Press Review [Archives:2001/30/Press Review]

Main Headlines:
Al-Ra’ie: Sana’a Declaration Confirmed Arab Parliamentarians Support of Palestinian Cause
PM Bajammal Attends Activities of Youth Preparatory Committee Participating in Algiers Festival
Washington Warns its Citizens Against Travel to Arab Peninsula,
New American Team heads for Sana’a to Complete ”Cole” File
Government Practically Ends Dialogue on Elections Law
Arab People’s Committee Appeals to Arab Masses to Support Palestinian Intifadha
The President to Be Back Home in Three Days
London Refuses Handing Over ” Abu Al-Hamza”, Seeks to Internationalize the Issue As an Act of Terrorism
YSP, Islah Leaderships Plan an Initiative for Arousing a Crisis, Wave of Withdrawing from Dialogue Committee
A Special Committee Assured of Al-Ihya’a Al-Arabi news on Saudi Seizing of Tansab Mount, Rich with Gold
President Saleh Criticizes Arab Countries Establishing Relations with Zionist Entity, Demands Closure of Mosad Offices in Arab Capitals
First of its Kind Journalists’ Solidarity with Journalist Nasher
The Government Intends Passing over new Price ”Dose”
A Society on ”Defending Black Freemen” Announced
Warning Against Leakage of 150 Tons of Insecticides
Due to Inappropriate Diagnosis, Citizens Die in Private Hospitals
Here are excerpts from articles published in some local newspapers of this week:
Al-Mithaq weekly organ of GPC party, 16 July 2001
The political editor of the newspaper has this week discussed in an article the topic of opposition parties and dialogues with them. The writer says when the government has called all national political movements for a dialogue on discussing the draft amendments of the elections law a big fuss was raised depicting the government’s call to be looking as devastating danger threatening the present and future of the country. This stance is for sure a response to a call for a responsible dialogue, stressing the necessity of holding collective deliberation in service of the homeland and in enhancement of its democratic experiment.
The article maintains that the opposition stance against the amendment draft has disclosed the dire need of the opposition for training on dialogue and then encouraging it to practice dialogue to comprehend the benefit to be gained from such a practice.
We are in this respect in no need to comment on the opposition views and alternatives, as they are their own viewpoints, but we stress that the abecedarian of politics is to deal with reality, diagnose it and define its requisites. This is an imperative thing in politics precept. We have in fact no idea whether the opposition has another precept encouraging it always to stabilize the approach of rejecting the dialogue.
Al-Jamaheer weekly organ of Arab Baath Socialist party, Syrian organization, 15 July 2001.
In his article on he situation in Iraq and the American and Arab stands, Mr. Imad Abdulla begins by raising questions particularly one about how long would the U.S. continue wrecking havoc on Iraq and its people, its territorial integrity and destiny. He also wonders what is the extent of capability of Arab attitudes in influencing the unjust equations the U.S. administration insists on imposing on the Middle East without displaying any consideration towards interests of both Arabs and Moslems. Such U.S. stands are really aimed at facilitating the Zionist hegemony on the entire region.
Events of the latest period show clearly that the United States has unveiled the falsity of its allegations in word and practice. It has also disclosed its ill intentions vis-a-vis Iraq and insistence on destroying it and then ” reformulate” it in a way achieving its interests and those of the Zionist entity in the Arab region. This policy is intended to be followed there even if it led to the destruction of the whole Gulf and Arab orient region.
The writer says that the death of thousands of Iraq children, women and the elderly as a result of continued blockade and sanctions would not even move conscience of the UN Security council to play its role on Washington to change its stands. Such disastrous situation does on the contrary increase Washington’s determination on depriving Iraq of getting free from the iniquitous sanctions. The article calls for a more effective and interacting Arab stand capable of stopping the decline and breaking the blockade and mechanism of destruction, would the Arabs be able to recover their power in rejecting the sanctions and lifting them on their part? The writer concludes.
Annas
weekly 16 July 2001.
Mr. Abdulla Al-Jaradi has published a front page article the crisis of dialogue between the government and the opposition regarding the draft amendment of the law of elections.
Opposition parties and civil society organizations have implicitly agreed on refusing the draft amendments proposed by the government and demanded the formation of an elections committee whose members are from the parties represented equally.
On the other hand the Islah party and the opposition higher council have for the first time came up with a joint vision containing a demand of neutralizing mass media, army and publish officialdom and the presidency post. But the surprising thing was the Islah acceptance of the Yemen Socialist Party pertaining to the removal of sequels of the 1994 war, a matter it has always been refusing to deal with.
Whatever were the cautions of the opposition that thinks that such amendments would mean in consequence annexation of the supreme committee to the executive power, we think that democratic practices are impregnable to cancellation especially after they have taken root in the public awareness of both the elite and the society on the same footing.   ATTARIQ
weekly 17 July 2001. 
Columnist Khalid Ali Taiman has this week tackled the topic of ”press and authority” confirming that the important role of press emerges through its disclosing negative aspects and failures, in addition to creating a public opinion towards general issues in order to exercise pressure on political decision-making centers. On the situation of press in our country he says that the press depends in work on an unstable basis scarcely permitting the process of giving prominence to our issues and problems and to discuss them objectively. The situation or reality of press rarely allows the disclosure of concerns and sufferings of the ordinary citizen.
The narrow space allowed for press in our country to move within is nevertheless in a state of continuous subsidence because the ruling elite would not stop or hesitate in the attempts for strangling the other opinion by using various ways and means. The ruling elite exceeds that to putting pressure on newspapers refusing to deal with semi-facts and marketing falsehood, let alone suspension of such newspapers.
RAY weekly, organ of Sons of Yemen League party, 17 July 2001.
The weekly editorial this week is discussing the question of privatization as a mechanism put as a condition by the contemporary age. It is a measure complementary of a host of reforms within the economic framework that constitutes the essence of globalization order. As much as this topic has aroused scientific and intellectual debate, it has found common denominators among the debaters on the way used in implementation of privatization. This way really determines its closeness and distance from being negative or positive. It is the yardstick of being in interest or against the higher interest of people.
Application of scientific criteria at all stages of privatization is the sole guarantee of the national rights. It can be used in the assessment of public sector institutions prepared for privatization, particularly in searching for gaining the biggest interest for the homeland.
Ill application of privatization mechanism is the factor that has made it appear in the eyes of people as an act directed against their interest. I t is other than that provided it has been implemented with scientific mechanisms displaying keenness on the people interest.
Al-Ihya’a Al-Arabi weekly, organ of the Arab Baath Socialist party, Iraq organization 17 July 2001.
Mohammed Dirham Al- Muhalil has discussed in his article the phenomenon of criminal gangs in the country saying they have and been inflicting harm and damage on the homeland and the citizen. There are varied kinds of gangs such as those of stealing cars, killing the innocent, kidnapping foreigners, selling drugs and others working against security and order and in particular those of corruption and corrupting.
The reason behind spread of such criminal groups can be attributed to absence of disciplinary order and non-sovereignty of law and order. This latter point is the responsibility of the government and the security apparatus. Unjustly killing of even one citizen is considered as a mark besmearing reputation of the ruling system in the country, otherwise why the existence of the regime’s bodies and law and order? The article author queries about the whereabouts of the role of security men and the principle of combating the crime before its occurrence.
The article maintains that such gangs are present throughout the country, even the capital city is not spared from killers and thieves gangs. We hear about gangs in every governorate and when security men intercept them they will retaliate with opening fire of security men. The writer asks about immediate treatments for combating criminal gangs in a country promoting human rights and civil and legal dealing, a country building itself and developing itself under political pluralism. Preservation of security and stability is axiomatically the function and duty of the state.
As-Sahwa weekly 19 July 2001.
Nasser Yahya says in an article this week that proper democratic life cannot be established in any country lacking any real balance between authorities of the state and popular institutions such as political parties, trade unions, societies and press that have to have a role in establishing that balance so that no power should have the sway over the other.
The main question that the axis of disagreement between the ruling GPC and a number of opposition parties is the issue of guaranteeing neutrality of the higher committee of elections and other major overseeing and sub-committees. This disagreement is verily ascribed to the matter of ” balance”, required for a sound democratic life. This is the missing aspect we have been looking for since announcement of political multi-party system that accompanied the achievement of unity.

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