Al-Shoura [Archives:2003/628/Press Review]

16 March 2003.

Main headlines:
– America threatens of war, Iraq pledges to score victory
– Nationwide demonstrations condemning the war against Iraq
– Political parties discuss a draft agreement on elections controls
– Transport workers demand the halt of privatization
– Canadian Nexen does not intend to leave Yemen
– YSP calls for enhancing the JMP experiment
– Security in Aden prevents 200 fishermen from fishing
– Lawyers: Accusations against al-Mouayad, groundless
– New arrests in Aden coincided with American ambassadors
In his article on the present parliament and the coming one, Mr Abdulaziz al-Majeedi says that the conniving and passing the government's wishes and weakness of a parliament half of its members are without qualifications, it could be recalled by Yemeni people's and political memory that the parliament has done anything to be proud of, so that to offer to voters in the upcoming parliament. These voters have been the first victims of the parliament's uncourageous stands and resolutions. While the Yemeni masses were under the pressure of the deteriorating living conditions, were looking for a parliamentary role acting against corruption and the policies of impoverishment, the parliament followed a road in support of the authority and bowing to its will through the easy majority entertained by the executive power. The parliament has thus changed into a satellite to the executive power, whose task was to endorse and agree on whatever the government intended. This situation made some to describe the parliament as mere hand made of wood raised and lowered in line with the government's request, regardless of what entails that agreement of damage inflicted on the citizen in various fields. Parliamentarians and political observers attribute weakness of parliament throughout the past period, and not performing its constitutionally-defined duties to the majority possessed by the ruling party inside the parliament and absence of political balance. That situation had led to changing the parliament into a body affiliated to authority and its duty was to give legitimacy to what the government embarks in doing.
The question to be aroused is whether the upcoming elections would also lead to a political balance inside the parliament restoring to the legislative power its activeness and missing role.
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[archive-e:628-v:13-y:2003-d:2003-03-24-p:press]