Common Sense 
By: Hassan Al-Haifi 

Amidst the confusion and mayhem immediately following one of the most bizarre and intriguing revolutions that has ever erupted – so it seemed then – the Iranian religious leaders (Islam does not have a clergy, so it is incorrect for the Western press to call them “clerics” or “clergy”) were able to produce a masterpiece document that has very significant implications, not just for Iran, but for the Moslem World, and maybe the world at large as well. 

When the Iranian Constitution was just issued (1980), this writer read an Arabic version of the document.  I was awestruck by the foresight and legal expertise that the document reflected and by the progressive flavor, which the document was characterized by.  Moreover what came out to be more impressive than anything else was that the Iranian Constitution seemed almost like a carbon copy of the Constitution of the United States of America, in more ways than one.  One would almost think that John Madison and Benjamin Franklin were there with the drafters of the Iranian Constitution as constitutional consultants (not paid for of course under any technical assistance program of donors headed by the World Bank).  At the time, I recall discussing the document with some friends, in which I said:  “If the Iranians stick to this document and defend it to the end, this Iranian Revolution is for real and is going to be around with us for a long time to come.”  By, God they defended it and they stuck to it faithfully.

Interestingly enough, this observer also once recalled reading that Benjamin Franklin once stated, in essence, that Islam’s contributions to civilization is insurmountable, especially in the areas of human rights and science, or something to that effect.  It is therefore not surprising that much of what is incorporated in the US Constitution is a practical application of the dogma that the Religion of Islam is all about.  It should also not be surprising that the Iranian Constitution should embody a lot of conceptual and practical elements contained in the US Constitution.  No matter; whether by accident or arrangement, even if we assume that the framers of the Iranian Constitution merely “copied” what others have done – which is highly unlikely, to their credit would be the fact that they only copied the very best.  It would be a sign of ignorance to think that the United States Constitution can be rivaled by any other existing constitution for its simplicity and sustainability.  It would be a mistake also to undermine the intelligence and foresight of the framers of the Iranian Constitution, for it is far more than clear now that they knew what they wanted for their country and they knew what their countrymen deserved from their leaders.  After 20 years of experience with the Iranian Revolution, in the wake of pressing tests, it would appear that for all practical purposes, it is here to stay and it is here to present an interesting model of popular will and determination, for most of the deprived populations of the Islamic world from the Atlantic to the far reaches of the Pacific, and the Third World in general.

What is going on in Iran is growing political maturity and a steadfast democratic society that is baffling to its friends and foes alike.  There is indeed a generous display of democracy that has been put on the plate of the Iranian people and they are enjoying it to the last spoonful. 
Ayatollah Rohullah Al-Khomeini had relied on the masses of the country to enable him to oust the ungodly regime of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, and they were not at all reluctant to follow his cassette taped messages from Paris to tread on the regime of the last of the Persian Emperors, who lived on a lavish ego trip at the expense of his people.  It would seem then appropriate that their sacrifices should not go in vain, and that this Revolution, the Ayatollah called for, should be a lot more than the coups and countercoups that have characterized Islamic and Third World countries, which have offered their people nothing to live for except to await the next “Decree No. 1” blaring out of their Radios and TVs.  Accordingly, he orchestrated the formation of a regime that would ultimately affirm that the ownership and benefits of the Iranian Revolution should indefinitely rest with the people of Iran.  The drafters of the Iranian Constitution apparently knew this and were not about to let their people down.

Anyone following up on the Iranian situation, as it stands now, is bound to be impressed by the astounding display of dynamic political activity on a broad scale, which is characterized by widespread popular participation, with the women having a real and active role in the political process of the country.  Surely this is Islam in its truest manifestations and surely this is real progress, in any dictionary.  Moreover one cannot fail to see this dynamic political vitality carried out in a smooth systematic manner underscored by civilized behavior on the part of the government and the governed alike.  In addition the widely active civil society is clearly demonstrating its presence in both human welfare and in the political arena. 

The body politic that makes up the Iranian regime has taken on the form of a state that is comprised of a well structured institutional framework, with the right degree of empowerment spread out evenly and neatly among the different elements that make up this regime.  This allows the institutions of government to carry out their roles effectively with a high sense of responsibility, yet without infringing upon the rights and powers of the other institutions in the regime; and more important without forgetting that they are governed by Law and eventually accountable to the people of Iran.
Obviously, there are a lot of social obstacles that Iran has yet to overcome, in view of the very chronic ills inherited from the pre-revolution era of dictatorial rule and wanton exploitation by local and Western narrow-minded interests.  Such ills surely cannot be obliterated with a syringe or a pill, but take a long time to overcome.  But the Iranians leaders are not ignoring this reality and the Reform Platform of Ayatollah Khatemi is geared to underscore the need for alleviating and eventually removing these ills.  It is the only road for Iran to pursue for the moment, if Iran is to continue manifesting itself as a true democratic society to be envied by the people of all the dictatorships and family dynasties that surround it.  It appears then, that the democratic aura prevailing in Iran is bound to lead to putting Iran on the right track to deal with the shortcomings in the society, with a reliance on widespread participatory approaches in all aspects of community life, which renders the regime free to deal with the greater national issues of the day.  Accordingly one would expect that, over time, the Iranians will be able to pass the test, as they have passed so many difficult tests in the critical early years of the Revolution, and would be able to streamline the operations of their other social fabric.  This would go a long way towards enhancing the standards of living of the Iranian people and their welfare and towards upgrading their already impressive educational and cultural output.

As the Iranians continue to pass the test of time and illustrate that the Islamic regime in Iran conforms to modern government framework, to a considerable extent, with large doses of real democracy and popular political vitality, it would seem inappropriate that the West would have any real reasons for taking on a prejudiced stand against the regime, especially when considering that the marks for good behavior and proper interaction with the international community have been more than satisfactory.  Any support for anything other than the present situation in Iran would act severely to destroy meaningful gains the Iranian people have acquired and are bound to be countered with a determined stand by the Iranians to preserve these gains.  Apart from Israel, on one in the region is fearful of the Irani or their Islamic Revolution, except the rulers, who understandably, fear that the fever for democratic rule could catch on with their subjects.  What Israel is really afraid of is that for once, they are seeing a Moslem State sticking to dogma, but proving that dogma alone is no guarantee to progress and self-esteem.  It is freedom and hard work (which are real manifestations of Moslem dogma anyway) that gets one to progress and it appears that the Iranians understand this very well.  One would hope that the other states in the region could also be so enlightened. 

Mohammed  Hatem Al-Qadhi, 
Managing Editor

There are several yardsticks whereby we can measure the existence and evolution of civil society. One of such yardsticks is  NGOs which stand for Non-Governmental Organization. NGOs refer to voluntary non-profit organizations which belong to neither government nor the private for-profit business sector. This is the basis of the NGOs and the main purpose  for which they are established is that they can be of a vital role in streamlining a sustainable development process in a society.
So far, there are around 2000 NGOs in Yemen.  But are they all functioning properly? 

Well folks, the problem of NGOs in Yemen lies in the fact that the government is openly trying to mushroom the GONGOs ( Government-Organized Non-Governmental Organizations) at the expense of NGOs. The authorities are openly converting any trace of NGOs into GONGOs. In fact, the government tries its best to control  NGOs and direct their work. Sometimes, it tries to trouble them and bring them into a halt. 

What is funny about it is that if one wants to establish an NGO, s/he has to get it registered at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Right now everything is okay. But the permit will not be given unless one or two of the civil servants of the ministry are included in the Board of Trustees of the wanted-to-be-established NGO. Unless you do that, you are not entitled to establish an NGO. This is why we find the honorary presidents of most of the existing  NGOs among the high ranking officials in the society. Therefore, the aim of the government to control NGOs is, in fact, a decision which aims to reduce the pace of evolution and growth of civil society in Yemen. Moreover, it troubles the participation of people in public life for which NGOs have been made.

The other aspect of the problem NGOs are put into is this. To put it straightforward, NGOs in any society can not operate without any financial support. This is normal since they are voluntary and non-profit. The lack  of financial sources have made some NGOs come into a halt. However, the main problem facing NGOs process in Yemen is that they have become self-serving. Some people think that the shortest way to self-enrichment is to establish an NGO. Some foreigners have started mocking at NGOs in Yemen. They rather call them NGIs which stand for Non-Governmental Individuals. In addition, some donor countries are thinking to stop dealing with some NGOs in Yemen because they have found them easy sources for self-enrichment for some individuals. That is, instead of using the donations to improve the conditions and prospects of the less advantaged groups in the society, they use them for their own interest. 

Last week I was in a qat chatting with some friends. We started discussing several topics among which is the problem of NGOs in Yemen. Some put it like this. They argue that some NGOs do not have visible and substantial programs and mechanisms of how to help guide sustainable development of the society. Others add that people in charge of NGOs limit their work to holding seminars or workshops thinking this is the ultimate goal of the work of NGOs. Yes guys, seminars are important but they should be held to highlight the work which has targeted the disadvantaged.

Mind you, there are some NGOs which are doing well having good programs.

Finally, I think there is a need to educate people about the work of NGOs and their role in development. Furthermore, NGOs should have fully-fledged plans and programs to be achieved in the long run. There must be coordination between the NGOs working in the same field and all NGOs at large. Above all, people should comprehend the fact that NGOs are voluntary and non-profitable. Otherwise, NGOs will turn into NGIs. Have you got the message?!

 Abdul Rahman Al-Mikhlafi

Nowadays it is a fanciful story to own a house. One should be rather practical to realize that only the most fortunate and well to do see their dreams come true. Therefore, to begin with, let us, first of all, survey the housing and rent problem in our country. Before the 1990s leasing a house was an ordinary matter and was  not too pricey. In the past, the number of people inhabiting cities, especially Sana’a, was very small. Facilities were somehow available. Besides, economic conditions were much better than today. 

However, the case nowadays is thoroughly different. Population has increased sharply. A huge number of villagers, both workers with their families and students, are flocking into cities in search for living, better opportunities and good life. This, by itself, has posed lots of difficulties to find houses to rent. Landlords, on the other hand, have become more greedy as they find people fighting for renting  their flats. The absence of law has also made them do whatever they want and ask for the amount they desire. So they exploit these difficult conditions to gain more and more. 

In fact there is a great number of people in our society who are being agonized by the problem of renting. They have suffered a lot, however, their suffering has reached the climax these days. For renting a house has become almost impossible for these landlords have become devoid of any sense of mercy asking for unreasonable rent rates difficult to afford by ordinary people. 
Our armchair officials, who are supposed to carefully as well as studiously address such a problem, do not care a bit, just to make the situation worse. These officials do not feel the suffering of the people that is mainly because they are completely living in another world; residing the most comfortable villas located in the most beautiful and spick-and-span areas. Therefore, they are indifferent to whatever happens to other people as long as they are living comfortably. 

In such hard and difficult conditions, we can never fail to notice that there are a good number of people living in basements that can never be inhabitable. Some other ones are living in very old houses that are liable to be pulled down at any moment. To add insult to injury, these places are very expensive and cost them much. From time to time landlords come to ask for a rise. If they show their objection they are forced to leave the so called flats to find themselves in streets. 

If we consider the relationship between the owner and his tenants,  we will find that it is up to the landlord himself to fix the rent he likes, raise it when he likes and gets rid of his tenants also when he wants. Therefore, there are no regulations that control this and preserve the tenants’ rights. Sometimes these owners may conduct  silly behavior so that they get rid of their tenants; they may turn the electricity off, block water pipes, or threaten them or beat them etc.
In such hard and miserable conditions people are driven by necessity to steal and ask for alms. For necessity knows no law. All this happens at a time our armchair philosophers preach democracy and human rights. 

In an attempt to solve this problem and settle it down the Yemeni government has built two cities, however, only the well-to-do have settled there. You could see one family living in a big building that can embrace five families. 
Therefore, our government should do something to retrieve the situation and save its image before it is too late to control. Some people are fighting tooth and nail for their survival while other ones are spending money through their noses and are exploiting the potential resources of the society before the very eye of the authority. This renting problem has really preoccupied the minds of people and holding their attention. 

In short, the government should address this issue and try to put strategies to set a limit to the aggressive behavior of landlords against the tenants; our government should set rules and apply them seriously on all without fear and prejudice. It should also follow a system to overcome the leasing obstacles and it should do what it is expected to do. It has also to adopt projects of constructing some buildings for low-income people and government employees. Is there any end to this problem?
We will wait and see.