Will Yemen mend?
The Yemen opposition groups are to accept the Gulf Cooperation Council’s plan to resolve the deadlock. Even so, trouble in Yemen continued with security forces having shot another three protesters.
While President Ali Abdullah Saleh and the opposition are yet to formally agree to the plan that envisages the stepping down of the president a month after the formation of a unity government, the protestors on the streets continue to demand the immediate ouster of the Yemeni ruler. Such is the anger on the streets that escalated after the killing of several people last month that it may take more persuasion by the opposition to appease them in case formal consensus over the GCC proposal is achieved. The good news is that there is positive movement towards resolution of the crisis.
Moreover, the GCC proposal if enacted will realise full participation of all political factions within the new setup and offer the disparate groups a chance to contribute towards strengthening the political institutions of the country.
Yemen’s political instability has been a grave concern for regional states and even western states owing to the strong presence of Al Qaeda in the country. Not wanting the situation to implode and spill over into neighbouring states, the GCC decided to offer mediation in an attempt to defuse the situation. The acrimony fuelled by president Saleh’s continued presence in office is too strong to be tided over. This is what was witnessed over the past many months despite Saleh’s repeated promises to step down and not contest the next elections. Disillusioned by past such promises and heartened by the regime change in Tunisia and Egypt, the Yemenis mobilised by opposition parties however decided to stand their ground. Meanwhile the danger of the country falling prey to another civil war and being highly susceptible to terrorist groups, proved unnerving for Yemen’s allies.
Thankfully, now if the opposition and the government ruling party agree on a formula for a peaceful transition of power and hold elections, the crisis could be averted. The question is on how to manage the precariously positioned process to completion without derailing it. Not only will it take considerable efforts, it will require the wholehearted and genuine commitment of Yemen’s varied political factions to bridge the ethnic and tribal divisions and work jointly for a united and stable setup. Yemen has been through the throes of a bloody civil war in the 1990’s and has had its share of sectarian and tribal infighting. The
Yemeni people must rise above all this if they want to build a freer, stable and prosperous state.
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