Updated: No one should be above the law!

On Wednesday May 15, twenty-two year old Khalid Al-Khateeb flew from Aden to Sana'a for an interview hoping for a potential scholarship to study in Germany*.  That night,  he and his  20-year old friend Hassan Aman went out. Little did they know that this car ride would be their last.

Around 10 pm., while they were in the car, they came across a wedding procession on 50 street in Beit Boss area.  Then, according to their families, as they were trying to bypass the procession - and here details are still fuzzy - armed men got out of a car and shot them in front of police cars who were there to "protect" the wedding procession. 


The car and the armed men are reportedly linked to Al-Awadhi tribe, and more precisely to its Sheikh Ali Abd Rabo Al-Awadhi, a National Dialogue participant in the southern issue working group.  

The criminal investigation has gathered evidence and forensic reports have been conducted but not published yet, and details are still yet to be revealed.  The ministry of interior announced the plate number of the car, and stated that the motives of the killing is not yet clear and that they are still searching for the killers.

As this cartoon illustrates**, for many Yemenis, the motive is clear: those with weapons flexing their muscles and taking advantage of their power.  

Man says "There is nothing here sir, they are just some youth that the Sheikh killed... no no thank God, the Sheikh is ok"

This brutal show of force with disregard for humanity and no care for potential consequences has shocked the capital, and of course the family.   Since she heard the news, Hassan's mother has lost the ability to speak.

 The case is slowly becoming a national issue and shaping public opinion on the matter. This might be partially due to the fact that Hassan Aman is the grandson of the famous poet Lutfi Jafar Aman, but more importantly because various groups have together taken this issue as a priority.  


Today, majority of participants at the National Dialogue Conference froze their membership demanding the arrest and investigation of perpetrators.  In addition, a protest was also held in front of Parliament demanding justice.  Another protest is scheduled to take place on Monday.

Poster at rally demanding justice reads "We demand arrest of the murders of Hassan Aman and Khalid Al-Khateeb"

Online campaigns have also been dedicated to this issue.  R.I.P Hassan Aman & Khalid Al-Khateeb page has been setup to draw attention to this case.  

This case of course is unfortunately not the first of its kind.  Just a year ago, the body guard of the Prime Minister's daughter killed a guard at the English language institute Exceed.  This video taken by the Institute's camera shows the incident.   

According to local media, the Prime Minister ordered the surrender of the body guard and the case was handled by ministry of interior.  Since then, there has been conflicting information about what happened afterwards with the case.

There are hundreds of other stories throughout the country that do not make it to the the media, mainstream or alternative.  Not only about murder, but also illegal detention, land grabbing, and forced marriages.  These highlight the brutality of corruption and power in the absence of accountability and rule of law.

The issue should not be looked at as simply a problem with the "tribal" structure, because there are positives and negatives when it comes to the tribal structure.  For example, through tribal law, tribes have for a long time provided stability and security in areas far removed from governing structures.  

The main issue here is the ease at which corrupt powerful men, tribesman or others, can kill and steal, and get away with it. No one should be above the law, not a powerful tribesman, nor a rich businessman, nor a government official.  Sooner or later justice will prevail.
 
"We will not respond arms for arms, or blood for blood ...our weapon is the power of words" said Mohammed Aman on Facebook in response to the murder of his cousin.  

So lets spread his words by demanding Justice and equality, after all isn't that what the revolution and the calls for a civic state were all about?

campaign poster says "Stay silent today...tomorrow you will be the victim" - photos of the two martyrs Hassan and Khalid

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* This post has been updated, earlier I wrote that he flew from Aden to Sanaa in order to fly to Germany, but it was revealed that he had an interview that day for a potential scholarship to  Germany.

** Cartoon was added two hours after initial post.

التعليم حق أساسي وليس رفاهية!

بالأمس عندما كنت عائدة إلى المنزل على المترو في برلين، كانت هناك امرأة عجوز، جالسة أمامي و كأنها النسخة الألمانيّة لجدتي اليمنية. عيونها المليئة بالدفيء والعاطفة تتناقض مع الأسلوب الجاف التي كانت تعطيه للشخص الجالس بجانبها ربما كان ذلك بسبب قربه الشديد منها. شفتيها تشير إلى عدم الراحة، بنفس الطريقة التي تحرك جدتي شفتيها عندما تكون منزعجة. كدت على وشك أن أضحك بصوت عالٍ مبتهجه بما أرى أمامي وأردت أن أقوم وأعانقها حالا. لكني نظرت إليها فوجدتها مستغرقة في القراءة. 

نعم إنها تقرأ!

في حين يعتبر هذا عمل طبيعي جدا هنا ، إلا انه في اليمن لا يوجد مثل هذا الإقبال على المطالعة لأسباب عدة منها أن ٦٠ في المئة من النساء أميّات، ولذلك تعتبر القارئة شيء نادر و مميّز.

ثم خطر في ذهني ذلك اليوم الذي كانت جدتي مريضة في المستشفى، وكانت الأسرة مجتمعة حولها. في ذلك اليوم خرجت لشراء ماء للزوّار، ووجدت مجلة فيها مقال عن المسلسل التركي الذي تتابعه جدتي، فاشتريت المجلّة وفي بالي ان المقال سيعجبها، وسيساعدها على تمشية الوقت في المستشفى.

عندما عدت إلى المستشفى أعطيتها المجلة، وقالت لي: "شكرا لك، هناك العديد من الصور الجميلة في هذه المجلة". وفي تلك اللحظة تذكرت أن جدتي لا تستطيع القراءة. بالطبع كنت أعرف أنها لا تقرأ، ولكن لم أستشعر هذه المعلومة حتى تلك اللحظة.

أدركت أيضا شيئا آخر: وجود تحوّل في عائلتي. جدتي ، لا تستطيع القراءة أو الكتابة، ووالدتي تخرجت من الثانوية، وأنا لدي درجة الماجستير. هذا بالفعل شهادة للتغيرات التدريجية التي حدثت وتحدث في مجتمعنا بشكل بسيط وبدون توسع افقي، ولكن هناك للأسف الكثيرات اللاتي لم تكن لديهن هذه الفرصة.

هناك الآلاف من النساء الشابات اللاتي يصادفن مشاكل كثيرة، لا تقتصر على عدم معرفتهن بفتح الفيسبوك أو تويتر فحسب وإنما لانهن لا يعرفن للقراءة أو الكتابة.

منذ وقت طويل لم يكن المجال الدراسي مفتوحا أمام النساء، وفي العهد الجمهوري تركز التعليم على المدن الكبيرة، أما في الأرياف فقد منعتهن عن الدراسة عدة أسباب؛ إما بسبب عدم وجود مدرسة في قريتهم، أو لأن المدرسة بعيدة جدا، أو لأنهن اضطررن إلى العمل لمساعدة الأسرة، أو لأنهن تزوجن صغيرات، أو لأن الدولة لم تطبق قانون إلزامية التعليم ولم توفر المدارس بالشكل المطلوب.

اليوم، العديد يتحدث عن أهمية المشاركة السياسية للمرأة، وهذا مهم جدا، وضروري جدا، ولكن يتعين علينا ألا نتجاهل الحاجة الماسة إلى الرعاية الصحية الكاملة، والتعليم الكافي للنساء. للأسف كثير من الحركات النسائية تركز فقط على الحقوق السياسية، وتتجاهل الحقوق الأساسية، وبذلك، فإنها تتجاهل الجزء الأكبر من احتياجات المجتمع النسوي.

أتذكر عندما كنت في زيارة لقرية بالقرب من العاصمة التقيت بشاب في السادس من عمره، في غاية الذكاء، تحدثنا لبعض الوقت ودعاني للقاء والدته، أخذني إلى منزلهم، وعندما دخلت، لاحظت أن الأم لديها طفل مريض ممدد بجانبها.

عندما رأتني، سألتني، "هل تعرفي تقرئين؟" قلت لها: نعم. قالت: "زوجي اشترى هذا الدواء، ولكن أنا لا أعرف كيف أعطيه لطفلي." أخذت العلبة وقرأت لها التعليمات بصوت عال . وجودي هناك كانت صدفة إلهية ولكن ماذا عن العديد من الأوقات عندما لا يوجد أحد للمساعدة؟.

عندما كنا في ساحة التغيير، بدأت بعض النساء دورة لمحو الأمية في إحدى الخيام،.وكانت تلك مبادرة رائعة، وكانت هذه فرصة مذهلة للمرأة للمشاركة والتعلم ولبناء مشاركة مجتمعيّة حقيقيّة.

دعونا جميعا نعمل معا للمطالبة من الحكومة إعادة برنامج فصول محو الأمية التي كانت تطبق في السابق، ودعونا أيضا نطالب بالتعليم والرعاية الصحية للنساء وأن تكون هذه المطالب من الأولويّات السياسيّة في مؤتمر الحوار الوطني

Reading should be a right not a privilege

Yesterday when I was riding Berlin's metro to return home, an old woman was sitting in front of me.  She reminded me so much of my grandmother.  She was the German clone of Mama Sayyida! She had the same kind eyes, with the contradictory upset attitude she was giving the person next to her who was sitting a bit too close.  The woman moved her lips indicating discomfort, the same way my grandmother does.  I almost laughed out loud and wanted to get up and hug her.  She then looked down and continued to read.  Yes READ!

While this is a very normal activity in many countries, in Yemen where 60 percent of women are illiterate, reading is in fact a privilege.

A recent event popped in my mind reminding me of a time when mama Sayyida was ill. She was in the hospital and the family was gathered around her. I went out to buy water for everyone and found a magazine with a nice article. I bought it thinking she would like the topic, and it could give her something to do to pass the time while she's at the hospital.

When I came back I gave it to her, and she said: "thanks, there are many nice pictures in this magazine". It was at THAT moment that I remembered my grandmother can’t read. Of course I knew this all along, but I never really internalized it until then.

I also realized something else: the transformation of my family. Mama Sayyida, can’t read or write, my mother graduated from high school, and I have a masters degree.  This in fact is a testimony of the very small incremental changes in our society, but there are many other women who have not had this chance.

Three generations of Yemeni women (from left to right: me, mama & mama Sayyida)

There are thousands of young woman, who not only can't access facebook or twitter, but in fact have never learned to read or write.  They were either banned because there was no school in their village, or the commute was too long, or because they had to work to help the family, or because they married young, or the fact that the state does not implement a law making education obligatory nor provide the proper services for it.

Today, many are speaking about the importance of women's political participation, and while this is in fact important, we should not neglect the urgent need for women's access to health care and education.  Unfortunately, many gender rights group focus only on the political rights ignoring the other basic rights, and by doing so, they alienate a big chunk of the population.

I remember when I was visiting a village near the capital.  I was walking around, and met an extremely brilliant six-year old boy.  We talked and he invited me to meet his mother.  He took me to their house, and when I entered, I noticed that the mother had a sick child laying next to her.

When she saw me, she asked me, "can you read?" I said yes.  She said: "my husband bought this medicine, but I don't know how to give it to my child, and he's not home."  I took the bottle and read the instructions out loud to her.  I coincidentally happened to be there, but what about the many times, when no one is around to help?

During the time we were camped in Change Square, some women began a literacy course in one of the tents precisely highlighting this as a major priority for women.  This was an amazing opportunity for women to engage, learn and become active in their societies.

Let us all work together to demand concrete changes, and demand from the government to bring back the literacy program that it used to implement in the past.  We also must make the rights to education and health care as top political priorities in the national dialogue conference (which began on March 2013 and is scheduled to end in August 2013).