Great losses for Yemen and the Moslem Nation [Archives:2007/1116/Opinion]
The loss of Sheikh Abdullah Bin Hussein Al-Ahmar
The untimely death of His Excellency the Paramount Sheikh of the Hashid Tribal Confederation and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Yemen could not have come at a worst time. The 74 years old patriot and fighter for the freedom of his people will be mourned far beyond the normal three day official mourning accorded to him by the Government of Yemen or even the social mourning period of 40 days accorded by social practice. The observer is inclined to wonder if things could ever be the same in Yemen with the absence of the sagacious, patient and chivalrous character of the late Sheikh Abdullah Bin Hussein Al-Ahmar. One could not forget all the many episodes, events and tribulations that the people of Yemen have been subjected to over the years, where the Sheikh played a vital and instrumental role in softening the blow to the vast majority of the people of Yemen, as the various forces of internal and external intrigues sought to make life difficult for the people of Yemen. Yes, the Sheikh was always there to provide his wisdom and sense of compassion for his fellow Yemenis of all sects and tribal affiliations, for he was also related by marriage directly or through his children to members all the social and ethnic affiliations that Yemenis may be grouped into and he never displayed any difference in feelings towards any of the tribal affiliations that Yemenis emanate from (Hashemites, Hashidites, Balkilis and Madhhajis) and accordingly all those who emanate from any genealogical line could be assured of a just and peaceful resolution of their issues. With all the background information that the observer could recall of the great Sheikh (and no one in Yemen could not help but call him great and memorable), the observer merely delved on those matters that touched on the heart and soul of the Yemeni people throughout the Sheikh's life of sacrifice, struggle and merely being at the right place at the right time – i.e., just when he was most needed. May God bless his soul and compensate Yemen for this very tragic loss indeed.
The Loss of Benazir Bhutto
Of all the great leaders that this region occupied by this aptly called “Middle Nation of Islam” has known, none has so touched this observer in so many ways as the late Benazir Bhutto, the two-time (and sure to have been three times) former Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. This observer could not hold back the tears in recalling the ugly fate that this remarkable woman of politics and public service was accorded by the hostile forces that have rendered everything beautiful and useful in this world ugly and horrendously cruel. What madness has this world come to, when this blossom of freedom and true defender of all the philanthropy and good governance that Islam truly stood, would be rewarded with vindictive slaughter – a glorious genuine martyrdom? Have people lost all sense of values to allow themselves to be used as pawns to eradicate all that the good of human conscience stood for?
Who was Benazir Bhutto? She was that formidable women who told the world that Islam was far more modern than these backward morons of extreme dogmatism wished to believe. She told the world (with credit equally shared by the truly faithful people of Pakistan) that in Islam there is no gender problem, because like all women of the world, Moslem women can indeed reach for the zenith of intellect and power and come out with a clean public office record of great distinction and achievement. Throughout the period that she managed to hold the reins of power in Pakistan her performance outmatched any of the masculine PMs that preceded her and followed her. Just to give one example of her genuine good intents for her people, she managed to have 7000 schools a year built for the children of Pakistan, just so the children of Pakistan will not have to turn to those educational bastions of extremism, the Wahhabi Madrasas, that eventually were introduced in Pakistan, out of which came the Taliban and all the other contractors of death , of which the Moslem World craves to be relieved, by the will of the Lord Al-Mighty and the efforts of all decent peace loving people of the Moslem World. May God bless her, for she will always be a beacon of light and inspiration for all people of moderation and good sense.
Hassan Al-Haifi has been a Yemeni political economist and journalist for more than 20 years.
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[archive-e:1116-v:15-y:2007-d:2007-12-31-p:opinion]
