Letters to the Editor [Archives:1999/39/Letters to the Editor]

Dear Editor,
My name is Abdulbari Ali Ahmed, 23 years old, born in East Africa – Somalia. I am originally from Hadramout.
According to the Muwalladeen subject, I would like there to express my deepest thank and gratitude to my brothers who used to send letters and complaints to Yemen Times to Letters to Editor. They always express and spotlight on the Muwalladeen face and have got into their heart through the Yemeni society an they even pick out of what most Yemenis have in their intention either discrimination and inhumanity. I would like to say to them thank you and please continue.
At the end of my acknowledgement, I would also like to pay my tribute and gratitude to the Founder of YT who used to give us the necessary moral support. Actually, in the past not many newspapers were able to divulge the fact of Yemeni society due to social pressures. I hope that Yemen Times will do its best and be our forever-beloved newspaper as it is now.
By: Abdulbari Ali Ahmed
B.F.C – Aden Film about Yemeni Immigrations to South East Asia I am a 4th generation Yemenite born in Singapore and currently living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is only recently that I have begun to start researching my roots and hopefully be able to discover more about my homeland and people. I am currently researching the migration of Yemenis to South East Asia in the early 1800s. This research that is being conducted by my wife and I is for the purpose of writing a novel that will eventually be translated into a film. Hope that we are able to get assistance on the subject.
Syed Farouk Aljoffery “Missing of Referendum” True democratic elections require the participation of all people in choosing the best candidate to represent them and work for the welfare of their country. However, in regards to the current presidential elections, and for me in particular, I don’t see any need to disturb myself in participating in these elections, because the result is already known. The final results will show Saleh as the winner, and hence, voters would waste their time for nothing. I think that there is no one else who is more qualified to be the President. Transfer of power in the current time, will only cause more pain and suffering for the people of Yemen.
Finally, I would like to say that even though I do not support the idea of the current elections, voting in elections -in general- is the duty of everyone (every Yemeni). But for this election, the case is different, as we see it transforming into a “referendum”. But nevertheless, people have the right to select the best person they see who can increase the standard of living of the people, and who has the courage to face the economic, political and social challenges.
Mohammed Othman Al-Homaidi
University Student.
Dear editor,
I am happy and glad that we are witnessing our country’s historical event resembled in the first direct presidential election that happened on the 23rd of September 1999.
This election is a good step towards strengthening the democratic process in Yemen.
However, as we all know, Yemen is still a poor country. I personally think the democratic process can only be efficiently implemented in a country, which is based on a strong culture and economy.
I would like to say that this event would have been better implemented in the future, when Yemen becomes wealthier and when it can deal with the process more adequately. I met with many people before the election and to say the least, they were not satisfied, simply because they know that the results are predetermined.
In my opinion, this election is still a good step despite the country’s current conditions, and despite all the mistakes that occurred during the preparation and voting process of the election. People must take advantage of such experiences and learn something about democracy. I am sure that the experience we gained in this election will further help us learn more on how to use our democratic rights, and hence will enable the next generation to live a real democracy.
Mahouz. A. Alslwei
Dear Editor,
Whenever I receive any new issue of Yemen Times newspaper I always feel sad and weak for a while, as if I stop a minute of mourning for the sorrowful death of its great founder Dr. Abdulaziz Saqqaf. As a matter of fact, Dr. abdulaziz Al-Saqqaf will never be forgotten, even if there is a person to fill in the space he left behind. But his personality will remain sticky within our memories forever. How I wished if he would be alive among us these days to see how our presidential elections take place in a sphere stained with doubts and injustice. But we are still confident in the Yemen Times newspaper, as it continues on the path that was paved for it by the late Dr. His successors in the Yemen Times establishment seem to always keep his name alive. When I lately read the editorial column of issue no 36 and the silver lining column I completely forgot the death of Dr. Al-Saqqaf and thought he is still alive. Many thanks for the staff successors of the late Dr. Al-Saqqaf in the Y. T. Establishment.
Abdul Majid Ahmed
Mukalla English and our society English is the most famous language in the world. It will be spoken by around 80% of the world population by the year 2020, as the statistics given by the United Nations show. Unlike in Yemen, in many countries, English is not just taught in schools or universities, but it is used within the society, even if it is not its mother tongue, and not spoken by the family members in one house. That is something we lack in Yemen and we are in deep need of it. Besides being limited to universities only, English is not taught in all departments, and is imprisoned between four walls. Do you think that a student who studies Islamic education is able to teach English? I don’t!
I don’t think a student who studies history is able to follow a short conversation between two Englishmen. Do you? We came to the conclusion that the English departments of our universities are the only source of English in our society.
Do you think that this is enough? Will it help much?
Most of the graduates only have certificates with nothing in their minds. Hence, they are useless and out of consideration. We still have good graduates as well, but they are few and we don’t expect much from them because if they work very hard, they would burn themselves before they attain a simple noticeable success. Nothing can change about this unless we all make enough efforts to increase English education in our society. The reason why I wrote this letter is the following true story.
A friend of mine from Ethiopia once gave me his telephone number to keep in touch with him when he is in his home country. When he handed me the paper on which the number was written I asked him, “What about if someone else answered me! What would I say? I don’t understand their language” I meant the language spoken in his country.
He smiled at me and replied “Don’t worry, everyone in my family speaks good English!” His words were full of confidence.
This made me think thoroughly of the future of English in my family in particular and in my country in general.
Will we reach a stage when everyone in a house could speak English? I doubt it!
But it is not impossible. We should all work very hard to overcome such obstacles that will prevent us from catching the modern world training, which will take us to a brighter future. If we don’t, we won’t catch the train and we won’t be in the past nor in the future. We will be hanging somewhere in the middle.
Fuad Al-Sabri
Taiz

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