Press Review [Archives:2001/43/Press Review]

Topics of this week’s selection of articles and analyzes are focusing on observing the 38th anniversary of 14 October revolution of Yemen, the developments of 11 September attacks and the war against Afghanistan, the 1st anniversary of al-Aqsa uprising in Palestine and the Islam attitude concerning the use of violence and terrorism.   Al-Wahda weekly, 17 October 2001
Mr. Ahmed Rajih says in an article that impact of 11September attacks on the WTC and the pentagon included the U.S security, which has been a global one and fiercely affected the U.S political liberalism.
September 11 events have converted the U.S information media to a totalitarian information similar to the former Soviet medial address with rather the same characteristics, expect that the U.S medial are independent and not affiliate of the government or the ruling party.
Any one who watches America space channels or reds the press, would only slogan that is the “war” and “terrorism” and no voice is above that of the battle. He concludes that it is undeniable that foreign policies urn from military barracks would inflict harm on democracy and liberalism. So has time come to bid farewell to American liberalism? The writer queries.
As-Sahwa weekly, 18 October 2001
Columnist Zaid- Al-Shami has this week devoted his column to the 1st anniversary of Al-Aqsa Intifada eruption. He says the upraising has refuted the calls of “peace” and surrender propagated in the agreements of Madrid, Washington, also and Y-plantation. Those agreements have been intended to divert the issue into Palestinian. Palestinian conflict and to grant the Neo-colonialism the chance for imposing more hegemony on our nation.
Al-Aqsa uprising, on the other hand, has placed Arab and Islamic countries before their responsibilities. There countries are so far still in able to offer the minimum extent of political financial and military support to the Palestinian people. The ball is still in their court to prove their being regimes possessing legitimacy for their stay.
The author maintains that Al-Aqsa Intifada has unmasked the international inability. It has also exposed the limitless bias and support for the Israeli arrogance on part of the “peace sponsor”. The entire world is still incapable of voicing the rightful word to the face of aggression, let alone providing international protection for the Palestinian people. This will no doubt, makes the Arabs and Muslims lose hope in any fairness on part of those other than themselves. They are left with no their choice but to think of restoring their rights by depending on themselves and their own capabilities.
Al-Wahdawi weekly, organ of the Nasserite People’s Unionist organization, 16 Oct. 2001
Mr Hamdi al-Bukari writes an article saying that no political party in our country has dared even to call for people’s peaceful demonstration in protest to the American-British aggression on Afghanistan and its people who are facing an actual humanitarian tragedy.
If we confirm the ideological estrangement between the political parties in our country with orientations of Taliban movement, we can say that despite the legitimacy of such a stance, it could not however be the reason behind this dubious silence. The ideology of many political parties imposes on them the necessity of supporting Islamic Afghanistan and facing plots of the American administration hostile to Arabs and Muslims. Nevertheless, all of the political parties consider themselves as vanguard of the society and the most important instruments representing it, whereas in reality there is no expression nor justification. It seems that this lack of daring has nothing to do with the actual undeclared stands of these parties vis-a-vis what is going on, but rather has its horrible political dimensions. These dimensions affirm that in most cases the local and pan-Arab attitudes are governed by wills from outside the parties.
Al-Jamaheer weekly, organ of the Arab Baath Socialist party (Syrian Organization), 14 October 2001
The newspaper’s editor-in-chief devotes his article to the 38th anniversary of 14 October Yemeni revolution observed at a time when the country has achieved its unity and leading its life under freedom of opinion and expression that represents foundation for political and democratic activity. Observing this anniversary necessitates considering imbalances in the national political action and the attempt of rectifying them for among axiomatic matters is the necessity of re-establishment of balance between the masses, demands and political activeness through an objective perspective of its political and intellectual address and nature of its activities and extent of its correspondence with democratic orientation. It means that the question needs activity within the political parties for the embodiment of democratic practice and an external action for deep-rooting democratic exercise.
Al-Mithaq weekly, organ of the people’s general congress party, 15 October 2001
Columnist Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Maqalih says in his column this week that the question repeated by millions of Arabs is about which Arab or Islamic country towards which this America-British military build-up would turn after finishing the war on Afghanistan. Some analysts confirm that what is going on in Afghanistan is only o kind of “rehearsal” of what could happen in more than one Arab and Islamic country.
If some Arab leaders have confidence in assuring statement by some American officials, they should have perceived from now that the issue would be different completely after Afghanistan crisis is done with. Then the “victorious” troops will be getting prepared for strikes in other areas, depending on previous authorization by the UN security council, under the banner of hunting down. “Terrorists” in any country refusing to show obedience to the New World order”.
 
Al-Ayyam newspaper, 15 Oct. 2001
Columnist Ali Haitham al-Ghareeb says in an article that the events of 11 September in the United States have exposed the mainstay of the whole world politics. Hence it would be difficult to foresee how the situation in our country be under the present conditions. A complicated and interlocked game is going on under pretext of fighting terrorism and it would surely not stop at Kabul. It presumably begins after the elimination of Taliban. The world would in this case stay put within boundaries of this difficult mathematical equation until another catastrophe happens. If the present historic step, post-September 11, means the formation of new regimes in the rich areas in Central Asia, that would inevitably also means the creation of beginnings inside the Arab and African area that can generate inflammable seminaries of internal conflicts. 
From my point of view the year 2001 would be that of the bitter option whose features have been drawn by the dramatic events in New York and is going through Kabul to other regions.
RAY weekly, organ of the Sons of Yemen League party, 16 Oct. 2001
Mr Ali writes in an article saying that today our need is so urgent for energies of all the sons of our country. What is happening in the region and the world confirms the fact that we are to witness sweeping variables according to which the features of our future, the size of our existence and our role on the new era map would be defined. As Yemenis this situation dictates on us to raise to the level of these challenges of destiny in a manner avoiding our country probable dangers and in a way making it qualified to perform its roles regionally and internationally and for the realization of our aspirations.
The present time is crucial and delicate and any wrong reading of its present data and requirements of the future would be a catastrophic risk engendering serious consequences. It is therefore necessary for the Yemenis to get rid of ills and complexities of the past as well as of chains of narrow interests and calculations. We have to actually and seriously embark on laying necessary bases and factors to achieve a real national cohesion, stability, reconciliation and peace. This should put an end to all forms of rift and tension, so that to provide national readiness and preparation enabling our country to meet all requirements of change. Such an objective couldn’t be attained without taking brave steps, decisions and initiatives that guarantee arrangement the ”Yemen home” from within, reforming the ruling system on bases realizing national cohesion and comprehensive equilibrium.
26 September weekly, organ of Yemen Armed Forces, 18 Oct. 2001
The newspaper’s political editor has devoted his article this week to discussing the necessity of adopting an international stand towards terrorism. He says that Yemen has repeatedly confirmed in many regional and international forums its stand towards terrorism even before the attacks in the U.S. last month.Yemen’s position stems from the fact that it had been a target of many terrorist acts that harmed its economy, security, stability and reputation.
This situation has made Yemen call at an early stage for the necessity of an international stand versus terrorism phenomenon as it became threatening the world peace and stability and security. This situation makes it imperative to put the Zionist crimes perpetrated by Israel against the Palestinian people within he comprehensive concept of terrorism. Israel has used all terroristic ways and means in killing the innocent defenseless Palestinians, taking advantage of the events that took place in the United States of America. It has used the events to commit more crimes and practice targeted killings of Palestinian leading politicians.
Israeli terrorism has exceeded all limits and should be dealt with as being perpetrated by a state occupying the land of other people. It should be ought out of the comprehensive concept of terrorism. There should be efforts exerted for the establishment of just and lasting peace in the Middle East and that is through the Israeli withdrawal from all the occupied Arab territories and the establishment of the Palestinian independent state. This goal could not be achieved without an American and international serious stand towards Israeli terrorism in favor of peace which is the main factor for terminating terrorism.
ATTARIQ weekly, 16 Oct. 2001
Columnist Abdulrahman Khabara says in his article this week that Islam is a heavenly religion, the essence of which pours into reforming and progress of humanity. Islam is too far away from extremism and irrational explanations. Islam is in the first place against violence and terrorism. If the simplest explanation of terrorism is the use of violence for achievement of political purposes, Islam calls for dialogue and consultation. 
Our condemnation of killing the innocent and defenseless citizens of Afghanistan stems from our conviction that it aggravates the situation and escalates it to an extent unknown. The authors calls in this respect on all Afghani political parties and ethnic and sectarian groups to speedily look for an outlet avoiding the country more destruction and bloodshed.
The writer also cites the closing statement of the Islamic foreign ministers conference held recently in Doha, Qatar as it condemned all forms of terrorism and the use of violence. The statement has also explained the obvious differences between the use of violence for the realization of just demands of peoples struggling against occupation and for getting usurped rights and that proceeding from wrong concepts of Islam adopted by some movements. The latter would mechanically lead to estrangement with the society and humanity.

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