No clear reason why JMP boycotted governor election [Archives:2008/1158/Opinion]

Mohammed Hussein Al-Aidarous
Until recently, some of the political opposition forces have been viewing governor election as one of the demands, which is so difficult for the authority to meet. In the concept of such opposition forces, power can exist only at the central level and the nation can not be managed except under a totalitarian regime.

The Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) believe that an ultimate decision should not be given to people who are sill immature to manage their affairs, in total contrast to belief of Yemen's political leadership that made governor election part of its presidential platform, announced ahead of 2006 presidential election that gave President Saleh another seven-year mandate.

Undoubtedly, seeing the Yemeni people as immature and ineligible to take any decision while political, religious and cultural guardianship should be imposed on them is one of the vital matters that interpret Yemeni people's sufferings in the past under a tyrannous regime.

Under the past political systems, Yemeni people were denied even their basic human rights. They were not allowed to own houses, states or even modest workshops to provide them with livelihood.

At that time, the poor Yemeni citizens suffered growing poverty while other nations in the world were developing and building the future of their generations. Yemeni political system of the past (Imamate) is responsible for oppressing people these days by some opportunists under the pretext of pursuing the holy legislation.

Modernity has not guaranteed a specific end to this kind of political culture, thereby allowing it to extend to the contemporary time. We find that some of opposition forces still believe that they are guardians of 22 million people, as well as legitimate representatives for each Yemeni citizen. They also believe that they must control all the nation's natural resources and then distribute them to certain individuals according to their assessment grid.

Why does the Yemeni opposition think this way? It does so because of seeing all Yemeni citizens as immature and ineligible to manage their resources or funds. The opposition parties also label Yemeni people as backward, ignorant and unable to manage their affairs because they lack faith, adherence to principles and honesty.

Opposition not concerned about citizens' issues:

At this point, the gap of awareness and sensation between the opposition parties and Yemeni people got expanded, but the ultimate decision was granted via ballot boxes to the people who proved to the opposition forces that it is them who are backward, and therefore lack the required awareness and understanding of national issues.

It is now that Yemeni people understood that the opposition parties have nothing to do with their current sufferings as a result of a tyrannous regime that ruled Yemen in the past. It is now that Yemeni people realized practices of the opposition parties violate the basic human rights.

If partisan plurality, initiated and enhanced by Yemeni political leadership, represents a turning point toward liberation from the totalitarian culture and backward guardianship, the most recent gubernatorial election, which succeeded thanks to strong will and determination of Yemeni people, stands for a post-liberation period. It is the period of possessing the political decision and practicing broad and multiple powers that are key to fostering comprehensive development and strengthening the national determination, as well as ensuring this determination against any irresponsible intervention.

The national determination will be stronger as we move toward the election of district directors in the near future.

Anyway, there are forces that view such a unique transformation as a strong strike on their central practices within their political parties and organizations. The way these forces criticize the notable democratic transformation in Yemen and describe it as 'a wrong and futile procedure' is attributed to their outdated beliefs and fanaticism that undergo erosion with the passage of time.

The Yemeni opposition suffers from notable shortage and incapacity in dealing with good matters, while on the other hand, mind of the wise political leadership remained unchanged for several decades for the sake of helping all Yemeni citizens practice their democratic, political, social and economic rights.

In think that the opposition parties should review the way they think and modify their outdated concepts in order to cope with demands of the time, particularly as the opposition seems to be far away from the real political life in Yemen and the real situations of Yemeni people. Notably, there is a wide gap between the opposition and the local community as the former operates in line with its narrow interests at the expense of trying to do something for the latter or addressing its pressing issues.

Source: Al-Thawra State-run Daily
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