Press Review [Archives:2001/18/Press Review]
The main front-page news stories of Yemeni newspapers this week are focusing on the Saudi-Yemeni contacts before and after president Ali Abdullah Saleh recent visit to Eritrea, the draft program of the new government, the visit of a Kuwaiti delegation led by Sheikh Ali Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, governor of Jahraa city, and the visit of the Qatari minister of energy and minerals.
Main Headlines:
Review of the major news stories as published on front pages of Yemeni newspapers this week.
President Saleh Issues a Decree on Forming a 111-member Shoura Council
Prime Minister Bajammal Presents Program of His Government
Council of Ministers Approves Draft of the General Program of the Government before Referring it to Parliament
Yemen Calls on UN Security Council to Protect Palestinian Civilians and Salvage Peace Process.
At Tehran Conference on Support of the Palestinian Intifada, Yemen’s Parliament Speaker Sheikh Al-Ahmar Calls for Practical Stands to Support the Palestinians
Abuhamza Al-Masri’s Sons Learn Arabic Language in Yemen
Legal Affairs Ministry Prepares for Amendment of a Number of Laws and Regulations
The Deaf Care Society Appeals to Social Affairs Minister to Implement the Ten-Institute Project
Islah Party Paves the way for Fresh Alliance with the GPC
Islah Congregation Rejects Women Recruitment in Armed Forces
Four Teachers from Jardaa School, Dares Salam Sanhan area Came Under Attack
Sheep Smuggling into Hadramaut Raises Fears of Foot-and-Mouth Disease
Member in the Parliament Industry Committee Denies Justifications for Privatization of Cement Factories
Gunmen Kill a Citizen in the Capital
RAY Discloses Syllabuses of the Coming ” Dose”
British Ambassador: Democracy A Condition of Yemen’s Commonwealth Membership.
Al-Mithaq weekly, organ of the GPC party April 23, 2001.
In his article on the results of Amman summit, Dr Abdulaziz Al-Maqleh said that some days after concluding his first tour of some Arab countries, the U.S secretary of state Colin Powell said he did not find any of the Arab leaders telling him”…that our policy is not correct.”
Dr Almaqaleh comments that he does not think that the US Secretary of State was telling lies about what our leaders have said. The writer maintains that a number of Arab leaders, when they meet their visitors, especially from the United State, would not submit issues bothering their peoples. Those leaders would, in the best of cases, talk about some of their own countries concerns and issues without touching on the Arab issues in general.
The writer assumes that this has been evident with regard to the surprise visit by the U.S. Secretary of State Powell. He clearly said that he came to convey to the Arab leaders definite directives from the American Administration and not to receive advices and directives. This may clearly explain what happened at the Arab summit held in late March and confirm the impact left by Powell’s surprise visit on results of the summit.
RAY weekly, organ of Sons of Yemen League party, April 24, 2001.
The weekly editorial says there are many opinions now submitted classifying the new government as one meant for the economic question. These opinions see that the government came for targeting and drawing up practical solutions for the economic situation and creating a qualitative change in this respect.
RAY editorial maintains that despite the significance of the economic and security files any effort exerted would fall short of what is targeted unless it has been preceded with preparation of a correct environment and solid ground. Such ground could not be prepared but through taking the initiative to effect political reform, creating a fertile climate so that all such efforts of reform would yield their fruit in various areas, at the top of which is economic reform.
The editorial infers that the major inlet for success of the change and helping the nation out of the crisis bottle-neck is that of political reform. It is the one guaranteeing the creation of the best conditions for joining the national effort for development. Through political reform, bridges of confidence are buttressed, whether between the authority and opposition or with partners of development both regionally and internationally.
Al-Balagh weekly, April 24, 2001.
Columnist Nouridin Qassem has written an article on orientation of local parties saying that recently many voices are being raised from within a number of political parties thinking it is necessary to create certain coordination to come out with a clear vision. This versus all the variables that have come to surface after local elections and formation of the new government as well as appointments of some new governors. The GPC’s domination over authority has been the biggest indicator for the rest of political parties for submitting the question of coordination as an urgent necessity especially after the GPC’s most recent announcement that it has no commitments towards its long-time ally ,the Islah party.
At this stage, it seems, that the parties are still undecided with regard to coordination. Each party claims to itself the call for it and at the same time denies existence of any coordination. All the parties propose the idea and each puts a condition that it should be in accordance with its visions and ideas. This situation reflects an important matter, i.e. that these political parties are still dealing among themselves in a kind of non-confidence. No party dared, not up till now, that it would disclaim its former coordinations in case of their being contradicted with any new ones.
Ath-Thawri weekly, organ of Yemen Socialist Party, 26 April 2001.
The weekly’s editorial is devoted to remembering the 8th anniversary of April 27. April 27, 1993 marks the day when the people of Yemen laid the foundation of democracy in the country. The editorial says we have the right to observe this day with due respect and with sadness as well. It maintains that the day represents the most important achievement of the 22 May peaceful Unification. The editorial adds that despite the attempts of retraction and outflanking its content, we will continue celebrating it because it marks the day when our people have been able to celebrate the Yemeni Unity that used democracy as a condition for it.
The weekly editorial has also said that no sooner the unity was established and elections of April 27,1993 succeeded that the attempts began by those who have been harmed by it to undermine the great gain. Those attempts were represented by assassinating leaders from the YSP to lay siege to the unity .
26 September weekly, organ of Yemen Armed Forces, 26 Aril 2001.
The weekly’s editorial said that it is really perplexed that the UN Security council, under the American unjustifiable bias, is incapable of taking even one step in response to the Arab repeated calls for providing protection to the Palestinian civilians and saving the peace process by sending an international forces to Palestine. The international force is intended to help stop the Israeli massacres and the war of annihilation against the Palestinians. All international laws and norms are applicable to the conditions in Palestine, including the International Humanitarian Law and the Universal Declaration for Human Rights, particularly Geneva’s Fourth Convention of 1949.
This UN Security council incapacity portrays the need to reconsider the veto system and in administration of the international organisation that has become completely under the US hegemony, and its performance is characterised by failure, selectivity and absence of justice in dealing with international parties.
In order to save the Palestinian people from the ordeal they are leading, that both at Arab and international levels should not suffice themselves to attitudes of condemnation and protest and to shift to using all means of pressure, including the economic relations and interests, especially with regard to the United States of America. The aim should be forcing Israel to abide by the international will and recognise the legitimate human rights of the Palestinian people.
——
[archive-e:18-v:2001-y:2001-d:2001-04-30-p:./2001/iss18/press.htm]
