Absent Role of Yemeni Opposition [Archives:2000/45/Law & Diplomacy]

The talk about the Yemeni opposition is not a pleasant thing since it will not get us to satisfactory results so that we can tell the good and the bad sides of that opposition. I think that Yemeni political parties are rather tribal groups that are not identical to their counterparts in other countries. Yemeni opposition differs widely from that in other countries in literature, people and goals. The Yemeni opposition doesnt have the culture of
– protest,
– peaceful transfer of power,
– criticism and accepting others opinions,
– being related to the people.
In addition to the above,
– Heads of opposition are employees of head of the state.
– Heads of opposition do not change.
– Yemeni opposition doesnt believe in real and effective democracy.
– Yemeni opposition doesnt have a clear vision nor programs different from those of the government.
– Yemeni opposition doesnt adopt any of the issues that are of interest to the Yemeni citizen.

We need to reassess the role of opposition and try to make effective changes in order to see a new Yemen being built up.
A seminar was held at the center of future studies on Sunday the 29th of October to highlight the present and future situation of Yemeni opposition. The seminar was attended by representatives from all the political parties. Almost all expressed their pessimism towards the future of the opposition in Yemen, affirming its incapability of rebuilding and reshaping itself.
Member of parliament and the speaker of Nasserite Peoples Unionist party Mr. Sultan Al-Atwani said the present situation of the opposition is not satisfactory since the opposition hasnt been able to have one clear attitude towards urgent and fateful issues nor been able to be integrated to face the mistakes of the government. The Yemeni opposition doesnt have a program to play a constructive role in the miserable situation in the country. He also added the Yemeni parties havent been able to overcome their internal crises to be able to deal with other problems of the country.
Mr. Sultan expressed his optimism in improving the situation of the opposition provided that its role be re-evaluated properly. He said if the opposition could join its efforts, specify its aims and the issues to struggle for and give up being attached to the ruling authority, it would be more capable of serving the country. He concluded its time for the opposition to reschedule its priorities, review all the mistakes of the past and change its media address which suffers from an actual crisis. Parties formulae have become worn out and need to be changed.
Dr. Faris Al-Saqqaf evaluated the present role of the opposition by saying they live a real crisis which is the crisis of the whole country in general, he added. There is a crisis in all establishments of the civil society and the opposition is no different.
He urged upon appropriate changes and alternatives, otherwise Yemen will never be able to survive.
Dr. Al-Saqqaf summed up the opposition crisis as follows:
– Lack of democracy within those parties.
– Lack of priorities.
– Lack of specified programs.
– Being attached to the ruling authority.
– Not having initiatives.
believes that the solution to this crisis is having alternatives for the present ruling system.
Mr. Ahmed Ali Kalaz, representative of the Yemeni unionist congregation party opined that the problem is actually in the wrong structure of the parties. He said that those parties were no different in thinking and actions than the government and had many illnesses, like regionalist groupings and bloc-oriented attitudes. In other words people of other regions, groups or attitudes are not allowed to join a particular party. He also said that those illnesses are inherited from the primitive people of tribal mentality.
According to them those illnesses would continue unless we understand the roots of the problem and try to replace old leaderships, the present leaderships are clinging strongly to their posts.
Mr. Kalaz concluded the reform of Yemeni parties depends basically on how much awareness the second generation has. Once their thinking overcomes family and tribe affiliation as criteria of political action, the real change could start.
Mr. Abdulkarim Al-Khaiwani, editor in chief of Al-Uma newspaper, official spokesman of Alhaq party, thinks that the crisis of opposition is not new and it has been potential for a long time. He added that the opposition tried to make changes, then stopped because of the attitudes of their leaderships which always have accepted what the authority offered until it became the echo of the authority. Public do not trust the opposition anymore because the opposition does no longer represent their hopes and expectations which made the gap between the people and the opposition grow wider. The future trust in those parties will be totally lost and the undemocratic attitude will win eventually. He thinks the solution is in changing the leaderships that make fortunes and are no longer able to merge with people again. In the end, he said that those bourgeois leaderships must leave the scene to new bloods that are free from the disease of corruption.

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