| History of Bahrain |
|---|
 |
 Bahrain portal |
The National Union Committee (Arabic: هيئة الاتحاد الوطني) was a nationalist reformist political organization formed in Bahrain in 1954 (originally named the Higher Executive Committee, Arabic: الهيئة التنفيذية العليا). The committee was formed by reformists in response to sectarian clashes between Sunni and Shia members of the population. Its foundations were laid in the journal, Sawt al-Bahrain, which was founded and published by these reformist figures.[1] The original aims were to push for an elected popular assembly, a codified system of civil and criminal law, the establishment of an appellate court, the right to form trade unions, an end to British colonial influence (through the removal of Charles Belgrave), and an end to sectarianism.
The original committee was made up of four Sunni representatives and four Shi'i representatives.[2] The members were:
- Abdul Rahman Al Bakir (Arabic: عبدالرحمن الباكر) - Secretary
- Abdulaziz Al Shamlan (Arabic: عبدالعزيز الشملان)
- Ibrahim Fakhro (Arabic: إبراهيم آل فخرو)
- Ibrahim bin Mousa (Arabic: إبراهيم بن موسى)
- Abdali Al Alaiwat (Arabic: عبدعلي العليوات)
- Sayyid Ali Kamaluddin (Arabic: السيد علي كمال الدين)
- Shaikh Abdullah Abudeeb (Arabic: الشيخ عبدالله ابو ديب)
- Shaikh Mohsin al Tajir (Arabic: الشيخ محسن التاجر)
One of the early members of the committee was Ali Sayyar, who joined in 1956 and would become a veteran journalist in Bahrain.[3]
- ^ Toby Matthiesen (2014). "Migration, Minorities, and Radical Networks: Labour Movements and Opposition Groups in Saudi Arabia, 1950–1975". International Review of Social History. 59 (3).
- ^ Willard A. Belling (Spring 1959). "Recent Developments in Labor Relations in Bahrayn" (PDF). Middle East Journal. 13 (2): 156–169. JSTOR 4323106.
- ^ Who's Who in the Arab World 2007-2008. Walter de Gruyter. 22 December 2011. p. 722. ISBN 978-3-11-093004-7.