Test Drive | Page 185

Chapter  10:  Findings       Table  10.1:  Traditional  water  distribution  rules  (Urf)   Al  Ala  Fala’ala,  or  Al’ala  Bel  Al’ala   Supreme  to  the  High:  Surface  water  flood  flow:  It  stipulates  that  land  upstream   has  the  priority  of  water  use,  then  areas  which  are  situated  lower,  all  the  way  to   the  lowest  level  of  the  stream.  Despite  its  geographical  dimension,  new  users   upstream  do  not  automatically  gain  priority  in  water  use,  as  prior  appropriation  is   also  to  be  respected.     Al  Awal  fa  Al  Awal   Who  settled  first  has  the  first  right  to  irrigate  from  the  flood  despite  the  location   of  his  land.   Ala’awal  be  Al’Awal   The  traditional  rule  stipulates  that  water  goes  to  Ala’awal  be  Al’Awal  (First  then   First).  This  means  that  well  owners  should  irrigate  for  those  who  are  closer  to   them  before  moving  to  those  next  to  the  ones  closer  to  them  and  so  on.     Al-­‐Mosha’aa   This  refers  to  land  that  is  respected  by  locals  as  public  space  for  everyone’s  use   including  grazing  and  water  usage.   Alaqrab  bel  Aqrab   The  closer  then  the  close:  which  means  that  those  close  to  the  water  source  have   the  priority.  The  traditional  rule  also  says  the  priority  should  be  given  to  drinking   water  then  irrigation   Mubah   According  to  the  Islamic  cultural  tradition,  water  is  considered  to  be  a  free  natural   resource,  an  open  access  resource  or  ''Mubah",  which  means:  permissible,  also   allowable,  free  available  for  all.  But  the  religious  teachings  have  also  repeatedly   emphasized  to  make  judicious  use  of  it.  In  semi-­‐arid  zones,  where  water  resources   are,  in  any  case  limited,  it  is,  however,  very  hard  to  convince  people,  that  a  natural   good  perceived  as  God's  "gift"  should  be  restricted.   (http://www.yemenwater.org/wp-­‐content/uploads/2013/03/Negenman-­‐T.-­‐ 2000.pdf)   10.2.3    Formal  water  related  legislation   Absence  of  regulation  and  enforcement   Conflicts  over  water  are  one  of  the  main  causes  for  tribal  conflicts  (as  well  as  acts  of  violence,  revenge,  and   tribal   wars).   The   Yemeni   judiciary   has   been   marked   with   an   ineffective   role   in   resolving   such   disputes   over   the   past   three   decades,   that   is,   through   the   weakness   of   the   law’s   authority.   In   addition,   the   lack   of   governmental   power   created   a   state   of   distrust,   which   leads   to   a   stronger   role   of   the   tribal   customs   in   the   regulation   of   agricultural   water,   as   well   as   the   settlement   of   a   large   percentage   of   disputes   in   accordance   with   those   agricultural  norms.     According   to   the   participants   of   the   stakeholder   consultation   meeting,   Islamic   Shari’ah   is   the   source   of   all   legislation,   but   it   provides   only   general   guidelines.   The   Islamic   jurisprudence   is   manmade   so   there   are   differences   of   opinion   between   jurist