Nepotism in the government makes Yemen weak [Archives:2008/1173/Community]
By: Fuad Hazaea
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Government from the ruling family, to the ruling family, for the ruling family is the real mirror of the Arab Governments nowadays. Thrones are bequeathed from the father to the son: monarchies in the reality, republics in the public. Many Arab leaders are preparing their sons for the thrones by giving them more and more authorities as is happening in Egypt and Yemen. If an upcoming president is predetermined by the will of the current ruler, what are the reasons for wasting the nation's assets in elections? Is there a surplus in the budget that we don't know about? Everything in our countries is owned by their Excellencies, and the owner has the right to do whatever he likes, whether the public likes it or not.
Democracy and elections are only means by which they control their own people and the public opinion. The subjects have no voice: they obey the instructions, follow the ruler's rules and live in hopes of better futures, living the respectful lives they were promised during the election campaigning and prolonged addresses.
During the last presidential election, Yemenis were promised electricity generated by nuclear power, improvement of living standards, reduction of poverty and illiteracy rates, empowerment of women in the social and political spheres, and encouragement of investment. But all of it ended with the announcement of the ruler's victory. Our hopes for the future are limited to their eloquent speeches. They think for us, dream for us and do everything for us. They do not do this in the developed countries. Their leaders create an atmosphere that encourages their subjects to dream and think for themselves. They empower their subjects to engage in social, economic and political aspects of life in places like England, South Korea and the USA. The citizens' voices are heard there and they contribute to the decision making process. We are oh-so-blessed to have ideal leaders who think and dream for us as they wish!
Contrary to the known fact that the strength of the subjects is the strength of the nation, the Arab rulers' strength lies in our weakness and vice versa. To stay mighty and powerful, our rulers stay up all night not thinking how to make us poorer and more illiterate. Rather than reconciliation, our government conducts wars between tribes because it keeps them weak and easily-controlled. A nation will never stand strong in a competitive and industrialized world without developing its human resources. The secret of Malaysia, South Korea and others is the development of education and the expansion of choices. Men, women and children are the wealth of any nation, so they should be taken care of. Otherwise, an unsupportive nation will remain nothing but a stagnant marketplace for the developed nations.
We in the Arab world live in devastating poverty and their Highnesses live in comfort and happiness. Why not, since they inherit all of this? Their children live their childhood to the fullest while our children live in the streets in the unbearable heat of the sun, eating from the trash cans. Our lives are not predestinated by the will of God but by the will of their Highnesses. They decide for us how, where and when to live.
Our lives are not based on merit but based on a new scale invented by their Excellencies: importance and royalty. They are rulers not for our sake but for the sake of their families and important figures in society. While applying for a job, I met a lot of talented and respected individuals at a career center looking for jobs because, as they said, they did not know important people who would support them. One Adeni job seeker told me he is waiting for good luck to have mercy on him. Poor, unemployed individuals fear luck, which isn't really “luck”” if it has also been predestinated by the will of our rulers. It seems our fate is to live in a time when citizens are the slaves to the rulers.
Important positions in our nations are reserved for the ruling families like Al-Ahmar
