Yemen MP Ahmed Hashid: President Abed Raboo Hadi is’t a decision maker

An interview with Mr. Ahmed Saif Hashid, Yemen Member of the House of Representatives and prominent human rights activist. Mr. Hashid contributed in a leading role in Yemen revolution since its eruption in 16 January, 2011. He initiated in founding the Civic Coalition for Youth Revolution (CCYR) and the peaceful “Revolution Salvation Front”. Beside other activists and opposition movements, he has recently led a campaign to boycott the presidential elections held in last 21 Feb. 2012.

Interviewed by Ghamdan Assamai, for Al-Democrati weekly newspaper

– Who are you as a Civic Coalition of Youth Revolution (CCYR)?

We, as CCYR, are a key faction of the peaceful youth revolution. We seek to be a lobby group and influential political movement that actively contribute to the formulation of Yemen future in terms of positively influencing on the future of political decision towards building a modern civil and democratic state backed to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

We strive for comprehensive reform and development at the level of human rights, civil liberties, justice, equality, citizenship and decent living. We want a better future for our children and grandchildren.

As a peaceful revolutionary bloc, CCYR makes every effort to break the dictatorship chains shackled Yemenis for decades, get out of the mantle of the past, tear down the walls of death surrounded minds and necks and revolt against the mountains of backwardness, silence . Simply, it seeks Yemenis to live free people, not slaves.

– CCYR has recently announced its boycott of the presidential election.. Why? What are the revolutionary political and legal dimensions?

CCYR is a revolutionary movement, and the revolution in our concept is a fundamental change for the political, social, economical, cultural and legal situations. The farce of February 21-elections underestimates Yemeni people. It is a clause of the GCC, or rather Saudi, agreement, which has been refused by most Yemenis since the first day. It kills our dreams and aborts the revolution. As well as, it is a disgrace to civil and democratic traditions.

For CCYR, , the alleged February 21-elections is a big conspiracy plotted by foreign governments, majorly neighbors, to meet its illegal interests at the expense of civil, democratic and modernization values and strategic interests of Yemenis in particular, neglecting the revolution and the great sacrifices of its people.

This international position contradicting the values ??of democracy and advancement hold me to wonder: Do the taxpayers in US and EU knows that the billions paid by his/her sweat to go for reproducing authoritarian and repressive regimes in our countries? Do they know that the groups of al-Qaeda, Jihadists and terrorists are manufactured by the dictator Arab regimes that have been supported and reproduced by their political leaders?

-What about the GCC deal?

It is primarily a Saudi initiative designed to protect the Saudi national security without regard to the interests of Yemen and civil forces. It was made to protect Saudi Arabia from Arab spring revolutions, especially the Yemeni revolution. The most important, it came at the expense of the objectives of the revolution, for front establishment of a modern civil and democratic state.

Unfortunately, USA also went behind its illegal interests at the expense of the revolution, change and Democracy in Yemen. It worked tirelessly to reproduce the old system and tolerated with the traditional political powers including Islamic extremist and tribal forces that historically associated with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; and such forces entirety conflicted with a project for a modern civic and democratic state and seek to abort it constantly.

-GCC officials said that their political agreement came to save bloodshed of Yemenis? What do you think about this justification? What are your alternatives to achieve the revolution objectives without bloodshed?

Saudi Arabia alongside its pro traditional political and social forces threw the ropes to Saleh to survive and keep his regime. It deliberately sought, through the GCC Initiative, to re-produce the system. The initiatives dangers do not stop at abortion of the revolution demands, but also it harmed the available margin of democracy as it was seen during the so-called presidential elections, in which Yemeni society was returned back to “Bayyat”, [a system of rule in Islam means pledging allegiance to an individual as a leader], through imposing one candidate.

– Many of regional countries in addition to EU and US asserted on the success of the GCC agreement. What the dimensions behind this care and where have the old Yemeni interests located?

U.S. has prior interests in Saudi Arabia that meet with Saudi interests within the GCC initiative. The matter does not differ much from the European Union. We, therefore, think there is a big conspiracy against the Yemeni revolution. Unfortunately, these governments that claim defending on democracy and universality of human rights failed in the first exam when its pretended democracy and human rights contradicts with its interests.

I am a liberalist and may find myself a leftist to a large extent. I feel disappointed and severe anger when I see such model of wild capitalism painfully strikes values ??of democracy and human rights embraced by it, especially when it comes to money, oil and economic interests. Unfortunately, they trample on all values for money, profit and interest that, unfortunately, short and limited in exchange for long-term interests related to the achievement of democracy and protection of human rights and freedoms.

-Why the Yemeni revolutions end at deals? Whats the interest to stop the wheel of the revolution?

What happened to last version of Yemen Revolution in September 1962 is happening to our revolution today. Saudi Arabia stands ready for the Yemeni revolutions to be aborted, taking advantage of the traditional powers represented by religious and tribal affiliates that depends on them to implement its agenda and interests in Yemen.

Accordingly, the interests of Saudi Arabia and internal traditional powers both tribal and religious are the beneficiaries of abortion of the revolution, because of the victory of the revolution would undermine the traditional structures in favor of the modern civil state and democracy. In the same time, the establishment of a strong modern, civic and democratic state threatens Saudi interests in Yemen as far as being a threat to the leaders of traditional tribal and religious institutions.
 

– There seems to be a gap between CCYR and the coalition of Joint Meeting Parties (JMP), why? How do you look at potential alliance between them? What about accusations of some JMPs of being pro-Houthi agenda? What is your relationship with Houthis?

Gap is widening only with Islah party, not with other JMPs. Other JMPs find themselves forced to be dependent to Islah, however; if the political conditions changed, other JMPs would get multi choices to be free from the dominance of Islah. In the case remained other JMPs chase behind Islah and subjected to its conditions, no doubt they would be pulled to a dangerous area where they may lose even their own members and political bases.

If other JMPs were able to be free from influence and power centers of Islah and review its alliances in the near future, I think it would acquire a real chance to avoid caveats and dangers that threaten its political future.

Those who say that CCYR have Houthi agenda finds their private interests in the contrast and saturated with nihilism.

The propaganda of Islah party seeks to mix between CCYR and the Houthis.

Islah Party follows the same methods of the regime as it ignites the fires, spreads the culture of hatred through the media machine and destroys the national fabric. This policy must be addressed to avoid its disastrous consequences on the future of Yemen.

– Traditional political parties, tribal and military forces joint to the revolution, how they influenced on the revolution course negatively or positively?

We thought that these forces would increase the revolution momentum, but when it topped the leadership of the revolution caused deep injury. It is the one who attempt to turn the revolution into a political crisis to be remained unresolved.

– What could President Abed Raboo Mansour Hadi add to the revolution negatively and positively?

Abed Raboo Hadi is not a decision maker and lacks the elements of strength that can save Yemen from current situation. He is a part of the regime and one of its symbols. All those who regard Abed Rabbo as a savior would discover the opposite.

– Finally, what about CCRYs agenda for success of the revolution? What is your letter for youth in the squares, the Yemeni people in general?

The most important agenda of CCRY in the future is to pay more attention to organize itself to be more effective with people at the same time making pressure and partnership on the political decision-making in the future.

One of the CCRY agenda in future is to form a strong alliance with other revolutionary movements and political forces pushing for change and fill the political vacuum left by the traditional opposition after it moved to the regime.

Our message to youth is that they have to fill the current gap to be the upcoming opposition capable of making change, building a modern civil and democratic state based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as terms of reference, not on “death by sword” order as it is going on in the Kingdom of Saud!