A German’s view of Yemen Inside al-Qaida [Archives:2003/07/Focus]

BY LUDGER SCHADOMSKY
FOR THE YEMEN TIMES
Next time you pass through al-Qaida, make sure to take a close look at the sign that bids you farewell at the far end of town, where the road descends towards Taiz.
It reads “Qaida” in both English and Arabic, but what caught my eye was the billboard that comes with it: It’s an ad for “Ariel” washing power, and depicts a Yemenite and his son in clean white clothing, a result no doubt of the said washing agent.
My assignment was to produce a 45-minute documentary for Deutsche Welle – the Voice of Germany – on the life in a town struggling to shed the impression that it had anything to do with that infamous terrorist organization.
It’s become a running gag in Yemen to warn friends not to travel to Qaida because “you will end up in prison.”
Well, it’s not a joke at all: several residents told me relatives abroad had been picked up by the police after they had asked operator for a line to al- Qaida.
The article advert, I decided, was to become the working title of my story: Was Yemen’s “vest” as regards the sponsoring of terrorism as “white” as the one depicted on the billboard?
To find an answer to that question, I spent a week traveling the environs of al-Qaida – Taiz, Jiblah and Raidah in what used to be south Yemen.
It was no an easy task: only days before my departure German security had arrested well-known Imam al-Moyyad at a Frankfurt airport. Would this result in hostile acts against German citizens abroad? After all, the foreign office had issued a travel warning!
But then again: had not Guenther Grass, the well-known German author, just published a rave review of his visit to Yemen? As it turned out, my concerns were ill founded: the customs officer on duty offered a “you are most welcome” and from there on it was smooth sailing.
Well, who would have thought, I wondered as we were waived through another roadblock amid cheers from the security guards, that Gerhard Schroeder would once replace Oliver Kahn as Germany’s goodwill ambassador? Yemenis regard the German Chancellor as a friend of the Iraqi, and by extension, the Arab, peoples.
Although I doubt that Mr. Schroeder’s PR people back in Berlin are amused, it certainly opened doors wherever I went. “Alemania No.1” was to become the refrain as I moved around the country.
Journalists sometimes have to make sacrifices in the pursuit of their profession. Mine was to give a substantial amount of my hair to a barber in al-Qaida.
Barbershops are arguably one of the most rewarding news sources, and I decided to treat myself to a “Michael Jackson” cut. Well, that’s the term my barber, Ali Mohammed, used anyway.
To the bemusement of by passers and the bewilderment of Ali, a heated exchange developed, spanning everything from the origin of the name “al Qaida” to Israel’s policy Vis a Vis Palestine. In what would become a standard pattern during my visit, people complained about what they perceived as ” double standards” by the U.S.
More butter-and bread issued centered around the upcoming elections, the fall of the Rial against the dollar and rising unemployment among youths. One of my lasting impressions was a visit to Jiblah Hospital, the scene of the cold- blooded killing of three American aid workers in December. It was heartening to see the determination with which the staff both local and foreign were once again going about their daily routine, firmly set on seeing through the job they had started more than 30 years ago.
Another very encouraging development is the establishment of a commission by President Saleh, tasked with the re-education of former jihad fighters in Afghanistan. As commission chairman Khadi al Hitar explained the objective of the commission, I thought it would be laudable if this dialogue-approach was followed by others.
To cut a long story short, I couldn’t agree more with Guenther Grass that Yemen is unfairly portrayed as a safe haven for terrorists. Yes, there are elements, but it would appear that the government is determined to root them out.
One doesn’t have to be a rocket scientist to realize that poverty and a lake of education support the spread of terrorism. So while a heavy-handed approach by the Yemeni authorities is certainly called for, the real challenge is to make sure that Yemen moves ahead with literacy programs, the provision of basic health services, access to water etc. to its citizens.
Yemen, they say, is unique in its history and the makeup of its people. They also say Yemenis based on “consensus democracy”. (Why else would a high-ranking member of the ruling party say it doesn’t want a “landslide victory” in upcoming elections, but afford the opposition the opportunity to make its voice heard in parliament?)
So, as long as there is a consensus that terrorism is a cul-de-sac that only harms foreign interests, but even more so local industry and tourism, I have little doubt that terrorism will be stamped out rather sooner than later, and the country can once again be an “Arabia Felix”.

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