Interviewed by: Amer Daakam

Mass demonstrations in Taiz continue for the third week in a row, rejecting corruption and demanding the provision of services and the dismissal of the corrupt officials without selection.

Dozens of demonstrators had set up tents in front of the temporary Governorate building on Jamal Street, confirming the continuation of the revolutionary work, and at the same time threatening to escalate if the local authority did not respond to their demands.

In light of this societal movement rejecting corruption, many people are wondering about the position of the Islah Party regarding these popular demonstrations and its position in the event of the dismissal of officials affiliated with it, while there are voices accusing the Party of ruling Taiz.

Several axes were raised in this interview that we had with the head of the Political Department of the Yemeni Islah Party in Taiz, Mr. Ahmed al-Maqrami.

Where al-Maqrami said that the demands of the people in Taiz are real and legitimate, stressing that the Taiz community is a sensitive and well observer and seeks to curb corruption.

In a press interview with alislah-ye.net, the head of the Political Department of the Yemeni Islah Party in Taiz explained that "the issue of correcting the path concerns society in general, and Islah is part of the movement of society."

He added that "75% of Taiz's resources are located in Houthi-controlled areas," pointing to the weak government support presented for Taiz.

Al-Maqrami indicated that there is administrative negligence and leniency in the administrative follow-up by the local authority in Taiz with regard to benefiting and reforming the revenue receptacles, calling on the local authority to control revenues and spending in the best way.

In his response to the accusations leveled by some against the Islah Party that it is ruling Taiz, al-Maqrami said: “This is a charge that we categorically and completely deny,” adding, “This is a charge that has been used with other features and banners. Sanaa was betrayed under the justification of Islah, and before that, Amran was betrayed under this justification, and they also wave the same banner to Marib and Shabwa. Perhaps the owners of these kitchens against Taiz believe that this spent banner will deceive the people of Taiz.”

According to al-Maqrami, the Islah Party in Taiz maybe is the third or fourth party in terms of participation in the local authority, stressing that the Islah Party accepts partnership and believes that the public function is for the service of the citizen and has no sensitivity towards this matter, noting that “it is unfair attempting to hold the Islah Party responsible for what it did not do, in a stratagem that is unfortunately repeated far from reality.”

Text of the press interview:

- Taiz is witnessing mass demonstrations, what are the demands of the crowds participating in the demonstration? Why did this demonstration erupt at this particular time?

- The demands of these masses are real and legitimate, and this is not only reflected in the weakness in terms of services the citizen suffering from, which is a vital need such as water, hygiene, electricity and health, in addition to the exacerbation of the high prices due to the deterioration in the exchange rate of the national currency, which is reflected in the damage to living life daily of the citizen.

- What is the extent of corruption in the Governorate? Why has this corruption been piling up for years?

- The extent of corruption is objectively and accurately is determined by the competent oversight and parliamentary bodies through their reports and legal procedures, as well as through offices with competence in accompanying and subsequent oversight. It was supposed to activate the reports of these oversight bodies that submit their reports to the executive bodies.

And if the executive body referred those reports to the competent authorities, it would have been easy to curb any corruption.

- What is the position of the Islah Party on these demonstrations? And why didn't the Party move before it broke out?

- The issue of correcting the path means a society in general, and the Islah Party is part of the movement of the society. Here, we must emphasize that the society in Taiz is a sensitive society and a good observer. Perhaps the general public has realized the accumulation of some manifestations of revenue imbalance, the faltering of services and the emergence of corruption here and there, and this led to congestion and anger, especially in these difficult situations represented by the siege, war and the deterioration of the national currency exchange rate. All of this exacerbated the suffering and increased the tension among the general public in a way that pushes their movement towards pressure to besiege corruption, with a great awareness among the general public, despite the bitterness of the situation, that they did not turn away from the great concern, which is the battle of resisting the siege and the liberation.

-There are accusations of the Islah Party of participating in official corruption.. Does the Islah Party accept the dismissal of officials affiliated with it in the event that they are proven to be corrupt?

- No one should deny or prove accusations; Because that is a matter of the judiciary, but the most important thing is that all files and reports are referred without selection or cover up to the prosecution so that the judiciary can say the final word. And when proving cases, let the public official, whoever he is, bear the consequences of his negligence or corruption, and the matter here goes beyond accepting the dismissal of the corrupt official. Rather, we will demand the dismissal of those found guilty, regardless of their political affiliation, and any political cover for corruption is compound corruption.

- Islah governs Taiz,” this phrase is frequently used on people’s tongues and on social media and news sites. What is the truth of this phrase? And how many are the percentage of Islah Party's participation in the local authority?

- This is a charge that we categorically and completely deny, adding, and it is a charge that was used with other features and banners. Sanaa was betrayed under the justification of Islah, and before that, Amran was betrayed under this justification, as well as they are waving the same banner to use against Marib and Shabwa, and perhaps the owners of these kitchens against Taiz think that this consumed banner will deceive the people of Taiz.

What is present in Taiz is the legitimacy in all its diversity, and what Taiz bears of distinction in this aspect. It is enough to know that the governor, who is the first man, is not from the Islah Party, and he is the one who issues appointment decisions, and he has issued more than 25 decisions, including one for the Islah Party. And if you knew that one of the governorate’s six under-secretary belongs to the Islah Party, the word will be clearer. And what would your opinion be if you knew that there are a number of advisers to the governor, none of whom belongs to the Islah Party.

In short, Islah maybe is the third or fourth party in terms of participation in local authority.

We accept partnership and believe that the public function is to serve the citizen and we have no sensitivity in this matter, but it is unfair to try to blame the Islah Party for what it did not do, in a ploy that is unfortunately repeated far from reality.

- From your point of view, where the problem of Taiz exactly lies?

- The problem of Taiz lies in four things.

The first is the continuation of the war and the siege imposed by Iran's coup militia on the Governorate.

Second, that Taiz is part of the legitimacy and its government, which is economically and politically exhausted and far from its land. It is positively and negatively represented by the general situation, especially the economic effects of the collapse of the riyal exchange rate against other currencies, which led to the frightening rise in prices and exhausted the middle class, not to mention the destitute class, and the impact extended to the government's failure to fulfill its obligations towards the liberated areas, especially in providing basic services such as food, water, electricity and health.

Third, the scarcity of local resources, as the economic resources of Taiz are located in the east and west, and they are areas outside the control of the local authority.

Fourth, the slackness of the work of the local authority, especially towards the corruption files filed by the regulatory bodies, and the lack of optimal use of available resources and directing them towards achieving goals that alleviate the suffering of citizens

.

There is a problem not only with Taiz, but also in Yemen as a whole, which is the deteriorating economic situation.

As for the problem of Taiz in particular, we all know that it is in a line of confrontation and war with the dynastic Houthi project and that it has been living under siege for seven years, and that 75% of its resources are located in Houthi-controlled areas, and there is also administrative neglect and leniency in the administrative follow-up by the local authority in what concerning the benefit and repair of voluntary vessels.

There is also a very important matter, which is the suspension of army salaries for seven months and the interruption of nutrition from them for a whole year, and this reflects great pressure on the authority and society. So, we are in a war and there is no army that fights without salaries and with an open back.

- Why is Taiz complaining of corruption while it has been under siege and bombardment for more than six years? Was it not a fortiori to provide efforts to confront the Houthi militia?

- Taiz is in a confrontation against the Houthi priesthood and under siege and lacks capabilities, and it suffers from weak government support presented for the Governorate, in addition to the scarcity of its resources, and the matter requires possible reforms. There may also appear corruption in spending, which we do not want to preemptively pass judgments, as this is from the right of the concerned authorities, after referring all the files to the prosecution, what is important is that we need to control revenues and expenditures in the best way.

- At the present time, what is required of the local authority, the parties and the government to save the city from what it suffers from?

- The government should exert efforts to improve the living conditions of all Yemenis and support the Governorate, even at a minimum level, in order to improve services, in addition to paying attention to providing the requirements of the army and security, especially since Taiz is considered a front line.

The local authority should activate its role and the role of its offices and agencies, and pay attention to collecting its resources and rationalizing its expenditures.

As for the parties, it is hoped that they will devote their media and political energies to confronting the Iranian priestly project, without neglecting their role in adopting the issues of society.

- Some fear that suspicious parties will deliberately divert the demonstrations from their noble goals, especially since there are opponents who want to take revenge on this Governorate... What is your comment regarding this issue?

- There is no doubt that there are those who are waiting for the opportunity to pounce on Taiz and want to take revenge on it, and at the forefront of these is the dynastic militia mortgaged to the Iranian project that is dependent on the Iranian project, but the vigilance of Taiz, with its popular incubator, parties, and social and youth components, does not work to give priority only for anything but for the first goal, which is to confront the Houthi priesthood, without forgetting its other duties.

Is there one last word you'd like to say?

- Yemenis of all sects are aware of the magnitude of the challenge facing Yemen, including Taiz, and everyone must rise to the level of this challenge. Accordingly, the priorities of the homeland must be prioritized over all priorities, which should be translated by the government, political and social forces, and all components of Yemeni society, and we should not find ourselves neglecting the lives of the martyrs and the blood of the wounded, because of rivalries or intrigues that tomorrow will be a disgrace on their owners.

The youth movement that came out against corruption must also be aware of the agendas that are trying to drag it outside the framework of its declared goals in fighting corruption through monitoring tools and judicial agencies, and we are with any peaceful move to refer all files to the competent authorities, and we condemn any intrusion into any institution.