[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 60 (Thursday, April 29, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4470-S4471]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       TRIBUTE TO HIS HIGHNESS SHAIKH ESSA BIN SALMAN AL-KHALIFA

 Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to His 
Highness Shaikh Essa Bin Salman Al-Khalifa, the late Amir of the State 
of Bahrain. The people of Bahrain recently commemorated the 40th day of 
mourning for their great leader who passed away on the 6th of March. 
Shaikh Essa was known for his kindness and compassion and will be 
dearly missed by both the people of Bahrain and his friends around the 
world.
  Shaikh Essa was a visionary leader who helped transform the Bahraini 
economy from an oil-based economy to an economy of trade, investment, 
banking, and service. These improvements led to Bahrain achieving one 
of the highest standards of living among the Arab countries.
  Under Shaikh Essa, Bahrain strengthened its relationship with the 
West. In 1903, Mason Memorial, the first American hospital in the 
region, was established. It has since become a landmark. In 1932, when 
Bahrain became the first country in the southern Gulf region to 
discover oil, American expertise backed the exploration. This year 
Bahrain is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the strong friendship it 
has with the United States and our Navy. The Bahrani Ambassador to the 
United States, His Excellency Mohammad Abdul Ghaffar Abdulla, continues 
to do a wonderful job in keeping this strong friendship alive.
  My condolences go out to the people of Bahrain and Shaikh Essa's 
family. I wish to extend my warmest regards to His Highness Shaikh 
Hamad Bin Essa Al-Khalifa, who has succeeded his father as the new Amir 
of Bahrain. I am certain he will follow his father's path and continue 
to keep allied relations between Bahrain and the United States.
  Mr. President, I ask that the Amir's tribute to his father be printed 
in the Record.
  The tribute follows.

 Speech of His Highness Shaikh Hamad Bin Essa Al-Khalifa, Amir of the 
                            State of Bahrain

       In The Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
       Our Dear People, Peace, And God Blessings Be Upon You

[[Page S4471]]

       God most high said ``among the believers are men who have 
     been true to their covenant with God, of them some have 
     completed their vow, and some still wait, but they have never 
     changed their determination in the least.'' Trust said God 
     almighty.
       At this historical circumstances, we share with you the 
     great tragic of the sad demise and great loss of our father, 
     the leader.
       At the same time we are all united with prospect of 
     confidence to shoulder the responsibility of continuing the 
     pursuance of the path and the course he laid down through his 
     sagacity, devotion and tolerance.
       In line with this, we need to meet the demands and changes 
     of the future, in a world rift with volatility, by means of 
     Bahrain's potentialities comprising the ability to develop 
     and revitalize since the start of process of modern progress 
     and development.
       For that, Bahrain has been leading the drive among 
     brotherly states and closely working with them in this vital 
     region, of the Arab nation and the whole world.
       The Respected Citizens, with the loss of our father, late 
     Shaikh Essa Bin Salman Al-Khalifa, we have lost an Amir who 
     was a caring beloved leader, a close friend to every 
     individual of his people and a great man whom the whole world 
     loved and respected.
       His human legacy shall remain the guide of this nation and 
     over next generations, reflecting the true image of Bahrain 
     in devotion, tolerance and civilization.
       Prevailed by this great tragic loss, and satisfied by the 
     creed of God almighty, we pray that his mercy and blessing 
     bestow our beloved who granted his country, people and nation 
     all the goodness of action which shall remain the guide we 
     follow in the nation and which will be preserved as a path we 
     pursue enabling us to shoulder and assume the tremendous 
     responsibility, we all are charged with for the sake of the 
     pride, prosperity of Bahrain and for the future of the 
     generations.
       The great late beloved left for us a well-developed, 
     flourished and secured nation and he turned Bahrain into an 
     oasis of civilization, prosperity and a landmark of knowledge 
     and progress in an Arabian Gulf and the pan Arab nation.
       We ought to carry the standard, should the responsibility 
     and continue the drive to serve this nation which is 
     characterized by good nature and manner of the people, and by 
     the competence and the civilized standard of the sons of this 
     country.
       Our dear people, Our great late man shall be recorded by 
     history for his leading role, high status and great decency.
       From this rich testimony, having great respect for the 
     great late father, and at this adieu position with a forward 
     look towards future, we recall that Essa Bin Salman was for 
     us and his people in Bahrain, the man of national 
     independence, of the constitution and consultation and the 
     man who accomplished the state of institutions, law and 
     order.
       He was the man of development, pan-progress and national 
     economy.
       He was the man of Gulf unity and Arab solidarity in most 
     difficult situations and circumstances.
       He was the man of peace and international cooperation and 
     genuine friendship among the peoples of the world.
       All these guiding features shall remain before us while we 
     pursue national path, our Gulf unity and our Arab solidarity 
     and in all domains of our regional approach with the 
     neighbors and our global cooperation.
       We shall remain the solid course at various levels, with 
     all of you in the drive of the national work, with the 
     brothers in the Gulf and the Arab world and with every 
     sincere friend of Bahrain, in this region and in the whole 
     world.
       With the blessings of God almighty, we shall adhere to the 
     track forged by the great late, we shall share love, brace 
     and cooperation with all who seek goodness for Bahrain, 
     inside and outside, and we shall protect and safeguard 
     Bahrain against any harm through the determination and 
     sacrifices.
       As we pay tribute to the great late man and accolade his 
     achievements, we ought to applaud with gratitude and for the 
     sake of truth and history, the leading role of his brother 
     and his right hand our uncle His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin 
     Salman Al-Khalifa, the Prime Minister, who and since the 
     beginning till the last minute, spared no effort in serving 
     the nation, developing the country, leading the government 
     through his deep vision, sagacity and hard work resulting in 
     the fruits of wisdom, experience and well organized systems.
       He was and shall remain a source of richness and a source 
     of vision and inspiration to face the tasks of national work 
     and future challenges.
       Every thanks and appreciation are extended to His Highness 
     for the honorable and leading stances he played for the sake 
     of this nation and at all stages of development. We have the 
     confidence that through gifted traits of deep perception and 
     solid resolve, His Highness will continue the path of 
     devotion we expect from him and from the generation of the 
     fathers who accompanied him in quest for development and 
     progress.
       On other respect, witnessing this historical turning point, 
     we call on and urge the young generation of Bahrain to 
     shoulder their responsibilities and prepare for their tasks, 
     starting from our Crown Prince His Highness Shaikh Salman Bin 
     Hamad Al-Khalifa, whom we wish every success in discharging 
     his new constitutional mission.
       We take this opportunity to express our appreciation for 
     the unanimity and the support we gained from the members of 
     the ruling family, led by our uncle His Highness Shaikh 
     Khalifa Bin Salman Al-Khalifa and our uncle His Highness 
     Shaikh Mohammed Bin Salman Al-Khalifa who commended his 
     appointing as the Crown Prince in accordance with the 
     constitution.
       Our dear people, It would be necessary to express to all of 
     you every gratitude over the cohesion and sincere loyalty you 
     have demonstrated at this historical situation, representing 
     your sustained allegiance which reflects true unity between 
     the people and their leadership in this cherished country.
       I would like to say it clearly that as a son of Essa and as 
     an adherent to the duty, I shall raise the standard of his 
     path which does not differentiate between the people of the 
     single nation, regardless of their beliefs and origin, and 
     which only consider the honesty of national association, and 
     which consider the true citizenship which seeks every 
     goodness for Bahrain and her people.
       On the Gulf, Arab and Islamic domains, we are pleased to 
     express, on your behalf, the deep appreciation for the 
     sentiments of heartfelt condolences and over the stances of 
     sincere support we received from all brothers, leaders and 
     people in the Gulf and Arab states, affirming the reality of 
     unity which binds us all and to whom our late great leader 
     was one of its prominent figures.
       We are also in the position to convey appreciation and 
     thanks to the Islamic countries which embraced us with truly 
     sincere feelings, and to all friendly states of the world 
     with whom we share the keenness for a stable, secure and 
     prosperous international community.
       To conclude, witnessing this historical point, and as we 
     consider our assessment of all the institutions, the 
     Consultative Council and various bodies of Bahrain national 
     community for their constructive contribution, we have the 
     pleasure to extend a message of applaud to those who 
     safeguarded the soil of this nation and protected the 
     achievements, and to express, on your behalf, every 
     encouragement and support to the personnel of Bahrain Defense 
     Force, who are shouldering the tremendous responsibilities in 
     protecting the country, safeguarding its territories and 
     securing the security and tranquility of citizens and 
     residents.
       This is achieved by means of joining forces with exerted 
     efforts of security forces, police and the national guard.
       At this moment, we recall the saying of our great late 
     leader who addressed the personnel of Bahrain Defense Force 
     and said ``our solid belief of Bahrain Defense Force is an 
     integral part of the forces of Gulf Cooperation Council 
     providing with further confidence and determination to 
     achieve the security and stability of our region. You have 
     presented a true example in accomplishing the mission of 
     honor and duty.''
       Such belief will remain our solid conviction at all times 
     and circumstances.
       Our dear people, We pledge to remain with you at every step 
     and stage of our national work, for we are strong through the 
     support of God almighty and your backing.
       Cohesion and unity will continue to exist between us for 
     the sake of Bahrain image and pride and for the sake of her 
     prosperity.
       We shall present before you our views and perspective on 
     the future of the national action, and it would be our 
     concern to perceive your expectations and aspirations for the 
     goodness of Bahrain based on the formula of cohesion between 
     the leadership and the citizen.
       We are greatly confident that our Bahraini civilized 
     society is blessed with many potentials of real progress upon 
     which we can build in the path of political, administrative 
     and economic development.
       Such path we highly believe in and consider it as a source 
     of richness for our traditions of consultation, and as a 
     pattern for governmental development and for accomplishing 
     the comprehensive progress and diversifying of the national 
     economy in the interest of the people of this nation and 
     every piece of this soil.
       Finally, we have but to pray for God almighty to bestow our 
     great loss and our leader with the mercy and rest him unto 
     the heaven.
       We are consoled by the fact that we shall remain adherent 
     to his spirit and keep his path, to protect the soil of this 
     nation, by every means of determination, dedication and 
     resolve.
       And say work righteousness, soon will God observe your work 
     and his Apostle and the believers. Peace and God's blessings 
     be upon you.

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