The Republic of Yemen plans to plant more than 2 million trees during this season, which extends for one month. The process was kicked off by President Ali Abdullah Saleh on Saturday, 20th March, 1999. The effort has picked up momentum as ministers, governors, military commanders and community elders are leading the public in this important event. 
Two groups of people are expected to have a major impact in the process - soldiers and students. Many military barracks are bringing out the soldiers to plant trees. Many schools are also taking one day off from their schedules for the same purpose. 

In addition, sports clubs, cultural centers and many NGOs are also chipping in. 
One group that has never shown up in the past, nor is it likely to show up this year are the opposition politicians. It is as if nation-building is not relevant to them. 
One final note. Tree-planting is good. But taking care of the trees until they are able to withstand reckless drivers and the goats of herdsmen is vital. 

 

Dr. Abdul-Karim Al-Iryani, Prime Minister, speaking at the concluding session of the Second Conference for Government Economic Corporations, openly pledged his commitment to efficiency and full accountability in the performance of the government and its affiliated companies and corporations." The Prime Minister went one step further to take a public oath that he will not waver in the pursuit of better management of public resources. 

For four days - 20-23/3/1999, about 120 senior government officials who are managing the state machinery and public and mixed corporations have been discussing such shortcomings as inefficiency, negligence, and corruption in their work. 

Following a four-day conference, the top officials of the economic corporations of the government issued the following recommendations: 

1. All economic units which participated in the conference should submit an executive program to be implemented within a specific period of time of their tasks. Such program should be submitted within 90 days starting from today's date. 
2. The secretariat, headed by the Chairman of the Central Organization for Control and Audit, shall carry monitor program implementation of all agencies within the deadlines specified. 

3.Every organization shall send a progress report every four months to the Cabinet regarding the implementation of these resolutions, and the recommendations of this meeting according to the specified deadlines. 

 

A paper researched by Professor Abdulaziz Al-Saqqaf and to be presented to the Consultative Council hearings on immigrants to start on 10th April, 1999, shows that since the September Revolution of 1962, Yemenis abroad have transferred around US$ 65 billion to the 'homeland'. The paper also points that it was the immigrant communities in Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia and the UK that financed preparations for the Revolution and the Free Movement in Aden. 

Yet, the children of Yemeni immigrants are dealt with in an ugly and racist way, especially if they are born of African mothers. A shameful term muwalladeen, denotes the policy of discrimination that has become a standard practice in Yemen today - officially and socially. 
This practice reflects primitive urges based on notions of tribal purity which exist in the northern governorates. 

This discrimination did not exist in the former PDRY. Southerners adopted this ugly practice after unification so as to show that they share the same values. 
Saqqaf notes, "The practice is against Yemen's constitution as it creates a 2-class citizenship. It is also a violation of basic human rights which must be corrected."