Symposium on Constitutional Amendments [Archives:2000/45/Reportage]

Bassam Gameel Al-Saqqaf
Yemen Times
The Constitutional Amendments and Their Effect on the Political Future in Yemen was the theme of a symposium held lately at headquarters of the Students Union of the Yemeni Congregation for Reform (Islah).
Gar Allah Omer, Assistant Secretary General of the YSP, Dr. Mohammed Abdul-Malek Al-Mutawakel, Politics Professor at the Faculty of Commerce and Economy – Sanaa University, Mohammed Qahtan, Chairman of the Political Office of the Islah Party, attended the conference.
Dr. Abu Bakr Alqerbi, Chairman of the Political Office of the Peoples General Congress Party (PGC) and Abdul-Malek Al-Mekhlafi, Secretary General of the Nasserite Peoples Unionist Party, sent representatives Younis Hazza, Vice-chairman of the Political Office of the PGC and Ali Saif Hasan, Vice-Chairman of the NPUP to attend the symposium.
The strongest opinion put forward by some participants was that such amendments would be like an earthquake shocking the political action, or a bloodless coup dtat on democracy, a retrogression and detour from the political course according to which the Parliament be converted into a council for preaching and counseling.
The PGC representative Mr Younis Hazzas opinion was quite different as he considers the constitutional amendments as necessary after ten years since ratification of the Constitution. He says that the amendments are necessary so that the Constitution could keep pace with the political developments and that they would enhance democracy.

Gar Allah Omer of the YSP considered that the main points of the amendments were three. The first was the extension of parliament term from four to six years. The second was the extension of the presidency tenure from five to seven years. The third was the issue of Local Authority that would appoint the governors instead of electing them. He considered any other amendments as marginal and that if amendments were to be made without making a referendum this would make the Constitution similar to any other law and it would be amended in any parliamentary session and would emptied of its legal spirit.

Mr. Ali Saif Hasan from the Nasserite party warned against political parties silence versus this matter and failure in performing their national duty. He said that those parties would then have no reason to exist if they made no move concerning the constitutional amendments. He also pointed to the Article of trade liberalization in the constitutional amendments, saying it was so dangerous an article that would allow the government to have the sway on trade and any call for even boycotting Israeli goods in the future would be considered as violation of the constitution. He also indicated that the law of duties levying imposed by institutions would be a corrupt way of collecting money. He pointed out that giving the president the authority to dissolve the parliament by calling for early elections would cause chaos in case the president could not gain majority of votes and could not form the government. On the Local Authority, Mr. Hasan expressed his surprise by saying, How can the citizen be prevented from electing the governor under pretext that he is illiterate, fanatic and tribal but he is wise, civilized and intelligent when he elects the president?!. He also said that the MPs, elected for four years by the people, have no right to extend the period without a referendum. He also indicated that delaying elections for two years creates despair in making a change and creates differences between parties, considering that the culture of practicing elections is still new for the Yemeni people.

Mr. Younis Hazza has also criticized the YSP. He said that it was good that the YSP started taking interest in the constitution and he disapproved what Gar Allah Omer said about the non-discussion of the amendments in the Congress institutions. He was surprised at the opposition parties discussions. He said that they seemed to be discussing other amendments. Furthermore, he praised the amendments and said that they were a forward step and consolidation of the democratic process. However, he did not respond to what the participants said and did not answer their questions. He concluded his speech without discussing the constitutional amendments and their importance objectively.

Mr. Mohammed Qahtan defended the Islah Party position against the accusations of being the second largest party masterminded the plan for the amendments and shared the deal with the PGC. He said that they, in the Islah, did not find those amendments valuable or useful at all. After all, he appealed to the Congress, the Government and the President to back off from amendments project and not to subject them to political and party wrangles. He said, This is a national issue that concerns everybody.
He also discussed the Consultative Council, prolonging election periods, duties and trade issues.

Mr. Mohammed Abdul-Malek Al-Mutawakel, independent, concluded the symposium by saying, The authority has always been trying to adjust or amend its attitude to be in harmony with the constitution but failed to do so, therefore it decided to amend the constitution instead. He said that the extension of the two-year period for the MPs was only made to let those amendments pass through them. He urged the parties to stand strongly against those amendments and not to subjugate this issue to for politics and tactics because it was a national duty and one of the national constants. He added that unless the Islah and other parties take a serious move against these amendments, they would lose their credibility at all levels.

There were some comments on points mentioned in the addresses and some questions asked by attendants, were answered by the participants.
bassam al-Jameel
Mr. Mohammed Qahtan defended the Islah Party position against the accusations of being the second largest party masterminded the plan for the amendments and shared the deal with the PGC. He said that they, in the Islah, did not find those amendments valuable or useful at all. After all, he appealed to the Congress, the Government and the President to back off from amendments project and not to subject them to political and party wrangles. He said, This is a national issue that concerns everybody.
He also discussed the Consultative Council, prolonging election periods, duties and trade issues.

Mr. Mohammed Abdul-Malek Al-Mutawakel, independent, concluded the symposium by saying, The authority has always been trying to adjust or amend its attitude to be in harmony with the constitution but failed to do so, therefore it decided to amend the constitution instead. He said that the extension of the two-year period for the MPs was only made to let those amendments pass through them. He urged the parties to stand strongly against those amendments and not to subjugate this issue to for politics and tactics because it was a national duty and one of the national constants. He added that unless the Islah and other parties take a serious move against these amendments, they would lose their credibility at all levels.
There were some comments on points mentioned in the addresses and some questions asked by attendants, were answered by the participants.

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