If, a year ago, it had been suggested that Mareb would eventually be rid of arms, such a comment would have been quickly dismissed. Renowned for its militancy, an arms-free Mareb was once a far-fetched dream.
Yesterday, however, The Yemen Observer was surprised to find just the opposite. After a two-hour tour of Mareb, the city was found to be free of any sort of weapons or arms. This is a result of steps taken by the government to ban armaments in all major cities in Yemen with the goal to improve security and, consequently, investment opportunities in the country.
The first campaign against the possession of arms came into operation on August 23, 2007. The initial phase was assessed on November 23rd and was found to be on track: there was a dramatic reduction in the number of arms confiscated, reaching a total of more than 45,000 weapons.
The success of this campaign was partly due to new practices taken by local law enforcement. Whereas pairs of soldiers were responsible for taking weapons from civilians in the past – simple if it was from one individual but more challenging if they faced a threatening group of tribesmen refusing to disarm - they have since become more effective. Soldiers now travel in groups of at least 20, are armed with anti-aircraft guns, and take measures such as blocking off streets so that no matter how determined the opposition is they cannot be dissuaded from their mission.
This act on the part of the government deserves support. Any movement that strives towards taking weapons from the hands of our people and creates a safer nation is an act that we applaud.
According to statistics released by the Ministry of Interior, arms possession has decreased by 80 percent, while the number of crimes caused by arms has decreased by 60 percent. The benefits of an arms-free Yemen are numerous: not only does the country become safer for local inhabitants, but the increase in security and stability will also attract tourists and investors. As Yemen attracts more business initiatives there will follow an increase in job creation.
People must now take this armament ban into their own hands to ensure its continued success. Civil society, the media, tribal leaders and opposition leaders all have roles to play. Sheikhs must capitalize on the influence they possess over their communities: they must set an example by laying down their arms and, in doing so, commit themselves to peace. Civilians can be proactive by organizing campaigns to encourage more people to give up their guns. Total disarmament is a national effort where each of us has the responsibility to encourage one another to lay down our weapons.
We would like to thank the Governor of Mareb, Aref al-Zoka, for his help in the campaign to reduce arms in our country.