SANA’A — Members of parliament (MPs) agreed last Monday not to carry guns while inside parliament.

After disagreeing with Abdo Beshr, an independent MP, who accused speaker of the Parliament Yahia Al-Ra'i of betrayal because he paid no attention to the massacre in Al-Sabeen Square due to a suicide bombing, Al-Ra'i left, but some parliamentarians convinced him to return. Upon his return, Al-Ra'i suggested MPs shouldn't carry their guns while in the parliament.

Ali Al-Ansi, an Islah Party MP, said all the members agreed to keep their weapons outside the building beginning in the near future. He said the agreement resulted from disputes between the members because they have different points of view, which could end up in drawing their weapons.

"When the regime changes, disagreements arise between people,” Al-Ansi said. “Today, the General People's Congress (GPC) members oppose everything because their role has changed to opposition, while the opposition parties are now holding seats in government, which caused confusion in the parliament."

Sheikh Sinan Al-Ajji, a member of the GPC at the parliament, said there are special boxes where members can leave their weapons before entering the parliament.

"We are members of parliament and will follow the agreement suggested by the head of parliament," Al-Ajji said.

Hafedh Al-Bukari, director of the Yemen Polling Center, said what raises the disagreement is that the parliament is composed of members who can't fulfill their duties and have weak political and legal roles.

"The MPs will not adhere to this law that bans carrying weapons in the parliament, and this is proves that they can't pass a law preventing carrying weapons in public places because it will affect them because they are carrying weapons everywhere," he said.

He said the agreement Al-Ra'i proposed will be of no use and will be implemented only inside the parliament, though the MPs are not supposed to carry guns, whether inside or outside the parliament.