ReflectionsThe Urgent Need For:Public money control mechanism, stopping smuggling of children and the prevention of jeopardous items [Archives:2004/776/Opinion]

By Yahya Al-Olfi
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On the occasion of the 42nd Anniversary of 26th September revolution, the detractors of this turning point in Yemen's Modern History, who unfortunately are themselves and their kin holding various high ranking ministerial positions and below let alone their being participants in the governmental successes and failures do overtly declare their allegiance to the president and the revolution and are more royal than the king as it appears from their speeches, seminar participations, statements and articles here and there, while in private they do criticize the ongoing corruption and different injustices in which ironically enough they are intentionally often the occasioners.
Such sick people are working hard to down the roof of the temple onto the heads of everybody and are naively thinking that they shall be safe once it falls. Here, arises the need for a specific Public Money Control Mechanism of which I think appropriateness, efficiency, competitiveness and conformity with the revolution's six principles should be taken into account. I know money simple-minded guys who have become all of a sudden Deputy Ministers or Heads of Authorities based on their family and kin cliques.
As of Late, the local press has been reporting incidents of children being smuggled into Saudi Arabia. In my opinion, poverty pushes the children to take such risky adventures, thinking sometimes with their families that an opening in the wall of their poverty could be opened and are oblivious of the dangers ahead on their way and in case they succeeded in arrival, where most are being either sexually exploited or at least made to work as beggars or pickpockets. I was particularly touched by an article written about this by Mr. Izzaldin Saeed Ahmed in althaqafiah newspaper edition 255 in which he refers to the number of smuggled kids amounting to 9000 last year alone.
The government must have this as a priority in its agenda for what is the use of its claimed achievements whilst such a disgraceful reality is going on. The writer ends his article by saying that the main causes for this affront are poverty and corruption.
That there is no solution except by having a country free from corruption and free from poverty. The writer wonders how could our responsibles return home and dare to play with their kids, lecture them about glorious history and the achievements whilst knowing that 9000 of their age group are being smuggled, killed, humiliated and raped.
Besides, the machineguns, bombs and mines held by many Yemeni citizens due to the open trading in arms which range from pistols, silencer pistols up to heavy artillery and shoulder rockets seemingly unimportant items are being sold freely in the market. Albeit many incidents have been reported about losing the eyesight, becoming maimed and in many cases death was the end result.
Toy-rockets, which can be ignited, have caused many sad incidents of eyesight loss let alone the annoyance caused to the neighborhoods. Different fireworks are being utilized to produce other toys which explode and often kill when vacant cartridges are stuffed with the explosive substances and then pressed hard by means of a quickly thrown stone which lead to a big explosion.
A foreigner was once living in Alboonia in Sana'a told me that one day in the night whilst he was cooking himself an omelet a toy rocket passed by his face which caused him to throw the saucepan on the floor.
Other sad incidents come from heater-bars. These heater-bars are imported from china and are used mostly during cold weather months to heat water by connecting them directly from the sockets into containers. Such dangerous bars are often the cause behind many deaths because if touched by mistake they cause you an electric shock and that is if you are lucky because your shoes are dry and did not make a complete electric circuit but in case your shoes were wet or you are barefooted then you would be finished if no immediate first aid was not close.
Unfortunately, often the worse happens.
For that reason, the prevention of tainted glass for cars should include the prevention of import of fireworks and the extremely hazardous electric heater bars, this is if we have officials who really do care!
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