Faces & TracesOmar Abdullah Al-Jawi, a man of democracy, unity and equality [Archives:2007/1110/Culture]
Prepared by Eyad N. Al-Samman
Omar Abdullah Al-Jawi was a Yemeni author, journalist and politician.
Born in Lahj governorate's Al-Waht village in 1938, he studied at his village's kuttab before attending elementary school in Lahj city. He then went to Cairo to study at a preparatory school, from which he graduated. However, due to his political activities, Al-Jawi and some other students were expelled from Egypt.
He returned to Taiz city in 1958, working as a journalist and publishing articles in Al-Taliya'a newspaper until 1959, when he received a scholarship to study journalism at Russia's Moscow University. Graduating in late 1966 with a master's degree in journalism, Al-Jawi was appointed editor-in-chief of Al-Thawrah daily newspaper in Sana'a in 1967.
During the 70-day siege of Sana'a in 1967, along with other nationals, Al-Jawi strove to end the situation via armed struggle, finally defeating the siege and those involved in it, after which he participated in creating the Laborers and Farmers Party in 1969.
Throughout 1970, he activated the campaign to establish a union for Yemeni authors and writers. Gathering for the first time in Aden on Oct. 29, 1970, approximately 17 authors and writers from all across the republic attended the meeting.
Al-Jawi began studying for a doctorate in 1971, but unable to complete his studies, he returned to Aden where he was appointed general manager of Aden's Radio and Television Corporation. Additionally, he began publishing “Al-Hikmah Al-Yamaniya” (Yemeni Wisdom) magazine as the mouthpiece of the Yemeni Authors and Writers Union.
At its second conference in Sana'a in November 1980, Al-Jawi was elected secretary-general of the union, occupying that position until the fourth conference. Additionally, he established the Yemeni Council for Professional and Intellectual Authorities in November 1989 and was its president.
In January 1990, Al-Jawi founded the Yemeni Unitary Congregation Party and was elected the party's secretary-general. He began issuing Al-Tajammua'a (The Congregation) newspaper as the new party's mouthpiece, also serving as its editor-in-chief.
Following Yemen's unification in May 1990, Al-Jawi was nominated counselor to the president's office via presidential decree in December 1990. Having participated in drafting the 1993 Document of Pledge and Agreement, which resulted from the National Dialogue Committee, Al-Jawi was one of the officials to sign the document in Amman, Jordan in February 1994.
During Yemen's May 1994 Civil War, Al-Jawi responsibly, courageously and strongly rejected the declaration of secession by secessionists while he was in Aden, declaring his own clear attitude and that of his party, which wholeheartedly refused such secession.
Despite their number, Al-Jawi's relatively few written works are diverse, including critical, political, journalistic and poetic studies. His 1972 book, “Al-Zubairi, the Poet of Nationalism,” combines political writing with ideological literature. In it, Al-Jawi traces the political steps of Al-Zubairi's poetry without worrying about the art in such poems.
Another of his books, “The Siege of Sana'a,” (1975) represents a journalistic live report from the battlefield during the 70-day siege of Sana'a from November 1967 to February 1968. The book is a documentary record of events accompanying that period and explanations concerning the role of public resistance in quelling the siege, as well as discussing other critical events Yemen experienced during that time.
“Syndicate Journalism in Aden” (1957-1967) was published in 1976 by Aden's October 14 Press Corporation. In this book, Al-Jawi discusses the purpose of journals published in Aden regarding clarifying the region's future following independence promised for Yemenis in South Yemen by the British crown in 1968.
He also touches on politics and political bodies in Aden and their official newspapers, which expressed their opinions during that time. Further, he explains that syndicate journalism in Aden played a significant role in developing syndication and national awareness for laborers, in addition to developing the journalism profession.
Another of Al-Jawi's books is, “The Editorial of Al-Hikmah,” published in 1985.
Al-Jawi has one lone poetic divan entitled, “The Silence of Fingers,” published in 2003 by the Yemeni Authors and Writers Union. The divan includes poems chosen by Al-Jawi himself, who recorded some of them on cassette. Additionally, the poet handwrote some of the divan's texts himself.
Al-Jawi published some of his poems in local newspapers and magazines under the pseudonym, “Thu Nuwas,” due to his personal belief that he wasn't a poet; rather, his writings simply were thoughts he composed in poetic style.
Additionally, Al-Jawi translated into Arabic the Russian book, “The Policy of British Colonization in South Yemen.”
An award called the Omar Al-Jawi Cultural Award is dedicated in the field of critique and cultural studies and supported by the Yemeni Authors and Writers Union.
Al-Jawi died Dec. 23, 1997 at age 59, departing this life after immortalizing his name as a symbol of liberal revolution and patriotic unity in Yemen. Believing in democracy, unity, freedom of speech, equality and human rights, he devoted most of his life, as well as his journalistic and literary works, to affirming these principals and values.
——
[archive-e:1110-v:15-y:2007-d:2007-12-10-p:culture]
