Yemen: poor country with poor people, but big,expensive mosque for the president...

The inauguration of an enormous new mosque named after Yemen's authoritarian president has bewildered the people of this impoverished Arab country — especially when they learned it cost a staggering $60 million.

It's a massive sum in a country that ranks as the poorest in the Arab world and is beset by internal armed conflict, terrorism and severe malnutrition.

"We need schools and hospitals," said Salem Ahmed, a government employee. "Many Yemenis have to travel abroad for medical treatment. This is hypocrisy."
Nonetheless, senior Islamic clerics dutifully turned out for Saturday's opening ceremony of the Saleh Mosque to play their part in glorifying the country's leader, President Ali Abdullah Saleh. More...

See also:

1. Yemen: child brides fight the system...
2. In Yemen, they dope themselves with qat...
3. Al Muhamasheen, the Untouchables of Yemen..
4. A look at some dictators and their awesome excesses!