BAHRAINI election monitors have denied approaching the government for funding. The Bahrain Human Rights Society (BHRS) has joined forces with the Bahrain Transparency Society to monitor parliamentary and municipal council elections, which are expected to take place in October or November.

However, another local rights group has accused them of trying to fund the initiative with government money.

But Bahrain Transparency Society president Abdulnabi Al Ekri told the GDN yesterday that was simply not true.

"We never asked for funding from the government," he said.

"Last year we applied to get a grant from the Development Fund, which is a joint venture launched by the private and public sector aimed at providing funding for all Bahraini societies and charity foundations. It is separate from the government and has its own administration.

"We, as a society, are entitled to seek funding from them - but approval depends on the Fund because each society presents its project outline first."

Mr Al Ekri made the comment after the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights claimed monitors had been seeking cash from the government and warned they could no longer be considered impartial as a result.

"If an association is funded by the government to monitor the national elections then it casts doubt on its credibility, reports and conclusions," said BCHR president Nabeel Rajab.

However, BHRS secretary-general Dr Abdulla Al Derazi reiterated that neither it nor the Bahrain Transparency Society had applied for government money.

"This is not true. We did not ask for funding from the government to monitor the elections," he said.

Dr Al Derazi also hit out at comments by a Bahraini minister, who allegedly told an Arabic newspaper that non-governmental organisations (NGOs) had no official right to observe the upcoming elections.

"Any NGO wishing to monitor the elections has to get approval from the authorities concerned, which in this case is the Justice and Islamic Affairs Ministry," Social Development Minister Dr Fatima Al Balooshi was quoted as saying.

"The law doesn't directly or indirectly give such societies the right to follow political activities, such as elections."

However, Dr Al Derazi said no such approval was needed when monitors oversaw elections in 2006 and 2002 - saying His Majesty King Hamad had previously given monitors the green light.

"The joint committee has observed the 2002 and 2006 elections, during which we never asked for financial aid," he added.

"We are just monitoring the elections and not getting involved in the political process.

"It also goes against His Majesty's decision to allow us to carry on our monitoring process during previous elections.

"We were given access to monitor the entire process and go inside polling stations, so now the minister is going against that custom.

"It wouldn't be in the country's best interest to ban activists from monitoring the elections."

Dr Al Derazi said in the past it was election organisers who contacted them to monitor the polls.

He also said it was time for a clause to be included in Bahrain's election law that polls would be independently monitored, while granting monitors freedom to do their work.

"We demand that authorities insert a clause regarding the monitoring of elections because it's an important part of the electoral process," he said.

"What we do gives the country's elections integrity and objectiveness, and without it there will be a large question mark on the entire process.

"We have proved our independence, credibility and integrity over the years - not just in Bahrain but overseas as well."

Mr Al Ekri added any comments that cast doubt on the ability of election monitors to do their work went against the interests of the country.

"Such claims and comments show a negative attitude of Bahrain's commitment to keeping the election process transparent," he said.

He also vowed his organisation would continue to monitor elections, even if it was banned from doing so.

"Even if we are prohibited from monitoring the elections we will still carry out the process from outside the polling stations," said Dr Al Ekri. "If a transparency society or human rights societies doesn't monitor the elections, then who should?"

The Social Development Ministry was not available for comment yesterday. noor@gdn.com.bh