Bachelors ban defies reason...

By LES HORTON
The move to ban all single men and women from renting accommodation in certain buildings or areas of Manama must be against the basic principles of human rights.
I can understand moves to stop flats and other buildings being turned into makeshift labour camps, with scores of workers crammed into accommodation not designed for the purpose.
I have already admitted that I would not be pleased if the family house next door to us was turned into a dorm for labourers.
But a blanket ban such as that drawn up by Manama Municipal Council is going too far and denies law-abiding people the right to live where they choose.
I am not aware of any developed country with such a rule and it signals a step backwards for Bahrain, at a time when it has just taken its seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council.
This is an insidious form of segregation based on a false premise that all "bachelors", whether male or female, pose a threat to morality and security when they are allowed to live amongst families.
The charter drawn up by the council must now go to the Municipalities and Agriculture Minister for approval and I can only hope that it is thrown out immediately.
Setting aside the human rights issue, the impracticalities are enormous.
The suggestion is that individual councillors will designate family areas in their constituencies, in which bachelors will be banned from taking accommodation.
Those already living in these areas will not be allowed to renew their leases, but will be given a grace period in which to find alternative homes.
On what criteria will these councillors be basing the designations and, should this plan go ahead, where do they expect all the bachelors to go?
There are fundamental rights at stake here which affect everyone in the country, since it involves an elected council seeking to lay down the law on who can live within its boundaries.
If it is allowed to get away with it, then it may spread to the other five councils and what on earth may be next, Bahraini-only areas?