Two years of reconciliation and forgiveness [Archives:2009/1226/Opinion]
Ali Nasser Mohammed
By the advent of January 13th 2009, two real years would have been passed since the call for reconciliation and forgiveness was made by the Radfan Charitable Society. Judicious men from the governorates of Aden, Al-Dhalea, Lahj, Abyan, Shabwa, Hadramout and Al-Mahra proceeded on the Forgiveness Day to the society's hall. Their call was also appreciated by all philanthropists and noble men in Yemen.
The revolution of spirits and hearts for the sake of eliminating malice and hatred, but spreading love and peace instead, is not less important than a revolution to drive occupiers off one's homeland. So, it is not strange to hear that Radfan constituted the starting point of outbreak of the revolution against British occupiers more than 40 years ago. Two years ago, the same area proved being the starting point for embracing the call of reconciliation and forgiveness.
Revolution is a title for people's liberty. Likewise, the call for reconciliation and forgiveness is a title for peace and love among all Yemeni people without an exception. On this occasion, I present my greetings to all Yemenis who responded to such a humanitarian call and lived up to the historical responsibility, as well as manifested the noblest pictures of national unity.
Educated peoples are those, who transfer failure into success by admitting their own mistakes and then building up their victories. Self-monitoring is very great and has positive influence on advancement and prosperity that depend on experience to overcome any obstacles and proceed forward toward good community and good governance.
People from the various political parties and currents and social figures demonstrated seemingly homogenous feelings. They reached a consensus that reconciliation, forgiveness and solidarity are the only way for peaceful actions. They opposed all the calls instigating malice, seditions, vengeance and hatred.
Reconciliation and forgiveness advocates were not excused from those irresponsible practices, as they paid the highest price for promoting reconciliation and forgiveness. Some of them were martyred or wounded while others were dismissed from their jobs or arrested. Why does this happen? The patriotic reconciliation and forgiveness advocates didn't instigate seditions and the culture of hatred. They only promoted the culture of forgiveness and love among Yemenis following consecutive events and developments experienced by the south part of Yemen since the National Independence.
All of us committed mistakes and all of us are responsible. But what is more important these days is that we should leave the past behind, take only the useful lessons from it and inspire for a better future.
We are in need for reconciliation and forgiveness more than we were in the past. We need a serious national dialogue to get rid of the current crisis experienced by the homeland and people instead of threatening each other.
Threats only imply absence of the rule of law and disrespect for the constitution and contradict the democratic principle. Threats are not in line with the peaceful transfer of power. Therefore, our pressing problems must be treated through constructive dialogues and generalization of the language of reconciliation and forgiveness to overcome malice and hatred and drive homeland forward toward peace and safety.
As we regretted all the wrong explanations that were machinated by some of us to transfer the idea of “reconciliation and forgiveness” into an article for mocking others in a way contravening the humanitarian call, we at the same time pined hope that wrongdoers make use of the wills of strugglers and forgivers to forget about the past and restore the present as part of our collective effort to progress toward a prosperous future.
Source: Al-Tagheer.com
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