Islah Defeats GPC in Mareb [Archives:2001/09/Law & Diplomacy]

According to unofficial results, the Yemeni Congregation for Reform won 86 seats against 23 for the General People’s Congress in the District Local Councils in Mareb held on February 20. The GPC also suffered a great defeat in the Governorate Council election where it scored only 5 seats against 12 for its rival, Islah.
A source in the Islah party revealed that the voting process was interrupted in many constituencies as the GPC realized its certain loss.
Seventy vehicles carrying armed tribesmen belonging to the Islah Party were deployed along the Safer-Mareb road blocking the way of gas and oil tankers and threatening the piercing of oil pipelines in the city if the counting of the remaining votes did not take place inside the city.
Commander of Brigade-25 Mechanized in Sirwah was confronted by tribesmen when he tried to transfer ballot boxes to a military camp.
“This has happened despite the fact that tens of soldiers were sent to our area to vote for the GPC, but we received them with our weapons and bazookas. They can never decide our destiny. We chose Islah, and Islah it shall be,” said a tribesman in Mareb commenting no the results of the elections

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