Yemen: "God, Country, Revolution, Unity"

The Republic of Yemen is Arab country located in western Asia bordering Saudi Arabia. According to the Failed States Index it is ranked as number 6 with a total score of 107. Such a high score places it on the verge of failure. This high ranking is at odds with a cursory review of the country’s present political structure. Unlike many of its neighbors and other Arab league members, Yemen is not a monarchy but is a constitutional republic with a presidential system.  In addition, unlike many other Muslim countries it has in the past shown progressive ideals including being the first one to grant women the right to vote. However, despite such ideals Yemen has not been able to project itself onto the path of social, political, and economic growth of success for the future.

 

Yemen was the first state in the Arabian Peninsula to have a purely Republican form of government. However with this movement came much unrest. In 1990, both governments, the North and the South, reached a full agreement on joint governing, and a unified Republic of Yemen was created. However, in 2009, the Yemeni army launched a full offensive against Shia Insurgents which resulted in the displacement of 10’s of thousands of residents giving Yemen a score of 9.2 for refugees. Following the attacks on 9/11/2001, Yemen became a safe haven for al-Qaeda troops.  According to an article by BBC dated June 1, 2013 “Yemen is considered a stronghold of al-Qaeda in the Arabian peninsula (AQAP). Militants have gained ground because of a weak central government.” To continue in the fight against terror Yemen has become a hot spot for United States’ drone strikes. In addition, as the region was seized with the Arab Spring, Yemen was not immune to the social upheaval.  Yemen also encountered domestic unrest resulting from their citizens’ grievances of startling unemployment rates, deteriorating economic conditions, and government corruption. Scoring Yemen a 9.0 in the Group Grievances category on the Failed State Index.  

 

 

Yemen’s lowest score in any particular category of the Failed State Index is an 8.7 in Human Rights category they are struggling with many issues. They have a particularly high rate of torture, inhumane treatment, and extrajudicial executions for prisoners. The high level of judicial corruption, inefficiency, and executive interference leads to the undermining of their due process. The basic freedoms that many Americans take for granted are very restricted, such as, freedom of speech, press, and religion. Violations of refugees and asylum seekers rights are rampant. Currently there are over 124,600 refugees currently in Yemen predominately from other high ranking Failed States such as Somalia, Iraq, and Ethiopia. Yemen like many other Arab countries also has an exorbitant amount of violence against women.

 

 

 

Yemen’s’ economy could ultimately be the pivotal factor leading to its failure. It is the poorest and least developed country in the Arab world. It has a 35% employment (hence 65% unemployment) rate with a growing younger population which will only acerbate this problem. These mounting economic pressures score it a 9.3 on the index. To make this even more dire, Yemen is facing dwindling natural resources. A very small percentage of their oil reserves remain, which is the country’s main export and their government relies mainly on the taxes received on these exports. Some say that the reserves could be depleted as soon as 2017. Could this ultimately lead to Yemen’s collapse? With this sharp economic decline they receive a 9.2 for economy.

 

While Yemen continues to stride to improve and transform its country into a functioning and successful democracy its biggest hurdle may be itself. Quoted from the NY Times article, “But the problems of poverty, alienation, corruption, unemployment and weak or nonexistent government services, which spurred the revolution in the first place, have not evaporated, nor have powerful players retired.” Following the recent Arab Spring the best solution that Yemen has is for its leaders despite different backgrounds to sit down and ultimately reach some form of agreement for the country like it did back in 1990 and draft a new Constitution.