The good and kind people of Yemen are against terrorism but not extremism. Terrorism to Yemenis is when a certain party unjustifiably, extrajudicially, and overwhelmingly attacks ones interests and threatens/takes life. Extremism on other hand is pretty much the same but with the key difference being that it is justified, encouraged, and celebrated.
Terrorism
You see, terrorism, is an evolving phenomena that is constantly being defined and redefined by policy makers and pushed through relentless media babble towards the benefit of one party and demonizing the other. Unfortunately, due to the lack of a concrete description and delineating requisites, terrorism definitions are more often than not outright contradictory and parameters of inclusion ever-increasingly elastic. I am not talking about definitions changing in time period pre and post 911, more so of morning news brief and the evening news round up of same day; same news channel, and yes, same news anchor authoritatively stating it differently every few hours and with a straight face.
Here's an example of a news anchor reporting on same issue, once in the afternoon news, and then in a few hours on the evening news:
- The army ignited a futile and unnecessary conflict in Narland, one of the biggest provinces of our beloved and peaceful Narnia, on premise of fighting terrorism. The army's campaign only led to an exodus of thousands of internally displaced people fleeing the war. The army basically and essentially became the real terrorists here and terrorizing Narlandians out of their homes for a handful of criminals they so vaguely claim to be dangerous terrorists. The army further aggravated the situation by housing the refugee Narlandians in temporary deplorable camps where basic drinking water in constant shortage and a baby formula an unwarranted luxury.
- The army is wasting Narnia's taxpayers money building fancy residential housing for the insignificant and troublesome population of Narland which had always been a hotbed for terrorism. The army is further squandering public money by providing extra privileged services to Narlandians that include home deliveries of baby formula, among other things, knowing well those pesky infants will only grow up to be suicide bombers, just like their fathers! Ladies and gentlemen, that's not just simple harboring and financing of terrorism, that's an unprecedented level of long term terrorist conspiracy to bring about a global apocalypse a generation from now.
Now any average Joe, with absolutely no background or information on the issue raised by the news anchor but still armed with the vaguest comprehension of a commonsense, would see through the jibber jabber and the clear as daylight desperate and almost comical effort by anchor to argue and frame the army for terrorism. Fortunately, the majority of average Joes are a bit smart enough to brush off as a bigot report or as an ill-attempted propaganda/misinformation. However, the remaining few of a minority, having the brain capacity of a tadpole and throats of a howling hyena, will not only cite the anchor's report for scripture, but will also hound the rest of us with it in eternal and pointless argument.
Unfortunately, in the countless and senseless arguments spurred and inevitably boiling down to conspiracy theories, finger pointing, and hidden agendas, a few things become evidently clear; lack of a clear definition of terrorism, lack of factual information, abundance of misuse of the 'terrorism' term by equally fraudulent and guilty sides in accusing and branding each other with it.
Result - public is vaguely aware of what terrorism generally means, but not quite sure what actual acts constitute terrorism or who the real terrorists are. Public additionally reasons and nonchalantly treats terrorism as just some exaggerated scaremongering term the higher ups toss at each other or against a common enemy for the rest of us to assume a common stance and fall behind them against a foe of their selection.
Extremism
Yemen being a tribal/quasi-feudal society with an almost nonexistent state enforced law and order, the people naturally turn to the closest circles to them for creation of autonomous survival and protection power hubs/groups. In a land governed by a mockery of an interchangeable and often ad hoc mix of state and tribal law, proceedings, final ruling, and outcomes are highly dependent on group's sphere of influence and power of parties involved.
Now to grasp this, think of the different groups and parties as pyramids. The bigger and higher a pyramid is, the more prominent and powerful it is. And as with any pyramid, the height and size of it depend on the width, strength, and resilience of the base. This is especially so for the power pyramids of the parties and groups in Yemen where the human pyramid base is mainly made of and highly dependent on the toughness of its members.
The more ferociously rugged and uncompromisingly dedicated a base is in supporting the pyramid, the sturdier and more robust the hierarchical structure grows. Accordingly, for the pyramid stakeholders (especially so for the leaders at top of pyramid), fierceness, fearsomeness, and blind loyalty to group from members at base and all the way to just near top are highly valued qualities and are almost religiously drilled into Yemenis since birth.
It's a simple formula actually; the more extreme the dedication and lengths gone to portray/prove it, the stronger the group and the better chances are competing against other groups for power and prosperity. Folks at the bottom are usually bred or molded into the ferocious 'yes sir' type and naturally expected to be the do crazy and extreme things at behest of leader. However, since a few of them folks may still have the minutest of a spark in that dulled brain and spirit, they are subliminally and constantly reminded of the prospect of advancement and honorably ascending in the hierarchical pyramid if they should unexpectedly and voluntarily go berserk with some extreme act for the sake of the group. Of course there's that annoying arbitrarily denied yet strictly enforced condition of deed having to impress the leader of the group, or otherwise it doesn't count, even if it cost poor member his life.
How widespread is extremism in Yemen?
If you have reached this far and concluded that the above is limited to the tribes, political groups, and such, that's your feeble subconscious logic running off to its comfort-zone and brushing off the argument as wild scaremongering exaggeration. This is because the hard and ugly truth is that Yemen is 74% rural and tribal with the remainder of urban population not having recently landed in the cities from the urban and civilized Mars; alas, they are the same good folks from the hinterlands moved from rural areas to city with all their packages of prejudices and extremism intact. Moreover, group power structure and mentality in rural areas, having survived thousands of years and working well for the people and their leaders, they naturally carried over with them and mirrored in urban society, partly because it was the cohesive material needed for groups' survival exploring the new territories, but also more so pushed by and serving the interests of the groups leaders whom viewed endeavor as an expansion of their dominion and needed the members of their respective groups to secure and reinforce their pyramids.
This is why the first thing a Yemeni asks of another Yemeni stranger to him is not his name but where he is from, which governorate, which tribe, which family; even if has figured much off from attire, accent or look. This is vital information not just for judging a person's power and influence but also to gauge perilousness of group/sphere he belongs to or is affiliated with in order to moderate the level of speech and courtesy extended to them. This is highly critical in situations where a misstep coupled with a misjudgment of a person will hinge your life on how profusely and sincerely you can apologize and/or the speed within which you can hightail it out of there. Why? Because that person you japed at is naturally extreme and you've provided him with an opportunity to prove it, he doesn't care about the law nor recognizes it, and his trigger happy finger happened to be faster than his less inclined tongue in articulating a witty response.
This is why we have more Sheikhs than technocrats in the government and the political parties are headed by Sheikhs of Sheikhs or leaders from powerful tribes backed by Sheikhs. This is why the army generals and directors of security organizations don't just come from powerful tribes, but from same tribe or confederation of tribes that the Leader belongs too. And even then, hierarchy of pyramid goes steeper as Leader would want dominion exclusively to most inner circle, hence his sons, cousins, and in-laws are given the highest of posts and made to preside over others. However, no president has that many kin, next of kin, or even tribal sheikhs and loyalists within his own group to fill all government posts.
Fear not though, for the Leader would tourney out those vacant posts to contenders whom competed not on merit but level of loyalty proven to Leader. Henceforth winners know well their place, kept on a leash, and answer to Leader and his inner circle even if official posts held are of higher authority. A perfect win-win situation where purpose of keeping up appearances of a democracy is served and posts at least filled with loyalists if not complete and utter puppet vassals.
The wining contenders are never completely trusted and are continuously and closely monitored due to not being of group. Nevertheless, a few are finally inducted into circle from time to time after going to extreme measures in proving loyalty and bond cemented, induction sealed, by blood (aka marriage, hence the highly dependable in-laws). For the rest, better luck in the next tourney; one which albeit of random occurrences and not cyclically scheduled, still is almost predictable as it is dependent on performance of services unto Leader of current winners and availability of new promising contenders.
Why not a coup d'état against extremism? How bad is it anyway?
Through the above, one might ask the sensible question of, 'Why not exercise true authority if post now held by the wining contenders are officially higher than inner circle or even Leader?' Well, seems you haven't been paying attention, so here it is, again - because the lot in inner circle are from a vicious and extreme group whom could, and in a heartbeat definitely would, sack from post, ransack out of all privileges and spoils from personal pillages allowed thus-far while in post (even though hefty commissions on corruption schemes were dully paid in time to retainers of Leader and his circle), and finally, as colloquially stated in Yemen, send behind the sun, to burn to a cinder.
This is why a powerful Sheikh will boldly slap silly a high level government official in broad daylight without fear of any form of reprimand from that official's power group/pyramid, which assailant Sheikh has predetermined to be weaker than his own hence confidently and eagerly going forth with the opportune and prized moment of showing his extremism in the form of a most audaciously and culturally insulting slap; in Yemen, a slap on a man's face is a huge taboo and symbolizes the most demeaning and atrociously breaking of the slap recipient's honor and doing so beyond repair. Stab a man in the eye in Yemen and chances are high he will accept as battle wound to live telling and boasting of it. Slap a man and publicly do so, and no matter how weak or lowly he is, he will live with sole purpose of slapping you back, before stabbing you in both eyes.
This is why a Sheikh's son of 14 years old, greatly inspired by the actions of his dad and the pecking order of the society around him, would almost maniacally and actively be seeking an opportunity to prove his own extremism. One showed up to school with his father's tribal escorts (Sheikh's minions), pulled out a 13 years old classmate into the school's yard, and with the assistance of his father's minions, beat the daylights out of the poor kid. With most of the school now in the yard attending witness to spectacle, headmaster and teachers too, any 'verbal' objection that may have been dared at the meekest of voices, was drowned by the roaring crowds cheering the action. The beat-to-a-pulp kid's crime was that he innocently remarked to the Sheikh's son, as a way of a compliment in the previous day while in class, that most Sheikhs are illiterate and should invest in education like him, a fine and radiating example of a Sheikh's son role model!
Another Sheikh's son of 14 years old was riding in the tail of his sister's bridal celebratory motorcade while intentionally and virtually blocking full width of road against other drivers whom may attempt to overtake the bride's procession. A couple of youth of 19 years old and 20 years old, whom were in a hurry prepping for an early next day international flight to their first year of university abroad, found themselves helplessly stuck driving behind procession. In an ill bid folly of youth, they saw a narrow opening in the now widening road and pressed head on to overtake the 'car train procession' that has not only slowed them and other drivers down but also caused a colossal traffic jam of angry drivers driving behind it. The Sheikh's son took note of the youth with a 'complete and utter disbelief' in audacity of attempt but also with much gratitude for the opportunity presented itself for him to show extremism. He all too eagerly and quickly reacted by blocking path of oncoming car and bringing it to a screeching and complete stop. He then jumped out of his car armed with a machine gun and with the few armed minions riding with him on his tail, banged on youth's car and youth themselves using hand and butt of gun in a frenzied fury of a 'how dare you attempt to overtake the Sheikh's motorcade', turned around to leave, felt action was not extreme enough, decided to push a notch higher because he now realized those two youth were 'weaklings and nobodies from Aden', reasoned nobody would care or object to what happens to them when he is the son of the Sheikh, turned back around, cocked gun and in cold blood emptied clip into their chests. Tens of drivers bore witness but stayed still in their cars, holding their breathes and praying they are not next while desperately avoiding eye contact with the Sheikh's son and his minions.
So much pressure! Something's gotta give?
Naturally, there is a boiling point where the people grown so upset and frustrated with such an unjust and brutal system would simply revolt against the status quo. Especially when many are born into weak groups or pyramids, have no hope in passing power bar, wronged in so many ways by those above bar whom continue to and exceedingly so wreck havoc without check. Naturally, the people would revolt and rebel against the system, with the ones in power resisting and attempting to maintain it. But what happens when the pecking order and power system itself is as most natural to the people but a few!? Well, those renegades have no option but to play by the common book and seek the building of their own quasi power pyramids that are not so much built on tribal lineage and Sheikhdoms as much as a set of beliefs and ideologies. Hence the advent and rise of new fringe groups competing to carve out a power niche for themselves and doing so with varying levels of success; Houthis, Southern Mobility Movement (Herak), AlQaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), Ansar AlSharea (AAS), are but a few of those groups.
Some of the earlier named groups are more extreme than others with some like the Houthis being a reincarnation of an earlier form but now come back with a jaded vengeance. Sill, they all share the same basic notions of answering to a higher call for justice and hence a heterogeneous groups of people, that are to varying degrees independent of its members backgrounds, are banding together to form a motley crew of sorts and aspiring to challenge and change the current status quo. This is a stark deviation from the thousand years old edict of having to fight under the banner of the power pyramid you were born within. However, the people in your own power pyramid won't be as aghast when you join a different power group and that is simply because you are now fighting for a higher cause that goes above and beyond the call of the tribe. Especially when you've just proven to all of being capable of taking an extreme step and may soon make them all proud by some exceptionally cavalier act of extremism that will forever be tide to your name and consequently that of the tribe's.
An act such as suicide bombing or slaughtering innocent people as an AQAP member will definitely be frowned upon by all, 'most likely' including the assailants' tribe as well, because it's terrorism. But surprisingly, the tribe will not wallow in shame, and instead of never speaking the name of the assailant, they will repeatedly and casually drop his name anywhere and anytime they get a chance to do so. They will, out of occasion and at times irrelevant of conversation topic, suddenly blurt out, "That misguided poor young man had so much promise. It's sad he ended up being like that. It's the fault of those no good AQAP whom brainwashed him. My tribe feels bad for the families of the 9 men he killed and 17 he wounded". That there ladies and gentlemen, was not an apologetic burst born out of a sense of guilt, responsibility, or the least sorrow. That was a cloaked boast of extremism and a show of what extreme lengths the members of the tribe are willing to go against their perceived enemies and their dangerously high capacity to inflict decapitating damages, hence the highlight of casualties count right at the end of statement. Accordingly, with extreme acts and extremism in general being the value by which to gauge and gain power and dominance, it is henceforth at whichever form and whatever front is encouraged, sought after, and celebrated.
------
In hindsight, this concept of a motley crew come from a wide array of pyramids may have worked well for the army, IF was smartly exploited in recruiting new cadets and hammering in their loyalties to the new group (i.e. the army). The army could have pressed the soldiers with idea and drilled it into them that the've been honorably inducted to a new and much more powerful prestigious pyramid (i.e. the army) and that from here on their allegiances are to none but the state and independent of their backgrounds or respective power pyramids they've previously belonged to. Unfortunately though, with the patronage system in the government spilling over to the army, the soldier's rank, advancement, and authority/privileges afforded were predetermined by which power pyramid he belonged to.
Although the army is now undergoing a restructuring that would hopefully carry with it a shift from the above paradigm, a quick look at the names of the army generals will tell you how much of the army was controlled by a single power pyramid. Lets not forgot too that the Herak (SMM) was sparked by the many Southern army generals whom were forced into early retirement and replaced by generals from that very aforementioned power pyramid.
Anyway, this post is becoming too long to keep my own attention let alone the readers, so will leave it with this - All the above and more that I didn't delve into, are reason why you are compelled in Yemen to go extreme for downright self and life preservation in a vicious and unforgiving environment where being fittest is simply no longer enough to ensure survival.
You go extreme for self respect, for family and group, and for a disturbingly convoluted and senseless honor system that has violated the very sanctity of life and broken all if not most of the basic commonsensical laws of humanity. You go way extreme to prove to the leading extremists that you have what it takes for a chance of having it all or be beat senseless by others whom are more extreme than you are. You go moderately extreme from time to time just to prove you can and to keep other extremists at bay. You instinctually boast to be extreme or act like it even if you are the 'civilized and content with your life' out of fear of giving off a cowardly scent that could be picked up by extremist hounds on the prowl. Go extreme you must, go extreme or go home, if one was still left for you by the other extremists to go back to. You see, after you've so gallantly and grave-mistakenly renounced extremism, presuming or hoping for goodwill from the extremists in leaving you alone at that point is not just gullible wishful thinking, it's a naïveté that borders on the imbecilic; and that's simply because you've just acquired the status of an 'extremist punching bag', and just like the bullies seek out the weak, extremists will seek you for score points that they are in very much need off.
