They all float, war in Iraq and election fever in YemenEach in an orbit [Archives:2003/630/Community]

Mohammed bin Sallam
People in Yemen are nowadays preoccupied in what is going on in Iraq due to the US-UK-led aggression.
The invasion of Iraq targets Iraq's oil and its other resources and to share them for many coming decades by the invaders and their supporters.
Nevertheless, the Yemeni government is still insisting on holding the parliamentary election scheduled on April 27. Would the election process be safe, particularly if the war against Iraq intensifies and be protracted for a long time?
On my own part, the Yemeni masses are positively responding to and expressing their hatred against the countries launching the aggression on the people of Iraq the catastrophe befalling on them.
The state's paying no heed to what is going on in Iraq, such as mass killings, demolishing of houses, destruction, will be a big mistake made by the state.When the Yemenis believe that the authority in Sanaa has not taken clear and strong stand for rejecting the US-UK aggression against Iraq, many furious Yemenis could resort to carrying out fierce acts in expression of their stand. Such act may target the election supervisors particularly, the British or the Americans.
Sheikh Abdulmajeed al-Zandani, the Chairman of the Islah Shura Council, in others' point of view was right.
Sheikh al-Zandani has expressed his concerns and fears last February over dangers that surround the country as a result of the possible US-led attack against Iraq.
Those dangers could lead to spoil of the atmosphere of elections, create chaos or political disturbances in Yemen. The Sheikh has demanded for postponement of the elections.
Other political parties leaders have turned their backs and have not listened the Sheiks' advice and above all, no positive initiative has been taken to boycott the forthcoming parliamentary elections except that by RAY Party which has fallen into straitened circumstances due to the lack of financial aid from Saudi Arabia.
The justification of boycotting and not participating in the upcoming elections can be attributed to the economic and political deterioration.
According to what the party says, ''it will not go to elections unless an entire change in the ruling system has been effected before holding any parliamentary elections.''.
On the other hand, a number of political observers believe that the US-UK-led war against Iraq will create complications on the part of the local political arena. This could manifest itself in postponing the 27 April parliamentary elections.
The excuse might be very strong on part of the authority to in order to encounter all by claiming that the situations are nor suitable for running elections and postpone them for 60 days. Acceptance of such a pretext could not be so easy especially that the authority had actually postponed the elections that were scheduled in April 2001 when conditions were normal.
Some politicians warn that response of the angry public to the US-led war against Iraq will not be easy, though others see that the parliamentary election is not an American commodity to be boycotted. It is connected to arrangement of the Yemeni legal affairs of the political system. Boycotting elections will create an internal political crisis.
Those politicians has criticized the government's stance. There should be a deep concentration on the president's initiative in order to be politically aligned with encountering the possible dilapidation as a result of the US-led aggression. What has been presented before the political leaders is not the US-led unrelenting war against Iraq, but election and nothing else.
Political observers see that the Joint Meeting Parties have attempted to form a unified vision with a view of calling for a national alignment where the president has previously called for.
At another level, some politicians feel doubtful about the success that could be made on the part of the national alignment in reality.
They entirely depend on some previous experiences where failure is destined. But those politicians have agreed that the call for the national alignment particularly in such circumstances considered to be a positive aspect.
Other political pessimists said: “So, the approach of the coming election on April 27, the political forces in the ruling party and the opposition seem to be at a crossroads, either reaching to an electoral deal in order to enhance a strong existence of modernizing movements within the parliament itself or the political parties.
This could be achieved through building a modern state away from the tribal influence and arm regulations.
In order to reach to an agreement, the parties have to put an end to political conflicts and purge extremist elements.
The most important thing is that the academic curricula have to be rightly selected away from the ideological conflicts.
——
[archive-e:630-v:13-y:2003-d:2003-04-07-p:community]