Authorities in Bahrain have notified the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) that the Amateur Radio Association of Bahrain (ARAB) is not authorized to represent Bahrain radio amateurs internationally. At the IARU Region 1 Executive Committee meeting held in May, Chairman Don Beattie, G3BJ, said he had told Bahrain authorities that initial recognition of ARAB as an IARU member society was based on confirmation by authorities in Bahrain that ARAB was authorized to represent Amateur Radio interests.

“In view of the recent exchanges, and the fact that there now was no one answering mail from ARAB, it was agreed to move towards placing ARAB in suspension,” the May meeting minutes recount. “Until a valid application is received from an appropriate entity in Bahrain, there will be no [member society] for that country.”

According to the meeting minutes, Beattie will write to authorities in Bahrain to again explain the process for nominating a member society. ARAB reports on its website that its 4 meter beacon and 2 meter repeater are no longer in service, and that the club station A92C has been dismantled.

IARU R1 Secretary Dennis Green, ZS4BS, was to ask the Bahrain Amateur Radio Group (BARG) not to represent itself as Bahrain’s IARU member society.