YSP decries government obstruction [Archives:2006/958/Local News]

SANA'A, June 24 ) Concluding a meeting last Thursday, the Yemeni Socialist Party's (YSP) Central Committee warned of the risks that the government's obstruction of reform of the country's political system poses. The YSP said that the government is satisfied with nominal reforms that allow certain officials to control state affairs.

Political, economic, and social tensions have come to fore, coupled with the economic and social strains left by the 1994 Civil War. The crisis manifests itself through infringements into the structure of the national economy and the anti-investment environment that result from corruption, embezzlement, poor infrastructure, and dismal social services, a YSP Central Committee statement said.

The statement added that Yemen suffers from electricity and water shortages, a poor education system unable to meet the requirements of development, deteriorating health services, and the wastage of external loans and investment project allocations.

The YSP Central Committee mentioned the persistently deteriorating standard of living and skyrocketing prices, which exacerbate the plight of the poor with the unemployment rate reaching its highest limit.

The committee expressed concern over the sufferings of citizens and the continued oppression against rights and freedoms, especially in the southern governorates.

“The YSP Central Committee is concerned about practices by authorities and the ruling [GPC] party exploiting power and government jobs in favor of the ruling party and at the expense of the public interest,” the statement reads. “The authorities usually take government cars, order students to demonstrate, and launch media campaigns the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP).”

The statement stressed that the agreement of principles reached by JMP and General People's Party (GPC) must be abided by to ensure that the elections are held on schedule.
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