Final Flight From Sanaa

by Qais Ghanem

When Tariq Hakim introduced himself to Colin Lawler one night in a quiet pub in Ottawa, Canada, he had no idea that this simple gesture would eventually lead him to imprisonment in his homeland of Yemen. Lawler, a lawyer, has a Libyan client who owns an inspection firm in Ottawa, which has been contracted to inspect much needed medical equipment destined for Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, and purchased from Poland. The Libyan's sister is married to a cabinet minister in Yemen, the two having met while studying at Cairo University.
Hakim, a western trained doctor, who had immigrated to Canada, speaks the language and knows the culture in Yemen, and therefore seems a perfect match to facilitate the transaction. Reluctantly, he accepts the challenge, rationalizing that he would only be away for a couple of weeks.
However, as he is about to return to Canada, he is asked by an old classmate for a favor. He has to examine the classmate's daughter, who developed frequent convulsions which defied diagnosis by many local physicians. His investigations leads him to the conclusion that she was raped by an officer in the security apparatus, who happens to be the nephew of the minister responsible for national security.
Hakim finds himself faced with the dilemma of reconciling his responsibilities to his female patient, while respecting the culture and traditions of his own people, as well as the wrath of the national security apparatus, and its minister, a full general and close confidant of the president, General Yamani.
He refuses to change his medical testimony, and so endures severe torture at the hands of one of his old medical students, who became the chief jailor and torturer after failing his medical exams.
Hakim has no living family members in Yemen any more. However, on the way to Yemen, he has to first inspect x-ray equipment in Gdansk, Poland, where he has one night of passion with a visiting Danish woman, the head of Amnesty International in Denmark, visiting Gdansk with her husband who is busy at a meeting of professional engineers.
Through her contacts with Amnesty in England, she hears about Hakim's plight. Beautiful Gita flies to Sanaa to attempt a rescue, in the midst of huge conflict, as the Minister of National Security stages a coup d'etat against President Yamani. (387)

253 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

President, 2014 Canadian Authors Association - National Capital Region.
QG was born in Aden, at the time a British colony, now part of Yemen. He has lived in Britain, USA, Qatar, The United Arab Emirates, and moved to Canada 47 years ago.
Edinburgh University graduate in medicine. Trained in public health, later specialized in neurology. Elected president, Canadian Society of Clinical Neurophysiologists x3 y.
Retired 7 years ago, and took up writing. First novel is FINAL FLIGHT FROM SANAA, now available in e-book and in Arabic. Then TWO BOYS FROM ADEN COLLEGE, the name of the high school he attended, in paper and e-book. Latest novel is FORBIDDEN LOVE IN THE LAND OF SHEBA, and ancient name of the region of Yemen and the horn of Africa. He published his collection of his poems in a book, which is unique in that it combines Arabic and English poems which are not translations of each other. Co-authored a non-fiction book: MY ARAB SPRING MY CANADA. Latest e-book, in about the Arabs and Islam: Hiwar Bidoon Khisam an Al-Arab wal Islam, at Smashwords.com.
Dedicates time to human rights and gender equality, and his novels, based on real or imaginary events in Yemen, are all about gender equality. Co-chair of the 2017 Ottawa Peace Festival. Winner of the Order of Ottawa medal 2014.
His radio show "Dialogue with Diversity" won 4 national awards. In 2015 was named among the 25 top immigrants to Canada.
He is frequently invited to speak on these issues. He enjoys travel, books and golf.

Reviews

[Ameen]

Full of fabrication