Can the achievements of the 26 September Revolution be maintained?43 years now [Archives:2005/880/Front Page]
Yasser Mohammed Al-Mayyasi
SANA'A- Sept. 26- Today, Yemen celebrates the 43rd anniversary of the 26 September Revolution of 1962. 43 years have passed since a number of Yemeni liberals revolted against the totalitarian regime that forced Yemenis to lead a secluded life of illiteracy and poverty.
These liberal revolutionaries sacrificed their lives and all they possessed to get rid of tyranny and open new pages in the history of democracy in Yemen, forging a new modern future for their nation. They tried several times to make a change in the situation of living until they succeeded in the glorious victory of 1962.
The country hailed the republican regime and toppled the oppressive monarchy, which had been depriving the Yemeni people of freedom and democracy.
The price for making a change is not easy to afford. It is this day, the 26th of September, which gives an accurate elaboration of what the Yemeni revolution has achieved so far. Today we should know that the Yemeni nation had suffered for along time from unstable life, lack of education and health care, coupled with basic unmet needs.
The 43 years that have passed should be measured in the light of developmental achievements in different areas including education and health care. It is on this day when the record of the ambitions and hopes of Yemenis is remembered; it is an international measure for any revolution across the world.
Having a glimpse at the past 43 years, we should specify when the developmental revolution in Yemen started as such never happened in 1962. We should know when the national security was provided since it was not in 1962 when all the Yemenis in the two parts of the country overcame sufferings and hardships. As people in North Yemen overthrew the totalitarian regime, South Yemen's people drove away the British occupation.
For a long time, Yemenis had led a life prevailed by difficult economic conditions and illiteracy that created conflicts leading to instability in the life of Yemenis, and therefore in the 60s and 70s there had been no move toward development as all the political and tribal forces were conflicting for attaining power, and showing dominance. These years saw a spread of violence that claimed lives of several innocent people and left negative impacts on the process of development, mainly before President Ali Abdullah Saleh assumed power of north Yemen.
We should make a mention of the beginning of Yemen's real course of development, and moreover, more emphasis should be laid on the development process, why it appeared a bit late, and how it was impacted by conflicts.
Yemen started to see a real development in the reign of Ibrahim al-Hamdi who was sworn in President of North Yemen after al-Eriani's regime was overthrown. Al-Hamdi announced the 13 July Movement to correct the vulnerable situations in Yemen. He set his developmental policy by announcing five-year plans to cover all the Yemeni areas and worked hard to gain the confidence of that public that had been enduring hardships, conflict, corruption and chaos as different political and tribal forces were racing to rule the country.
Although Ibrahim al-Hamdi stayed in power for a short time, from 1974- 1977, after a series of conflicts- he could found the Cooperation Network that helped citizens implement their plans and developmental projects. Development was initiated by the building of roads and the establishment of functioning educational facilities.
Additionally, citizens enjoyed equal life under new systems and laws in spite of the influence of some tribal sheikhs whose roles had been marginalized by al-Hamdi's policy. The Yemeni citizen started to experience the developmental projects that is important for his/her daily life, as well as to get rid of the conflict that had been exacerbating their living standards.
The Yemeni nation found itself in the battleground when Ibrahim al-Hamdi was assassinated in 1977 to be succeeded by Ahmad Hussein al-Ghashmi who stayed in power for a few months. Al-Ghashmi was murdered as he received a booby-trapped bag machinated by a group of people to avenge for al-Hamdi's death.
Following the assassination of al-Hamdi and al-Ghashmi the future of Yemen seemed to grow to the unknown mainly after the culmination of political and tribal conflicts. The scourge of conflict encouraged the two powers in the world, the U.S.A. and Russia to intrude in Yemen's internal affairs. After al-Hamdi and al-Ghashmi had been murdered, the country experienced a state of anarchy, citizens started to buy arms and ammunition to protect themselves from the conflicting political and tribal forces that raced for power and revenge incidents spread in different parts of the country. The state of anarchy experienced in Yemen hit the process of development.
Abdulkarim al-Arashi, who was at the time Chairman of the Popular Founding Council that was formed by al-Ghashmi, shouldered the responsibilities of the President. Al-Arashi who remained in power for a few days could bring a new formula for governance through the formation of a temporary presidential council that included Lieutenant Colonel Ali al-Shaiba, Abdulaziz Abdulghani and Lieutenant Colonel Ali Abdullah Saleh who was elected President in 1978 by the Parliament.
1978 see the beginning of President Saleh's rule. Saleh took power in a proper democratic way and in a time the country was experiencing internal violence and external pressure as different international forces had been attempting to attract Yemen toward them. Conflicts never directed Yemen toward development.
President Saleh did already scored a great success in dealing with the difficult situations, violence and backwardness. By his wisdom, Saleh could bring stability and reach an agreement with all the political forces in the country. He achieved the National Pact that helped restore confidence and push forward the wheels of development that started during al-Hamdi's reign.
After restoring stability and security to the country, the donor countries extended different kinds of assistance and support to improve Yemen's development.
A great number of the 26 September revolution achievements have been scored, really and not a kind of praise, during the reign of President Saleh who has just entered the 28th year in power. The National Unity, which was established in 1990, coincided with the political and partisan plurality and the freedom of expression and press. What more needs to be said.
After 1990, Yemen's need for development increased though it faced different economic challenges, particularly after over one million Yemeni expatriates in the Gulf countries left their businesses and returned home. This was an extremely signifigant event in the course of Yemen's modern history. Following the Second Gulf War, most of the Gulf countries stopped supporting the Yemeni government whose efforts were also challenged by the rapid population growth.
43 years now, no one can deny what has been achieved in different areas, and we can't say we have attained sufficient developmental achievements and projects, rather, we still suffer from various problems and are in persistent need for better development.
We can't deny the fact that many things have been achieved but acknowledge that corruption can erase achievements and stain achievers. The Yemeni decision-makers should maintain the achievements of the 26 September Revolution and protect them from corrupt individuals who are the real enemies of development, liberty, equality and the ideals for which every Yemeni lives his life.
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