Unity Day in the eyes of Yemeni children [Archives:2006/948/Reportage]

By: Saddam Al-Ashmori
It must be the president's eid

Farouq Munasar Al-Hazmi, age 12

Unity is the day when Yemen became united because there was North Yemen and South Yemen and we had two presidents. Then we united and got just one president. When the day comes, people celebrate and parade and the president comes and watches. I see on TV some students also parading and marching in front of the president. He looks at them and smiles and talks to those next to him. During this celebration, they say they will create schools, electricity and hospitals for the ill. But we mostly see soldiers on TV parading for the president to watch. He looks on from his place and waves. It must be the president's eid, right?

Now we are one family

Imad Al-Din Ali, age 11

When we united, we became one country. We travel to Aden and then travel to Sana'a. We became one family. On May 22, we don't go to school because we celebrate this occasion. I went to Aden last year with my father and brothers and sisters and we found out that Aden people are kind.

10 riyals were good enough for school allowance

Khlood Mansour Hizam, age 9

Unity is when Yemen became one so long ago. There were two Yemens and today there is only one. But my brothers tell me that when there was no unity, their school pocket money was 10 or 20 Riyals and it was good enough because things were cheap. Now, even 100 Riyals wouldn't do. Maybe the people became more now.

I wasn't born then

Nabil Ali Ghalib, age 10

I know Unity Day is the day when Yemen became one, but I have no idea how. Our president united us. Maybe he said, “Let's unite,” and so it became united. I'm not sure. But I remember when I was in second grade, our teacher said not to come to school on this day because it's Unity Day. When I asked her what is Unity Day, she said it's the day when the two Yemens became one. Now, I've read in my school books that it was on May 22, 1990, but I wasn't born then so I don't know how they did it or what it was all about.

They don't give us money on this eid

Abdu Al-Raimi, age 8

Unity is the celebration when soldiers become happy and go and start parading. But we don't like this kind of eid because people don't give us money like they do on the other eids. Also, on this eid, people don't wear new clothes or anything like that. We don't go to the park to play on this eid and neither do our neighbors.

Colored lights at night

Talal Al-Harazi, age 8

Unity is good. Nobody could go to the sea, but after unity, we can go to Aden and swim in the sea. On Unity Day, we don't go to school. People are happy and light torches and colored lights in the streets. We go out in our car at night and look around the decorated streets and see the colored lights.

We don't have to go to school

Zaid Abdullah Al-Tawili, age 12

May 22 is eid day when people celebrate and parade. We don't go anywhere and don't have to go to school. Maybe it is the eid of those in authority because they wear new suits and celebrate with the president. I really don't know what this eid is for, but I see them on TV celebrating. However, they don't pray like they do in every other eid.

Don't forget those who sacrificed for unity's sake

Abdulsalam Al-Ajil, age 12

It was by God's grace and then the efforts of our fathers and grandfathers that unity was achieved. Citizens sacrificed their children and money for the sake of Yemeni unity and we as Yemenis should make this day a celebration for all. We are the future generation and should not forget those who sacrificed for the sake of this precious country.

Thanks to President Ali Abdullah Saleh

Ahmed Ali, age 11

May 22 is the greatest celebration for me and for others because Yemen was separate but now it is together and has remained united. We thank President Ali Abdullah Saleh for that. Now I can go to Aden and make many new friends like Faris and Ahd. Thank God that now I can go to them and they can come to me in Sana'a.

No parade in our eid

Abdulaziz Mohammed, age 10

Unity is celebrated in May when the presidents united and created an eid. When this eid comes, they are happy, they parade and have marches. But our eid is different because in our eid, the president doesn't parade or make us march on TV. But in their eid, they light street lamps and colored lights.

Daddy will buy me a unity too

Khalid Hazib, age 7

I have no idea what unity is, but when I go to the market with dady, He will buy me a unity too. I hope it tastes good.

Unity allowed us to visit my aunt in Aden

Nahla Fadhil, age 10

Unity allowed us to visit my aunt in Aden and sit with her there. My aunt takes us to the sea to walk on the beach. My mom told me when there was no unity, soldiers on the road would not let her or anyone, not even dad, go visit my aunt. But now, unity allows us to go there. Mom said when the eid comes, we will go there again.
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