Yemen marks 4th anniversary of Omar’s death [Archives:2007/1025/Local News]
By: Adel Al-Khawlani
SANA'A, Feb. 13 ) Yemeni political parties marked on Tuesday the fourth anniversary of the death of Jarallah Omar, the Yemeni Socialist Party's assistant secretary-general. Omar was assassinated in a conference hall in February 2003.
Organized by the Political Development Forum in the presence of party leaders, the symposium discussed several concepts, which the late Omar pursued throughout his political career.
Assistant secretary-general of the Islah Party Abdulwahab Al-Anisi said the Omar had been famous for hard work and clearly investigating the demands of others.
During the symposium titled “Jarrallah Omar: The Knight of Dialogue and Engineer of Harmony” Al-Anisi added that Omar had been supporting dialogue in any political issue, as he believed that dialogue paves the way for a safer climate to resolve the most difficult issues posed toward political action in Yemen.
According to the Islah Party secretary-general, Omar gained sufficient experience during his political work and learned how to forget about the past and benefit from politics and life experience in shaping the future.
“Omar helped in creating opportunities for the political life opponents to express themselves without any pressure,” Al-Anisi said. “He was more able to make available wider scopes for dialogue and tackling crises. His courage stemmed from truth and credibility but not arrogance.”
Mohamed Mansour, a Yemeni poet, gave a glimpse of Omar's political history. He said that Omar used to prefer dialogue in tackling various political issues. “My 3-year imprisonment with the martyr in the 60s constituted an important move in his life since these years were devoted to an extensive dialogue with different politicians,” Mansour, who first knew Omar in the Police Academy in 1963, noted.
“Before our imprisonment, we had been engaged in political disputes with some national parties, but later on we perceived that the disputes were caused by political immaturity,” the famous Yemeni poet went on to say.
Abdulmalik Al-Mekhlafi, a Shoura Council member and former secretary general of the Nasserite Unionist party, explained that marking the fourth Anniversary of Omar's death is not for commemorating the martyr, rather it is for contemplating on its political and national history. “Great historians cannot be born once again as they are the product of their age and own experience. From their lives, we learned lessons, which we benefit in the present time and in the future,” Al-Mekhlafi continued.
He added, “Three days before the assassination of Omar, I and the martyr were returning from abroad. Upon our arrival in Yemen, we were received by some Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) leaders. We then visited Parliament Speaker Sheikh Abdullah Bin Hussein Al-Ahmar in his office and handed him a letter in protest against the anti-demonstration Law.”
“The martyr hadn't realized that the assassination bullet would end his life three days following our arrival in the homeland, Al-Mekhlafi lamented. “Despite the various causes of death including road accidents and poison, Jarrallah Omar, who sacrificed his life for the sake of homeland, was selected by the Almighty to be a martyr of the merciless assassination bullet.”
Mohamed Abu Luhoum, Head of the General People Congress's Foreign Relations Department and member of the ruling party's General Secretariat, acknowledged that Omar was an honest and frank man, who used to listen to others in an attempt to reach suitable solutions and compromises with other political parties.
On the occasion, Bassam Omar, elder son of Omar, indicated that his father's fourth death anniversary came at a time the political intellectualism lost its sense and content. He confirmed that his father proved through his thinking and cooperation with others that the political forces can reach their goals without facing negatives.
According to Omar's son, Yemen's political parties can make a reference from the past for teaching themselves and dealing with changes and demands of time. He urged these parties to benefit from his father's experience.
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