Al-Jumhuriya newspaper, issued by the Al-Jumhuriya Foundation for Press, Printing and Publishing, has resumed its publication again from its main headquarters in the city of Taiz (southwestern Yemen), after an interruption that lasted more than 8 years, due to the war and conflict that has been taking place in the country since 2015.
The high-status press institution launched its restart by issuing a special (exceptional) edition of the hard copy newspaper, on the occasion of the 61st anniversary of the September 26 revolution, 1962. The special issue, which came in 48 pages, included distinguished and diverse journalistic materials, focusing in its entirety on the tough struggle to restore the Republic of Yemen as well as the miserable situation that the country has reached due to the war and conflict that has been ongoing for more than 8 years.
The newly appointed editor-in-chief of Al-Jumhuriya by the Presidential Leadership Council in Aden, Bilal Mahmoud Al-Tayeb, said during the inauguration ceremony that the newspaper’s resume to work again after a forced cessation that lasted more than 8 years is a major achievement and an important step in the course of the national battle against the Houthi coup, as he described it. Stressing that the newspaper will continue to keep pace with developments and combat destructive sectarian philosophies.
Al-Tayeb also confirmed that the newspaper, which resumed its activity by issuing its first paper edition since it interruption in 2015, restarted from scratch, with almost non-existent resources, but it will rely - according to his statement - on its fame and its pioneering legacy of patronizing mission to promote the inspiring and revolutionary concepts and principles of the September 26 Revolution against the beliefs of the Imamate.
A number of young journalists of the city of Taiz expressed the importance of the return of Al-Jumhuriya newspaper to the journalistic and media space in Yemen due to its pioneer and historic position in the Yemeni press. They considered its resuming as a momentous dose of hope for young female and male journalists at a turning point in which the country needs such reference journalistic institutional entities.
The Al-Jumhuriya Foundation for Press, Printing and Publishing was among the institutions and press outlets that were damaged as a result of the war and conflict in Yemen, as previously noted by the “Khuyut” platform in its articles. Al-Jumhuriya newspaper halted publishing after more than half a century of publication, due to the conflict that caused the institution to be looted, destroyed, and robbed. The Al-Jumhuriya printing foundation used to have a sophisticated system of the most modern and largest printing presses and machines in the Middle East. However, it has become merely a dilapidated building and ruins bearing witness to its ancient history in the Yemeni press, and to the destruction that it was subjected to.
According to Al-Tayeb, the newspaper building was completely looted, including equipment, furniture, archives and documents, and even commercial printing presses, which were considered among the most up-to-date printing presses owned by Yemen.
An absolute necessity after a forced interruption
The war and conflict in Yemen caused catastrophic damage and repercussions on the situation of press in general all over the country, as most of the buildings of media institutions were looted, destroyed and closed by the conflicting parties. Not to mention the tightening stranglehold on freedom of the press, and numerous violations against journalists, ranging from murder, arrest, detention, homelessness, and unemployment.
The Al-Jumhuriya Foundation is considered one of the most prominent official media outlets in Yemen, along with the Al-Thawra Press Foundation, which was established in October 1962. It emerged as an ancient press and media school in which hundreds of press men and women have been qualified and gained valuable experience and skills through the opportunity it provided to a number of journalists and media professionals who became writers and prominent journalists on the Yemeni media scene.
Zakaria Al-Kamali, a member of the administrative body of the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate branch in Taiz, stresses to Khuyut the importance of the return of Al-Jumhuriya newspaper to publication, despite it being a late reappearance after more than eight years of cessation, as it was officially stopped on April 17 of 2015, with the launch of the Houthis’ control and invasion of the city of Taiz.
Al-Kamali pointed out that the Al-Jumhuriya Foundation was subjected to looting and abuse in full view of everyone, and its press archive was burned, and its electronic archive was hijacked by the Houthis. Al-Kamali expressed his hope that the newspaper would return to its former state, as it was a great space for thought and enlightenment, and an incubator for all the young writers of Taiz who suffered during the years of the Al-Jumhuriya forced absence.
In turn, Tayeb Rashad, a member of the editorial board of Al-Jumhuriya newspaper, explained in his interview with “Khuyut” that the name of Al-Jumhuriya newspaper was derived from the new system of governance that came after the overthrow of the monarchy, and it was and still is - according to Rashad - a spokesperson of the revolutionaries against the old and new imamate. According to his statement.
A dose of hope
A number of young journalists of the city of Taiz expressed the importance of the return of Al-Jumhuriya newspaper to the journalistic and media space in Yemen due to its pioneer and historic position in the Yemeni press. They considered its resuming as a momentous dose of hope for young female and male journalists at a turning point in which the country needs such reference journalistic institutional entities.
Enas Al-Humairi, a journalist, told Khuyut that: “The return of Al-Jumhuriya newspaper has great meaning for the Yemeni press, as we hope that the Al-Jumhuriya will continue publishing after the setback that occurred to the newspaper during the last period due to the consequences of war and conflict.”
For his part, Makeen Al-Awjari, a journalist, in his interview with Khuyut, believes that the return of the Republic means a lot to the press community and the readers. Because of the position of the print press, specifically the official press such as the Al-Jumhuriya. This is what the press crowd expressed during the inauguration of the return, and their aspiration for it to continue without interruption. They also hope that space will be given to young journalists to present their journalistic and creative skills and supporting their own initiative.
Al-Awjari concluded by stressing the importance of everyone to read and follow Al-Jumhuriya newspaper because of the rich and diverse heritage and contents it carries, which is the soul of the Republic and the carrier of collective awareness since the outbreak of the September Revolution.
