Yemen Riots

Newsweek, March 28 2011

A Future Up in the Air

In the past weeks, there has been fierce fighting in Yemen. Troops that remain loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh are locked in fights with the protesters. The demonstrations were sparked off by other recent ones in other Middle Eastern countries. The people of Yemen felt that their government was unfair, and wanted to overthrow it too. Tens of thousands of people from both sides are in a stalemate at “Change Square”, and the government’s snipers have killed 52 people from the crowd, and it is evident that the number of deaths will increase.

I feel that all of us should feel fortunate to live in a peaceful place like Singapore, and should not complain about small little things that they are unhappy with. After reading about all the riots in Libya, Egypt, Ivory Coast, and now Yemen, I know the importance of an honest government and peace in the country. Any lack of these will result in the loss of many lives and the ruining of the whole country.

In Singapore, the current government is doing well in managing the country, and the crime rate is low. However, we cannot take this for granted all the time. We must keep in mind the time when there were racial riots just a few decades ago, and there is no reason why it will not happen again. This applies greatly to Singapore. Singapore is known as the little red dot, and such a small country like us will be thrown into chaos and destroyed much more easily than the bigger Middle Eastern countries. Therefore, it is important to prevent anything, no matter how small, from destroying our social fabric. We must treat other races equally, and understand and appreciate racial harmony. In order to prevent what is happening in the Middle Eastern countries from occurring here, we must be careful with our words, and not openly criticize other races. It is not only about respecting other races. It is about understanding and inviting others with open arms.

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Hi guys, I'm a student in Singapore, and this are some thoughts and essays I have written over the years.