Joint Meeting Parties accuse government of backing the dissenters [Archives:2005/859/Front Page]
Hassan Al-Zaidi
“The guards” who occupied the headquarters of the Joint Meeting Parties last month, have issued a new Al-shura Journal holding the same name. They also made a decision of discharging Abdulkreem Al-khiwani, from the post of chief editor of the paper. They directed a memorandum to the Ministry of Information with these changes. The Ministry has indorsed these changes.
The authorities have approved the so called general Secretariat of the Popular Forces Unionist Party, known as (the Guards), who have formerly occupied the party's headquarters and its paper. They decided to discharge the former general secretariat. They also assigned next September for the assembly of the third general conference of the party.
The Yemeni TV has devoted ten minutes for the news of the discharges and the changes that the Guards have made.
The JMP joint meeting last Monday has denounced the practices that the consultation council was subjected to. They described it as it a provocative act that cancelled a legal party. It cloned this party and tailored it to the desire of a group of the party opponents. Those opponents purport that they represent the consultant council of the party. They have nothing to do with the party.
The JMP have also condemned the formal media campaign that tries to merchandise a forged meeting for these elements.
They denounced in their communique this sort of behavior which will undermine the multi party and democratic practice. They urged the authorities to stop these irresponsible practices, and abide by the law and constitution.
Several Political observers considered the closure of Al-shora paper and the change of its chief editor Al-khiwani as an effort to satisfy the authorities' desire. The authorities hold him responsible for backing Sa'ada events. Al-khiwani was released from jail after 8 months. The president had accused his party of being the military wing of Al-haq party of the Zaidi discreet. It was lead by Husien Al-hothi who was killed, and his father who is still hiding with his followers in Sa'ada mountains.
Al-shora paper is the first local paper to open the heated discussions on the presidential affairs (inheritance of governance). Al-shora and the Al-thori (Socialist party) have made columns for some writers to speak about the president and his term of office. This was considered a personal slander rather than a criticism.
Al-oma and Al-thori papers stopped last week when Al-jeel press refused to publish them.
Observers think that latest developments will be an indicator of change in the political arena, especially the political parties. They have affected some of the JMP parties that include the Islamic Islah party.
Almithaq paper (run by the ruling party) has highlighted in its front page's last issue, a report of arms and explosives in Al-shora paper headquarters. The news was attributed to a security source. It was alleged to belong to the former leadership of the party. They are said to be similar to the weapons were used in detonations in the General Secretariat of Sana'a.
A police executive in the head office area denied these reports. He said if there were any weapons they would have found them. He also added that the security men didn't find any explosives.
Al-mithaq paper source said that the armed group who were at the head quarters, smuggled away these weapons when the new chief editor reached there. They couldn't stop them from doing this.
It worth a while to say that the Popular Forces Unionist Party is headed by Ibrahim Al-wazeer who lives in exile since Al-wazeer's family coup against the Imam's regime in the Forties. A prominent figure of the party is Dr. Abdulmalik Alwazeer professor of economical sciences in Sana'a University.
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