Yemenis to vote in presidential poll

YEMEN: Yemenis go to the polls today in their country's first competitive elections to choose a president and officials on governorate and district levels. Five candidates are competing for the presidency and 24,000, including 160 women, in local elections.

Eighty-six per cent of Yemenis plan to cast their ballots in what is viewed as a free and fair contest. Official broadcast media have given equal time to all presidential hopefuls. Opposition parties and candidates have been able to hold rallies and campaign freely. The ruling General People's Congress and the opposition bloc are each spending about $30 million. Debate has been vigorous and criticism of the current government sharp.

The US-based International Foundation for Election Systems ruled that preparations for the poll have gone smoothly and fraud should be limited. Voting will be monitored by the European Union, the US National Institute for Democracy, and Arab observers, including a team dispatched by the Palestinian Central Election Commission.

Polls show that 50 per cent will back incumbent president Ali Abdullah Saleh (64), while 30 per cent will vote for his nearest rival, Faisal Bin Shamlan (72), who is supported by the Muslim fundamentalist Islah and Socialist parties.

Mr Saleh served as president of the northern Yemen Arab Republic from 1978-90 and became president of united Yemen in 1990. Since he was elected by 96.2 per cent of the vote in the country's first poll in 1999, the expected comfortable majority in this poll indicates that Yemenis are ready for multiparty democracy. This election is seen as an example to be followed by other countries in the region.

Mr Saleh said yesterday that four French tourists kidnapped by tribesmen in the eastern Shabwa province more than a week ago will be freed shortly.

He said talks with the hostage takers, who want the release of five prisoners, were continuing. Although Mr Saleh has vowed to crack down on kidnappers, France has asked Sanaa not to use force to liberate the tourists.