Yemeni Writers and Literary Men’s Union 3 Decades of Strife and Perseverance [Archives:2001/07/Reportage]

Report by: 
Mohammed Al Hakimi 
Yemen Times, Taiz 
Distinguished as the major and most prominent non-governmental organization, the Yemen Writers and Literary Men’s Union came into being in 1971 to call for one Yemen. The most significant factor leading to its founding was the need for Yemen to raise its voice against those calling for separation and war between the two parts of Yemen at that time. It represented an axis connecting people from the two parts, working in favor of the unification of Yemen in general. Furthermore, its initial form as a unified organization has played a significant role in successfully spreading an awareness about what Yemen means to intellectuals and vice versa; defending the homeland’s heritage, creating a cultural liveliness and strongly defending freedom of creativity. It mainly aims at the following: 
– spreading literature and literary pursuits and undertaking and promoting literary production; 
– defending all intellectual ownership rights; 
– defending literary figures, their freedom and their work; 
– defending democratic freedom and human rights; 
– fighting sectarianism, separatism, racism, tribalism, and all tribal tendencies and trends; 
– adopting and patronizing Yemeni talents and potentials, and helping them develop; 
– importing Arabic literature and intellectual properties from abroad into Yemen, and helping the Yemeni intellectual recognize their significance; 
– promoting literature and thoughts that express the issues of freedom, democracy and progress; 
– strengthening the relationship between Yemeni and Arabic culture; and 
– cultivating cultural, human and literary relations with the Arab unions across the Arab world. 
In the seventies and eighties, its role was mainly concentrated around political life rather than cultural life and the reason for this is quite clear. At that time, the partition of Yemen used up most of the energy of the union as it promoted the idea of unity. However, its role changed afterwards. In fact, that role didn’t come to an end, but the Union started the more difficult task of creating a solid intellectual groundwork for confronting the problems and difficulties of the future. 
Inspite of the fact that the Union is very popular among the Yemeni people, it’s relationship with the authorities has been quite strange. It used to receive some insignificant support from the Ministry of Finance during the seventies and eighties but it doesn’t do so now. The only way the Union can now get support is for the sake of publishing – once a year – a magazine or a pamphlet. However, it has maintained its independent status. 
Recently, the Union witnessed with concern a noticeable stagnancy in cultural and political life. On account of this, the Union found it urgent to hold it’s seventh general conference through which they can have serious critical deliberations which are believed to be able to save the Union from the recent recession.
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