Press Review [Archives:2000/33/Press Review]
The recent visit to Yemen by the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani has this week captured the main press coverage. Detailed news stories on the Yemeni-Qatari talks and the two countries’ leaders joint press conference have been highlighted by all Yemeni official and non-governmental media.
News of the visit has front-paged the Yemeni press as the most prominent event of the week and many newspapers carried editorials on this historic visit. In addition: Yemeni press front-paged various domestic, Arab and world news.
In addition to domestic and Arab themes tackled in this week’s press in commentaries and analyses, the Yemeni-Qatari summit has been highlighted and given prominence.
Main Headlines:
-Yemeni-Qatari Summit Meetings Wind Up Successfully
-Eight Agreements on Cooperation Signed by Yemen and Qatar
-A Committee from Yemeni Journalists Syndicate Meets Head of Political Security
-South-East Secretariat Court Verdict: Ash-Shumoa Weekly Chief Editor Receives 7-month Suspension from Practicing Journalism plus More than One Million Riyals Fine
-NDI Delegation Visited Parliament
-Serial Murderer Case: Attorney Al-Baghdadi Demands Sanaa University to Pay Huge Pecuniary Damages
-Agreement on Employment of Yemenis in Qatar, Signed
– Saudia pumps its Oil Across Yemeni Territories
-Armed Clashes between Al-Sherif and Security Forces in Taiz
-Centre for Combating TB in Aden
-U.S Assistant Secretary of State Visits Yemen
-Because of Medical Faculty Crime, Two Woman Journalists Under Continued Intimidation
-US, Western Voices Demand Lifting Iraq Blockade
-Israel Warns its Tourists Against Visiting Yemen
Excerpts from main articles and analysis published by some Yemeni newspapers.
Under a heading of ”Successful Summit”, Al-Mithaq weekly, organ of the PGC, August 8, 2000 published an editorial. AL-Mithaq editorial confirms that Qatar entertains a distinguished presence in the Yemeni people mind and conscience due to Qatar’s honourable stand by Yemeni unity during its most difficult circumstances.
The editorial has also stressed that visit of Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Emir of Qatar aims at strengthening bilateral relations. It has maintained that it would surely have positive impact on inter-Arab relations, and Arab issues.
The visit has important indications in interest of the two countries and enhances Arab solidarity. The editorial has further said that the agreements, signed by the two countries in various fields would certainly constitute a qualitative change in the two countries deep-rooted relations.
RAY Weekly, mouthpiece of Sons Of Yemen League of August 8, has published an editorial approaching impressions spelt out by the NDI delegation on the democratic experiment in Yemen. Citing NDI’s impressions, RAY editorial has said that NDI remarked that democratic development in Yemen has stopped and enthusiasm towards reform has diminished. The editorial remarks that this is a cry of warning that the democratic experiment in Yemen has reached a stage where a strong and courageous initiative is needed. What the NDI noted about the necessity of maintaining the process of reforming the political environment in general, is identical to RAY’s points of view, the editorial has said.
RAY’s editorial stressed that NDI’s diagnosis and prescription of remedy were identical to those of RAY. It said that was not a coincidence. It was a normal conclusion to be reached through dealing with the issue by sincere scientific study and contemporary instruments.
In an article published in its issue of August 7, Al-Ayyam independent weekly tackled the habit of chewing qat. The article presumes that nowadays qat is no longer having the same amount of influence and power over the people, as it used to have in the past.
The Yemenis have realized that qat is their enemy No. 1 and its dangers are more serious than what they imagine. They have learned that it causes loss of millions of working hours, squander of huge productive energies and wealth. The Yemenis have also perceived qat’s exhaustion of their families incomes and its severe danger against their health. The article says that large segments of the people have managed to overcome the habit by adopting various measures accompanied by those taken by the government.
The article concluded by calling for joining forces to combat that social epidemic by conscious and understanding mentality.
Al-Ihya’a Al-Arabi weekly, organ of Arab Baath Socialist Party, Iraq faction, August 7, 2000. The newspaper tackled in one of its articles the issue of sanctions imposed on Iraq. The article attributes the Iraqis’ firm stand against and resistance of the continued tyrannous sanctions and aggression to their absolute faith in justice of their cause. It ascribes continuation of the blockade to the Iraqis’ refusal of any forms of imperialist hegemony and to commitment of their sovereignty and independence. The newspaper says that the Iraqis have proved to the entire world that the ongoing aggression on them has nothing to do with international legitimacy or international resolutions. It stresses that the United States insistence on keeping the blockade is mainly meant to serve the Zionist circles. Aims of the blockade are not targeted at Iraq only but at the Arab nation as a whole, the paper has concluded.
ATTAGAMMU weekly, organ of ATTAGAMMU Al-Wahdawi Al- Yemeni, August 7, 2000.
A leading article of he newspaper has discussed the recent Camp David meeting on the Palestinian-Israeli peaceful settlement. The article argues that there is no need to remind about the failure of Camp David summit, nor to recall the stand of the US President and his bias to his foster child, Israel against the Arab right stipulated in the UN resolutions. By recalling this it is out of urging the Arab people and the Islamic nations to support the Palestinian negotiator. It is a matter that does not contradict calls for holding an Arab summit to discuss the situation.
Arab and Muslim peoples are capable of influencing world public opinion and conscience and demonstrating a principled stand by the Palestinian right. They need not resort to violence nor embarrass Arab and Muslim rulers, including the Palestinian leadership.
They can exercise various peaceful activities appealing to the world public opinion everywhere on the globe to support the Palestinian right. The article urges the people of Yemen and all their organisations to initiate the first step in support of the Palestine cause and Al-Quds issue.
Al-Wahdawi weekly, organ of People’s Unionist Nasserite Organisation , August 8, 2000.
An article on its Arab Affairs page has also dealt with a theme related to the Palestine cause. The articles queries about the motive behind the waving of moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. It supposes that if there is any meaning of this waving, it is no more than a new addition exposing America’s bias to its foster child, Israel. The US stand also disclosed the extent of its disregard to the UN resolutions calling for the return of the Palestinian territories, mainly the holy Al-Quds.
This US position represents a powerful blow to those still betting on the US neutrality and its being an honest sponsor of the so-called peaceful settlement.
To face such a US move, the article proposes to:
1- Declaration off collective boycott of all US and Israeli goods and products.
2- Completely suspension of all dealing with companies having trade relations with America and Israel.
3- Adopting a resolution on closing down US and Israeli embassies all over Arab and Islamic worlds.
Al-Balagh independent weekly, August 8, 2000.
The newspaper’s editorial has said that ignorance, hunger, fear and disease are the major enemies of humanity everywhere and at any time. Any government of whatever regime is obliged to fight these enemies. The editorial expresses regret and claims that ” our government has not been capable of providing security for the citizen.” It says that hostile acts are repeatedly committed against people’s lives, properties and rights. The latest were the attacks on some state officials. It says that development, stability and prosperity would not coexist under the prevalence of fear and absence of security. The habit of vengeance and counter-vengeance is a tangible indication of indiscipline in our country, Al-Balagh editorial maintained. The newspaper wonders when would vengeance stop and what measures the government has in store to end this phenomenon.
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