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**Archive - Uncategorized**
**Radio Sawa**
**Bahrain: How the Hashtag #OurTrustInTheKhalifa Turned into a Virtual War Between Opposition and Loyalists**
**Al-Watan by Al-Watan - February 5, 2014**
Nearly three years after the outbreak of popular protests in Bahrain, coinciding with the Arab Spring, sectarian clashes between government loyalists and opposition supporters have shifted from demonstrations and protests in the streets of Manama to social networks.
The social media platform "Twitter" has provided a platform for all voices, whether opposition or loyal to the monarchy, and political demands have turned into what resembles a war between Shiites and Sunnis.
Tweeters from both sects are leading virtual battles on Twitter, either calling for the overthrow of the regime or expressing loyalty to the king.
While the hashtag #DownWithHamad remains a platform for Shiite opposition, a new pro-government hashtag, #OurTrustInTheKhalifa, has recently emerged.
The creator of the hashtag, Dhafer Al-Zayani, said the campaign expresses "our trust in the Al Khalifa family. As Bahraini people, we have absolute trust in the ruling family," adding to "Radio Sawa" that "trust means one thing: the people's trust in their leadership."
On the other hand, a tweeter (Areen Al-Mustad'afeen) accused him of "flattering the ruling family and trying to whitewash its violations against the Shiite majority."
He told "Radio Sawa" that the hashtag #OurTrustInTheKhalifa was "launched by a man named Dhafer Al-Zayani, who is deeply loyal to the regime."
He added that the hashtag "does not reflect the will of the Bahraini street, which is fighting for justice, equality, and democracy, and does not agree with the dictatorship of the ruling regime."
However, Al-Zayani insists that "the hashtag is the voice of the people to the world, showing that the connection between the people and their leadership is like the connection between the soul and the body," pointing out that the proof of his claim is "the success of the hashtag, which ranked 51st among the most popular hashtags worldwide."
**Source in Arabic**
**Artificial Intelligence Analysis**
The article discusses the *virtual war* on *Twitter* between Bahraini government loyalists and opposition supporters, in the context of the transformations Bahrain witnessed after the *popular protests* in 2011, which coincided with the *Arab Spring*. The article highlights the *hashtags* used by both sides, including the hashtag #OurTrustInTheKhalifa, launched by *Dhafer Hamad Al-Zayani*, which referred to *support for the ruling family*.
**Key Points in the Article:**
1. *Hashtags and Trends on Twitter*:
- *#DownWithHamad* was one of the prominent hashtags used by the opposition, while the hashtag #OurTrustInTheKhalifa emerged from government loyalists as a way to affirm loyalty to the ruling family.
2. *Mutual Opinions on Dhafer Al-Zayani*:
- *Dhafer Al-Zayani* was one of the figures active in supporting the regime through this campaign, emphasizing that the campaign reflects *the people's trust in their leadership*.
- On the other hand, some accused him of flattering the regime and defending *violations* against the Shiite majority.
3. *Global Success of the Hashtag*:
- Despite the accusations, Al-Zayani pointed out that the hashtag gained significant popularity, ranking *51st among the most popular hashtags worldwide*, showing widespread interaction from supporters.
**The Broader Context:**
1. *The Role of Social Media in Conflict*:
- After the protests erupted, *Twitter* and *Facebook* became major platforms for exchanging political views, organizing demonstrations, and participating in protest movements. The *hashtag* became an effective tool for expressing political opinions, whether from supporters or opponents.
- *Hashtags that emerged in Bahrain*:
- *#DownWithHamad*: This hashtag expressed a call to overthrow the Bahraini regime in response to the protests. It was used by opposition members who demanded radical political change.
- *#OurTrustInTheKhalifa*: This hashtag was launched by *Dhafer Al-Zayani* and aimed to express loyalty to the Bahraini regime. It was seen as a response to *opposition hashtags* like #DownWithHamad.
2. *Dhafer Hamad Al-Zayani*:
- *Dhafer Hamad Al-Zayani* is one of the activists supporting the Bahraini regime and had a prominent presence on the internet through *forums* and *social media*. As mentioned earlier, he used a *pseudonym*, "Lion of Tikrit," to defend the causes of *Sunni citizens* in Bahrain and respond to *opponents*.
- *His Positions*: Al-Zayani was known for his strong stances against *Iranian expansion* in Bahrain and the Gulf, as well as his strong support for the ruling family in Bahrain. In many of his statements, he emphasized that *loyalty to the leadership* is one of the foundations of *Bahrain's stability*. He also believed in the importance of *national unity* among all segments of Bahraini society.
- *Threats and Harassment*: Like many government supporters in Bahrain, *Al-Zayani* was subject to threats and harassment from opponents, both online and in real life. He also faced some incidents, such as *vandalism of his car* and death threats, as he mentioned in some videos.
3. *Virtual Wars and Sectarian Differences*:
- These online campaigns can be described as *virtual wars* between *loyalists and opposition* in Bahrain. The *Shiite sect* represented the larger wing of the opposition, while the *Sunni sect* tended to support the regime more.
- *Hashtags* became a *virtual battlefield* where each side used social media to mobilize the masses, whether calling for *political change* or *defending the ruling regime*. In these online wars, *ideas and beliefs* may have more impact than traditional street battles.
4. *The Impact of This Virtual War*:
- *Deepening Sectarian Divisions*: The escalation of *sectarian divisions* in Bahrain through social networks has turned the digital space into a new arena for competition between *Shiites* and *Sunnis*.
- *Political Impact*: Through these campaigns, *public opinion* may influence the ruling regime and its domestic and foreign policy directions.
- *International Impact*: Due to international media interest in events in Bahrain, there has been *international monitoring* of how *social media* is used to influence public opinion. Online campaigns have become an important source for influencing the *international community's* understanding of the conflict in Bahrain.
5. *Future Implications*:
- *Digital Maturity*: Awareness among people in Bahrain and the region is growing about how to use *social networks* as an effective tool for influencing politics.
- *Censorship and Boundaries*: On the other hand, governments may move to impose *censorship* on the internet, limiting freedom of expression.
**Summary:**
What we are witnessing in Bahrain in terms of *online wars* between supporters and opponents of the Bahraini regime is not a new phenomenon. It reflects the *significant impact* that *social media* has gained in political life and in shaping public opinion. Despite the *risks and challenges* faced by activists, whether opposition or loyalists, the *digital battle* remains one of the most prominent forms of *political struggle* in the modern era.
Source:
https://fmbahrain.blogspot.com/?m=1
**To be continued…7**