Manama: Arson attacks on public schools have cost the government an estimated BD5 million, according to a new report.
It recorded 442 incidents from 2011, when unrest broke out, until the end of last year, with 108 of the attacks involving acts of arson, tyre-burning and the use of gas cylinders and Molotov cocktails.
The chronology of attacks are documented in a report, titled Terrorist Acts in Bahrain - Daily Events from 14 February 2011 until 31 December 2015, prepared by Gulf Centre for Strategic Studies director Dr Omar Al Hassan.
The GDN has reported on 483 attacks on schools since 2011, with latest incident recorded on February 22 this year when a group of saboteurs broke into A’ali Intermediate School for Boys and stole money from a faculty room.
The GDN reported in June 2014 that Education Ministry officials said attacks on schools cost Bahrain more than BD2.6 million in over 300 incidents reported at the time.
However, Dr Al Hassan said he documented 442 attacks from 2011 until December 2015 and estimated damages would reach up to BD5m.
“On 204 occasions electricity stations within the schools were targeted directly,” he said in the report.
Besides attacks on school facilities, anti-government thugs also targeted three buses while transporting students to school, and guards were assaulted on two occasions.
Arson
“It was common in these attacks for the perpetrators to steal fire extinguishers to be retrofitted as launchers of iron bars during subsequent attacks and gas cylinders for use in acts of arson,” stated the report.
“In some instances, students themselves were the source of issues, taking part in sit-ins and protests with 70 instances of students barricading the doors in order to enforce a students’ strike.
“These acts led to confrontations between the students, some leading to riots which would spread to the streets and areas around the school, leading to attacks on police and disruption of the educational process.
“It is estimated that damages to schools cost BD5m.”
Other public facilities damaged over the last five years included water tanks, electricity cables, pylons, lampposts and ATMs, at an estimated cost of BD4.8m, according to the report.
It said government housing projects were also targeted by thugs who stole equipment and even attacked construction workers.
“The greatest loss to Bahrain’s heritage however came when rocks were uprooted from the A’ali archaeological zone to be used for road blocks on May 15, 2012,” added Dr Al Hassan.
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