Press Review - Issue 40

40 - Oct 2 thru Oct 8 2000, Vol X

Main Headlines:
-The president Defends Amendments, Assails Opposition
-Nationwide Celebrations Observing Yemeni Revolution Anniversary
-20 Saudi Planes Spray Rift Valley Infected Areas
-Saddam International Airport Receives 1st Yemeni Aircraft for 10 Years
-Bajammal: Our Visit to Baghdad, Humanitarian Message to Alleviate Iraq’s People Suffering
-Aziz: We Highly Appreciate Yemeni Initiative
-General Strike in Palestinian Territories, Anan Calls for Self-Restraint
-Rift Valley Fever Claims Tens of Lives
-PGC-YSP Crisis Aggravated
-Tawahi Court Issues Death Sentence Against Haidara
-Al-Mahara Women Demand Ousting the Governor
-YSP Accuses Authority of Conspiring to Dissolve it
-Educational Professions Syndicate Delegation Heads for Baghdad

Excerpt from some articles and editorials published in some of Yemeni press this week.

RAY
weekly, organ of Sons of Yemen League, September 26, 2000.
RAY editorial this week is devoted to the revolution anniversary saying, today all the Yemenis are rallying behind the 6 aims of their revolution to renew the pledge and loyalty to these aims to be guided by them in their march towards their aspirations.
These goals are still alive in the soul of the people who realize that the revolution has not been only an instrument for the ruling system and its mechanisms. It was a revolution aimed at effecting a comprehensive change of the reality of the people. They are goals that every day make a revolution and call everyday for a revolution embodying these gigantic aims. It confirms the fact that the revolution is an act of ever changing refusing life’s stagnation.
The people realize that the revolution did not attain its goals on September 26 but rather had planted their first seeds and that it is in need of permanent need of renewal and a series of revolutions in every walk of life.

Al-Ra’ie Al-A’am
independent
weekly, September 26, 2000. The weekly’s editorial says today our people celebrate the 38th anniversary of the revolution that had put an end to periods of ignorance, backwardness and isolation imposed on the people throughout the periods of Imamate rule. Upon victory of the revolution the country had inaugurated a new phase of construction and comprehensive development. With the elapse of these years it has become not possible to hold a comparison between the past and the present. Though the masses recognize the revolution’s many achievements culminated with the reunification of the country on May 22, 1990, accompanied with practicing democracy, they are aspiring for more gains and achievements.
The newspaper’s editorial says the elapse of one year on the first free direct presidential elections in the history of Yemen call for reconsidering many of the concepts and commitments. The editorial wonders whether it is possible to make this anniversary a turning-point from which to proceed towards horizons of a future more aware of human rights, commitments and credibility in dealing with many political, and economic issues we are suffering from.

ATTARIQ
independent
weekly, September 26, 2000. The weekly’s editorial has dealt with the subject of political parties in the country.
Throughout the past years we have been hearing hat the political parties in Yemen speak about abundant shortcomings and negative aspects in our present constitution, especially following 1994 amendments. We have expected that these parties would seize opening the opportunity of new constitutional amendments proposed by the authority to play their role by submitting their opinion in this regard. Instead of that we find that they have sped up to announce their unjustified rejection. Such stand expresses their utter bankruptcy.
RAY party alone has the honour to take the initiative of presenting a complete vision of a constitutional draft amendment within less than 24 hours after the president’s message to the parliament in this regard. RAY has also called upon the political parties outside the authority for a meeting and consultation in order to come out with a common viewpoint on the constitutional amendments. The call did not receive any genuine response.
Now the opposition parties are demanded to respond to this political action. If they find difficulties about this they should adopt amendments proposed by RAY, otherwise we think that such parties would better dissolve themselves.

Al-Balagh
weekly, September 26, 2000.
The weekly’s editorial is devoted to the anniversary of September revolutions. The editorial has said that time is dynamic and could not in any way turn it back. In recognition of this fact and as a result of it requisites for development increase day after day. Therefore requirements of the present have redoubled in comparison with those at the beginning of the revolution. The responsibility on shoulders of the president, the government and other officials is very great. They have to understand the time and the world they are now living to find out that our country is still living the past. How would then the people would look for the future as long as they have not yet reached the present?
The editorial demands exerting more efforts and sincerity and work and more honesty in shouldering the responsibility to lead the country to the time the world is now living.

As-Sahwah
weekly, September 28, 2000.
An article written by Zaid Binali Ash-Shami has said that the 26 September revolution has effected a change in the life, thinking and style of the life of the Yemeni citizen. The Yemenis have felt that they are equal and opportunities for education,work and jobs have been open before them.The revolution was the gate that opened the battle of liberation against the British occupation till independence was achieved.
The Yemenis had suffered from despotism, domination, colonization and their political, social and economic impact. The republican regime came to remove those consequences. Then came the unity to and with it the political plurality that allowed more liberties and peaceful transfer of power. But with a scrutinizing look at the reality we find that his aim of the revolution began to dwindle to pave the way for new classes and privileges. Education opportunities, especially the university are no longer available but for the influential and close to the authority. Job opportunities are no longer for all. While the holder of Ph,D degree is deprived of work, the job could be easily obtained by the one who has no qualification. And that has led to Yemeni brain drain. Moreover, political multi-party system has been offended. Undeserving people have got privileges and the corrupt have sought protection through their party affiliation.
The question is that would the revolution’s luster fades away by the passage of time?

Al-Wahdawi
weekly, organ of PUN O, September 28.
The weekly’s editorial has also been devoted to the Yemeni 26 September revolution anniversary. The editorial says that observing the Yemeni revolution anniversary should not be confined to carnivals, but rather in serious consideration of its great goals. These goals should be the yardstick for evaluating performance of those now in power who work through their irresponsible conduct to bury alive the Yemeni revolution.
Seizing the opportunity of this occasion, we call upon all to respect our martyrs souls. We also call on the authority to lift the injustice against the people who have offered sacrifices. This should be by reconsidering all the laws and measures aimed at liquidating the revolution’s aims, the latest of which are the constitutional amendments.

Al-Ayyam
weekly, September
27, 2000. An article written by Abdulla Basabreen, published in Al-Ayyam weekly has dealt with the theme of the constitutional amendments saying that the parliament has approved the principle of the draft amendments presented by the president. The most important of those are the establishment of the shoura council, specifying 5% for selecting the presidency nominees, extending the parliament term to 6 years and the presidency tenure for 7 years.
Establishment of the shoura council comes as extension to the appointed consultancy council. The shoura council would have broader powers to share the parliament its functions, including participation in examining presidential candidacies for presidential elections.
The article maintains to say that if Yemen has lost much of its luster and been exposed to political deformation by international media, now the chance is very appropriate to rectify the situation and polish its image before the international society. This end could be realized through providing more press and media freedoms, supporting human and women rights and creating more dynamic climates for the political parties to exercise their honest political activity away from factors of frustration and security pursuings.