Tuesday marks the one-year anniversary of the start of protests in Bahrain. Tens of thousands are expected to take to the streets to protest a government that has committed terrible violence against its own citizens.
When Bahrain's streets awaken in protest tomorrow, will government forces crack down on peaceful demonstrators again? Will there be more tear gas, torture, killings?
We don't know what will happen tomorrow. But we do know that tragedy is not inevitable.
As protests enter their second year, the Middle East and North Africa remain in turmoil. As I wrote you over the weekend, the crisis in Syria is escalating. Civil society is under attack in Egypt. We can't let violence against peaceful protesters rekindle anew in Bahrain.
If the Bahraini government keeps its promises -- to end torture and excessive force, to release peaceful protesters from prison, and to hold those responsible for abuses accountable -- it should have nothing to fear from nonviolent protests demanding political reforms. Write, text, e-mail to point of view... Your opinion counts.