Press Review [Archives:2002/48/Press Review]

Al-Wahdawi weekly, organ of the Nasserite Unionist Organization, 19 Nov. 2002.
Main Headlines:
-Killing Al-Harithi and his companions aborted blasting of American residential complex
-U.S. reconnaissance planes survey Yemeni-Saudi borders
-Government connived with the Americans, squandering Bab el-Mandab, political scandal
-Osama bin laden , not in Yemen
-MP jails citizens in his private prison
-4 members from Aden-Abyan army, among victims of the American attack on Mareb
Mr. Yassin al-Tammimi says in his article that the precautions measures the British government has recently taken about protection of its nationals and interests in Yemen against possible dangers, have aroused many questions on objective of this step. Most analyses interested in the British recent actions report that they may be done in contexts of new arrangements aimed at sharing interests regarding the region which is witnessing serious movements nowadays, mainly the preparations for dealing on imminent blow to Iraq.
According to their analyses, Washington has perhaps become convinced in the benefit of giving its ally London a free hand in Yemen, especially the southern areas that had been regions of British influence till 1967. The relations between Sana’a and London have in the recent period been given strong pushes by high level political and economic communication.
The positive atmosphere prevailing the relations between Sana’a and London has led to the return of the former colonialist power to its zones of influence through cordial doors. But the negative aspects of the growth of the British role come through the British military role against the alleged terror in the southern areas, especially Hadramaut.
Al-Sahwa weekly, 21 Nov. 2002.
Main Headlines:
-America: Yemen, a silent partner in the killing
-Lawyers prepare to sue the government
-Politicians: What happened a scandal and piracy with official conniving
-Authority staves off scandal by assailing the opposition
-The president gives directives on closing down suspicious places
Columnist Zaid al-Shami says official press assailed a statement by the Joint Meeting Parties on the attack and killing of six Yemenis by an American aircraft in Hadramaut, suspected to have links with al-Qaeda organizations.
Competent authorities remained stopped at claiming that the attacked car exploded by itself and then kept utter silence while the U.S. has announced about the incident. World countries and international organizations reactions considered the event a serious and dangerous precedence and violation of a sovereign country member of the UN. They mentioned that it was an execution of death sentence without trial and violation of human rights. Instead of admitting the fact, the official press launched an iniquitous campaign against parties of the Joint Meeting, accusing them of conspiracy and ignoring the country’s interest. The looming question remains on whether what happened in Mareb was known and accepted by the government. If what happened was not a breach of sovereignty, what is the meaning of sovereignty then?
The political forces demand of transparency in such issues should have been used by the authority to strengthen its stands, as all other countries do and which make the public opinion a means of pressure. But it seems that the public opinion is the last thing our authority would think of?
RAY weekly, organ of Sons of Yemen League party 19 Nov.2002.
Main Headlines:
-Britain hunts down bin Laden in Hadramaut
-While releasing 14 of them, al-Qaeda suspects refuse to sign a statement of repentance
-British foreign office call on its nationals to leave Yemen
-Unidentified person penetrates check-points in Kuwait and enters in Iraq
-White House: bin Laden alive
Columnist Khalid al-Harauji says the fierce conflict between the government and some opposition parties going on for some weeks, completely contradicts rules of the democratic game for it exceeds the allowable boundaries and leads to harm the homeland. It makes the homeland exposed to dangers bigger than the present ones. The two parities of the conflict are protecting themselves behind the homeland’s sovereignty barricade. They exchange very dangerous accusations. The opposition accuses the authority of squandering the country’s sovereignty and independence and non-capability of protecting it. The authority, on its part, accuses the opposition of producing terror and harboring terrorist elements used to serve its interests. The homeland is nowadays experiencing a difficult stage. The international war on terror considers the country as a target, whereas it is its victim. Protecting the homeland from this aggressive wave is a collective responsibility.
Clearing the Yemeni territories from terrorist elements is an inevitable matters demanding the joint efforts of all forces. The love of the country and responsibility for protecting it is not the task of authority alone. This dictates on it to deal with transparency with all national issues.
26 September weekly, organ of Yemen Armed Forces, 20 Nov.2002.
Main Headlines:
-The president calls on all to unite ranks to encounter challenges
-Three of al-Qaeda dangerous elements, captured
-Foreign Ministry: Security situations in Yemen are normal
-Returnees from Afghanistan announce their repentance
-Investigations about some sides that were behind al-Harithi’s refusal to surrender himself
The newspaper’s editorial confirms that patriotism requisites dictate on all to commit to discard differences and to work for unity. This is specially very important when dangers emerge or challenges threaten the homeland and damage its interests. Yemen has suffered much from disaster of terrorism, among which the attack on the American destroyer USS Cole in Aden, the attack on French oil tanker Limburg and shooting at the American helicopter of Hunt campaign in Sana’a.
Those sabotage acts and others perpetrated by terrorist elements, did not harm the political system, but caused harm to the country’s security, stability, national economy and the present social reality. Since the Limburg incident, Yemen’s economy has sustained big losses and prices of some goods and commodities rose sharply when insurance companies raised insurance duties imposed on ships going to Yemen ports. All should understand that terror is an evil and danger threatens all without exceptions. Therefore all should stand abreast to encounter and end it.
Al-Balagh weekly, 19 Nov.2002.
Main Headlines:
-Differences between the Pentagon and the CIA on Mareb operation
-Nine injured in clashes between Saudi police and bin Laden supporters
-U.S. ambassador to Yemen pays bribes to Sheiks to spot al-Harithi whereabouts
-Blasting Sheraton Hotel and the U.S. embassy, part of an unimplemented plot
-World Bank threatens of halting the funding of all projects and impose fires on the government
Editor in chief writes in an article that the opposition parties are used to issue statements following any event occurs in the country. The latest of such statements was pertaining to the American operation of killing al-Harithi and his companions in Mareb. The opposition parties have used the incident to visualize the government as squandering the country’s sovereignty and opening the gates wide before American troops to carry out whatever operations they like. The government has experienced a critical situation in dealing with the incident of attacking al-Harithi car when it announced that the incident took place due to explosion of the car while the American authorities have announced that it was the responsibility of their own intelligence. And despite the difficulty of the situation the political leadership is facing in dealing with the terrorism file, it necessitates a kind of transparency on its part in dealing with the security cooperation in order not to find itself in contradiction with reality and truthfulness.
A look towards the future obliges us to affirm the importance of all political parties, tendency to intensify their presence in the parliament. This would have an importance to be reflected on Yemen’s future especially if the coming parliament would be able to deal with its constitutional tasks seriously.

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