Exiles to Return?
Political passivity in exchange for re-patriation
almotamar.net - Assistant secretary General for Political Affairs and External Relations of the General People’s Congress (GPC) Sultan al-Barakani has Wednesday expressed his welcome of return home of the political personalities living abroad bur affirmed non-existence of justification for opposition abroad.
Al-Barakani said in a country under pluralism it is shameful to talk about the outside opposition and ” Personally I cannot call them opposition because he who considers himself an opponent he has to practice opposition from inside Yemen and as for connection with certain regimes or intelligence apparatuses abroad or does an information work meant for reaching some ambitions they are not called opposition as long as the rule or the constitution has guaranteed to all the practice of their right inside the country, so what is the justification of the presence of opposition outside?”
Mr al-Barakani added that he is with the return of the politicians living abroad to the country and wondered” Since when the return to Yemen was banned?” He said there is no banning against anyone, they are welcomed at any moment and the question of their stay abroad or return is a personal right for them and they choose.
On the communication of the President with them al-Barakani said, “The head of the state holds communications with this party or that whether it was inside or outside. The President has this right and it is a good thing for the head of the state to behave according to this logic and not to stay confined to the presidential palace but rather his task is to know and be in touch and give all attention and care to leading personalities of this country whether they are in power or outside it.”
Al-Barakani added that he is with the return of Ali Salem al-Biedh and Hayder al-Attas to the homeland, I am with their return”, considering that their stand concerning the unity pardons what they have committed in 1994.”
He said,” It is true they have committed mistakes in the question of the war of 1994 but they had a role in the unity and were among those who previously struggled and they will be an object of appreciation and respect of all the Yemenis and at least when we weigh merits against offences we will find it is enough their stance regarding unification of Yemen which was fighting every now and then, when wives got widowed and the victims groaned of sabotage and landmines and in my consideration that pardons everything.”
In response to a question on their return to their posts the assistant secretary general of the GPC replied “For the question of position we have chosen the political action and political pluralism to follow but we do not want to link Yemen to accords but rather to a democratic pluralist system making the people’s choice a road leading to power. He who the people grant their confidence is the one to rule and the other on the opposition side.”
In his latest interview to independent Elaf weekly newspaper al-Barakani also talked about the GPC stance regarding many other issues in the political arena in Yemen.
