The National:

BAHRAIN – a small island nation off the coast of Saudi Arabia – declared independence from the UK 52 years ago today.

Yet the true extent of the violence endured by those who campaigned for that independence and further democracy remains in shadow even half a decade later.

The history of Bahrain

In 1868, Bahrain officially became part of the British protectorate of territories in the Persian Gulf.

Under this agreement British permission was needed if the ruler of Bahrain wished to enter into any formal relationships with other countries.

In return, Bahrain received military protection from the British, who also supported the rule of the Al Khalifa family (who still hold considerable political influence in the country today).

During this period of British influence Bahrain was transformed into the largest trading hub in the Persian Gulf, with the discovery of oil in 1932 making it even more valuable to the British Empire.

The ‘Butcher of Bahrain’

Ian Henderson was born in Aberdeenshire on March 8, 1927 but spent his childhood in Kenya.

It was there that he gained renown as police officer whose negotiations helped crush the anti-colonial Mau Mau rebellion during the 1950’s.

Following this he was sent to Bahrain to set up a special security branch in the country, after anti-British sentiment began to bubble up among left-wing political groups and high school students.

Arriving in 1966 – just after the March Intifada saw numerous protesters killed by police – Henderson became an instrumental force in the country’s security apparatus.

The gaining of independence began in earnest two years later, when the British government announced that it would be ending its treaties with Persian Gulf states – including Bahrain.

With the Iranian government agitating for control of Bahrain, the United Nations stepped in and proceeded with the most sensible course of action. They asked Bahraini’s what they wanted: Iranian control or independence.

READ MORE: How Maldives gained independence from the British empire

An overwhelming majority voted for independence and the sovereign state of Bahrain was born.

However, in the early 2000s human rights groups brought forward allegations of brutality against Henderson, who was alleged to have overseen the torture and sexual abuse of pro-democracy campaigners (which he strongly denied right up until his death in 2013).

Yet despite the then vice-chair of Westminster’s human rights group describing the allegations in 2003 as “by far the strongest UK torture case we have seen”, an investigation led to nothing after Bahraini authorities invoked official secrecy and refused to release documents pertaining to Henderson’s conduct.

The so-called “Butcher of Bahrain” was never prosecuted and the true nature of what pro-independence and pro-democracy activists endured at the hand of the British state remains unknown.

Meanwhile, the UK Government continues to lend support to a regime which retains the death penalty, restricts freedom of expression and is known for heavy police repression of those calling for democratic reform.

Indeed, in June the UK Government removed Bahrain from its list of human rights priority countries after the oil-rich country announced that its private sector would invest £1 billion in the UK.

It shows that even post-independence, many countries still struggle to gain democratic freedom and fully dismantle political structures built under British rule.

Lesson for Scottish independence: Despite having a much-reduced sphere of global influence since the days of Empire, the UK Government continues to wield soft power in many of its former territories (often via cosy relationships with anti-democratic governments and politicians).

The UK’s interest in Scotland will not end following independence. It would be wise to expect Westminster to continue its attempts to exert control over Scotland’s politics in whatever way it can post-indy.