A Reforming Democracy, Really
Its a little funny that when the Yemeni regime gets criticized on legitimate issues, it normally resorts to name calling:
The opposition which has been pressing for political reforms as a priority for economic changes, has been accused by the ruling party of acting at the behest of outside forces and with foreign inspiration.
The head of the political department at the ruling party, Younes Hazza, said at a debate on reforms late Friday night that the government rejects opposition calls for political reforms because “any reforms should be in line with the constitution and the law, and not be dictated by the outside.
“I don’t believe that the political system in Yemen needs to be reformed, but I think it is the opposition that needs reforms… The main challenge facing Yemen is rebuilding the economy,” Hazza said, calling on the opposition to “stop tarnishing Yemen’s image because that would reflect adversely on investment.”
For his part, opposition leader Mohammed Motawakel rejected the ruling party’s accusations, stressing that “political reform should be at the heart of the overall reform process in the country.”
(What hampers investment is unequal application of the law especially as regards property also corruption- the generalized practice of requiring payments of kickbacks, bribes, and protection money to government officials and business leaders.)
Head of the GPC (ruling party) political department, Younes Hazza, “We consider such initiatives not merely shameful, but can reach the level of national treason..”
Yasser Al-Awadhi, deputy head of GPC parliament bloc, “GPC is already leading reform.. the President announced intension to turn the Shura council into a second parliament chamber”.. many of our laws related to local authority, demonstrations, political parties, elections,.. are developed comparing to other Arab countries.. there is no need to amend them.”
Mohammed Qahtan, head of Political Department of Islah, “The constitution has “gaps” that caused imbalance of powers.. the questioning of top officials and penalizing them is almost non-existent”. “THE president can only be questioned for high treason, while all other responsibility is on the shoulder of the prime minister..” “Of course we are talking about the experienced Ali Abdullah Saleh.. but if a president from Islah or elsewhere was in power, would he have such unlimited powers?”
Abdulkarim Al-Khiwani, (PFU) “Yemen rather needs salvation, not reforms.. everything, all initiatives are becoming meaningless as they are directed to those in power, not to the Yemeni laymen and women.. we are talking to those in power, which is useless”.
Mohammed Motawakel of Al-Haq “Political Reforms are essential in a country suffering poverty and lack of economic development under lack of a competent, honest and clean administration that can be questioned where there is neither independent judiciary nor prevalence of the law”.
Mohammed Al-Sabri, head of the political department of the Nasserite Unionists party, “balance of powers is missing in the constitution, political system is undefined, and parliament’s powers which should be wide even in presidential systems, do not exist in Yemen”.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Faqih, the head of the Change Forum, “It is not a presidential nor a parliamentary system.. It is an individual tyranny where all decisions are taken individually.. A step like compensation of ex-Imami family for instance , which is positive in essence, cannot be taken individually, but should pass through institutional bodies..
