Every week, a different intellectual
writes a FOCUS on a pertinent issue!
THE YEMENI INTELLECTUAL:
What Role in Public
Life?
By: Abdulaziz
Al-Saqqaf*
One of the issues that is forever present in the mind of intellectuals
and professionals is their marginal role in decision-making and even in
opinion formation. The logical question is 'Why?'. I would like here to
express a few thoughts on this matter.
1. Basic Background:
The number of Yemenis who can be termed as intellectuals (university
graduates, poets, writers, middle income urbanites, people who have travelled/served
abroad, teachers, university professors and their assistants, etc.) and
professionals (physicians, engineers, accountants, economists, lawyers,
journalists, businessmen, etc.) is rising. Some estimates indicate there
are about a quarter million intellectuals.
These are naturally concentrated in the capital city, Sanaa, and the
large cities of the republic, such as Aden, Taiz, Ibb, Hodeidah, Mukallah,
Dhamar, etc.
2. Two Inadequate Roles:
Given the experience, so far, one can surmise that Yemeni intellectuals
have charted for themselves two general roles. The first role is to be
part and parcel of the ruling regime, whatever it stands for. The second
role is to simply remain passive and limited within the scope of their
'tasks' and stay out of public life.
The first role is best personified by the intellectuals who hold high
offices in government and para-statals. They have a subservient role to
play in that they are not real decision-makers, even if they hold such
high posts as ministers, and even prime minister. The general public is
aware of this subservient role, hence the many jokes about intellectuals
who are servants and dupes of less educated decision-makers.
The second role is even more devastating. People who are able to contribute
to society are unwilling/unable to do so, primarily because they are not
risk-takers. The majority of Yemen's intellectuals would rather stay at
home and do/say nothing rather than get involved and then bring upon themselves
some heat.
3. The Assessment:
The role of the group that decided to join the regime is, in my opinion,
better than the second role, though it is not the one I could live with
myself. I would rather chart a third course which involves a contribution
to the system, without being a mouthpiece to justify its shortcomings or
to opportunistically take advantage for self-enrichment because of 'services
rendered to the regime.'
The first group contends that by being part of the system, they have
played a modernizing and tempering role. This could be partly true, but
it does not rise to the level of the responsibility they should shoulder.
Most members of this group have become so overwhelmed with taking advantage
of their 'positions' for self-enrichment that they have compromised themselves
to the extent of not being able to wield any real influence or stand up
to the values they portend to represent. They have fallen in the public
eye.
The second group is invisible. It is as if they do not exist. For example,
did you know that Yemen has today some 1,500 university professors who
hold PhDs in various fields. Where are these individuals?
There is a similar number of physicians, engineers, lawyers, economists,
etc. Where are these people? Why are they marginal, although among the
highest educated in the land?
4. A Third Course?
I mentioned earlier that a third course is possible. This means that
intellectuals will be involved in leadership roles in the public affairs
of Yemen. They will project the values they represent, with dignity. For
this to happen, there are three requirements:
A- Personal Success:
Personal success is a key criteria for making a meaningful contribution.
In other words, a successful engineer, physician, accountant, etc. is like
a beam of light which generates optimism and confidence. Success also means
financial self-sufficiency. In other words, a professional who is not able
to meet his/her financial needs cannot be a leader.
B- Strength of Character:
High education and interaction with other cultures and peoples is supposed
to lead to character development. Strength of character is probably the
most lacking element. A person who does not possess some qualities like
patriotism, dignity, decency, fairness, ability to work with others within
open and accountable parameters, etc. cannot play a leadership role irrespective
of their level of education or culture.
C- Vision:
In order to be able to lead, the intellectual would need to have a
vision of what he/she wants of society and aspires for. I would suppose
the appropriate values at this juncture are of a society that sees for
itself a fruitful and interactive role with the rest of the world based
on human rights, political pluralism and fair play, press freedom, liberal
economics, and good governance.
In the final analysis, the role of the intellectual is up to us. But,
being subordinates or shunning public life are not ideal roles.
____________________ * Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Saqqaf is a ranking professor at Sanaa University,
Chief Editor of the Yemen Times and Member of the Consultative Council.
He is involved in many voluntary and grass-roots activities.
