26 SEPTEMBER: Sanaa weekly, 19-2-98. [Archives:1998/08/Press Review]

(Yemeni Armed Forces)
Main Headline:
1- Yemen & China stress the need for a diplomatic solution for the Iraqi crisis.
2- Council of Ministers ratified teachers and financial trust release laws.
3- Acting on Presidential directives, ministries & public concerns are to pay out money incentives without referring back to Ministry of Finance
4- Yemen is to participate in world trade conference, due to be held next week in Monaco.
5- Yemen is to host 31st round of Arab Parliaments Association next March.
Article Summary:
They Steal Our History & Identity
By: Jamal Al-Hamadani
Yemeni people in general are still to a large extent ignorant of the importance of ancient artifacts and archeological finds, including old manuscripts and ancient scrolls. Some people use bricks found on ancient sites to build their houses. Others illicitly sell ancient artifacts to local and international smugglers.
Towards the end of 1997, Yemeni police seized a large number of old manuscripts, copies of the Qura’an, paintings, precious stones, and other ancient valuables at a sea port in Haradh. A similar amount of priceless items were seized on November 13, 1997 at the home of an Iman College professor in Sanaa. The items seized, packed in 24 large cardboard boxes, included 2,000 Arabic manuscripts.
A smuggler from a “friendly” country was arrested while trying to smuggle 150 pieces of ancient artifacts out of Yemen. All such finds are handed over to the Ministry of Culture.

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