January 22, 2015
(Reuters) - Authorities in southern Yemen (click here) re-opened Aden's air and sea ports on Thursday, officials said, after President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi accepted some demands from the dominant Houthi group in a move expected to ease days of tension in the capital.
Security authorities on Wednesday closed air, sea and land crossings into Yemen's southern port city of Aden after fighting in Sanaa that threw the Arab state deeper into turmoil. They said the Aden security committee had said it was cancelling a decision to close the airport, sea port and land crossings in response to the agreement, which provided for all state institutions to return to work....
The citizens of any Middle East democracy have chosen to run, hide and change affiliations than stand and fight. It is a dangerous paradigm that exists where democracies are replacing dictatorships and warlords.
I can only speculate, but, in a region of the world where god has been the overlord of the people for millennium, it is all the more difficult to bring about the authority of leadership in state affairs.
One of the factors that leads to unrest in the Middle East is the devotion to god in the faiths. It is difficult to realize god can be as much a part of a citizen's life in a country controlled or better said governed by democracy. It was all so clear before, god came first in any justice and all else was the enemy. Now, with changes in representation within a governing authority throughout the region, the people are asked to tolerate and respect each other. Controlling one's life with gun fire means protecting Islam, when in fact Islam is protected by an egalitarian democracy and there is no need for gun fire.
In such freedom the Mosques and churches need to be protected from vandalism and hate. The religion of any people is found in their thoughts, prayers and celebrations, not the annihilation of all others. The words I am hearing from every venue of violent extremists, even in France, is "Who is defending Islam?" Democracies respect Islam and honor Allah simply by providing a place for worship to happen and leaders the right to communicate the faith. Democracies are good for all faiths without exception. Democracies provide a place for all faiths and honor the right for them to exist and have followers of the faith.
Tolerance is not an easy commodity in the Middle East as violence has ruled the people for so long. It is not an easy transition and there will be problems from time to time. There was a problem in France, but, the people have not given up their democracy and come together to celebrate their rightful place in a country that tolerates all forms of religions and communication.
