Letters to the Editor [Archives:1999/22/Letters to the Editor]
Dear Editor,
My wife and I were in Yemen recently with a small tour group of US citizens and much appreciated being able to read your newspaper so as to get a better perspective on the events in Yemen as well as a Yemeni view of the world. We had a most enjoyable and interesting time touring the country and visiting many ancient sites.
I recall reading an editorial or reader’s comment on the need to get rid of the Qat chewing if Yemen is to accelerate it’s economic progress. I couldn’t agree more. It’s clearly a tremendous drag on the economy and the productiveness of the people.
Evans Harrell
[email protected]
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Is Hollywood in Yemen?
We are not proud to read news of back home and found out that Hollywood has been transferred to Yemen with the more advanced technology of real bullets.
What is happening now in our country used to happen in 18th century in other places. What is the main reason which is making the country to go backwards while the whole universe is advancing forward? There must be something, could it be the results of qat? It is difficult to think of any other explanation to be the cause of such a mess to the country of many intellectuals. This country was praised by the Prophet Mohammed (SAW) that “religion is Yemen and the wisdom is Yemen.” Where is the wisdom? And where is the religion? The country that could have been a paradise is slowly turning into a killing zone.
In many countries qat is banned and has been put into a group of narcotic drugs but visa versa in Yemen. Here we find qat as a phenomenon used daily on different occasions.
The article about qat in the Yemen Times issue No. 19, written by Hindi Shakir was a very good example of the efforts of qat that the nation seems to be ignoring. I think we have a big problem in our hands. To solve this problem will be difficult because most of us now have green blood from qat which is running through our veins and brains not red blood that could feel the pain or sense the danger we’re putting our nation and the future of our children.
Wake up Yemen! Everybody is moving forward to 21st century.
Fatima Raweh
UAE.
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A Cry from the Yemen Jewish Community
Recently in Israel, the Yemen Jewish Community that recently arrived in Israel have regretted that they came to Israel. While Israelis claim that their country’s laws are pro women, their women are now giving them hell. We hear of many complaints of husbands who suffer from the extreme openness of the community. Today, Yemeni Jewish women have stopped wearing modest clothing and are running around by themselves. They fell victims to a modern society, which does not respect religious regulations. They stay for hours at night with men whom they call boyfriends. The Yemeni Jewish Community is going crazy because of this mess. In fact, most of the Yemeni Jewish people want to return to their original homeland, Yemen. They don’t want to stay in this so-called “promised land” any more. Many of them want to leave Israel either to Yemen or to the USA. Originally, a Yemeni Jewish, although currently living in Israel, I had to express what I feel and see, simply because I am living here in Israel and don’t like it. I miss my original country, Yemen.
Yakob Bin Shlomo, Israel
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