Official media launch a campaign following Mahboub Ali’s resignationThe Yemeni Journalists Syndicate is under pressure [Archives:2006/933/Reportage]

Mustafa Rajeh
SANA'A, March 29 ) When Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS) chief Mahboub Ali suddenly resigned his post for health reasons, some officials considering YJS a foe initiated meetings and preparations to work on reshuffling it. Ali's resignation marks the beginning of a broad media campaign to uncover the YJS council's failure and the necessity for a new face to lead journalists.

The campaign appeared on the front pages of the official newspapers, particularly Al-Jumhouria, Al-Thawrah and 14 October papers. The accusations culminated with the ruling party-affiliated Al-Methaq publishing last Monday charges against the YJS Secretary General Hafez Al-Bukari and Al-Wasat Editor Jamal Amer. The paper said the two journalists' prospective visit to the U.S. comes in the framework of personal tasks.

Al-Methaq added Hafez Al-Bukari headed for Paris during the past few days in a surprise visit to journalists having dubious relations with foreign governments and organizations.

Al-Methaq pointed out its sources weighed that Al-Bukari headed for Denmark to get financial support due to be spent on an electoral campaign for him to stand in the YJS elections.

A YJS spokesman expressed concern over what he described as a broad instigation campaign against journalists. Also he criticized what has been published by Al-Methaq paper.

The YJS Media Committee Head Ali Al-Jaradi claimed the official parties and the Interior Ministry to take measures against the instigative address aimed at spreading the culture of hatred. The address, he noted, sparked violations against journalists nationwide and acts of vandalism, mounting up to assassination attempts like what happed to journalist Haj'e Al-Jehafi. Al-Jaradi called on his colleagues not to bear animosity toward each other.

The YJS explained the travel of Jamal Amer and Murad Hashem Manager of the Sana'a-based Al-Jazeerah Space Television Office to Washington is part of the international visitor's program to the United States. Al-Bukari traveled to the U.S. to take part in a symposium on Yemen's democracy in Washington.

YJS never received any welcome from authorities following its February 2004 elections. Its leaders face charges of being loyal to opposition parties and failing to run the syndicate. YJS member Sami Ghaleb holds a different viewpoint, saying such charges are untrue. Theoretically, the YJS council is composed of 12 members, five of whom belong to the ruling party, plus the chief, while seven members have opposition party affiliations.

The YJS council's performance was influenced by loyalty to the profession and its members never differed during this period due to party grounds. Some commented on a solidarity statement, but later apologized for it.

More than 900 journalists met at the General Association in February 2004 and elected their current syndicate staff to a four-year term. Elections were described as a success, not only at the YJS level but also at the level of civil community organizations. Such success was attributed to unity of parties coming from different parties, thereby giving the profession more precedence than other political affiliations.

Authority and opposition attempts to make journalists submit to political directives failed, while a young leadership succeeded in obtaining the journalism community's trust.

Since its first day, the new YJS leadership found itself exposed to a series of official party assaults. The recent YJS chief's resignation was tendered in the middle of the council legal period. YJS bylaws stipulate that the council must call on the General Association to select a new chief within three months.

However, those insisting on reshuffling the council can choose one of two points: whether the YJS chief attributed his resignation to justifications pressuring the General Association to hold the YJS council to account or some YJS council members should resign during the prospective General Association meeting.

Yemen News Editor Nabil Al-Sofi said, “I don't want to attribute Ali's resignation to official performance beyond political control, as such is not new. We must accept part of the diagnosis implying a gap in the syndicate's performance.”

According to Al-Sofi, official media suffer insurmountable confusion in dealing with local and external issues. Official media are required to continue the former media role of operating in favor of the authority. After being exposed to new shocks, including a political address welcoming democratic transformation, official media became unable to perform its task.

For these reasons, Al-Sofi holds the view that the campaign regarding YJS affairs is attributed to a personal factor on the part of colleagues working for official media, who tend to discuss what's in their vicinity, which is any journalism-related issue. Due to the authority's animosity toward the syndicate, which defended its members, according to Al-Sofi, criticism of the syndicate is defined by being a political foe planning to reach two achievements: one personal and the other seemingly in line with the political address holding the view that the syndicate threatens the functions of civic forces centers.

Reuters reporter Mohamed Al-Ghubari is of the opinion that government anger at the syndicate's performance began when the third general conference ended and it became apparent that government could not achieve its ambition to control the YJS council. According to Al-Ghubari, the government works hard to freeze YJS activities and divide it.

As government has moves and obligations toward the international community concerning enhancing freedoms and liberating media ownership, YJS denounces any freedom-related abuses and opposes government directives regarding the new Press Law.

Ghaleb said Ali's resignation would not have sparked such controversy if it was not tendered suddenly, particularly as the syndicate's internal system set mechanisms for electing a new chief. Ali offered his resignation at a time witnessing sharp controversy over the new Press Law.
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