Hamid al-Ahmar
Encyclopedia
Hamid al-Ahmar (born 1967) is a Yemen
i multibillionaire businessman and politician. He is the general secretary of the Preparatory Committee of the National Dialogue for the JMP
and a member of opposition party Yemeni Congregation for Reform, commonly known as Islah.
He is a son of Abdullah ibn Husayn al-Ahmar
, the former head of the Hashid
tribal confederacy of Islah which is now headed by Hamid's older brother Sadeq,Yemen's splintered opposition, Al Jazeera
, 26 June 2011 and the former Speaker of the Yemeni HR since 1993. Senior Al-ahmer has been known in Yemen as the presidents’ maker and breaker. His uncle, after whom he is named, was executed by the Yemeni Imam Ahmed Hameed Al-deen (1948–1962) during the Yemeni civil war
of 1962-1968. "After all, the heinous murder of his ambitious uncle and grandfather led his father to mobilize the Hashid tribes, normally supporters of the Imam, to the side of the revolution when it broke out in north Yemen in 1962. The efforts of his father, family, and tribesmen eventually led to the permanent demise of the Imamate’s 11 centuries’ rule."
As a youth, he spent summers in the United States, staying with a family to learn English. He earned a bachelor degree in economics with honors at Sana'a University
. He went into buying, eventually owning cellular telecom Sabafon
, the Islamic Bank of Saba, and at least a dozen other businesses.
He has been a member of the Yemeni House of Representatives
(HR) since the 1993 parliamentary elections. He has been a member of the Shoura Council of the Yemeni Congregation for Reform party which is known by its short Arabic name Islah, meaning "reform." At the beginning of 2007, he was elevated to the Higher Commission of the party, which is equivalent to a political bureau.
While not occupying any formal position within the Yemeni opposition parties coalition which is known as the Joint Meeting Parties—JMP, Hameed is widely perceived as the Yemeni opposition’s strong man. He is believed to be the engineer and the patron of the JMP and of the political, civil, and tribal opposition to the current Yemeni regime. He is credited for leading the Yemeni opposition in a presidential elections battle against Saleh in September 2006. Hameed’s success is attributed to his education, success as a businessman, and his very influential political family (Al-ahmer) of the Hashid tribal coalition which dominates Yemen’s politics since the ascension to power of the current Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh who is also from Hashid.
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
i multibillionaire businessman and politician. He is the general secretary of the Preparatory Committee of the National Dialogue for the JMP
JMP
JMP may refer to:* JMP , a statistical analysis application by SAS Institute, Inc.* JMP * Jean-Marie Pfaff, a Belgian football goalkeeper* Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation...
and a member of opposition party Yemeni Congregation for Reform, commonly known as Islah.
He is a son of Abdullah ibn Husayn al-Ahmar
Abdullah ibn Husayn al-Ahmar
Sheikh Abdullah bin Husayn bin Nasser al-Ahmar was a politician and tribe leader of Yemen. He was speaker of the Assembly of Representatives of Yemen from 1993 to 2007 and also was the Sheikh of the Hashid tribal federation and the Al-Islah tribal confederacy.He inherited the position of Sheikh...
, the former head of the Hashid
Hashid
The Hashid tribal federation is the second largest tribal federation in Yemen. Member tribes of the Hashid Confederation are found primarily in the mountains in the North and Northwest of the country. It was headed by Sheikh Abdullah ibn Husayn al-Ahmar until his death on December 29, 2007 and is...
tribal confederacy of Islah which is now headed by Hamid's older brother Sadeq,Yemen's splintered opposition, Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera is an independent broadcaster owned by the state of Qatar through the Qatar Media Corporation and headquartered in Doha, Qatar...
, 26 June 2011 and the former Speaker of the Yemeni HR since 1993. Senior Al-ahmer has been known in Yemen as the presidents’ maker and breaker. His uncle, after whom he is named, was executed by the Yemeni Imam Ahmed Hameed Al-deen (1948–1962) during the Yemeni civil war
North Yemen Civil War
The North Yemen Civil War was fought in North Yemen between royalists of the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen and factions of the Yemen Arab Republic from 1962 to 1970. The war began with a coup d'état carried out by the republican leader, Abdullah as-Sallal, which dethroned the newly crowned Imam...
of 1962-1968. "After all, the heinous murder of his ambitious uncle and grandfather led his father to mobilize the Hashid tribes, normally supporters of the Imam, to the side of the revolution when it broke out in north Yemen in 1962. The efforts of his father, family, and tribesmen eventually led to the permanent demise of the Imamate’s 11 centuries’ rule."
As a youth, he spent summers in the United States, staying with a family to learn English. He earned a bachelor degree in economics with honors at Sana'a University
Sana'a University
Sana'a University was established in 1970 as the first and the primary university in the Yemen Arab Republic , now the Republic of Yemen . It is located in Sana'a, the capital of Yemen, and is currently organized with 17 faculties...
. He went into buying, eventually owning cellular telecom Sabafon
Sabafon
Sabafon was the first GSM Network operator in Yemen, launched in February 2001.-Sabafon Logo and Slogan:Slogan: "سبأفونSABAFON ... همزة الوصل", meaning SABAFON.....
, the Islamic Bank of Saba, and at least a dozen other businesses.
He has been a member of the Yemeni House of Representatives
Assembly of Representatives of Yemen
The Assembly of Representatives is the legislature of Yemen. The Assembly has 301 members, elected for a six year term in single-seat constituencies.-See also:* List of Speakers of the Assembly of Representatives of Yemen...
(HR) since the 1993 parliamentary elections. He has been a member of the Shoura Council of the Yemeni Congregation for Reform party which is known by its short Arabic name Islah, meaning "reform." At the beginning of 2007, he was elevated to the Higher Commission of the party, which is equivalent to a political bureau.
While not occupying any formal position within the Yemeni opposition parties coalition which is known as the Joint Meeting Parties—JMP, Hameed is widely perceived as the Yemeni opposition’s strong man. He is believed to be the engineer and the patron of the JMP and of the political, civil, and tribal opposition to the current Yemeni regime. He is credited for leading the Yemeni opposition in a presidential elections battle against Saleh in September 2006. Hameed’s success is attributed to his education, success as a businessman, and his very influential political family (Al-ahmer) of the Hashid tribal coalition which dominates Yemen’s politics since the ascension to power of the current Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh who is also from Hashid.
External links
- The Yemeni Opposition’s strong man, Dr. Abdullah Al-Faqeh, Yemen TimesYemen TimesThe Yemen Times is unified Yemen's first and most widely-read independent English-language newspaper. The paper is published twice-weekly and has its own printing press, advertising associates and news service....
, 27 December 2007 - Saleh’s Son Lashes at Sheik Hamid al-Ahmar, Vows to Face 'Plots', Mohammed Al-Amrani, Yemen Tribune, 15 November 2009
- Sheikh Hameed Al-Ahmar to Yemen Times: "The real threat to Yemen’s unity and stability is this current regime", Yemen TimesYemen TimesThe Yemen Times is unified Yemen's first and most widely-read independent English-language newspaper. The paper is published twice-weekly and has its own printing press, advertising associates and news service....
, 1 March 2011, extensive interview - Yemen security blames Islah leader for Friday massacre, Nasser Arrabyee, Yemen ObserverYemen ObserverThe Yemen Observer is an English-language, triweekly newspaper published in the Republic of Yemen. It was founded in 1996 by Faris Sanabani, aide and press secretary of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Its editors include Editor-in-Chief, Mohammed al-Kibsi...
, 21 March 2011 - Kingmaker seeks stable, developed Yemen, Abigail Fielding-Smith in Sana’a, Financial TimesFinancial TimesThe Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
, 25 March 2011 - Yemen's Hamid al-Ahmar urges President Saleh to leave, BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
, 31 March 2011