Nightmare in Yemen

NIGHTMARE IN THE YEMEN, written in conjunction with Neil M. C. Sinclair, a well-known local historian and the author, is the true story of what happened to an otherwise well-meaning father of five children who had the misfortune to discover his private life written bold across the headlines of the local and UK national press highlighting lurid tales that described him as the 'loving' father who tried to sell his daughter, Iysha.

If it is printed in black and white it must be true. Or is it? In an age of cynicism and public media savvy, we seem to know the answer but we still ask the question: Is it true what the papers say? At one time or another we have all pondered this question but generally take as verbatim what is said in the press. Until, of course, it directly concerns us At such times the state of shock makes us the better judge when we discover a misrepresentation of our private life exposed before the world. Only then do we catch a glimpse of how inaccurate a report can be and what pain and anguish such an expose can bring not only to oneself but also to one's entire family and community.

This is precisely what happened to one of the authors Razaz Mohamed Mutahar, a 42-year old resident of Wales' oldest multiethnic seagoing communities, that is Tiger Bay which has a long-established Yemeni community in this part of the capital of Wales where Arabic has been, and still is, an everyday language of its streets.

Until more recent times academia, the Welsh Tourist Board, Cardiff Marketing, and other such agencies have overlooked this ancient aspect of south Cardiff life and failed to capitalize on its colourful historical past. Thus the authors have not only revealed and exposed media exaggerations behind these misleading and distorted headlines, they also tell of some of the long history of Yemeni settlement in South Wales.

Inevitably, this book will be of great interest not only to the general public, but of equal concern to media and history students interested in Mr. Mohamed's homeland origins in the Yemen.

Other works by Neil M. C. Sinclair include: The Tiger Bay Story, The Cardiff Bay Experience, the video A Stroll Through Tiger Bay, Endangered Tiger: A Community Under Threat, and Voodoo Detective: A True Story."