Letter from Yemen
People react to disaster in NYC
People in Yemen [who watched the events on CNN Arabic and
English broadcasts over 12 hours] responded to the World Trade
Center disaster with horrified shock tempered by compassion for
the victims.
As U.S. citizens living, working and studying in Sana'a, the
capital city of Yemen, we have been repeatedly approached by
Yemeni friends, co-workers, and even strangers expressing their
condolences to us.
For instance, when the meter reader came and read our water
meter, upon learning that we were American his first response
was to inquire about the safety of our family members in the
U.S.
Knowing that the U.S. government had quickly pinned the
blame for the attack on "Arabs" and "Muslims," Yemenis wanted
to let us know that killing civilians is "Haraam" or forbidden
by Islam.
Above all, these thoughtful people expressed concern for the
safety of our families and friends, and hastened to make sure
we knew they welcomed us in their country through handshakes,
smiles and the sharing of food. It is well known here that
Yemeni immigrants to the U.S. are among the missing or dead at
the World Trade Center. A number of Yemenis from Ibb province
work in the service department of the WTC.
A Yemeni businessman also had an office in one of the
towers, but he was on vacation in Yemen on the day of the
attack. It has been publicized here that Yemenis in New York
have designated Sept. 26 (Revolution Day, a national holiday)
as a day to donate blood for the victims.
However, compassion for the victims is accompanied by
concern for the safety of Arabs and Muslims in the U.S; fear of
the impact of any U.S. retaliation; and above all by a profound
awareness of the U.S. role in the Middle East.
The Yemen Times, an English-language weekly, conducted a
poll in three major Yemeni cities. They found that their
respondents overwhelmingly condemned the attack, but also
resolutely opposed any U.S. military action in response.
Others pointed out that the devastation in New York could
perhaps give people in the U.S. a taste of what the Iraqi and
Palestinian people have been suffering as a direct result of
U.S. policies. "The Americans, when mourning their dead, must
remember what happened to Iraqis at Al-Ameriya Shelter and what
is happening to the civilians in Palestine," declared
university student Adel Ali Mohammed (Yemen Observer, Sept.
15).
Clerk Hanan Fawzi explained: "From a humane point of view,
this is a disaster and we must sympathize with the families of
the victims. But the American government must know that the
Palestinians are subject to such terrorism every day."
No celebrations
The day after Yemen received news of the attack, we saw no
celebrations on the street. Combined with sorrow at loss of
civilian life, some individuals did express the opinion that
the Pentagon, unlike the WTC, was a military target, although
attacking it with a commercial airplane full of civilians was
"'ayb" (shameful).
One old man in Tahrir Square proclaimed that the attack was
divine retribution on the U.S. for its crimes against the
peoples of the world. One of our co-workers told me he believed
that the U.S. had made many enemies around the world,
especially as a result of its support for Israel's oppression
of the Palestinians and the genocidal blockade against Iraq. He
expressed hope that U.S. policies would change.
People here in Yemen make a clear distinction between the
American people and the policies of the American government.
People we have met are pleased to find out that there is an
active movement in the U.S. against war, sanctions and
globalization, and in support of the Palestinian people.
A few weeks before the attack, one of us was invited to
report on the work and perspectives of the International Action
Center at a "nadwa" (discussion session). This nadwa is a
regular gathering of men from various political perspectives
(nationalist, socialist, Islamicist). The men chew qat (a mild
stimulant leaf) while listening to a prepared commentary on a
topic of current interest and then engage in discussion.
...
The participants had heard of former Attorney General Ramsey
Clark and his opposition to sanctions and war, but had been
unaware of the existence of the progressive movement in the
U.S. Yemenis are painfully aware that they cannot directly
oppose U.S. dictates in the region.
They also very strongly resent the U.S. right of veto in the
United Nations Security Council, which appears be used only
when the Security Council is on the verge of censuring Israel
for its war crimes in the Occupied Territories.
The Palestinian struggle is an issue of great immediacy and
importance to people here. During August, the Yemeni parliament
debated what action to take to support the Palestinian people,
and decided to raise money by collecting one day's wages from
all government employees, and encouraging private citizens to
donate to a fund to support the Palestinians.
On Yemeni TV, there are daily broadcasts of pro-Palestinian
music videos. Yemenis are well aware of the potential costs of
taking a principled stand against U.S. foreign policy. In 1990,
Yemen was on the UN Security Council and cast the sole vote
against Storm." To punish Yemen for its independence, the U.S.
cut off aid to Yemen.
Jane Cutter &
Andrew Freeman
Sana'a, Yemen
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
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