YSP demands tackling 1994 Civil War’s consequences [Archives:2007/1022/Front Page]
Mohammed Bin Sallam
SANA'A, Feb. 4 ) Concluding its fourth session, the Yemeni Socialist Party's central committee insists on resolving 1994 Civil War-related consequences and reforming the progress of national unity as part of a comprehensive national reforms program.
The YSP committee fears any development of Yemen's political, economic and social challenges, holding the view that confronting these challenges is a national duty to be performed by all political forces and organizations in Yemen.
The committee affirmed that conducting a serious national dialogue including all political forces will serve as a practical approach to ending political animosity and seeking serious solutions to alleviate political congestion.
According to the committee, such national dialogue will help overcome economic problems and seek effective means to enhancing the development process, fighting corruption, tackling unemployment and improving the level of social services.
The opposition party committee clarified that such dialogue requires ceasing any hostile speech, accusations and treason, which the government attributes to the opposition, in order for dialogue to be successful.
It also called for a comprehensive national campaign to stop revenge and sedition, as well as implementing both rural and urban development projects to bring citizens together, improve their living standards and help them to become engaged in the process of construction and development instead of clashes and fighting.
Regarding last year's presidential and local elections, the committee released a statement saying the polls took place amid an abnormal atmosphere and heated conditions. The polls witnessed violations and fraud, thus contravening all election laws.
The YSP committee remarked that the elections didn't demonstrate even the minimum of integrity, transparency, equal opportunity or fair competition between the rivals. It accused the state of exploiting its facilities, media and public funds, as well as accused the Supreme Commission for Elections and Referendum of favoring the ruling party.
The statement claimed that there were no political or legal guarantees for conducting the most recent elections and ascertained that Yemen's democratic margin is bound to decline under the current regime and its electoral systems, which are loyal to the ruling party. It affirmed that it's impossible for peaceful transfer of power to occur via such type of elections.
The YSP central committee called for implementing broader national reforms in such a way as to enhance the electoral system's ability to cope with the demands of the time by making constitutional and legal amendments. It also demanded reviewing the mechanism of forming the SCER, its subcommittees and their work, modifying voter registries, tackling all political congestion and providing a suitable atmosphere for achieving national harmony and reconciliation.
In its discussion of the developments and events Yemen experienced following last year's elections, the YSP committee strongly denounced the abuse of citizens' rights by authorities and punishing some voters for their political selection, which is ensured by the Yemeni Constitution and law.
It also criticized the Yemeni government for imposing sanctions upon employees and teachers, as well as placing obstacles before graduates in obtaining job opportunities, as it confines jobs to those who are loyal to it.
Regarding fighting in Sa'ada between military forces and Al-Houthi supporters, the committee seeks fundamental cures to the clashes without resorting to force. Rather, it says the government must handle the issue with a higher degree of transparency. The committee suggested that resolving the crisis will help end the bloodshed.
The YSP central committee held its fourth session Jan. 30 and Feb. 1 in the capital of Sana'a under Secretary-General Yassin Sa'eed Noman and in the presence of the party's monitoring and inspection committee members.
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