[13/October/2009]

SANA'A, Oct. 13 (Saba)- President Ali Abdullah Saleh affirmed on Tuesday the importance of the role of scholars in the process of raising social awareness, offering advice and spreading tolerance and mediation culture among people.

During his meeting with the participating Islamic scholars and intellectuals in the Islam and Tourism Forum, concluded today after two days, Saleh said that if leaders and scholars are good it would be reflected on the nation.

He affirmed that what is happening in Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and north Yemen is due to ignorance of the proper Islam, noting that Islamic scholars should work to clear such kind of misunderstanding and call the nation for mediation without extremism.

President called upon Islamic scholars and intellectuals to necessarily argue those misguided people who wear explosive belts, set booby trapped cars and promote terrorism to persuade them to get rid of their mistaken thoughts.

Saleh talked about situation developments in the war afflicted Saada governorate, noting that those who ignited the rebellion aim at taking power of the country and forgot that the Yemeni Revolution took place 47 years ago against oppression, poverty, ignorance, illness and backwardness.

"They dream of regaining the Imamate era and we believe that any Yemeni has the right to dream of power but through ballot boxes and not by means of terrorism and destruction and slogans of death for America, death for Israel while Israel is not there in Saada," President said.

AM/AM

Saba