What is correct in the political equations? [Archives:2008/1141/Opinion]
By: Zaid Al-Shami
Our country's pressing problem worsens and keeps on complicating until it may become very difficult to resolve. In the meantime, the dire economic situations help the current unrest and outrage become sharper and sharper. Petitions, appeals and complains receive no responses while corruption and nepotism prevail the everyday life in Yemen.
All these problems and others threaten security, stability and unity of the nation. What we see in the horizon is anonymous because everyone looks at the standing issues and then assesses them from his/her own viewpoint and in line with his/her personal interest. As all Yemeni people don't know or project how consequences of these problems will look like, nor are they prepared enough to positively deal with any subsequent developments, I think that it is time to return to the judgment of logic and reason, and admit these problems so that we can suggest workable solutions to them.
The riskiest thing that has just floated up in Yemen today is the threat posed to the Yemeni unity. Unity is the noble goal that has been sought by Yemeni people in the north and south throughout the times of fragmentation until they ultimately reached such a noble goal nearly 17 years ago.
Calls for secession that continue to grow arouse regret and sorrow nationwide since they reflect a state of misery and frustration among Yemeni people without an exception. These calls are symptomatic of dire situations and lack of justice and equality. It is usual for investigators of secession to exploit the current circumstances – described as the worst ever seen in the history of unified Yemen – and escalating protests over unmet demands to make the wound more painful. Even worse, the policies and plans adopted by the authority – labeled as poor and unworkable – help investigators of secession continue the march toward achieving their malicious objectives.
There is a huge confusion of concepts that needs to be reviewed in order not to allow the turmoil to worsen. Insisting on the survival of corruption, connecting unity with such a destructive phenomenon and accusing those advocating the relevant agencies, organizations and parities to fight corruption of being secessionists or defectors is unacceptable. The behavior demonstrated by those who believe that Yemen can not get rid of the current standoff unless South Yemen is separated from the North is unacceptable too.
In addition, labeling those adhering to the national unity and caring for its survival as backers of continued corruption and oppression is an incorrect evaluation.
Those remaining adherent to the unity are not part of the standing authority and those claiming their constitutional rights are not secessionists.
The correct equation is that unity must survive and we must protect it by establishing equality, doing justice for the oppressed citizens, enabling them practice their legal rights, and penalizing corrupt individuals.
The call for reforming the dire situations must remain under the unity, corruption must be combated under the unity, and oppressed citizens must receive fair and just treatment under the unity.
On the other hand, the strong faith that secession may help end sufferings of citizens in the south is nothing more than an illusion or search for the unknown.
Neither fragmentation nor defection was once a source of power. Now, we are living in a world moving toward togetherness and integration of any similar elements, thanks to the strong faith that togetherness and integration help create common interests and produce strong institutions.
Neglecting the standing turmoil or not interacting with it is not the sought-after solution. And, the government's repeated attacks of Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) and harassments of Yemeni Socialist Party (YSP) are not in favor of the unity. Such acts only help encourage calls for secession.
Zaid Al-Shami is a Parliament Member from the Islah Party
Source: Al-Sahwa Weekly
——
[archive-e:1141-v:18-y:2008-d:2008-03-27-p:opinion]
