Press Review [Archives:2002/45/Press Review]

Al-Balagh weekly 29 Oct. 2002.
Main Headlines:
-American diplomat killed in Jordan
-Al-Qaeda statements on blast on Limburg
-Yemen refuses to hand over two detainees accused of involvement in Cole incident
-Information on Eritrea’s involvement in Cole & Limburg blasts
-Vice-president: imperialist new conspiracies, doomed to failure
-Europe prepares to confront “Islamic terror” the Arabs and Muslims keep silent
-56 Arab & Islamic countries threaten to withdraw from the Red Cross
-Fighting between Al-Haima and Bani Matar, continue
-The French school in Sana’a prevents school from wearing head scarf
The editor in chief writes on the recent meeting of the European Union leaders in Brussels on whose agenda was “Islamic terror and fundamentalism” and how to confront them. He anticipates some changes in the region and what would they would seek to implement in the Arab-Islamic region. The author maintains “the Sakes-Picot” agreement had divided the Arab world by using the military force and direct occupation. At present we find that the European summit is discussing our internal affairs and our ideology, while the Arab regimes do not make any more. They would be participants in implementation of those schemes, especially after the direct military occupation has been changed into political pressure, economic blockade and maybe blitz military strikes.
Arab and Islamic leadership have to rise to the level of the challenge. Each country should hold conferences and conduct studies on how to deal with new challenge. They should also draw up a united strategy to confront the American hegemony and Western plots machinated against our Arab and Muslims nation.
Al-Wahdawi weekly, organ of the Nasserite People’s Unionist Organization, 29 Oct.2002.
Main Headlines:
-Corruption in Sana’a university
-Tribal war expected to erupt in Bart
-Prime Minister Bajamal: The boat and equipment used in Limburg blast, brought from abroad
-Elections Committee hinders issuance of electoral cards
-The GPC antagonizes the armed forces against the opposition
Mr. Mohammed Shamsan discusses in an article the political parties and elections in Yemen. He says there are 22 licensed political parties and organizations in Yemen, but they have not contributing to building the country culturally and developmentally and politically. Partisan work is in need of reconstruction on new and sound basic for it is not qualified to deal with reality and the society. With outset of the preparation for holding parliamentary elections, political parties & organizations begin to practice their activity and double it by holding symposiums and dialogues. They begin adopting issues and concerns of the people masses. We would also see political parties and organizations we have not heard about before or about their role but during visits made foreign delegations and organizations concerned with political action, or during elections seasons. Political parties and organizations in our country do not deal soundly and accurately with reality. They ignore their role and tasks the whole time. During elections, we find them as mouthpiece of the people. Soon after the end of the elections, their effort and enthusiasm expire.
We perceive that elections is a democratic process the future of the nation stands. But the parties must realize that their role & responsibility are not an easy job.
RAY weekly, organ of the Sons of Yemen League Party, 29 Oct.2002.
Main Headlines:
-Imminent assault on al-Qaeda suspects in the eastern governorates
-Yemen refuses an American requests to hand over some of the wanted, including an Egyptian and Algerian
-“Limburg”, towed to Dubai
-Fighting between al-Haima & Bani Matar claims 6 lives and 5 wounded
-Bahrain hosts Islamic-Christian dialogue conference
The newspaper editorial says that some people would internationally, or without being aware, mobilize and foment the military establishment against the opposition. They visualize the opposition as a danger prepared to swoop on the country and the people, and the beast that would assail the ballot boxes and swallow gains of the nation. And in order to convince the men in the armed forces with their viewpoint, there people resort to falsity facts and awareness and fabricate false concepts amidst the armed forces members just to gain their voices in the elections and create a state of enmity with the opposition.
The opposition is extremely keen to see members of the armed forces exercise their full rights, we, in the opposition, strive to guarantee that the men in the armed forces are not deprived of their rights and not to be employed for serving narrow interests through forcing them to cast their votes in favor of those who they do not want or at constituencies not their own.
We struggle for the aim that the army people exercise their constitutional rights as fully eligible Yemeni citizens freely and with full will.
Al-Rai Al-A’am, an independent political weekly, 29 Oct.2002.
Main Headlines:
-Reducing number of portfolios in the coming government, expected
-GPC runs elections with its best members, Islah sweeps the arena at media level.
-YSP-GPC dialogue instigate acute difference inside JMP
-Registration chaos in Hadramaut
-Large-scale denunciation against arrests and American investigators presence in Hadramaut
The editorial stresses that following up reports and news published in press of the ruling party and parties of the Joint Meeting, and exchange of accusations about registration violations and excesses, would make the people realize that the new electoral register is full of violations. The people would be convinced that both the ruling party and opposition parties are committing violations in the process of registration. Both sides offer charges supported with dates and venues on violations and excesses. It seems that accusations of fraud are real and makes it realistic to go back to the previous electoral register that was filled under a state of a political balance that we miss at present.
Al-Mithaq weekly, organ of the General People’s Congress party (GPC), 28 Oct.2002.
Main Headlines:
-Limburg-caused pollution affects 10 thousand families in Hadramaut
-In the light of American threats, Yemen reiterates its backing of Palestinian people, refuses use of force against Iraq.
-GPC’s secretary-General discusses current situation in the region in Baghdad
-The JMP seeks early justifications of its expected failure in the coming elections
-No hindrances face fixing border markings
Columnist Dr. Abdulaziz al-Maqalih says the terrorist sniper has aroused a wave of horror in Washington. He has forced its inhabitant abstain from going to their jobs and made students get their lesson at home. And parks looked empty from visitors. All that happened in the capital of power and challenge whose administration failed to face a terrorist and a professional killer. The mass media have said that exaggerated talk about terror and fear has encouraged the sniper to play his sinister game of targeting innocent people and horrifying the population of a city supposed to be the safest city in the world. The sniper phenomenon is a proof on failure of resorting to power which is the weapon of the weak and a means used by those lacking wisdom and insight for facing internal and external problems. It is a lesson when problems are attempted to be solved away from logic and reason. The use of force must be in confrontation of a similar force.
Some political analysts see what has happened in Washington as the biggest offense the super power has received despite other people thinking that this super power possesses apparatus capable of detecting and monitoring any movements.
The U.S has embarked on shouldering international burdens to heavy for it to bear. The fear is that its sense of failure would push it to commit hostilities and unjust and unreasonable wars just to prove its ability to succeed and harm others. It is also feared that it would find reasons for its attempts of continuous escape from its internal problems.
Al-Sahwa weekly, 31 Oct.2002.
Main Headlines:
-Elections Supreme Committee before justice
-Burns to the Yemenis: you’re leaders of Arab democracy
-Al-Shaif holds al-Qaeda responsible for attack on his house
-Official testimony: a week of failing Conferences
Columnist Zaid bin Ali al-Shami says the electoral registration process has revealed a dangerous strategy aimed at comprehensive destruction of the state and its potentials and society. It is also a destruction of values and ethics that are essential for any society looking for living in peace and stability. It is really regrettable when democracy changes to mere propaganda and media illusion. The annoying violations and practices disclose part of a strategy of confrontation the people’s will and destruction of values and public rights. This situation must be encountered with more enlightenment and patience. The parties grouped in the Joint Meeting Parties have brought undeniable benefit by their lacking part in election registration process. They have helped disclose falsification and cheating despite the difficulties they have faced. We hope that all the honest people from all aspects of the political spectrum would seek all legal ways to guarantee that the coming elections be safe and fair.

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