Khaleej Times - 19 January, 2012
There is trouble brewing in Yemen, yet again. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has criticised the reneging of previous agreements by former president Ali Abdullah Saleh to leave the country and allow the political transition and ensuing elections to peacefully take place.
The Arab peace proposal brokered by the Gulf Cooperation Council between the Yemeni government and the opposition groups did grant Saleh immunity in exchange of stepping down and handing over of power to a unity transitional government. It was assumed that he would leave Yemen on basis of assurances he made to Washington. While that in itself may not have been easy since Saleh was reportedly facing difficulty in finding a host country, he is also believed to be averse to exile.
However, Saleh’s presence in the country is the reason for the continued protests demanding his trial. Moreover, his relatives’ and loyalists’ continued control of key government institutions is eliciting greater anger. This has also led many to question his interference and think that he has full intentions to meddle in elections. With the security situation having escalated with Al Qaeda militants having taken control of the town of Radda recently, there is a possibility that elections scheduled for February 21 may not even take place. The Yemen Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi recently indicated the possibility of a delay in presidential elections for security reasons. The question is how the public responds to any delay in elections now. The volatility and suspicions may overspill and offset another turbulent phase, if any delay does take place, something the country can ill afford at present.
It is the present government’s responsibility to maintain a tight control on security. Therefore blaming Saleh’s camp on allowing militants a free hand is not justifiable even if many of his remnants continue to be in charge. The transitional setup now includes opposition members and they must ensure that no such foul play takes place.
Irrespective of who is behind the present crisis, Yemen’s security has been a challenge. It is therefore important that a tight lid is kept on terrorism and other internal security problems.
Elections may only be a month away but concerted efforts to control the security threat till then can help. It is important to allow the people this chance of freely voting for their candidates without fear of retribution. As for Saleh he should honour his commitments and leave the stage while there is time.
The Arab peace proposal brokered by the Gulf Cooperation Council between the Yemeni government and the opposition groups did grant Saleh immunity in exchange of stepping down and handing over of power to a unity transitional government. It was assumed that he would leave Yemen on basis of assurances he made to Washington. While that in itself may not have been easy since Saleh was reportedly facing difficulty in finding a host country, he is also believed to be averse to exile.
However, Saleh’s presence in the country is the reason for the continued protests demanding his trial. Moreover, his relatives’ and loyalists’ continued control of key government institutions is eliciting greater anger. This has also led many to question his interference and think that he has full intentions to meddle in elections. With the security situation having escalated with Al Qaeda militants having taken control of the town of Radda recently, there is a possibility that elections scheduled for February 21 may not even take place. The Yemen Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi recently indicated the possibility of a delay in presidential elections for security reasons. The question is how the public responds to any delay in elections now. The volatility and suspicions may overspill and offset another turbulent phase, if any delay does take place, something the country can ill afford at present.
It is the present government’s responsibility to maintain a tight control on security. Therefore blaming Saleh’s camp on allowing militants a free hand is not justifiable even if many of his remnants continue to be in charge. The transitional setup now includes opposition members and they must ensure that no such foul play takes place.
Irrespective of who is behind the present crisis, Yemen’s security has been a challenge. It is therefore important that a tight lid is kept on terrorism and other internal security problems.
Elections may only be a month away but concerted efforts to control the security threat till then can help. It is important to allow the people this chance of freely voting for their candidates without fear of retribution. As for Saleh he should honour his commitments and leave the stage while there is time.
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