Test Drive | Page 205

Chapter  11:  Recommendations     20. A  strategy  needs  to  be  developed  that  outlines  practical  first  responses  to  disputes  over  water.  The   strategy   should   be   drafted   with   participation   from   sheikhs,   NWRA   offices,   the   Governors’   Office,   district   directors,   prosecution   officers,   and   local   judges   and   user   groups.   As   part   of   the   strategy,   a   clear  communication  system  needs  to  be  drawn  among  the  different  government  entities  involved.       21. The  existing  laws  need  to  be  operationalised  over  a  longer  period  of  time,  especially  the  Water  Law   of   2002   and   the   By-­‐Law   of   2011   that   contain   strong   provisions   to   regulate   all   matters   relating   to   water  use,  distribution,  and  the  prioritisation  in  the  access  to  it.  Operationalization  requires  learning   lessons   from   their   current   lack   of   impact.   “We   cannot   tailor   the   law   to   each   district   22. There   is   a   need   to   strengthen   the   capacity   of   third   parties   actors   in   in  accordance  with  everybody’s  needs.  The   resolving   conflicts.   For   example,   law   is   a   public   one   and   should   be   applied   through   providing   training   in   traditional   and   formal   legal   to   everyone.   There   are   good   methods   for   principles   of   water   distribution   and   mediation   and   tribal   arbitration   already   in   conflict   resolution.   Possible   actors   place.   70-­‐75%   of   the   conflict   cases   are   are   NWRA,   WUAs,   and   local   government   actors.   Currently,   solved   by   tribal   arbitration.   Why   can’t   we   individuals   within   these   legalize   these   alternative   rules   to   make   organisations   often   act   on   a   them   accepted?   The   responsible   parties   personal  account.     23. Stimulate   the   embedding   of   should  have  the  opportunity  to  implement   mediation   approaches   in   the   these   alternative   solutions   within   a   given   current   legal   system   as   a   period  of  time  and  if  they  fail,  then  we  can   recognised  approach.     24. There   is   also   a   need   to   better   go  to  court.”   codify   the   water   rights   and   rules,   Participant  consultation  meeting,  Amman,  2014   which   supports   the   differentiation   between   surface   water,   subsurface   flows,   and   groundwater   (without   loosing   the   necessary   interlinkages):       a. For   example,   there   needs   to   be   clear   regulation   for   the   distance   by   which   water   can   be   transferred   outside   its   source,   and   the   quantities   of   water   allowed   to   be   pumped   for   irrigation  purposes.   b. Another   example   is   that   surface   (spate)   water   allocation   rules   have   been   formulated   for   several  ephemeral  rivers,  yet  they  are  in  many  cases  out-­‐dated  as  they  did  not  accommodate   for  the  presence  of  permanent  structures  or  the  effect  on  recharge  and  hence  the  availability   of  drinking  water       The Political Economy in Yemen of Water Management: Conflict Analysis and Recommendations  192  of  241