THE ROYAL College of Surgeons in Ireland wants to be part of the solution in Bahrain rather than part of the problem, the college’s chief executive said yesterday.
Prof Cathal Kelly was before the foreign affairs and trade committee of the Oireachtas defending the college’s position in the controversy over the arrest and alleged torture in Bahrain of medical personnel trained by the college after they treated patients injured in civil disturbances that began a year ago.
The college, which opened the Medical University of Bahrain in 2003 and has invested €70 million in the project, was widely criticised for a failure to speak out at the time on the arrests and treatment of those detained.
Prof Kelly told the committee that the college had responsibility for 1,021 students and more than 120 staff in Bahrain.
“As an international organisation it is critical that RCSI helps build bridges rather than contribute to greater fracturing.
“It does this by being nonpartisan, non-aligned and restrained in public commentary. Otherwise we become part of the problem rather than part of the solution,” Prof Kelly said. “Our approach has been guided by what we have judged to be most effective in Bahrain. In support of this approach we have chosen to minimise public statements in Ireland.”
The college welcomed last November’s report of the Bahrain independent commission of inquiry which found many detainees were subjected to torture and other forms of physical and psychological abuse while in custody and had formally requested King Hamad to drop all outstanding legal charges against medical personnel and others.
Earlier, Andrew Anderson of Front Line, the Blackrock-based foundation for the protection of human rights defenders, highlighted the case of Adbulhadi Alkawaja, who formerly worked for the organisation in Bahrain.
The human rights activist had been arrested last year, then beaten and tortured with the result a “major operation” was required because of his injuries.
Mr Alkawaja is currently on hunger-strike. “We are very gravely concerned for his health and wellbeing,” Mr Anderson said.
Fianna Fáil Senator Mark Daly said it was “reprehensible” the college had failed to condemn torture of its former students. “You have an institution out there. You’re trying to protect your interests.” Describing the college’s response at the time as “pathetic” and “shocking”, he said: “Evil prospers when good men stay silent.”
Fianna Fáil Senator Jim Walsh told Prof Kelly that, having listened to his “comprehensive” submission, he was “inclined to accept that the approach you took was probably the correct approach”.
Sinn Féin TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn said the events of the past year were “deeply disturbing” and its failure to condemn human rights abuses had “damaged the reputation of the RCSI”.
Independent Senator David Norris told Prof Kelly: “Torture is not a word used in your document at all.” He added: “The difficulty is that a deferential attitude can sometimes compound the situation, particularly when you fight shy of using the word ‘torture’.”
Independent TD Maureen O’Sullivan said the Bahrain authorities had failed to “respect the rights of doctors to treat all patients”.