Letters to the Editor [Archives:1999/36/Letters to the Editor]

Dear Editor,
The problem that we face in Hajja is that we can not read the newspaper one Monday or Tuesday, sometimes it comes on Friday, and other times it does not arrive at all. We love Yemen Times so much. So please try to do something to solve this problem.
Thanks for your cooperation. The high institute for teachers training.
Amen Ali Al-Hajjajy
Hajja
Dear Amen,
Yemen Times is expanding and increasing the numbers distributed to towns and cities other than Sana’a. We have been receiving complaints from other towns as well. We are paying attention to the whole country. We are working on it, but it needs time. I hope you understand.
The Editor
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Supermarket of Yesterday
and Dust of Today
It is surely disappointing to hear of the disturbing news about the tragic incidents happening which directly negatively affect the country and its people. These incidents have its toll on the poor citizen, who is struggling to live in a harsh economy. The latest “City Center” explosion, which is a much-speculated incident, is said to have happened, due to criminal intention. How on earth can an incident with criminal intentions cause such disastrous results and lead to the killing of innocent people, and the destruction of their property?
What is happening today is truly a reason to compare the past of Yemen with its future. These incidents are truly reflecting that we are living in an era where the hopes of many generations are being destroyed, and where the rosy future is being demolished before it even starts. Are the incidents happening today causing a temporary effect on our lives, or will it have a long reaching effect on our future?
We can truly suggest that what will happen from now on, will be an obstacle towards improvement. We are yet wondering who is responsible for all these horrible incidents? How can we stop them from continuing to cause more harm to the already devastated citizen and to the country? These are important questions that need to be answered before it is too late.
Najma Ali
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First, our Halawa
It is no doubt that if we shelter or keep silent about wrong deeds which are practiced among our society and are detrimental to the whole nation, it means that we are encouraging corruption and we are all corrupt people. Concerning these few lines above as a preface in my letter. I am writing you this following these latest events.
It was on Monday 23rd of August 1999 when I was at the corridors of the First Instance Court of Mukalla. I saw in front of my own eyes, a briber and a bribe. Open and without shame of the people, they gathered there outside the closed door of the courtroom. A soldier in his formal uniform stood arranging admittance for the people to see the judge, by turns. At the same time and place, there was another soldier in plain clothes whose work was to receive the bribes from the people who were in a hurry to see the judge. Though there was a list involved, those who were requested by the judge for that day, through the soldiers, could delay and advance as the wish.
When I asked the soldier what he was doing, he claimed that the money he collected from the people was not for him alone. It would be divided after them between him, the other soldier and the clerk of the court, who stayed near the judge writing the verdicts of the cases. During the day I was following a case concerning a plot of land which was taken by another man illegally. I was required by the judge to show up at the session for the last judgement in my case. But my name was not on the list and the soldiers did not let me go in. They asked for money. I complained to them that I had no money and promised to bring them money the next day.
So one of them told me to write my name on a small paper and took it to the clerk of the court who told him to tell me, to come next week and that I must bring their Halawa(bribe) with me. I then agreed and left the court back to my house. Now the matter is, how is life going with us? What kind of life are we facing in our country? Everything is done by bribery to our officials, even the doorkeeper, at any government department wants money to let us go in.
We are poor and jobless. Our future seems to be more darkening. There is no light for us. Shall we hang any hopes on our forthcoming presidential elections? We are aware that our present president will win the contest and he will do good for his people. He must change the old ways to a new and prosperous means of life for the nation of Yemen.
Abdul Majid Ahmed.
Mukalla.
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It wasn’t by chance!
Through our experience in life we have learned that the first step of every project is the hardest one. It should be stable and fulfilled with real intention, motivations and a strong desire to move the project forward.
In other words, anything to be achieved in life must have good and reliable people with bright minds, because stupid people can do nothing nowadays.
Yemen Times is a good example to clarify my idea. This newspaper began as a simple idea in the mind of its founder, may God be merciful with him, who worked very hard for our society and nation. Then with brave decisions and strong desire it began to have its simple office with only two computers, which was the hardest step. Then it developed and grew slowly and gradually in stable steps, as a lovely girl, till it got its own admirable position over the local and the international newspapers. It has its three floor building on the best street in Sana’a with a very successful staff. But that is not all. I am sure that the paper is still growing and blossoming forever.
So, that was not attained by chance. No, it was a matter of hard work and a matter of persistence. I have heard Mr. Walid Al-Saqqaf saying, “It will be a bi-weekly news paper and then a daily, we will never rest.” So, this is the reason behind its existence.
We will all work very hard to keep its face shining forever because it is part of our life. We will never let her go and we will never stop loving her.
Fuad Al-Sabri
Tai
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Private Universities from an acceptable idea to a heavy burden.
Private universities began to open in Yemen about six years ago. Nobody can deny that they helped our society very much in different fields of study, especially the fields that are not available in the government universities.
The problem now is that we, who graduated from private universities, are not allowed to get jobs in the governmental sectors. Our files are not accepted in the Civil Service Office. It is said, in general, they do not to accept us. Why?
I need clear answers to many questions asked by many people. Why did the government allow the private universities to open? Why did it let the students join them? How many times have we heard the president and the Ministry of Education saying that private universities were good because they lessen the burden on the public universities?
So, who made the generalization? What is our fault? We want to know answers to those questions. We are calling our officials who make crazy decisions to carry the consequences for help. We are advising them to feed the hungry, to cloth the naked, to guide the blind and to give the poor, before it is too late. They may forget that everybody’s life is too short according to their dreams.
By: Fuad Al-Moulaiki
Taiz

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