Abdullah ibn Husayn al-Ahmar
Encyclopedia
Sheikh Abdullah bin Husayn bin Nasser al-Ahmar (1933 – 29 December 2007) 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
of the Hashid
tribal federation from his father, Husayn Bin Nasser al-Ahmar, who was executed by Imam Ahmad bin Yahya
. As a result, during the North Yemen Civil War
Abdullah al-Ahmar sided with the Republicans against the Royalists and was appointed governor of Hajjah
, but he refused to join the Egypt
ian-backed government of Abdullah as-Sallal
. After Egypt withdrew from Yemen
, he helped topple the Sallal government and his tribes provided crucial support to the new regime of Abdul Rahman al-Iryani
against the royalists.
In 1970, the civil war ended with the abolition of the monarchy and al-Ahmar became the chairman of the new Consultative Council. When Colonel Ibrahim al-Hamdi seized power in 1974, he tried to limit the representation of the tribal leaders, which led to an open rebellion by the Hashid tribes. After the assassination of Hamdi in 1977, Saudi Arabia
helped bring about a reconciliation between the tribes and the new government in 1978, first under Ahmad Husayn Ghashmi and then under Ali Abdullah Saleh
. Ali Abdullah Saleh
belongs to the same family - the Al-Ahmar Family. Abdullah Al-Ahmar was appointed to the Constituent People's Assembly.
Although he opposed the government of South Yemen, he supported the 1990 unification of North and South Yemen and formed the Islah Party, which represents tribal as well as Islamic interests. The Islah Party won 62 seats out of 301 in the parliamentary elections of 1993, in which it ran in coalition with President Saleh's People General Congress (PGC), and al-Ahmar was elected speaker of parliament. In 1997, the party won 56 seats and al-Ahmar was re-elected speaker of parliament. Though his party won only 45 seats in the 2003 elections and was no longer in coalition with the PGC (which won a majority of 225 seats), al-Ahmar was re-elected speaker of parliament; he was again re-elected to that post in 2007.
Al-Ahmar died of cancer on 29 December 2007, aged 74, at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital
in Riyadh
, Saudi Arabia
. Three days of mourning were declared for al-Ahmar, who was considered Yemen's second most powerful person.
His son Sadeq bin Abdullah bin Hussein bin Nasser al-Ahmar succeeded him in the positions of the Sheikh
of the Hashid
tribal federation and the Al-Islah
tribal confederacy, and remains in those positions intact.
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....
. He was speaker of the Assembly of Representatives of Yemen
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...
from 1993 to 2007 and also was the Sheikh
Sheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
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 federation and the Al-Islah
Al-Islah
The Yemeni Congregation for Reform, frequently called Islah or Al-Islah, , is the main opposition party in Yemen. At the last legislative elections, 27 April 2003, the party won 22.6 % of the popular vote and 46 out of 301 seats.-Foundation:...
tribal confederacy.
He inherited the position of Sheikh
Sheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
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 federation from his father, Husayn Bin Nasser al-Ahmar, who was executed by Imam Ahmad bin Yahya
Ahmad bin Yahya
Ahmad bin Yahya Hamidaddin was the penultimate king of the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen from 1948 to 1962. His full name and title was H.M. al-Nasir-li-din Allah Ahmad bin al-Mutawakkil 'Ala Allah Yahya, Imam and Commander of the Faithful, and King of the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of the Yemen...
. As a result, during the North Yemen 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...
Abdullah al-Ahmar sided with the Republicans against the Royalists and was appointed governor of Hajjah
Hajjah Governorate
Hajjah is a governorate of Yemen. Bordered by the Red Sea, it has its capital in Hajjah.-Overview:Claims have been made that this region along with Sa'dah and Al Hudaydah legally belong to Saudi Arabia due to irregularities in the Treaty of Taif and the fact that it was once part of Asir that was...
, but he refused to join the Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian-backed government of Abdullah as-Sallal
Abdullah as-Sallal
Abdullah al-Sallal was the leader of the North Yemeni Revolution of 1962. He served as the first President of the Yemen Arab Republic from 27 September 1962 to 5 November 1967....
. After Egypt withdrew from Yemen
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....
, he helped topple the Sallal government and his tribes provided crucial support to the new regime of Abdul Rahman al-Iryani
Abdul Rahman al-Iryani
Abdul Rahman Yahya Al-Eryani was the President of the Yemen Arab Republic from November 5, 1967 to June 13, 1974. Al-Eryani was a leader of the al-Ahrar opposition group, during the time of the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen...
against the royalists.
In 1970, the civil war ended with the abolition of the monarchy and al-Ahmar became the chairman of the new Consultative Council. When Colonel Ibrahim al-Hamdi seized power in 1974, he tried to limit the representation of the tribal leaders, which led to an open rebellion by the Hashid tribes. After the assassination of Hamdi in 1977, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
helped bring about a reconciliation between the tribes and the new government in 1978, first under Ahmad Husayn Ghashmi and then under Ali Abdullah Saleh
Ali Abdullah Saleh
Field Marshal Ali Abdullah Saleh is the first President of the Republic of Yemen. Saleh previously served as President of the Yemen Arab Republic from 1978 until 1990, at which time he assumed the office of chairman of the Presidential Council of a post-unification Yemen. He is the...
. Ali Abdullah Saleh
Ali Abdullah Saleh
Field Marshal Ali Abdullah Saleh is the first President of the Republic of Yemen. Saleh previously served as President of the Yemen Arab Republic from 1978 until 1990, at which time he assumed the office of chairman of the Presidential Council of a post-unification Yemen. He is the...
belongs to the same family - the Al-Ahmar Family. Abdullah Al-Ahmar was appointed to the Constituent People's Assembly.
Although he opposed the government of South Yemen, he supported the 1990 unification of North and South Yemen and formed the Islah Party, which represents tribal as well as Islamic interests. The Islah Party won 62 seats out of 301 in the parliamentary elections of 1993, in which it ran in coalition with President Saleh's People General Congress (PGC), and al-Ahmar was elected speaker of parliament. In 1997, the party won 56 seats and al-Ahmar was re-elected speaker of parliament. Though his party won only 45 seats in the 2003 elections and was no longer in coalition with the PGC (which won a majority of 225 seats), al-Ahmar was re-elected speaker of parliament; he was again re-elected to that post in 2007.
Al-Ahmar died of cancer on 29 December 2007, aged 74, at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital
King Faisal Specialist Hospital
The King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center is a hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which operates 850 beds with approximately 8,500 employees. In all there are 63 different nationalities making up the staff. The hospital is the national referral center for oncology, organ...
in Riyadh
Riyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
. Three days of mourning were declared for al-Ahmar, who was considered Yemen's second most powerful person.
His son Sadeq bin Abdullah bin Hussein bin Nasser al-Ahmar succeeded him in the positions of the Sheikh
Sheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
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 federation and the Al-Islah
Al-Islah
The Yemeni Congregation for Reform, frequently called Islah or Al-Islah, , is the main opposition party in Yemen. At the last legislative elections, 27 April 2003, the party won 22.6 % of the popular vote and 46 out of 301 seats.-Foundation:...
tribal confederacy, and remains in those positions intact.
External links
- Late Sheikh Al-Ahmar: Man of national compromise, Hatem Ali, 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....
, 3 January 2008