First of all, I am happy to be with you here in Warsaw, the capital of revolution, which inspires the change and the global spring.

 

Dear friends, 

The moment, in which you are holding your conference, the city of Aleppo is being subjected to a fascist destruction, much like what had happened to this great city, Warsaw, during World War II. Nevertheless, just as Warsaw won in the war, Aleppo will rise like a phoenix from the ashes. 

Just as Warsaw, in the great Velvet Revolution, rebelled against the totalitarian tyranny and crossed towards freedom, democracy and dignity, Aleppo and all the Arab Spring countries will score a tremendous victory and cross towards democracy, freedom and a decent life; I believe so.

 

Dear friends, 

27 years ago, a European Spring, or what has been termed the Prague Spring, broke out. Many around the world were not sure of the ability of the Poles to overthrow a particularly harsh, totalitarian regime, but the Polish people had realized the necessity of change and made their decision; and it happened what they wanted. Encountering injustice and impoverishment policies led Poland to the shore of safety, the dictator had fallen, and the people’s renaissance took place.

Since the European Spring and the fall of the Berlin Wall, the countries adopting democratic systems have been steadily growing, and even the African continent wherein civil wars and armed conflicts were endemic decided to change and be biased towards the values of democracy. Finally, we could talk about successful democratic experiments in Africa, which take root day after day after merely thinking of such a thing had been a fantasy. 

As the days pass, democracy gained considerable support among the various peoples of the world, but democracy has missed only a place over the globe, which is the Arab world.

That was not fair. But worse, the dictatorial regimes sought to make the people be ignorant and afraid of democracy, and it came to the point that democracy was portrayed as a conspiracy against the religion and the unity of nations. 

Those misguiding policies, however, completely collapsed with the outbreak of the Arab Spring in 2011. The people went to streets calling for the overthrow of dictatorship, repression, torture, monopoly of power and wealth, and extremism.

   

Dear friends, 

Today, in light of these storms and chaos sweeping the Arab Spring countries, and in light of all this devastation brought about by the counter-revolutions with the support from both regional and international allies under shameful silence and complicity of the international community, some may wonder whether the change in the Middle East is worth all this cost?

I could reply with confidence that revolutions asked permission from nobody and the Spring of Peoples asked permission from nobody as well, as revolutions become inevitable when avenues towards any development or political change get clogged. The Arab Spring was the only option to save what could be saved because the then existing regimes were corrupt, tyrannical and failed, and disobedience had to be declared. 

As you know, the revolution is a compelling urge in the end. We have exhausted all attempts but all to no avail. Therefore, our peoples had no choice but peaceful struggle to confront despotism. Violence and counter-violence that happened afterwards were accounted for by the authoritarian regimes and their allies.

That heavy price paid for change asserts that our choices were correct and the revolution was the right decision, as subsequent events have proved that those we revolted against were nothing but criminals, but rather hardened criminals who were ready to burn everything for the sake of their thrones and corruption.

  

Dear friends, 

In my country, Yemen, we are still fighting for democracy, freedom and equality. We had a peaceful revolution on 11 February 2011. Despite huge amounts of weapons owned by citizens, we succeeded in making our actions and protest demonstrations peaceful, and the world had seen that. 

We were able to take over Ali Abdullah Saleh depending on a peaceful revolution that produced a political track absorbing everyone without any exception. Even the president, who had ruled Yemen for three decades, was granted a legal immunity from any prosecution on charges of targeting protesters or corruption that prevailed over the period of his three-decade rule. 

Yemenis forgot all that, saying let's start a new page. His vice president was elected as consensus president of the country. Then, a comprehensive national dialogue held with the participation of everyone lasted almost nine months, which ended up with a range of outcomes including the formation of a committee to prepare a new constitution for the country. 

The new constitution was drafted as planned, and we were just a few steps away from holding a referendum on this constitution that would have been followed by elections in the light of it, and then bringing Yemen into the banks of free and dignified life of democracy. 

 

So what happened?  

Everything collapsed because of a counter-revolution led by ousted president Ali Saleh allied with the Iran-backed Houthi militia.  They occupied the capital, Sanaa, and some Yemeni cities. The consensus president along with the government’s members was put under house arrest. 

Thousands of the youths participating in the peaceful revolution, journalists, political leaders and activists were either killed, abducted, forcibly disappeared or tortured.  Hundreds of thousands of mines have been planted, and a relentless war was waged on all areas of Yemen.

At this moment, Yemen is suffering from a catastrophic humanitarian crisis and widespread devastation at a time when Yemenis are still fighting their fateful battle towards freedom, justice, dignity and democracy. 

They did not despaired and they would never despair, but they will inevitably triumph. While they are moving towards their victory, they place landmarks of a sustainable peace roadmap based on the need to implement the UN Security Council resolutions on Yemen and abiding by the decisions of the comprehensive national dialogue conference attended by everyone.

In the meantime, Yemenis are required to tolerate an armed racist militia that believes that it must be within a solely family’s power to rule the country under the pretext that a matter has to do with divine providence. Not only that, Yemenis are also required to accept that this militia continues to retain its weapons.

I wonder here how is it possible to build a democratic or even semi-democratic system in the presence of an armed militia that sees in the power its exclusive right?

I, along with all those caring about Yemen, its future and unity, call to stop the war in order to establish a sustainable peace, but not to prepare for more war. The international community and major powers are required to exert pressure on the putschists to implement the Security Council resolutions on Yemen, and not allow the existence of armed groups or militias.

 

Dear friends, 

Our peoples, as walking the path of pain for democracy and freedom, are determined more than ever to continue their march until the end; freedom or death! We will not accept to be an exception among all the peoples of the world. Just as Poles, Americans, Indians, the French, Germans, Canadians, South Africans, the Japanese and other peoples of the world elect their leaders, we also have the right to choose freely who rules.

The world should be aware of this fact, there are not many supporters of dictatorship in the Arab countries, so it is supposed to support democracy and freedom and not be afraid of the victory of the Arab revolutions that are seeking nothing but peace and democracy, and renounce violence and terrorism.

Let me be frank with you about what the bulk of our people think! There are countless doubts about the international community’ position on democracy. Western governments, which have long claimed to encourage and support democracy and democratic transformation in the world, are today demanded to answer questions raised by the peoples they have let down, especially in the Arab Spring countries that have done what needs to be done in order to establish true democracies and stop despotism, which has damaged them for decades.

The West has pampered the counter-revolutions in a suspicious manner, but even worse, this has taken place in conjunction with cracking down on fighters for freedom. 

Many say: the West succeeded in attracting dictators- their allies- but lost the peoples who have come to realize that when the West kept talking about democracy and human rights, it was not serious, but it was for blackmail. 

 

Dear friends, 

We recognize that there are drawbacks to democracy, but our bias in favour of democracy is non- negotiable, as dream of a democratic state is equal to our existence. Some may consider this as a kind of exaggeration, but nothing is more precious than freedom. There is no freedom without democracy and vice versa. 

Democracy is a good way to manage power struggle, build a cohesive and tolerant society and achieve peace, security and stability. The tyranny, however, brings only extremism and terrorism, and I often say: tyranny and terrorism are two sides of the same coin; each one of them feeds the other.

Do not become a victim of dictators once again, do not count on an armed militia, a military coup,  a state-president slaughtering his own people day and night or a president seizing power by force, in order to fight terrorism because terrorism is their merchandise that they carefully look after and derive means of survival from. 

Tyrants are extremely ugly, but they adorn and show themselves off when they are received in democratic countries, and this is what must be put an end to. You have to boycott and punish dictators, and I call to isolate them. Tyrants and terrorists should not be tolerated.

If it is necessary to be there a battle in this world, let it be between believers and disbelievers of democracy. I firmly believe the victory will be on the side of those believing in democratic values and human rights.

I inform you that I early reserved for myself a place among this fateful battle, and I am optimistic about the democracy’s victory in the end.

 

Dear friends … Last but not least,  

Despite all destruction and massacres, despite all betrayal and conspiracy, peoples worldwide will see the light and live democracy and free and dignified life as a reality, and the dream will come true sooner.

I've always believed peoples have an indomitable will, injustice - no matter how intense- will fade away, oppression machine - no matter how brutal- will inevitably break and groans and cries of the oppressed will serve as the flood that eventually uproots tyrants.

Ancient History reinforces this fact, and the modern history tells that as well. 

Yes, the will of peoples is invincible. 

If, one day, a people desires to live, then fate will answer their call.