[وادياني]

مدير مجمع الدانة يقول

المعتصمين لم يدخلوا المجمع لتكسير شيء ، بل ليختبأوا ، شاهدت حوالي 30-40 شخص يختبئون في مطبخ أحد المطاعم ..
شرطة الشغب تقاتلوا معهم وهجموا على المجمع .. حوالي 600 -1000 شخص ! كان هذا جنونياً وخارج عن السيطرة والمعقول ..
سوء التقدير صدر عن رجال الشرطة في ظني ، لأني أعتقد أنهم لو تجاهلوا المعتصمين لغادروا المكان بأنفسهم.

Hypermarket closed after riot damage
By KANWAL TARIQ HAMEED


A RIOT-damaged hypermarket in Dana Mall has been closed and may never re-open, following a two-hour battle between police and protesters on Friday. Closure of the Alfa Mart hypermarket resulted in a daily loss of BD30,000 to 40,000, owner Ahmad Al Arian told the GDN yesterday.

Mr Arian also owns the mall and is managing director of the Al Massa Cinema Management and Film Distribution Company, which runs a 12-screen Cineplex at the mall.

He also owns the Chakazulu recreation area in the mall, as well as several restaurants and other outlets.

At least 150 people have been put out of work, 50 per cent of whom are Bahrainis, by Alfa Mart's closure, said Mr Arian.

Hundreds of demonstrators ran into the mall to escape from riot police, who ran in after them.

Teargas fired into the main lobby of the mall by riot police was picked up by the airconditioning system and panicked the nearly 8,000 shoppers, as well as employees, said Mr Arian.

He said there was looting during the panic, as teargas spread through the mall.

Police have taken footage from security cameras and computer databases at the mall, to try to identify the culprits.

The incident could deter business people from considering Bahrain as a viable place for investment, stressed Mr Arian.

He said the supermarket was damaged too badly to reopen immediately and he was reviewing its future.

"The biggest fight was in the hypermarket. We've lost our income, we've lost our business. As an investor, I am seriously wondering if it can be picked up again," said Mr Arian.

The hypermarket was the main customer attraction in the mall, he said.

"With this shutting down it makes traffic slow and will kill all other businesses," said Mr Arian.

He said more than 600 people rushed into the mall and ran into the hypermarket, restaurant kitchens and other shops, pursued by police.

Protesters were demanding the release of people jailed for an illegal demonstration at Bahrain International Airport on December 25 and others detained since for demonstrating in support of them.

"They were not there to break things, but to hide - I saw about 30 to 40 people hiding in the kitchen in one of the restaurants.

"I don't know whether it was calculated or planned, but for me it was very simple - a big fight opened inside the middle of the lobby.

"They (riot police) battled them and they rushed into the mall, 600 to 1000 people. It was crazy, out of control - it was chaos.

"Sticks and stones were thrown by demonstrators.

"Miscalculations were made by the police I would say, because I think if they had left the demonstrators alone, I think they would have left.

"We had to evacuate the whole building. It took us until 11 o clock at night to get all the people out.

Cashiers ran away from their tills and employees fled their shops as the panic spread, said Mr Arian.

The 15 mall security guards were powerless to control the situation, he added.

In the panic, some people started looting.

"I don't know where the thefts came from," said Mr Arian.

"We don't accuse any people of the thefts - but because of the loss of control of security, anybody might take anything.

"So there is no accusation on who we blame for the stealing, but we blame the situation."

A two-hour battle between riot police and demonstrators took place inside the hypermarket, and was only brought to an end when mall officials brought down the shutters, he said.

"It was as long as a football match. For two hours, from 5 until 7.15 non-stop fighting: it was a mouse-cat issue, with between 6,000 to 8,000 people watching."

Mr Arian said he saw police being assaulted by demonstrators, as well demonstrators being beaten by police.

"It was not civilised, it was not pleasant," he said.

"We put the shutter down and we managed to lock both the police and demonstrators inside - we had to. That's how they managed to catch them.

Demonstrators gathered outside the hypermarket, chanting, while the clashes continued inside, he said.

"Women started to chant. This was unfair - we are not anti-demonstrators and we are not with the government. We're not part of the fight, its not our case," said Mr Arian.

Protestors and police must seriously consider the implications of the incident, he said.

"I urge both parties to look into this incident," he said.

"At the end of the day, we are not with or anti, but we are anti-aggression.

"We are not involved with the politics, but as pure businessmen and investors in Bahrain we might think again into re-investing in the kingdom, make us recalculate.

"It is not right to take the fight into the mall."

Mr Arian said it was important "to keep national interests as the most important thing, to keep the jobs open, and to encourage investors to come in".






http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/1yr_a...date=3-12-2006