HAPPY YEMENIS SUFFERING FROM QAT

From Yemen, I write to you to talk about the brotherly Yemeni people who are experiencing the same hardships of the other Arab Spring countries besides their suffering from regional problems. 

Yemen suffered from a state of isolation following the outbreak of the 1962 revolution in which the Yemenis fought against the royal regime.

Since then Yemen has been relying on aid as it is not an oil company. 

Unemployment in Yemen is still high both in the North and the South and majority of the Yemenis are poor except for few ones who really possess lands, oil and gas companies, cars and real estate.  All these problems are no secret to anyone.  They are published every day in papers, especially al-Thawra newspaper. 

There are two revolutions in Yemen: September revolution against the royal regime and the February Revolution by young people which is considered an extension to the September Revolution.  But till now the last revolution, that was waged against hegemony, corruption, and manipulation and bequeathing of power, failed to achieve its goals.

The Yemenis always talk about the February revolution and how it was stolen from them and how it failed to achieve security, unity and stability and recover economy and investments.

Reasonable people in Yemen call for a just solution that guarantees national unity, swift settlement of Saada issue, reconstruction of what was damaged in the past six wars, fair distribution of wealth, fighting corruption and putting Yemen’s higher interests above any other interests. 

From what I have been seen during my visits to Yemen over the past ten years, I noticed that the Yemenis are still suffering from a chronic disease that they will never be cured of unless a brave decision was taken by a strong ruler of the country and a jail sentence and a fine were slapped and this disease is their addiction of Qat, a mild stimulant leaf that many of Yemen’s 25 million people chew daily.

These soft green leafs are chewed ubiquitously in all villages and cities of Yemen.

You find most of Yemenis, both men and women, stuffing their mouth with these tender leaves for long hours from noon to the evening.

After chewing the Qat, Yemenis become absent-minded and live in their fantasies, illusions and dreams. They forget their daily problems and see their country as beautiful as they can see.

Unfortunately, Qat bags are sold in public in all markets across the nation but lately it was noticeable that well-educated people started to give up on Qat after coming back from their scholarships.

What is regrettable is that many poor people prefer to spend their money on these destructive green leaves instead of buying bread to their kids.

I also noticed some beggars trying to take qat from drivers while in traffic. 

Finally, this people could be among the most developed ones if they wake up to find a dare State decision banning the Qat cultivation and chewing and slapping a deterrent penalty against addicts like what China has done against opium addicts. 

If this happened, the Yemenis will live in prosperity away from illusions and fantasies.  Its image will be then so flourishing.