We need more [Archives:2002/12/Viewpoint]

Even though we should be grateful to the USAs help in training Yemeni security forces in various security-related operations, its also important to realize their help in training our soldiers will certainly not be enough.
Yemens security problem is not a result of military and police forces that are not well-trained. The problems are more complex, and unless they are tackled, the American assistance may be no more than a waste of time, effort, and money.
Todays Yemen is a place where laws and regulations are not taken seriously. People dont feel that there is need to abide by the law. There are many factors behind that including corruption, poverty and ignorance.
People do not respect the laws because most high-ranking military officers and tribal sheikhs never do. The ones in higher positions within the military or tribal hierarchy dont abide by the law in many ways. Their envoys cross red lights, they dont wait in queues like others, and they dont go through routine paperwork in ministries.
In other words, they are the first to violate the law. Those sheikhs and military figures have most of the 60 million weapons in the country. They should be dealt with first before we can see progress in the security and stability level of the country.
The incredible number of weapons in the country is due to bribes given to corrupt figures at borders and elsewhere to allow smuggled weapons in the country. With such a huge number of weapons, a stable Yemen is only a dream.
I am asking the US to put the pieces together and understand why there is little security in the country. This should not be interpreted as an invitation to interfere in our countrys internal issues, nor should it be viewed as a means to foil their training program. All I want to say is that there could be other ways to help Yemen help itself, especially in the issue of security.
Soldiers at checkpoints within cities inspect regular unarmed civilians to check whether they carry weapons and leave military and tribal sheikhs wander in the city with as many weapons as they want. How on earth can one prevent an act such as the one that happened near the US Embassy last week if citizens are not treated equally?
The first step is to start a huge disarmament campaign. We need to get rid of those disgusting pieces of wood and metal that hang over the shoulders of virtually every tribesman and soldier. Then we need to get soldiers out of the cities and into their military camps just like other cities worldwide and let police take charge of maintaining security. Yemen is among the few countries in the world where one cannot differentiate between a soldier and a police officer.
The US administration should understand that security like everything else has guidelines. If those guidelines are neglected, then it would be impossible to achieve better security in the country regardless of how well-trained the military personnel are.
The issue is more complex and requires more space and time to explain. But a sure thing is that Uncle Sam should realize that to create a safe and secure Yemen, there is much more to it than just a few training courses.

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