Two Yemeni journalists carry passengers in motorcycle… for work

In the midst of war conditions and the oppression of suffering Yemenis, two young professionals from media of the Yemeni capital Sanaa, which has been groaning under the repression of the Houthi militia for more than nine years, they decided to follow a model of noble struggle, to ensure a clean life, and the two young men resorted to buying a motorcycle or something like that, called “Motor” in Yemeni dialect, which they use to transport passengers as their main source of income.

Safe rides with VIP services

The two young men have published on their pages about social their phone numbers with touching words stating that we guarantee you safe travel with VIP services and delivery of inquiries at an appropriate price, in any time, with the exchange of conversations in poetry, literature, philosophy and life. For a small fee, relying on their social influence and literary and media presence, they provided promotional advertising with personal services they provided on their bicycles.

Commitment, trust and challenge against the status quo

The two journalists are Munir Muhammad al-Omari, a reporter, reporter and content creator, and Omar Rashid, a student of the Sana’a University’s Faculty of Mass Communication.

Despite the dangers of riding a motorcycle on the streets of Yemen due to traffic and illegality, the two young men are committed to respecting traffic and safety rules and have claimed not to ride in reverse lane, do not cross a red light, and ensure the motorcyclist with them to spend his journey comfortably and in safety.

Unqualified channel president, rights plunderer

Munir Al-Omari told Al-Arabiya.net: “Working in the field of media it is not enough to sustain an individual, let alone a family. I’m even forced into five other professions, and even if I work now in a government channel, but with little pay in change of a weekly program, I left last November.” From the channel “The Moment”, after the head of the channel robbed my rights, a lawsuit was filed against him in the labor court, but he they have refused to have responded to the court judge’s notifications so far, and he has no qualification other than that he is from “Saada”, the Houthi stronghold.

A great broadcaster is not in able to provide the necessary sustenance

Munir added, speaking to Al-Arabiya.net: “I was the director of production and programs in his channel, a linguist and head broadcaster. I also worked as an editor-in-chief for a period and all my work at the time, I was in other professions in so as to be able to satisfy the primary needs of the food necessary for me and my family”.

Earnings equal to the salary of a government minister

Mounir continued his speech, saying, “I owned a YouTube channel, and it was hacked by unknown people, and I made profits from it for about a year, and the profits were much greater than working as a journalist. Here you can say that it is equal to the salary and accreditation of a government minister, but it is hardly equal to the amounts of embezzlement and corruption.” But I opened a new channel, and it still hasn’t reached the number of subscribers it has arrived».

Unknown journeys seasoned with poems

Mounir said, commenting on his colleague Omar Rashid, who preceded him to work on a bicycle, and said: “He is not the only journalist who works on (engine) a motorcycle, nor is he the only one who seeks clients through his Facebook page, I also decided to have the same experience, and this is my bike that can take you in any destination you want, and for information, prefer fast driving on the road, so it will be suitable for those in a hurry with important trips, those who do not (bargain) and do not ask the price of the trip, in addition to the fact that the driver, expensive customer, is qualified to the highest level e in full dress, and as you see in The photo is my bike does not have a speaker and not even a device (mb3), because in in case of crowding you will come with me in a journey through art, poetry, literature, philosophy, even metaphysics topics that Friday sermons do not address, it is true that I have strange behaviors while driving with the world around me, this is to break the monotony of topics that I often discuss with myself, and also to get out of the ordinary.

THE media they don’t make a living

Omar Rashid, who studies i media and create content on YouTube, believes i media do not eat to live in the country, so he decided to buy an engine or a motorcycle out of toil and diligence seeking a livelihood, in order to pick up his day’s morsel by the sweat of his brow, considering that toil and experience they sharpen a person and develop his skills and make him a man, responsible and reliable experience.

While the activists described the young man, Munir Muhammad Al-Omari, as a brilliant, cultured and encyclopaedic TV host who has presented many major programs on the screens of ‘The Moment’ and ‘Al-Iman’ channels and others, he goes from TV platform to work on a motorcycle to be able to guarantee his family the bare minimum for life. It’s a huge stigma.”

The theory of paralysis, wasta and drumming

In addition, the story of the two young men has aroused the media in Yemen, and influencers and media they sympathized with them, and they didn’t hesitate to promote their work with their motorcycle, praising their struggle and manliness in finding a livelihood with honor and hard work. Noting that Mounir, in the secretariat, is an important professional of mediadespite his young age, and has an excellent background in literary, poetic and historical fields, and also stands out in its programs that it has presented on different satellite channels.

And they continued: “Unfortunately, ours media government and private are subject to the theory of paralysis, nepotism and drumbeat”. They also raised hashtags and slogans of support and solidarity, “Support our successful young people and spread them, and learn from them the art of struggle and the road to success”.