Ethnic Cleansing in Yemen?
Update: After several discussions with kind readers, the blog does go out on several feeds after all, apparently what Mr. Zaid said was, “Hashimites are treated like foreigners,” which makes much more sense. In terms of targeting, its the Zaidi Hashimites (as opposed to Sahaifee Hashimites) who are subjected to arbitrary arrest, religious persecution, economic sanctions (getting fired) and institutionalized discrimination. Zaidi is a sect and Hashemi is a race. In 1962, Zaidis overthrew the Hashimite Imamate. There are many Zaidis in high positions obviously. I thought that might have been a mis-translation. But this again shows the problem of the entire JMP being unable to issue a press release in English. If they want to be quoted correctly in Englilsh, they should do their own translations. Nonetheless, the Yemen Tribune is a good new site in English.
SANAA, 06 Oct — Head of the opposition coalition, the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP), Hassan Zaid Monday said “the war in Sadaa is initiated to obliterate the Zaydi ideology from Yemen and replace it with the Suni ideology,” adding “the war in Sadaa began when the state insulted the Zaydis and Hashemites, kicked them out of their jobs, and took over their mosques,” stressing “what is happening in Yemen is a war on behalf of other states.” Zaid who was talking to Aylaf online magazine said “Zaydis in Yemen are treated as if they were foreigners or agents and as if they have no right to life and liberty.” Head of the state-sponsored committee of Fatwa and Science, Dr. Aqil al-Magtarri rejected Zaid’s statements saying “the door is wide-open in Yemen for all sorts of religious sects and ideologies,” adding “contrary to what Zaid claimed, sensitive posts in the state are occupied by Zaydis,” but “those people have their own ambitions and like Jews, they forge the truth. Their books and tapes are full of ideologies and doctrines that are contrary to the Zaydi creed.” He said “Zaid and his alike want to internationalize the issue in northern Yemen and want foreign powers to intervene in the country under the pretext of ethnic cleansing.”
