Yemeni Youth Activist’s Testimony before the Senate on Obama’s Secret Drone and Targeted Killing Program

on Monday, May 13, 2013

Farea Al Muslimi is a Yemeni youth activist, a writer and a freelancer journalist. He has chaired various local youth initiatives in Yemen. He is currently working for Resonate, a grass roots youth organization aimed at beneficially engaging Yemeni public and youth policy dialogue. With the assistance of the United States department scholarship, Farea Al Muslimi studied in the United States of America during high school. Last year, he studied public policy at the American University of Beirut.

Farea Al Muslimi says that Wassab village, where he lives, was struck by an American drone just six days ago that horrified the poor farmers. He belongs to a family that lives on vegetables, fruits and livestock that we raise in our farmhouse. He said that his father’s income hardly exceeded 190 Dollars. He included that his life was much different from the life of other people living in this region because the United States totally supported his education from the beginning to the end.

Farea Al Muslimi said that I spent many years in America. I learned about the American culture, traditions, and languages. The most outstanding experience of my life in America was to know that someone who finished up being like a father to me. He was a member of the United States Air Force. Most of my years in the US were spent with him. He was like a father who came to the Mosque with me and I went to the Church with him. He became my best friend. Farea Al Muslimi said that, I went to the United States as an ambassador for Yemen, and came back to Yemen as an ambassador for the United States.

Just six days ago Wassab village was stuck by US drone attacks that terrified the poor villagers. Due to the drone attack, there is an immense anger against the US in Wassab. My personal understanding is that a man who is called Al Radmi, who is a well known man in Wassab, was the target of that drone attack. Farea Al Muslimi said that the Yemeni government could easily capture him, if the United States government had said to do so.

Farea Al Muslimi said that in the past, Wassab locals knew the United States from my stories about my wonderful and exciting experience. All the friendship, culture, traditions and values that I experienced and described to the Wassab villagers. I helped the Wassab villagers to understand the US that I know and I love, but now after the drone attack, when Wassab villagers think of America, they think of terror and fear the drone. They think of America that is ready to fire a missile at any time.

Farea Al Muslimi said that, after this US drone attack on my village, my heart sank and I felt hopeless. For the first time, I was truly feared for my life or for an American best friends who live in Yemen.



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