Opposition: “We may be compelled to address the people’s court about the whole regime’s corruption” [Archives:2006/940/Front Page]
By:Mustafa Ragih
SANA'A, April 23 ) At a press conference at the Socialist Party center to inform the media of the latest developments, the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) distributed a number of last week's conduct violations by the Supreme Commission for Election and Referendum (SCER), which opposition listed.
Opposition revealed 150 illegal violations on the first day of registration, which began last Tuesday, occurring in the Capital Secretariat, Sana'a, Taiz, Amran, Al-Dhale and Thamar. In its daily violation report, it mentioned that 119 election centers in Sana'a, Thamar and Amran remained closed on the first day, as well as all electoral centers in Al-Jawf.
According to the report, the most important violations were concentrated in election committees, which were late in beginning their work in the early hours. Others remained closed until the following day.
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However, constituencies 200 and 201 have been closed since registration list checking began because of ruling party branches restructuring, according to opposition. The JMP reports spoke of moving registration centers from their locations due to intervention of influential ruling party bodies.
Responding to a question on the report's sources, opposition representative Mohamed Qahtan pointed to developing awareness among citizens, saying they began watching violations and reporting them to the parties.
Qahtan started the press conference by reading a statement, which pointed out that dialogue with the ruling party is futile, noting that it is a waste of time. He reconfirmed opposition's stance regarding the SCER issue and demanded its change.
He asserted that the SCER changed the formation of committees to secure the ruling party's domination by adding names of some government officials and security personnel to approved jobseeker lists. This is a clear violation of the text of the law, which prohibits forming any election committee from only one party. Qahtan added that the 13 observing committees' membership fully consisted of the ruling party.
Opposition is expected to continue holding weekly press conferences to follow up developments and inform the public. In a related matter, legal advisors will hold a press conference on opposition's legal stance on the alleged violations. However, opposition leadership said it will not file cases before a judiciary affiliated with the authorities.
Hassan Zaid, head of Al-Haq party's political secretariat, recalled some judges who ruled that electoral lists were invalid, including Judge Mohamed Humran, who later were punished and transferred to administrative posts or remote areas. Humran was transferred to Sa'ada, though he was known to be one of the Capital Secretariat's most qualified judges.
Qahtan pointed out that opposition will resort to 'the people's great court,' indicating that they will take it to the streets.
Asked about opposition's nominee in the elections, press conference attendees said discussions about the issue had begun; however, the time to declare it is still early, with the SCER issue still pending.
Qahtan said opposition will escalate its demands for political reforms, saying it may be compelled to speak about the whole regime's corruption unless its demands to secure fair elections are met. He added that a boycott would include all means and tools of the political system, of which election is among them.
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