No democracy without protection [Archives:2007/1114/Opinion]
Mohammed Hussein Al-Aidarous
Despite that the fact that democracy grants people a broader scope for rights and freedoms than any other systems or political procedures, but such rights and freedoms may reverse expectations of people unless regimes and the different national systems determine a moral and legislative limit for exercising democracy.
When we contemplate on modern democratic experiences in the region and benefit from the lessons of chaos, violence, and lawlessness, which are the products of excessive democracy, we will find no reason except for the fact that there are certain individuals who exercise democracy without protection. This is a big mistake because the lack of effective regulations, laws and responsible executive bodies means an entire lawlessness letting no chance for anyone to escape their inevitable consequences. This is why democracy in Yemen is based on the slogan “No freedom without democracy, no democracy without protection, and no protection without a rule of law”.
But, when we find that there are invisible forces who try to disarm democracy from protection, we then realize how huge the subsequent risk is. And, its negative impact will not be only on the authority, the ruling party or the opposition parties, but it will cover the whole nation and the Yemeni people with their different political affiliations and trends. This realization seems to have originated from vital experiences in the region and not from our personal obsessions and beliefs.
Regretfully, some of the political forces haven't yet understood this fact and turned to look at laws and legislations as if they are enemies threatening their survival and obstructing their political movement. These forces believed that the Law for Regulating Demonstrations, for instance, is a man-made procedure to violate their freedoms, but not to protect democracy from those who make out of freedoms a justification to exercise human rights abuses and transgress values and morals of the society.
It is illogic to consider democracy protection as the job of the authority, the legislative institutions, security agencies or the armed forces, or a particular party because such matters require an integrative partnership between various government institutions and national forces, including individuals, who are pondered upon as the smallest components of the society.
Consequently, building opinions or attitudes on the basis of participation values and the amount of expended effort will help enhance the democratic development in Yemen, contribute to strengthening the democratic course and enrich the democratic experience with lessons and patriotic work experiences. This matter will be finally reflected on the security of democracy, power of the state and its performance in the various areas of domestic development.
When some people put on democracy much practice more than its capacity and deal with judiciary as being an antagonist, as well as try to exceed the limit of Yemeni privacies, they undoubtedly take the democratic practices into an unsafe state of agitation. On their return, these practices may lead to an unprecedented setback, particularly as the democratic experience is still in the stage of infancy, or have not yet reached the level of immunity like some European and Asian countries that led Yemen in the democratic transformation.
Remorsefully, such matters occur under the umbrella of freedoms, democracy and human rights while some people forget about the fact that such institutions, agencies and forces, which are hostile to one another, had been among the sparks of national liberation revolutions, as well as pillars of the national unity. These institutions and forces remained a rigid shield on the face of those targeting national security and the economic interests of citizens. They also worked hard on protecting foreign guests in Yemen, be they tourists or workers in foreign companies.
Source: Almotamar.net
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[archive-e:1114-v:15-y:2007-d:2007-12-24-p:opinion]
