A survey by Yemen Times over the views of Yemeni intellectuals about the third Millennium [Archives:2000/04/Reportage]

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January 24 2000

Yemen on the 3rd Millennium Map
By: Yemen Times Staff
The world has already stepped into the 21st century and the third millennium armed with astonishing scientific and information revolution, while we, Yemenis, still suffer our ignorance and negligence. I wonder with what we should welcome the third millennium. With Qat? Financial and administrative corruption? Kidnappings? Inflation? Deteriorated health and educational services? Poverty? Illiteracy? Dirty water? Unpaved streets? Shaky judiciary system? Tampering with public wealth? Abiding conflict between the government and the opposition? Mediation? Bribe-taking? Favoritism? Tribal mentality? Are we going to maintain our being just consumers of the west products, beginning from the tank to the needle? Tribes and weapons? Breaking laws? Disorder?
Despite all the above mentioned we boast of the state of law and order. We are welcoming the third millennium with an increasing number of beggars and insane people swarming the streets, large numbers of child labor at very early ages instead of attending school, and disguised unemployment with no silver lining in the offing.
The whole world is looking and searching for new horizons and better futures for its nations and new amazing inventions while we are still stay put in our caves. We spend our life-time arguing about what is forbidden and what is not. We do our best to possess the weapons and technology of the West, only to use them against ourselves.
What have we achieved during this century? We have done nothing but lamenting the past, narrating the glories of our ancestors and our lost glory. We enjoy all the inventions of the West and curse them. We buy TV and argue if watching it is forbidden or not. We practice polygamy and abandon ourselves to delectations. We argue about women and are they allowed to drive cars or not. We look at Nill Armstrong steps on the moon, Einstein invents his theory of relativity, etc. and we still look at our large numbers of unemployed people. Israel changes its president each four years and Arab leaders do not change unless they die or be ousted by coups. We drawl and harangue of democracy and respect of human rights whereas we behave the way tyrants do. We speak highly of freedom of thought and expression and at the same time murder our thinkers and prominent figures such as Faraj Fawdah, Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Saqqaf, Abdul Habib Salem and all who want us to lead a good life. I believe that, it is the curse of Martyr Al-Tholaya who said before he was beheaded, “Damn the people that sought my death while I have been fighting for their life.” We are welcoming the third millennium with our backward ideas and beliefs, with hands that reject pens for weapons and many contradictions.
Where is this country heading for?
Is it really driving towards the third millennium?
I hope I could turn the clock back because it is better to stay where we are.
What has Yemen prepared for the third millennium? A number of intellectuals have answered this question:
Dr. Abdullah Al-Dheifani, Taiz University
In fact, it is a difficult question. I think that it should not have been asked, especially when we take into consideration the current situation of Yemen. We are away from all scientific and technical changes and we have no contributions to such fields. We are mere users and consumers of what scientific and technological revolutions have produced in the world. So it is better not to answer at all. But you may ask why such a question should not be asked? In fact, it is enough to look at situation of scientific and research institutions that do studies and researches. These institutions are supposed to make a turning- point in science. However, researchers in such institutions are busy reading newspapers and discussing their uncertain future. University teachers and lecturers and research centers depend on static programs. In addition, they are not evaluated. This, of course, has made them unable to innovate or create something new. If conditions of universities and research centers are like this, how can we be optimists about the third millennium? In addition to this, administration in Yemen lacks the basic means for development and stability and is unable to make a positive transfer. This has been noticed by many experts who have studied our situation. In short, I do not want Yemen to enter the third millennium, I would rather want it to choose a starting- point to start building a country that is able to develop according to what is available for it in reality.
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Dr. Abbas Al-Soswah, Dean of the Languages Center, Taiz University
I would like to say that we have just recently entered the 20th century and it was only by the chance of time. We have not actively contributed to the 20th century. We have rather enjoyed some of its technological inventions in the field of communications, medicine and entertainment. I think that we will enter the third millennium only chronologically and with the following:
1) Shortage of ground water
2) Deterioration of educational, health and judicial services
3) Not facing the problems of education and health services and holding others responsible for that.
The only positive thing I can mention is people’s being getting used to democracy, although it is still in the beginning.
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Dr. Yasin Al-Qubati
Head of Leprocy Center
Entering the 21st century would not be so happy an event for a country born in the modern age less than forty years ago, in a world where the industrial revolution had begun more than two hundred years ago.
This wide gap of time has greatly affected the position of Yemeni people on the ladder of modern civilization. How would our people coexist with this century while they have not experienced modern education and developed technology but only a short time ago? This short period gives them only a narrow scope for building cultural and technical infrastructure enabling them to enter the coming age of information and technology revolution.
Illiteracy is still widely spread among the Yemeni people. The percentage of illiterate people represents over 70% of the entire population. Yet, the elite of the society attain their positions of decision-making by using unfair means. What’s more, the majority of these leaderships have attained their posts by means of nepotism, sycophancy, bribery or through accomplishing illegal services to higher leaderships.
These are the reasons why many leaderships lack the ability to make sound plans for their own time. So what would be the case of future generations? The lack of sound planing is not their sole problem; they also suffer from greed, weakness in soul and in making decisions, and also the absence of applying the principle “reward and punishment”.
Therefore, their authority does not accomplish its tasks in protecting citizens from the power and influence of despotic people. Such an authority would be always in search of means through which it can maintain its power rather than planning for the coming century.
The entrance to this century requires a revolution which is no less than that of the 26th of September. It should be a social and educational revolution that amend behavioral systems and scientific strategies of our schools and universities. It should also develop experiences to rectify techniques of administration in all ministries, especially those of education, health, planning, finance, internal security and justice.
In the past forty years Yemen has had the opportunity to achieve progress and prosperity. It has unified the country and firmly incorporated the democratic system which, although blemished by personal dispute, has insured itself through establishing an infrastructure which renders some hope. For, example the cable and wireless communications networks in Yemen emulating its counterparts in other countries.
Now we see important decisions being made and enforced before the end of the second millennium. For example, the decision of combating the Qat plague, the ruiner of mind and money. These decisions should be supported by all and so we should react towards the decision of banning carrying weapons in cities.
However, in this new century we are still in lack of cadres having intellectual minds to ensure and enhance good performance. In order to achieve this goal, workers should not be worried about food, education and health expenses. They, in return, should perform their jobs according to standard rules under supervision and control of the principle of “reward and punishment”. Finally, our entrance into the 21st century with concepts and creeds different from these, we would remain fighting for survival and there would not be a glimpse of hope for future development.
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Dr. Yasin Al-Shaibani
Professor of International Law,Sanaa University
In the beginning of this century, Yemen has achieved its independence and, in its latter half they revolted against suppression and injustice and buried the Imam system for good on the 26th of September. In the late of the 20th century, on May 22, 1990 the Yemenis achieved their solemn promise through the reunification of the homeland under leadership of president Ali Abdullah Saleh who set a foot in history through this door.
Today we have already entered the third millennium hoping for a stable and dignified life free from fear and poverty. We hope the future would be better for our children for we would not have rest until Yemen gets its right position among world civilizations.
21st century
Yasseen Abdullah Al-Himyari
With the succession and development of events it has become necessary that we step into the new century with all world countries. Rich, poor and even poorer countries will enter the new century together. The question is how and with what will we meet the new century? Are our preparations in Yemen equal to those of industrial and developing countries?
We have witnessed large-scale transformation in science and knowledge “technology” in the 20th century, especially in its latter half. While some countries made great developments in this field, others kept on retarding.
The typical policy of some countries with which they try to build military powers at the expense of their citizens’ economic and social development have proved to be a failure. On the other hand, some countries have developed and prospered in the fields of technology, knowledge and society. I believe that countries would evaluate their development and retardation based on how they use technology and qualify the civilized man. We shall not forget the importance of groupings and opening world markets in a manner surpassing geographical barriers, but those pertaining to quality and technology used in manufacturing products that are to be sold.
In Yemen we are entering the new millennium with a modest weapon with which we hope we can easily coexist with other countries. The political and presidential elections and the government’s efforts in providing technological training are all clear signs of the awareness of the leadership and government of the importance of this side.
I also hope the new millennium would be full of peaceful coexistence especially after the end of the cold war. Arab leaderships should understand the meaning of cooperation in withstanding difficulties that face the developing countries so we would keep abreast with the world around us and never become less than countries ahead of us in the field of technology.

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