Let us save our Yemen From barbarians! [Archives:2003/661/Opinion]

By Yazan Al-Saghiry
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One day, I went to an Arab Embassy in Sana'a. During my 'stay' in the waiting room for two hours, three old women entered. They seemed extremely poor. Also, waterfalls of tears dropped from their eyes. Out of curiosity, I overheard their speech with the Yemeni employee, their problem – if I didn't say dilemma – was losing their passports as well as 'losing' their husbands in Yemen's jails! All what they wanted is to go back to their country again. The Yemeni employee asked them kindly to wait until he informs the Arab officials. After half an hour, a bald white man opened the door. He was covering his baldness with few long hairs on his forehead. After they repeated their problem, he asked them to write to the ambassador who has the authority in such cases. Without paying any attention to their poor look, he said 'Who the devil will pay for your Tickets! You have to take this into your consideration!' all of sudden, that official said: ” Who the hell bring you to this into this country of Villains! This is the damn Yemen”! That moment, I can't explain what I felt. A volcano of anger was throwing its lava out of my heart. I'm not going to say what I said because it doesn't matter here. The man withdrew in the middle of my speech – i.e. my shouting -. We have here two kinds two kinds of questions; why and till when?! In all diplomatic conventions, there is one rule that can never be broken. Whenever you go to any country as a diplomat, you have to be one! You are representing your country. You also represent the strong bilingual relationships between both countries. Even if they were not good relations, you have to work hard to make them good. That is your sacred mission. So, let us go to the first question, why? I asked that question, because it is not the first time; especially in Arab embassies. And the answer is very short and crucial; they have no respect for us. Another reason, they knew very well they are not going to be punished. It is Yemen, when you are a diplomat, you can do whatever you like. No serious consequences will happen to you. Nothing, you are untouchable. I think, the only 'untouchable' concept such kinds of diplomats have is the Indian one i.e. in India there are those people who are very poor and disgraced, so, they call them 'untouchable'. The most important reason why this happens is because some of us are really chickens! After that dirty savage man left the room, I asked a Yemeni employee about the official's name and his position. That coward answered me: ” Oh Dear, for God's sake Sir, it is not my problem, I'm not part in this, not me”! And he left the room immediately! I think, again, this – alone – can be a reason for them not to respect us at all, because it is really shameful.
As for the second question 'till when', I think you know what I mean. Till when we are going to tolerate this kind of behaviors by using the shinning title 'height public good'! The Yemeni height public good is to be saved from any kind of savage behavior from any one. We have to keep its name elevated and bright, because that is what it deserves from us. Unless, we have to be ashamed of ourselves, and we have to wipe off the word “Yemen” from our ID cards. It is our country and our pride. In Syria, there is a very lovely songs says: ” Bright be our flag in the skies, Precious be your name our country, I'm Syrian, lucky me”. Also, if you read the Egyptian “Rose AlYousef Magazine” you will find an article every week about great Egypt civilizations; the old one as well as the modern one! We have a right to choose any diplomat working in our country, and we have to use this right. And this is directed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The incident I told you about it is not the first, neither will be the last. It happens all the time, in embassies as well as in schools! Yes, some Arab teachers say very harsh things about Yemen. And our 'brave' students shut their mouths most of the time, because they are very afraid of the exams! Also, I would like to address the Arab ambassadors, because they are the elevated elite of Diplomats. Beside, they are responsible for choosing their staff. When your political leadership sent you to Yemen, they had faith in you. So, you have to face your responsibilities you have met. And, allow me to say you have to be thankful for the way you are treated here. You know very well that, you and your staff live here better than any Yemeni minister! Don't misunderstand me, but I think I'm very much right and you know what I mean. As I said before, if that official wasn't pretty sure that no harm would happen to him, he wouldn't be that rude. When I say Yemen deserves, I mean it. We came from a country of history. And it is a great history by the way. Once upon the time, we were the center of the world. And we have to remember we are the sons of those grandfathers. At least, let us save the name because nothing is compared to that name 'Yemen'. It is Yemen from the beginning, and Yemen to the end; it is Yemen above all.
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