The Arab Mind Set Predicament & the ERWSC [Archives:1999/50/Law & Diplomacy]

archive
December 13 1999

Mohammed Hatem Al-Qadhi,
Managing Editor

Arab and Yemeni thought is still under its regressive outlook. It is still motivated by the mentality of the past which is trying to exist in a world which is moving forward; a world pulled by a glorious outlook of the future. It stands to reason that history repeats itself. Again the Protestant mentality is still living among us. The monster of the medieval ages where mind was under a constant threat of the church is being restored now. The Arab mindset faces many challenges, the most important of which is its struggle against the past-oriented mentalities and the rulers of the darkness. And because of such fossilized mentalities, it is brought to court now and again. In fact, we occasionally hear of cases filed against thinkers, opinion makers, poets and even singers. The Arab mind is kept in a cage everywhere and in each country without exception. Last month we heard of the tribunal of the Lebanese singer Marseel Khaliifah. Some years back we heard of the trial of the famous Egyptian thinker Dr. Nasr Hamid Abu Zaid. The predicament of Arab luminaries appears to be similar.
We were all shocked by the unwise and sudden decision of the Sana’a University Board to close down the Empirical Research and Women’s Study Center (ERWSC). The decision came as a result of criticism of the center and its staff due to the hosting of the International Conference on Challenges for Women’s Studies in the 21st century. Guided by their past-oriented mentalities, some Islamic personalities lashed the center with all sorts of criticism, accusing everybody there of working against the very principles of Islam, but this is not true. The main motive behind the campaign launched by mosque pastors is very much political. They want to take charge of the center.
But this is very terrifying when difference of opinion is explained as anti-Islamic. We claim to have a democratic society where the freedom of thought should be upheld. Closing the center is against the provisions of the constitution which upholds the freedom of expression and thought. It is also against the human rights of those 150 students whose fate now hangs in the balance.
What is more funny is that Sana’a University said it would establish another center carrying the name of Women Study Center. Is it a matter of changing names? Was all the big fuss made because of the center’s name? Is the term “empirical” against religion because it relates to science and experiment? And who is going to take charge of the new center? I wonder when our people in charge will think wisely! In addition, in closing the center, the University Board admitted that the accusations against the center, its curriculum and its teaching staff goes against Islam. It is the same university board that closed the center that formulated the curriculum of the center. Why have they closed it if was they themselves who established it in 1995? It is really contradictory, isn’t it?
It is now time that Yemeni thinkers, opinion makers and journalists join hands to resist the aggression not only against the ERWSC and its students, but also against the freedom of thought and expression at large. It is time to resist the rulers of the darkness of this world.
What is worse is that the Dutch Government, the major donor country to Yemen and the financier of the ERWSC, is now agitated by that decision and is now threatening to stop financing many developmental projects in Yemen. The government of Yemen should be wise enough to withdraw the decision.
Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Saqqaf: Advocate of Human Rights
On the occasion of the final celebration of the Human Rights Declaration in this millennium, I think everybody in Yemen will not forget Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Saqqaf. He was the most prominent defender of human rights, freedom of speech and other such global values. His contribution in this regard is great. He helped in releasing many people imprisoned without charges. He was himself imprisoned, beat up, harassed and badmouthed because of defending such values and standing by the oppressed in Yemen. Therefore, will the Yemeni people remember the man who once devoted his life in the cause of their welfare? Will the government and human rights NGOs in Yemen and the world do the man a homage and honor him, even if posthumously? I wonder!

——
[archive-e:50-v:1999-y:1999-d:1999-12-13-p:./1999/iss50/l&d.htm]