Yemen: Imam Yahya Ahmad (Ahmed) Hamid al-Din

In 1904 Yahya ibn Muhammad became leader of the Zaydi family and therefore Imam and then "quickly established himself as the undisputed leader of the Yemenis" (Hämäläinen 1996, 17). Imam Yahya is also described as the "traditional ruler of the Zaidi religious community ... [and] remained as theocratic ruler until 1948, when he was murdered in an attempted coup" (Political Handbook of the World: 1991 1991, 767; The Middle East and North Africa 1989 1988, 908). He is also named as Imam Yahya Hamid al-Din (The Independent 14 Apr. 1998), Imam al-Mutawakkil Yahya (ibid. 14 Aug. 1996), as well as simply as Imam Yahya (Daily Mail 30 Dec. 1998; The Daily Telegraph 19 Mar. 1998; The Middle East and North Africa 1989 1988, 908). One source described him as "despotic and conservative" (ibid.). A 14 April 1998 article from The Independent described the rule of the Zaydi imams as "absolute." The Daily Mail provided the following narrative about Imam Yahya:

Early in the century, the great warrior Imam Yahya drove the Turks out of Yemen when they tried to dominate it.

Yahya was rather old-fashioned.

He issued a decree regulating the ancient and important Yemenite Jewish community. Jews had to ride side-saddle; they were not to discuss religious matters with Moslems; they were not to practise usury, because that would bring about the end of the world.

Yet the Jews of Yemen loved Yahya more than any other Imam, and they still say that they were safest under his reign than at any other time (30 Dec. 1998).

According to The Daily Telegraph the coup attempt was backed by al-Ahrar,

an organisation of the country's religious and intellectual elite dedicated to ending the isolation of Yemen fostered by the octogenarian Imam Yahya, the hereditary theocratic ruler. Members of al-Ahrar (Arabic for "the free men") at first invested their hopes for reform in Yahya's son Ahmad, but once Ahmad's authoritarian tendencies became clear, the group's leaders fled to Aden to organise a coup against Yahya. They had their own candidate for the Imamate, Abdallah al-Wazir. In February 1948, Yahya was machine-gunned in an ambush by tribesmen aligned to al-Ahrar. According to one story, Abdallah al-Wazir observed the ambush through binoculars before seizing the royal palace. Though he proclaimed himself Imam, Abdallah's power was short-lived. Within four weeks, Yahya's son Ahmad had mobilised an army which took Sanaa. Ahmad was proclaimed Imam by the religious establishment. The coup leaders were executed, and al-Iryani ["a moderate in the turbulent politics of Yemen"] spent the next six years in prison. In 1955, he was sentenced to death for his part in the attempt.

Minutes before he was to be beheaded, Imam Ahmad pardoned him (19 Mar. 1998).

Other sources reported that Imam Yahya was succeeded by his eldest son Sa'if al-Islam Ahmad (The Middle East and North Africa 1989 1988, 908; Political Handbook of the World: 1991 1991, 767). Other reported names for Imam Yahya's son and successor are: Ahmad Hamid al-Din (The Daily Telegraph 22 Aug. 1996), Sayf al-Islam Ahmad (The Independent 14 Aug. 1996), Imam Ahmad (ibid. 14 Apr. 1998), and Ahmed the Devil (Daily Mail 30 Dec. 1998). After the coup attempt Imam Ahmad "captured the insurgents, executing some and imprisoning others" (The Middle East and North Africa 1989 1988, 908; The Daily Telegraph 19 Mar. 1998).

Imam Ahmad is reported to have adopted a more outward looking policy than his father (Political Handbook of the World: 1991 1991, 767; The Middle East and North Africa 1989 1988, 908). He established diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union in 1956 "and in 1958 the monarchy joined with the United Arab Republic (Egypt and Syria) in a federation styled [sic] the United Arab States that was dissolved three years later" (ibid.). The Middle East and North Africa 1989 corroborated this information and added that since the time Imam Ahmad took over

Yemen has been co-operating in international affairs; in January 1951 a start was made on the development of the country with British, American and French technical aid, and, at the same time, full diplomatic relations were established with foreign powers, including Britain, the USA and Egypt. ...

In April 1955 an attempted mutiny by the army against the Imam Ahmad was defeated, and the royal participants executed; but one consequence may have been the Imam's decision, in August of that year, to set up a formal Cabinet. ...

In May 1959 disorders followed the departure of the Imam Ahmad to Europe, and the Crown Prince, Muhammad al-Badr, introduced various reforms, including the innovation of a Representative Council. This policy was reversed upon the return of the Imam in August.

In March 1961 there was an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate the Imam, who was wounded in the shoulder. The Imam died in September 1962 and was briefly succeeded by his son, Muhammad al-Badr. One week later, however, a coup d'etat took place, led by Yemeni army officers ... and republican forces gained control of most of the country ( 1998, 908-909).

The Daily Telegraph provided additional detail on Imam Ahmad Hamid al-Din and events from 1959 to 1962:

Imam Ahmad suffered from arthritis, which he treated with morphine, administered to him by his wives or concubines. In early 1959 his health declined and he travelled to Italy for treatment, leaving Badr in charge of the country as regent. In his father's absence, Badr set to work on an intensive programme of Nasser-style reforms which unsettled Zaydi traditionalists but found favour with the republican factions which were to overthrow him. Strident radio broadcasts hailed Badr as "the treasure and hope of the nation". His policies caused increasing restlessness among republicans, tribesmen and the army, but did not create popular support. Badr's leniency was taken as a sign of weakness. When the Imam returned to Yemen, he found revolt brewing all over the country, and the treasury alarmingly low, largely as a result of Badr's unsuccessful attempts to buy the loyalty of the most intractable tribes. The Imam re-imposed order in his own despotic fashion, to the humiliation of Badr, whose drinking habits worsened. Nevertheless, as Ahmad's health deteriorated, he felt obliged to devolve further state responsibilites on to his son. Imam Ahmad died on Sept 19 1962. On succeeding to the Imamate, Badr immediately set about fulfilling his promises of reform. He gave an amnesty to political prisoners, ended the system of taking political hostages, set up a 40-member advisory body, and established municipal councils. His reign lasted one week. On the evening of Sept 26, he held a cabinet meeting in his palace in San'a. Among those present was Abdallah Sallal, who strategically excused himself early. Badr had recently released him from prison and appointed him chief of staff in the new regime. Sallal was to lead the revolt against Badr and become the first president of the Yemen Arab Republic (22 Aug. 1996)

The Independent wrote that "Imam Ahmed's increasingly despotic and arbitrary rule" led to the attempted military coup in April 1955 (14 Apr. 1998).

According to Hämäläinen, at the beginning of his rule:

Imam Ahmad moved the Yemeni capital from San'a to Ta'izz and cautiously began to open the country. Imam Yahya had secured his power by keeping Yemen in a state of extreme isolation and backwardness; Imam Ahmad used forigne aid to start some development programmes and also established Yemen's first diplomatic relations with countries such as Britain, the USA, and Egypt in 1951 and the Soviet Union in 1956.

The Imamate of Yemen remained, however, an underdeveloped country. By the end of Imam Ahmad's rule, there were still no paved roads, no Yemeni doctors (and only a handful of foreign ones), no schools other than Koran schools (which were attended by only one child in 20), no legislation except the Koranic Shari'a law, and no factories. Disease abounded, with around 50% of the population suffering from some kind of venereal disease and 80% from trachoma. In 1962, Yemen was probably the most medieval country in the world (1996, 18).

In other information on Imam Ahmad the Daily Mail reported:

Yahya's son was called Ahmed the Devil. He had bulging, hyperthyroid eyes, which made him look terrifying. And he was terrifying.

In the 1940s and 1950s, he put down several rebellions personally, wielding a sword. The heads of his enemies usually ended up on the the great gate of Sanaa.

Ahmed had the only telephone in Yemen and the only telescope. One of his pleasures was to go on to the roof of his palace and sweep his telescope around his capital and the neighbouring hills.

He would often startle a visitor by saying: 'I saw you yesterday' which convinced his subjects he had supernatural powers, and really was a devil.

Ahmed's policy was to keep his country sealed off from the outside world, and to preserve its independence. He feared the European powers especially England and France - and Western influences. The only schools were the traditional madrassehs devoted to teaching solely the Koran, and only about one Yemeni in 20 went to them.

Since he was suspicious of the West, he had his army trained by Egyptians and Iraqis - and it was they who arranged the revolution just days after his death in 1962 (30 Dec. 1998).

The Washington Post reported that

Yemen is a conservative Islamic country that blends elements of modern democracy with those of a feudal kingdom. Imam Ahmad, who died in 1962 and was Yemen's last prominent monarch, is said to have kept tribal leaders in line by making permanent "guests" of their sons, treating them to first-class educations even as he held their lives in his palm (16 May 1997).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Daily Mail [London]. 30 December 1998. John Casey. "Anatomy of a Country Where Time Has Stood Still for 800 Years ... " (NEXIS)

The Daily Telegraph [London]. 19 March 1998. "Obituary of Abd al_Rahman al-Iryani Yemeni who narrowly Escaped Beheading and Became President Only to End Up an Exile." (NEXIS)

_____. 22 August 1996. "Obituary of Imam Muhammad al-Badr." (NEXIS)

Hämäläinen, Pertti. 1996. Yemen: A Lonely Planet Guide Travel Survival Kit. Hawthorn: Lonely Planet Publications.

The Independent [London]. 14 April 1998. A.B.D.R.Eagle. "Obituary: Qadi Abd al-Rahman al-Iryani." (NEXIS)

_____. 14 August 1996. A.B.D.R.Eagle. "Obituary: Imam Muhammad al-Badr." (NEXIS)

The Middle East and North Africa 1989. 1988. 35th ed. London: Europa Publications.

Political Handbook of the World 1991. 1991. Edited by Arthur S. Banks. Binghamton, NY: CSA Publications.

The Washington Post. 16 May 1997. John Lancaster. "'Kidnapping in Yemen is Hospitality'; Tribesmen use Captive Foreigners as Well-Treated Pawns in Disputes With Own Government." (NEXIS)