In other words, on average every Yemeni possesses at least three pieces of weapons. The parliament had previously issued a law to curb possession and carrying of arms inside the major cities. But this law has not been put to action. Arms market spread over Yemen just like any other markets of vegetables, spices, etc. The biggest and most famous arms market is the Attalh in Sadah which contains more than 30 arms stores.
Political analysts attribute spread of weapons to the good number of wars Yemen has passed through.
The forum is to ensure transparency and fairness in the upcoming elections in 2003. It has also the objective of promoting the democratic practice in the Republic. In a report distributed last Sunday June 10. 2001 by the Yemeni Institute for Developing Democracy on the establishment of the new forum it was mentioned that the Yemeni Democratic Forum was brought about as a result to ensure legal conditions and conducive political atmospheres to have free and fair elections. The forum aims at active participation in promoting the democratic awareness and enhancing reforms in the country, it added.