Views of Candidates on Local Elections [Archives:2001/08/Reportage]

Farouq Al-Kamali
Yemen Times, Taiz
Thousands of Yemenis are going to the polls tomorrow to vote for members of the local councils in all governorates and districts. By this, Yemenis will be establishing a real democracy through honest elections if they commit themselves to it.
It is a pity that we have not benefited from the experience of 10 years during which we have held elections three times. People discovered that, during those elections they were cheated with tall hollow promises. I can confidently say that the elections were unfair owing to lack of people’s awareness and lack of neutrality of the government machinery, army and the media.
It is common experience that when campaigning for election, candidates distribute money and make tall promises. The president and government officers intensify visits and lay foundation stones for many projects. Ironically, smiles of candidates before elections turn to an unequivocal frown at the face of people after elections are over.
Many people tend to vote for people who have no clear programs, no objectives, no qualifications; what matters is the tribal, social and political affiliation.
Will Yemenis make the same mistake tomorrow? Are they electing unqualified people who don’t know how to write or read? Or are they going to make a change? Have they taken a lesson from past experiences to elect qualified candidates this time?
In Taiz, 2900 candidates are contesting for membership of local councils. These include only 17 women. I met with a number of candidates – independents or belonging to different political parties – to ask them about their expectations, plans and the like.

“Local Councils will transfer power to a different domain,” said Mr. Faisal Saeed Farea, nominee of the Supreme Coordination Council of the opposition. “People will be able to manages their affairs by themselves and will participate in drawing up of a vision that will help lessen their sufferings,” he added.
Mrs. Amat Al-Rahman Jahaf thinks that Yemenis are capable of developing their governorates and districts. “There cannot be a successful system of local councils unless people are fully aware of its importance,” she added.
Mr. Imad Al-Saqqaf is the only independent journalist running for elections. He says: “Local councils have been among the important goals of Yemenis who have highlighted their need on many occasions. I consider local councils a positive beginning for building an institutional democracy.
A more important positive point about local councils is that they will draw the attention of the authorities to the remote and neglected areas.”
Advocate Intisar Al-Athoury, independent, was surprised to find out that her name was dropped from the candidates’ list. She fought hard to enroll her name again and she did it. It is worth mentioning that Intisar is the only candidate who holds a university degree among the other 22 illiterate candidates! She said that local councils would enhance public participation in the decision-making process and help them enforce laws in reality.

Wahbiah Mahmoud agrees with her saying that local councils are a system set up to unite the efforts of the government and the people in the decision-making process. “They will encourage people to contribute to the general development of the country,” she added.
Ali Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ra’e, a candidate from a very marginalized section of society, the Al-Akhdam, is one of the runners for the elections. He is a qualified person and is among the few Akhdams who hold a university degree. He deplored the practice of exploitation in the projects in his area, Asselow, by a specific class of people. About his expectations of the results he said: “People of my village respect and love me. Some parties wanted me to join them. But I decided to be an independent candidate and I hope that you as a newspaper will support me.”Another interesting candidate in Taiz is a strong-willed man raising the slogan “look at my abilities before you look at my handicap” He is Yasser Hamoud Al-Sharabi the only handicapped candidate in Taiz. He is a holder of a BA in Management. He said that he decided to run for the elections to improve the situation of handicapped people. “We are scorned by people, rejected by the government, we do not have schools, technical centers, etc.” he said. As he concluded his statement he expressed the hope that people will treat the handicapped as productive.

Wahibah Jamal, a principal, decided to participate in the elections as a candidate due to her inner belief in women’s rights. She said that she would do her best to represent women and find solutions to their problems.
We wish all candidates, in general and the qualified women, handicapped and journalists in particular, all success. We also hope that people will live up to the challenge that faces them.

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