Islah party threat Yemen’s Future

by Ahmed Saif Hashid*

We have to know our destination before traveling to it, to avoid "out of frying pan to fire". The upcoming danger besetting Yemens future is no longer the dying regime, rather it is Islah party, which plans for atrocities of eliminating and monopoly, with its retrospective and back-warded advocates.

Here we attempt to travel through road of this party to know  signposts it forces people to abide by, and warn against using such a road that would lead Yemens present and future to verge of danger.

The first group of appointments ensued by republican decrees were not relished by opposing Islah party as its ambition was to have booty of not less than a half of the army, which did not occur. Islah, with its fundamentalism, was planning to take authority of the Air Forces, Defense and some of the land and marine units, if not a half of them, yet disappointed that partially reflected through Islah-affiliated media outletss harsh campaign against resident Abdrabo Mansor. Now, IT exert efforts to compensate for such a partial loss through attempts to make achievements in republican decrees to be issued.

Islah has meanwhile, made a success represented by recruiting 20 thousand people, had their salaries approved by state and enable them to be official personnel in Yemen army, means a gained profit in seen future, especially that several of the personnel were graduates of the Zendanis managed Iman university. It still negotiate to have another estimated 30 thousand group of people accepted, with number of affiliates from other parties not exceeding 10%, which mean establishing an Islah loyalists army that meet its political future needs.

Appointments are made within Interior Ministry, whose minister is an Islah affiliate, most pass without a fuss due to preoccupation of other partners of Joint meeting parties. Such a case is common in all ministries presided over by either Islah-affiliates or loyalists to them, such as ministries of justice, electricity and education.10 thousand of abovementioned 20 thousand soldiers were referred to Ministry of Interior. Islah controls and is of influence in political security apparatuses rather than such a ministry. This party managed to accomplish other achievements represented by taking over reins of some of interior ministrys leading positions by some members, such as police academy and Taiz security managements.

While the party is remarkably getting advance at the level of institutions and provinces sharing, which enabled it to enlarge its influence and reap rights of others, it failed to take over Taiz position of mayor it had looking forward to. Yet president Hadi appointed, due to selfish and careless Islah, the well-known businessman Shawqi Hail, despite of the Islah campaign launched, through Face book before appointing, against Shawqi, they also failed to reach their goal, and eligibility of position of mayor became much greater.

Islah advised Hail Saeed Trading Group, to which Shawqi is an affiliate, to reject the appointment, perhaps through cause Islah loyalists in the trade group to object and apologize, yet they disappointed them and accepted Shawqi as mayor, through deciding to let devote to his new task. Such a failure was reflected by negative reaction of Islah members when they harshly wrote about him on Face book website.

Islah, however, succeeded to hold position of mayor of Aden, the city relied on to change balance of powers, in an attempt to exploit its position to undermine the south Hirake, as conflicts erupted between these and Islah members that climaxed during recent presidential election, were witnessed in such a city.

They also managed to obtain close to one third of recent judicial appointments and still has more ambitions in judicial sector in return for dismantle judges unity, disrupt their queue of demanding independence and support fair and free election to lead judicial forum and higher judicial council, a concept that is objected by the minister of judiciary  under pretext of judges lack of awareness .

As ministry of justice obtained (within cabinet reshuffle) by Islah party, its minister play a crucial role in changes advocating his party, either in the ministry or in judiciary, exploiting bad rule he had from Saleh regime. The wide authority he has according to higher judicial institute cause him to negatively interfere in terms of students entrance, which is represented by allowing a good score instead of a very good to be accepted, to let students of Iman university to join the institute and to issue a unannounced resolution No (102), which implies a plan to monopoly such authority in foreseeable future.

Islah works for a maximum use of the wide Al-Qaida activities, to strengthen its role of negotiation and as a pressure paper in the upcoming dialogue against other powers , especially the Huthis and Hirake.  There are calls for considering Ansar Alshria , Al-Qaida as being real political forces that have to be talked with as national dialogue party, which may be analyzed as new forces to be born in future including Islah, Salafis, Ansar Alshria (law advocates)  in next national dialogue if they were to join it, yet the president Hadi stated to not hold a dialogue with Al-Qaida  as Islah desires, and its military flank may offer the West to undertake eliminate Al-Qaida in return for an empower to rein Yemen. Islah may have become pledging such a choice mainly under rapid successes that Ansar Ashria made on ground. Americans also pledge to an Islah division as American ambassador to Yemens statement on Alzidani as well as the openly difference and verbal violence between First Armored Division leader- the military flank of Islah- and tribal leader Hamid Alahmer may refer to such statement.

The pledges to divide Islah  are thought to be uncertain except if there would be a strong shake to topple it, yet its achievements still significant, which will unveil to the American ambassador a misconception and he was flogging a dead horse.

Duties to stop challenges facing Yemens future

 It seems to be urgently needed  for all youth revolution forces to combine to perform whatever is capable to get Islah out of Joint meeting parties or even to facilitate such a dismantle, through create new coalitions including the Hirake, nationalists (Nasserists and Bathis) libralists, as well as Huthis – the latter should get rid of chains of social, cultural freedoms Such a wide collaboration should undertake to counter the party to make a new balance precluding its monopoly of power and dominance of the present and futures political scene.

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*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.