Dispute escalates between SCER and opposition [Archives:2006/941/Front Page]
Yasser Al-Mayasi
SANA'A, April 26 ) The Supreme Commission for Elections and Referendum (SCER) held a press conference last Monday calling on the political parties to present an alternative for current electoral committees to conduct the elections and vote counting, according to previously set terms.
SCER head Khalid Sharif told the press conference that the parties and political organizations have until May 20 to reach a deal on participating in the electoral committees. He added that if no deal is reached before the deadline, the SCER will adopt the same method of forming committees from job seeker lists on civil service registries.
Sharif accused partisan newspapers of publishing false accusations, denouncing them and saying those responsible for these newspapers reverse the facts they present to the public. He continued, saying they also fabricate lies against the SCER and its affiliated committees. Responding to a question about opposition accusations that electoral committees are not formed from job seekers registered on civil service lists, he said this is untrue and the names are found on those lists.
In answering another inquiry about electoral guarantees, SCER members confirmed that they are not arguing over parties' and political organizations' right to speak about guarantees, as this is one of SCER's main aims. They assured that there are no greater guarantees than those secured by law.
They reviewed some guarantees, topped by partisan right to check voter lists and civil community organizations observation, in addition to the right of international observation, which would be formed from organizations, authorities and embassies in Yemen. The SCER added that it is the media's right to do necessary observation. It also confirmed that international observers have the right to watch the election process with transparency.
Following failed dialogue with the SCER, all parties were excluded from committees formed to check voter lists. Opposition accuses the SCER of dependency and committing electoral violations. Dialogue with opposition failed, the last of which was a meeting with President Ali Abdullah Saleh and the ruling party. Prominent opposition leader Abulwahab Al-Anisi withdrew from that meeting in protest of insulting words to him by Sultan Al-Barakani, head of the ruling party's parliamentary bloc.
Opposition handed Saleh a petition containing their vision on free and just election procedures, as well as listing SCER electoral violations. Political sources spoke of suggestions Saleh presented, which included forming a committee to look into opposition's accusations about SCER violations; however, opposition did not welcome the suggestions. Press sources said opposition will call for a national conference for all their representatives in the country to come out with decisions for a future agenda.
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