Q: What kind of school did you enroll?
A: First, I studied in the school called “Tahdireiya(Al-madrasat Al-ilmieya)” in Sana’a. In “Tahdireiya”, students were studying about Islamic law(Sharieyah) so that those student who graduated from that high school were well-informed in “sharieyah”. Comparing to the school we have in these days, they do teach “Sharieyah” ,but only a part of it. We had to study all of them instead. “Shrieyah” is the law that makes all people equal. After I graduated from the school, I entered high school in Hodayhah, the only high school in Yemen.
Q: I heard that many revolutionists were raised in orphanage. Do you know anything about the education there?
A: I am not really sure about the education of the orphanage, but it is true that many revolutionists were graduated from that school. There have classes of 1sf grade to 7th, and that was made by Turks.
Q: Is there any connection between Islamic idea they get in their education and motivation to cause the revolution?
A: Half and half, I think there are some connections. We thought that the way Imam ruled the country was wrong. It was wrong considering the “Shrieyah”. So the revolutions had to be done. We did not decided to kill Imam until he was recognized as “wrong in Sharieyah”, but the main reason that revolutionists cause revolution is to get rid of “Zulm” from people. Because they knew how bad the ordinary people’s life was.
Q: Do you think revolution was a kind of “Jihad”?
A: Yes, “Jihad” in correct way.
Q: After the revolution of 1948, many revolutionists were killed, otherwise were sent to jail. Are you the one who was sent to the jail?
A: Yes, I spent 7 years in the jail.
Q: I heard some stories about jail, how bad the condition was?
A: There was not a place for people to live. We find bunch of snakes and scorpions there. Even Imam was thinking that all people would die in the prison.
Q: What is the difference between the people who were killed and who were not?
A: Imam killed those people who were thought to be most dangerous and well educated. Those of who were sent to jail thought to be not as dangerous or educated as those who were killed.
Q: How many people were actually killed?
A: After the attempt of 1955, 18 to 20 well educated people were killed.
Q: Was it possible for all people to join the Imam’s army?
A: There was a difference between the era of Imam Yahya and Imam Afmad. In the Imam Yahya’s era, only “Beni Hahshim” people were allowed to enroll the army. “Beni Hashim” is thought to be a descendant of the prophet Muhammad. But it was true that revolutionist includes some of “Beni Hashim”. In the Imam Ahmad’s era, all people were allowed to join the military.
Q: Do you think was that possible to make a revolution without the education?
A: It was not until I got knowledge by education that I realize the situation of Yemen. So I can say that revolution was necessary to make the revolution.
Q: Did you feel any fear when you fight?
A: Not at all. Since I heard many stories from other revolutionist, and well-informed of the reason why the revolution had to be done, I was so confident. I did not feel any fear at all.
Q: How did the society changed after the revolution?
A: I can not say that all goal of the revolution were accomplished, but there were many things changed in better way. For example, all family were getting water from wells of their house, but the water line were built after the revolution, so also electricity.
Q: What about the 6 principle of the revolution. Were they accomplished, or not?
A: No.1,2,5 and 6 are accomplished. No.3 is on the way. No.4 is somewhat accomplished by means of democracy of the 3rd world. We call them “democracy of the ruler” .
During the Imam’s era, army was so weak. They do not know how to make army strong. Soldiers did not have uniform, and many of them were not even wearing shoes, so some people call them “Bare feet army”.
Ali Assallal met his father in the jail after the revolution of 1948, so as many colleagues of Assalal. Therefore, he could have chances to hear stories of outside of the world from well-educated and well-experienced people. It was the best education that he have ever had in his life. Even several guards of the prison were influenced by them, and some of them were actually went over the revolutionist’s side.
Assallal was chosen to be a ruler the revolution, so his colleague Hamud Jeifi was not as enthusiastic as him.