A second political life in Turkey. The Islahi conception of transnational activism in the Yemeni community
Naji Aljabzi, Mustafa
A second political life in Turkey. The Islahi conception of transnational activism in the Yemeni community - 2024.
44
The war in Yemen, which began in the summer of 2014 with the Houthis’ seizure of power and escalated in 2015 following a regional military intervention led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in support of the internationally recognized Yemeni government, has forced many Yemeni elites into exile. In this context, some members of the Islamist party Al-Islah have chosen Turkey as their place of exile, motivated by ideological considerations, after having transited mainly through Saudi Arabia. Since then, a politically and socially active diaspora has formed in Turkey. It is worth noting that refugee status is not granted to Yemenis in Turkey who legally reside there through other types of documents: tourist visa, student visa, permanent residence visa, or humanitarian cards. This community is made up of political exiles, businessmen, and students, and owes its proper functioning to the organizational capabilities of the Al-Islah party, which enjoys good relations with Turkish authorities. This allows the community to engage in transnational activism supported by an associative network comprising solidarity organizations, influential media such as three television channels and study centers, student unions, and above all a community structure called jālīah, which facilitates the transnational action of Yemenis. Although this community includes Yemenis from various political and social backgrounds, the Islahis have come to dominate, using Yemeni diaspora action to promote their political and ideological objectives. Thus, Al-Islah is looking to reinvent itself politically in exile.
A second political life in Turkey. The Islahi conception of transnational activism in the Yemeni community - 2024.
44
The war in Yemen, which began in the summer of 2014 with the Houthis’ seizure of power and escalated in 2015 following a regional military intervention led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in support of the internationally recognized Yemeni government, has forced many Yemeni elites into exile. In this context, some members of the Islamist party Al-Islah have chosen Turkey as their place of exile, motivated by ideological considerations, after having transited mainly through Saudi Arabia. Since then, a politically and socially active diaspora has formed in Turkey. It is worth noting that refugee status is not granted to Yemenis in Turkey who legally reside there through other types of documents: tourist visa, student visa, permanent residence visa, or humanitarian cards. This community is made up of political exiles, businessmen, and students, and owes its proper functioning to the organizational capabilities of the Al-Islah party, which enjoys good relations with Turkish authorities. This allows the community to engage in transnational activism supported by an associative network comprising solidarity organizations, influential media such as three television channels and study centers, student unions, and above all a community structure called jālīah, which facilitates the transnational action of Yemenis. Although this community includes Yemenis from various political and social backgrounds, the Islahis have come to dominate, using Yemeni diaspora action to promote their political and ideological objectives. Thus, Al-Islah is looking to reinvent itself politically in exile.
Réseaux sociaux