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IRAQ: Islamic Challenge Rises in Neighbouring Yemen
By Nabil Sultan
SANA'A, Apr 24 (IPS) - In the face of the Islamic upsurge within Iraq, attention is
turning also to the strong challenge from Islamic parties in elections due in
Yemen April 27.
The ruling Peoples General Congress faces a strong challenge from Islamic
parties led by the Islah Party. These parties have been playing the Iraq card in
their election campaign, and offering voters a "golden chance for change."
Signs of growing opposition to U.S. presence within Iraq have been feeding
anti-American sentiment also within Yemen. The government in Yemen
condemned the war on Iraq but cooperates closely with the U.S. in its war
against terrorism.
Islah has promised to double the salaries of government employees and
military personnel, to reduce the tax burden and improve living standards. Islah
is trying to win military and government personnel over because they are
considered a vote bank for the ruling party.
Islah is also campaigning hard among the poor. Twenty per cent of Yemenis
live below the official poverty line. About half the population meet their basic
needs only with difficulty.
The Islah Party is concentrating its campaign around mosques. "No to
Injustice", "No to Corruption", "Yes to Islah means coming out of the darkness"
are some of the slogans that greet worshippers around mosques.
The campaign is getting more acrimonious as election day nears. Islah is
accusing the official media of tarnishing its reputation as an Islamist party.
"False information against Islah and opposition parties is violation of election
laws and of an agreement signed by all parties," says an Islah Party
spokesman. "The official media is not playing neutral."
The ruling party on the other hand condemns the official Islah publication Al
Sahwa as a "Taliban" newspaper. "Islah is using abusive language against our
candidates and is wrongly accusing the party of corruption and unfairness," a
party spokesman said.
The disputes have arisen despite an agreement signed by all parties April 8 to
campaign peacefully and to respect one another. Growing tension over the war
in Iraq is reported to have heightened tension between parties.
"A large number of candidates have violated the election laws," says Abdul Al
Janadi, chairman of Information and Awareness within the Supreme Committee
for Elections and Referendum (SCER). The SCER will consider naming parties
and candidates who have violated the laws, he says.
Opposition parties accuse the SCER of banning some candidates. "The SCER
is itself violating the Constitution and is working in favour of the ruling party," an
Islah leader says.
Some opposition leaders have threatened to boycott the elections to protest
against what they see as the partiality of the SCER. The Islah Party, confident of
wining the election, is determined to contest all the seats.
A total of 1,536 candidates from 22 parties are contesting 301 seats in the
elections. More than 5,000 candidates had contested the elections in 1997.
Several analysts say that the number of candidates has fallen under the sharp
tensions over the Iraq war. Only the more serious candidates are reported to be
contesting the elections.
All parties had promised greater inclusion of women among candidates this
time. But there are only 13 women candidates this time, compared to 24 in
1997. Yemen has about eight million voters in a population of 17 million.
Several women's groups have condemned political parties for marginalising
women. "Parties still look at women in the old traditional way," says Rashida Al
Hamdani, head of the National Women's Committee. "This means there is no
change of thinking, no democracy." (END/2003)
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