Doing business in Bahrain ‘nearly impossible'

RNW, 16 March 2011, By RNW News Desk

(Photo: ANP)

Dutch expat Matthijs Bos says the unrest in Bahrain is affecting everybody on the island. “Doing business has become difficult, hotels are sitting empty and tourism is dead. We used to get four cruise ships a week, but they have all stayed away.”

Bahrain has declared a state of emergency after weeks of demonstrations for political reforms by the island's Shia majority. Security forces are engaged in a brutal crackdown on the demonstrators, at least five of whom were killed when the riot police cleared the central Pearl Square in the capital Manama on Wednesday morning. The unrest is mainly focused in Pearl Square and the business district, but clashes have also occurred in other parts of Bahrain. “It now takes me 90 minutes to get from one side of the island to the other. Normally that’s a 20-minute drive.”

Too far

Matthijs Bos says he understands why a state of emergency was declared. He says that the situation escalated in the past few days and that more and more violence was being used. “I think that many people feel that a hard core of demonstrators have taken things too far. They occupied the Bahrain Financial Harbour, the business district, which of course hampers the economy. Many businesses have already left for Qatar or Dubai.”

Until recently, Mr Bos was the manager of a number of restaurants, and was also involved in setting up a number of new businesses for a major catering company. He says the unrest has brought the whole economy to a standstill. “There are quite a few people who have lost their jobs – just like me.”

“I’m staying”

The Dutch foreign ministry has advised against all travel to Bahrain and recommends Dutch citizens already in the country stay indoors as much as possible. Matthijs Bos says he sees no reason to leave. “I’m staying. If I can find a new job, of course. We’ll just have to wait and see how the situation develops. We will probably see a lot of violence in the next few days, but I don’t expect I will be in any danger.”

Mr Bos says he would have left if he had a wife and children, but not now. “There is no way I’m leaving. Bahrain is a beautiful country; people here are quite open-minded and friendly. Even the people taking part in the protests are very hospitable. Expats have alittle to do with the problems here.”

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