Prof Yacoub a sensitive and kind man
Iraqi invasion was his most painful experience
This is the fifth in a series of articles on Prof Yacoub Yousef Al Hajji, a prolific writer, consultant and researcher.
Special to the Arab Times rofessor Yacoub Yousef Al Hajji is a highly sensitive man, a soft-hearted, kind soul for whom the Iraqi invasion was the most painful experience he ever had to endure in his life; for, it shattered every illusion he had in the so-called “Arab Brotherhood”.
In the summer of 1990, the professor was chosen by the Arab UNESCO in Morocco to teach Education and Arabic language in Zambia, West Africa for the summer session. On the 2nd of August 1990, the day the Iraqis invaded his homeland the professor was in Zambia teaching.
The shock and horror of seeing on the world news what was happening in his country filled him with disbelief, dismay and anger.
Seeing the killing in cold blood of defenseless civilians; the firing on women in their peaceful demonstration; buildings on fire; Iraqi oldiers looting houses and thousands of bewildered refugees flooding the Saudi Arabian border trying to escape the onslaught, was such an agonizing sight that made his blood boil with anger and pain.
Most of his people were in Kuwait so his first reaction was to return home but getting out of Africa was difficult, eventually he got an air ticket from the Arab UNESCO in Morocco to fly to Turkey, from there he flew to Saudi Arabia to be near his mother, his father, Yousef Jasem Al Hajji was in Egypt.
Suddenly losing his homeland was an agony of uncertainty and worries especially for those stranded abroad with little children, or elderly and sick people to take care of.
P— Editor
By Lidia Qattan
to his people scattered around the world, was a great relief, it also made them united in the campaign to free their land.
Financial help was also extended to those inside Kuwait in collaboration with the Kuwaiti Resistance, but the distribution of the money was a very risky business, because it was a certain death for anyone caught by the Iraqi Mukhabarat, even children were not spared of torture to make them talk!
For those outside the declaration of Kuwait into a restricted military zone by the Iraqi Regime intensified their worries about their own people inside the country because nothing could be heard from them.
The only news that the Kuwaiti Resistance could smuggle out were the documented facts of torture and killing and the systematic looting of everything the Iraqi could lay their hands on, what could not be taken away was destroyed.
At the maternity hospital babies were taken out of incubators for the device to be shipped to Iraq along with other expensive equipments taken from Universities, scientific institutions, schools, laboratories and clubs. Even the museums and art galleries suffered similar fate.
Tension
From Saudi Arabia Dr Yacoub moved to Bahrain, then to Dubai, he tried to enter Kuwait, but he was denied entry. As the rest of his compatriots abroad he suffered from the tension of waiting for his land to be set free while worrying about his people inside the country.
The Iraqi invasion was a stab in the back of every Kuwaiti who generously supported the Iraqis in their time of need.
It was a blow that shattered any hope Dr. Yacoub may have had in a revival of the Arab world.
Unfortunately petty jealousies
Lidia Qattan
and personal ambitions prevent the Arab world from getting united into a common endeavor, petty jealousies and personal ambitions are also the main cause of its weakness.
The professor saw in the GCC countries the first example of a cooperation, which if followed by other Arab countries would have served the common interest, but the Iraqi invasion shattered that illusion. The insidious Iraqi propaganda not only successfully split the Arab world, it also affected the world’s opinion causing the masses to stand in opposition of any proposal of a war on Iraq to free Kuwait, in spite of Iraq ignored every resolution passed by the UN’s Security Council that would have solved the problem!
His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad, HH the Prime Minister, Sheikh Sa-ad Al Abdullah Al Salem, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs HH, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad (Presently the Amir of Kuwait), each in his field engaged in an intensive diplomatic campaign, meeting the leaders of the great powers to free their country, while spurring the UN Security Council to take a resolute action.
At the same time those outside their country engaged in a campaign to free their homeland, while the Kuwaiti Resistance was making the Iraqi Mukhabarat paranoid through daring attacks on Iraqi strongholds not only in Kuwait but also in Iraq itself, and smuggling out documented evidence of torture on men and women that reveal to the world the true nature of the Iraqi regime.
The resistance was also instrumental in the preparation of the Gulf War by disclosing in detail every military Iraqi movement including their strategic positions, this enabled the Generals of the coalition army to plan their attack with pinpoint accuracy, and gain victory in a short time with a minimum of casualties on their part.
Resistance
Incidentally, from the first day of the invasion Dr. Jasem Yousef Al Hajji, Yacoub’s brother was involved in the resistance looking after his patients at the Adan hospital, many of which were casualties from the resistance. When the Iraqi took over the place, he remained steadfast to his job in spite of the danger surrounding him.
His home was miles away, hence to avoid harassments from the soldiers at the numerous checkpoints on his way to and from the hospital, he bribed them with medicine and service, this allowed him to pass undisturbed, he even gained a safeconduct!
Treating casualties from the resistance brought to him incognito was particularly risky, because his hospital, as all the others in the country were under strict Iraqi surveillance; however his tact and shrewdness when dealing with the Iraqi officers prevented him and his patients from getting into trouble.
Dr Yacoub was following the liberation campaign with growing tension feeling reassured only when the war of liberation began.
The implementation of the first phase, the so-called “Desert Shield”, successfully disrupted the Iraqi communication system and paralyzed the Iraqi army.
When in retaliation the Iraqi Regime released a huge oil spill on the Gulf that jeopardized the entire marine ecosystem and the working of the water-desalination plants along the Gulf, Dr. Yacoub recoiled in horror and braced himself for worse to come from such a diabolical regime.
To be continued