The Handicapped State [Archives:2000/05/Focus]

Common Sense
By: Hassan Al-Haifi
The ultimate hope of idealists is that mankind will not have need of government and that society will have reached such a state as to be able to provide for all of its needs on an equitable basis and a systematic manner. But ideals for the moment shall remain ideals and even the most progressive states are still lacking in the wherewithal to free their societies from the need for government to ensure the equitable access to the resources and services available to such states. However government has gone through many significant transformations over the ages whereby the citizens have now come to benefit from greater empowerment, more civil and human rights and accessibility to and ownership of the land’s resources.
In addition to ensuring equitable access to the resources and services available to a society, government has the equally important function of providing protection and security for all of its citizens, their property and the public assets of the society (After all security is not meant to be just the security of the ruling regime and its key elements). In fact, one may surmise this function to be a prerequisite for enabling the government to undertake the former function with relative ease and satisfaction to the government and the governed alike. This task also provides the safe atmosphere and stability for the overall functioning and progress of the society.
Thus, it goes without saying that a government’s inability to provide for the protection and safety of the citizens and their safe movement throughout the territory under its sovereignty is a clear sign that this government, for all practical purposes, is a handicapped one. Accordingly, such a government can be construed as having failed in the fulfillment of a fundamental cause d’tre of government.
The Republic of Yemen has of late become the victim of a serious security lapse. Fear has become prevalent among most of the citizens, whether they are in the “safety of their homes” or on the move for leisure or work. When one leafs through the pages of the partisan and independent press (and sometimes the official press), one cannot fail to miss the rise of violent incidents, from week to week, with reports of some form of violence coming from all parts of the country. In most cases human life has been lost and bodily injury has been incurred in one form or another. Even government facilities have become targeted lately for robberies or subversive purposes, which are yet unclear. Nevertheless, it is clear that we are facing a serious security situation and certainly the government is failing in its ability to insure that the safety of the citizens of the country and their guests are guaranteed.
In the early part of the last decade, much of the violence that erupted then, mostly in Sana’a and Aden, was linked to the mounting tic for tat between the loosely tied factions that made up the ruling regime (the Yemeni Socialist Party, the People’s General Congress and the Yemeni Congregation for Reform-Islah – Party). The decisive outcome of this unsuccessful marriage was concluded by the unfortunate and unnecessary civil war during the summer of 1994, where the two latter parties succeeded in taking the whole pie to themselves. That was all fine and dandy, but since the end of that war, and the end of the political reasons for the tic for tat, the other reasons for the increase of violence took the lead in making the security situation more unbearable than it was, even during the transitionally period. It is not clear if all these incidents can be tied politically, but it seems obvious that the government has failed in dealing with this serious menace that stands in the way of the country ever making any further progress in any of its development programs, or in attracting tourists and investments from abroad.
The security situation has really gone out of hand, to the point now, where one does not have to wait for the papers to come out, to get an idea where the latest violent outbursts are occurring. Even the city of Sana’a, which is traditionally regarded as a demilitarized zone and free from any form of violent conflict, is now beset, almost on a daily basis, with loud outbursts of gunfire or explosions that disturb the peace of sleeping infants and adults alike. In addition one cannot fail to note that someone is bound to come across a tale of an assault on an unexacting cross-country traveler by highway robbers, or kidnappers seeking to embezzle the government or a company of funds or other form of repatriation in kind for their release. The often-heard assumption that the government may be aware of who is behind such incidents makes the situation scarier. There are even cases heard by this observer where the offenders were in fact captured by serious minded security officers, who carry out their duties honorably and respectably, only to be released a week later by God knows who!
This observer, who happens to reside in the periphery of the capital city, along with most of the residents of the vicinities surrounding Sana’a, would probably find it hard to sleep at night if there was not some outburst of gunfire Ð some of it very close indeed, or explosion, as it has become common noise to soothe the ears at night before going to sleep. All kidding aside, there is no clear sign of relief from the increasing violence that has erupted on a widespread basis throughout the country. While the government’s alludes that this is something which all societies are confronted with, it is surely a new development for Yemen, which has not seen this kind of violence among the citizenry. Of course no one is neglecting the political wars that ensued in the past, but on the whole the citizens lived peacefully and safely among themselves and murder and robbery were regarded as dishonorable and disgraceful. This observer can recall travelling cross-country, whether for work or family leisure, without having any second thoughts about being stopped anywhere. In situations where one was stopped (in the late Eighties), due to tribal disputes, etc. usually the road block “attendants” would let us pass very politely, once they see a family inside or foreign businessmen accompanying us, or when they realize that we are not their targeted foes. But now, one would be frightened at the thought of being sent anywhere without heavily armed escorts. We are not sure why this has all of a sudden become the atmosphere we must live under and we are not sure if there is really any reason why this should be an “acceptable norm”, like the other societies are subjected to, if we can accept the government’s alibi.
It is widely believed that the government is partly responsible for letting the security situation get out of hand and it is widely believed that the government is acting very laxly in dealing with the offenders. Moreover, it is widely felt that the inability of the government to tackle the economic slack has lead to the need for finding illegitimate means for sustenance among a large unemployed population. Moreover, the increasing powers and influence given to the sheiks and other mob leaders has fostered an increase of violence as these people tend to enjoy their involvement in “settling” the various incidents of violence that erupt everywhere, which they never really do anyway.
It is time that the citizens of this country begin to taste peace again in their homes and on the road. This is paramount if any progress is to be made in any other areas. Farmers cannot be expected to produce, if they know that at least half of their harvests will be subjected to pilferage. Manufacturers cannot be expected to add new lines of production, if they cannot be assured that the existing lines will not be blown up the next day. Investors cannot be expected to put their funds in projects that have to cost four times their expected costs because of embezzlers and other carpetbaggers ready to swindle as much as they can out of the project before it even gets underway. Tourists cannot be expected to flock to a country, in which hospitality means being a sleeping guest with a gun pointed at the top of your head, no matter what the reason is, and no matter what assurances we give that these are really “friendly kidnappings”. Donors cannot be expected to provide funds for government facilities that are threatened by pilferage or bombs thus rendering their support useless or meaningless before the Yemeni people have a chance to make use of them.
The point to be made here is that the government must act seriously and firmly against those traitors who disturb the peace and stability of the country, whether they are people of influence or not. Such people should not be allowed to take the law into their own hands and keep the government in such a handicapped state that it cannot even guarantee the safety and protection of the citizens, most of who already have had enough of the impotency of the government in all the other functions it is charged with. It the security situation is not dealt with effectively Ð and very soon, there is no telling what is in store for the future.
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