“Modern History of Yemen & the Current Political Situation” Seminar by Mr Sabri Saleem By Rana B Khoury

Mr Sabri Saleem’s seminar at the Middle East Institute on 9 February 2011 was concurrent with pro-democracy demonstrations that are shaking the foundations of the Yemeni regime. After contextualizing these recent developments with an overview of Yemen’s modern political history, Saleem oriented the audience to the Yemen College of Middle Eastern Studies, of which he is Founder and President.

The seminar was jointly organized by the University Scholars Programme of the National University of Singapore, MUIS – Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura, and the Arab Network @ Singapore. Reflecting Singapore’s unique Hadrami-Yemeni Arab community, the audience engaged in lively discussion with Saleem. Mr. Saleem responded to critics of Ali Abdullah Saleh’s rule by cautioning that it would not be easy to depose him and that if he were deposed chaos might ensue.

Yemen’s experience of colonization was double-edged in two respects: the Ottoman Empire colonized northern Yemen twice, the second time in reaction to the British establishment of a colony in Aden in southern Yemen. This complex division between the Ottomans and the British took its toll on post-colonial Yemen, as the nation emerged into two independent states that fought internecine wars for many years. Yet the history of Greater Yemen changed dramatically in May 1990, when the independent southern and northern states united to form the Republic of Yemen. General Ali Abdullah Saleh, formerly the leader of North Yemen, became President of the new state and has remained in office until today.

Despite the establishment of democratic institutions, Yemen has faced a host of problems that continue to linger – or have perhaps worsened – since unification. President Saleh, leading his General People’s Congress party, has consolidated power within his autocratic regime. Civil war broke out between north and south in 1994, and disagreements have been further compounded by a northern rebel movement and a southern secessionist movement. Today’s popular demonstrations embody the grievances of Yemen’s opposition parties, demanding reform that will restore their place in the political system.

Throughout the seminar, Saleem emphasized the critical role of education in mollifying Yemen’s problems. He promulgated his Yemen College for Middle Eastern Studies as an example of an institution that seeks to raise educational standards and quality, while increasing the awareness and knowledge of foreign students learning Arabic and studying the Middle East.