Al-Hakimi to YT: “Ballot is the only option to change the current situation” [Archives:2006/942/Reportage]
Abdullah Sallam Al-Hakimi is one of the Yemeni opposition leaders residing in Egypt, and one of the prominent personalities in Yemen politics. He has a proposal for ideal governance, which he shared with the Yemen Times through an interview with him in his residence in Cairo. Some people support Al-Hikimi and his proposal while others oppose him for the same reason. Al-Hikimi was Interviewed by: Mohammed bin Sallam.
Q. Can you please explain the reasons for your bid to stand in Yemen's upcoming presidential elections?
A. I declared my bid for presidency since I have a complete vision to change the current situations in political, economic and social areas. This was included in my electoral program, which I presented several months ago and the program covers the main features for my vision of change. As I did not find any visions for change, similar to mine, by other personalities declaring their intentions to run for presidency, this made decide to stand for office in the upcoming presidential elections.
Q. Do you think candidates will demonstrate a fair competition in case President Saleh does not back out on his decision not stand in the elections?
A. Whether Ali Abdullah Saleh quits or insists on staying in power, the prevalent situation, particularly relating to the electoral management and the state's relations with the ruling party make it impossible for candidates to have fair competition.
Q. What is the likelihood of any citizen to become president of Yemen?
A. In the shadow of corrupt regime controlled by military and tribal forces and showing dominance over the government institutions, it is impossible for the country to have free and fair elections based on the principle of equivalence and real competition. As no minimum guarantees to ensure fair, free and transparent elections are available, it is a waste of time and effort to take part in the ballot. A patriotic government is needed to be responsible for supervising and managing the electoral process and this proposal was presented several years ago by x-president Ali Nasser Mohamed, who encouraged a parliamentary decentralized system rather than a presidential one The proposal is practical and objective and without it, free and fair poll will be impossible, particularly as the Supreme Commission for Elections and Referendum (SCER) violated the law and the constitution and proved to be unfair and partial. In addition, effective international monitoring and supervision of the upcoming presidential elections are necessary to ensure a poll with at least the minimum of integrity and transparency.
The general situations in the country have gone from bad to worse, seemingly breeding an atmosphere of anarchy. Unless the upcoming presidential elections change the current regime, the time period for change to take place will be long. Good will is very important for change, which is impossible to achieve as the current regime appears disabled and bankrupt.
Q. What are the successful aspects of your electoral political program you presented to the public?
A. The electoral program, which I presented is not theoretical, rather it involves practical mechanisms such as establishing a federal regime to end the absolute centralization of governance and set an outline for administrative division to achieve this goal in its important areas, mechanisms and legislations. Additionally, the program suggested a list of clear solutions to eradicate poverty and unemployment in the country and achieve social equity in the framework of an open economy providing facilities and motives that boost investment. There was a list of practical solutions to eradicate revenge and tribal killing, integrate tribes into the civil community and positive political participation, in addition to other solutions regarding military and security institutions. Nevertheless, I believe there is more tendency and likelihood to apply the program easily as long as will and commitment are there.
Q. What is your viewpoint about the likelihood of a JMP candidate to win the upcoming presidential elections?
A. JMP represents the earnest and real political opposition. Consequently, these parties are obliged to fulfill their general political duty, particularly the right to stand in the upcoming presidential elections through their consensus on a single presidential candidate, meeting the following requirements such as to be: strong and have a large number of supporters, a real and serious rival and well-qualified and competent enough to manage the country in the shadow of difficult and exceptional conditions. If the JMP cannot fulfill such a persistent and urgent need, it will have negative impacts on the opposition role, presence and influence in the political scene. What applies to presidential elections does too to the local elections. I think there is a historic opportunity before the JMP to play the role of a real opposition and they are eligible to take the responsibility.
Q. What in your opinion are the effective solutions to rescue the country from its current situation?
A. Whether I win the elections or not, my electoral program includes multiple solutions, remedies and mechanisms to rescue the country from the current situation. With regard to how this will be achieved, we have no choice to make change except for the ballot boxes despite the fact the current regime will not give up power voluntarily. I think the majority of Yemeni people have reached the point of explosion because of being unable to tolerate issues of corruption, poverty, unemployment and suffering. Yemeni people are ready to make a change through the elections. The most important thing is that how can we achieve elections with at least minimum integrity and transparency and not exposed to vote fraud. Only through this, one can be sure that the Yemeni people are able to make. To make myself clear, if you ensure me free and fair elections, I will ensure you comprehensive change, which is the greatest challenge facing us.
Q. Is the Yemeni opposition able to fulfill people's needs and ambitions?
A. I think the opposition is able to do so in case its current coalition grows into a front or a unified political bloc, representing the JMP even if this bloc only includes the Islah, Yemeni Socialist and Nasserite parties. Only in this case I confirm that the opposition will play a pivotal and primary role in the sought political change. Now, the opposition has before it a historic criterion represented by the upcoming presidential and local elections, and these parties' future is determined by their will to make change.
Q. You talked about the federal governance. Do not you mind giving us more details about this issue?
A.Throughout my life, I never heard that federalism in managing state and society's affairs leads to dividing countries except through the official media in Yemen. Federalism is no threat to the national unity, in fact it helps enhance and strengthen unity. But the real concern of the official media is consolidating and reserving corruption not the unity claiming that unity opposes federalism. Federalism is a complete political system recognized by nations worldwide and I think there is no need to explain it even from the theoretical point of view. But from the practical point of view, federalism has roots deeply extending to our national and regional history. The tribal structure, its traditions and relations constitute part of the federalism and since old times, Yemen has never stabilized except through federalism and this fact was cited during the eras of Sheba, Hemyar and Ma'een, as well as during the Islamic and Ottoman eras. Therefore, Yemeni liberals advocate for federalism.
Q. You were one of those opposing 1994 Civil War. From your point of view what are the war's consequences that the Yemeni citizens still suffer today, and are there any possible solutions for them?
A. All the events the country went through starting with pre-re-unification wars until 1994 Civil War broke out over ethnical and regional conflicts. As governance in Yemen is based on absolute centralization, the problem has been represented by flagrant contradiction between governance on the top place and facts and geographical and population considerations on the bottom. There is a category in the form of a small village, which rules the country and the Yemeni people. Out of the people it made a special feudalism for it. This category by all means wants to maintain its dominance, which is not in line with reality until the final minutes of life. This is the main factor that fuels recurring political and social crises in the country and it is bound to continue fueling catastrophic crises in the days to come. I do not know why there is an objection to a president from the southeastern area to rule the country. I have no objection to this proposal that has become an urgent national need to maintain unity and ensure security and stability. The area of a president to rule Yemen is not as important as establishing a democratic federal system to put an end to centralization of governance and make the real power stem from the lower base (the ruled) and not to be imposed from the higher post (the ruler). In my opinion, this is the fundamental solution.
Q. How do you predict Yemen's future?
A. If the current regime remains to spread corruption, oppress people and help increase poverty, unemployment and suffering among the majority of citizens, a terrible volcano will break out. This volcano is destined to break out unless change takes place. It will swallow everything in its way and drive Yemen to a tragic situation worse than that experienced in Somalia for several years. And any expected anarchy will be too difficult to settle.
Q. Will you run for president even if the elections are not fair and free?
A. I will never run for president in elections having no minimum integrity, freedom and transparency. Why should I take part in a ballot subjected to vote fraud? I will not take part in the elections so that I don't give legitimacy to something lacks it.
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