adrian Blomfield (18 February 2011). "Bahrain royal family orders army to turn on the people". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 25 July 2012. and at the time was considered "the bloodiest" incident since protests erupted.Aryn Baker (18 February 2011). "Carnage in Bahrain as the Military Opens Fire". TIME. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
Casualties