Marginalization in Yemen [Archives:2005/907/Opinion]

archive
December 29 2005

Saeed Al-Mikhlafi
Social seclusion imposed on the Yemenis of African origin is a weighty burden that prevented their social integration in the Yemeni society. Despite of the elapse of more than four decades since the beginning of the revolution which, one of its prominent goals was to obliterate differences and privileges among society classes, there is an increased segregation and social, economic and political marginalization of individuals and families of this group.

It is true that the laws do not differentiate between Yemeni citizens as such, but government policies and plans have not included any practical dimensions for the realization of social integration of the marginalized people in general, not this segment in question alone.

Yet, Yemenis of African origin as a social segment are the most marginalized. Children of this community are not able to enroll in basic education schools, let alone the general and higher education. The parents do not possess the money to pay for school fees or school uniform, in addition to their inability to provide money to pay the prices of stationery and notebooks needed for school. No government, or non-governmental organization or institution has ever offered to provide the essential requirements for enrollment of these people children in schools to learn, resulting in their inability to be employed in institutions that would provide for them the suitable income and decent social status.

Jobs usually require high scientific qualification and linguistic and technical skills that the children of the poor people could not obtain, let alone the children of this marginalized community, who are subjected to the highest portion of racial discrimination.

Residential projects, built recently for this marginalized group by initiative or assistance of some non-governmental sides, do not serve their basic issues particularly that of the social integration. Those residential projects may have in a sense contributed to increase the state of their segregation. They appeared somewhat to be similar to the Jews ghetto in Europe. There and then the Jews were subject to racial practices and could not find safety but within the walls of the ghettos. Thus, the social relationship with the marginalized people in Yemen remained without any change except the increase in feeling of hatred and rancor. There is no equal or good relationship with individuals of these people; no one shares their joys or sorrows. Their economic conditions are very bad. This, in addition to the social marginalization, forced them to bury their dead people in a simple way without any funeral ceremonies. How could one who has lived his entire life without a decent lodging, have after his death a grave to be noticed by others? How can we know about their funerals when we do not mix with them and share them their sorrows and joys? The ignorance of our society has lead to some people allegedly claim that the marginalized people in Yemen eat the flesh of their dead. This allegation is based on the fact that no visible cemeteries or graves of this cast exist and that people of others social groups have hardly seen any of the marginalized people's funerals. Supposedly, we might believe the allegations said about these marginalized people, it is then the duty to query and wonder why their behavior is restricted to eating flesh of only their own dead people?

Up until now, the Yemeni society has never heard of a case where individuals, children or members from these marginalized themselves have been mysteriously disappeared and it was blamed on one or more of this community. Providing answers to the above questions and queries concerning this human group would reveal how much these people are tyrannized by our society of which they are a part. It would show that they were not only exposed to marginalization and human, social, economic and political oppression but also to violation against their human values. The only justification for all that may be the ignorance of the some people in the society who do not exert efforts to search for facts from their original sources, or they deny and dislike justice and fairness.

It would be very useful if the parties interested in situations of the marginalized groups in the Yemeni society have rushed to establish a database about the conditions and circumstances of these groups. Especially the marginalized Yemenis of African origin as they constitute the largest among the Yemeni marginalized groups and the more oppressed and racially segregated. This database would surely help those interested in defending the rights of such groups to obtain accurate information. This information would also help them be acquainted with the actual problems of such groups and work out scientific and practical visions and proposals to solve them. The database can enable specialists to contact donors and supporter parties to finance implementation of projects concerning the marginalized segment of the Yemeni society.

Saeed Al-Mikhlafi is a writer and social researcher, he works as a manager in the General Authority of Rural Projects. He is a member of the Yemeni philosophical and Social Society.
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[archive-e:907-v:14-y:2005-d:2005-12-29-p:opinion]