Showing posts with label Protest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Protest. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
U.S. says citizens in Yemen should consider leaving
The United States urged its citizens on Sunday to avoid travelling to Yemen and said those already there should consider departing, adding the security threat in the Arabian Peninsula country was extremely high.Skip related content
"The Department (of State) urges U.S. citizens not to travel to Yemen. U.S. citizens currently in Yemen should consider departing Yemen," the U.S. State Department said in a travel warning. "The security threat level in Yemen is extremely high due to terrorist activities and civil unrest."
(Reporting by Mohamed Sudam; Writing by Cynthia Johnston)
source: http://yhoo.it/hiP25i
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
UN warns Yemen against violent repression
The UN human rights chief on Tuesday warned Yemeni authorities against the violent repression of peaceful protests, saying that people have the right to express their grievances.
"People have the legitimate right to express their grievances and demands to their government," Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a statement.
"We have seen over and over again in the past few weeks that violent responses, in breach of international law, do not make the protesters go away and only serve to exacerbate their frustration and anger," she added.
Pillay's statement came as vast numbers of protesters poured into a square in Yemen's capital Sanaa for a massive anti-regime rally.
Source: http://yhoo.it/eaXMqW
London presses Yemen over protests crackdown
The Foreign Office said Tuesday it had summoned the charge d?affaires from Yemen's London embassy to express concern over reports of "deaths and casualties" in the ongoing protests in Yemen.
A senior Foreign Office official told Abdulmalik Al-Eryani that Britain was deeply concerned over the "use of live ammunition to control demonstrators" and urged the government to "listen to the legitimate grievances of the Yemeni people."
Britain also pressed the Yemeni government to "make urgent progress in implementing much needed political and economic reform."
The Foreign Office advised British nationals in the southern city of Aden to "take a cautious approach, maintaining a heightened level of vigilance and keeping a low profile at all times."
According to human rights group Amnesty International, at least 27 people have been killed since protests against the government of President Ali Abdallah Saleh started on January 27.
source: http://yhoo.it/glNzp5
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Nine dead and 80 injured amidst violent clashes in Aden
Nashwan al-Othmani
and Imad al-Sakkaf
and Imad al-Sakkaf
Published:24-02-2011
The death toll in Aden has increased to nine after a week of violent confrontations between security forces and protestors. In addition a local authority building was set on fire along with security patrol cars and citizens’ vehicles in al-Mansoura and Sheikh Othman districts of Aden.
During the past two days a security belt has been imposed among the city’s districts at crossroads and street junctions leading to the bus stop in al-Mansoura which has been occupied by a youth sit-in, demanding the regime step-down.
Sources say the number of people performing the sit-in is not large and it varies from place to place. Sources also state that the numbers decrease during the day and increases remarkably at night. The same sources said that trade and economic activities have largely been paralyzed in Aden and many shops and restaurants have closed their doors due to the violence taking place.
Last week a teenager named Ali al-Khulaqi was injured in Khour Maksar and later died of his injuries. Local sources said that a Central Security Forces shot Ali and his friends while they were demonstrating near al-Jamhouri hospital by burning tires.
According to youth activist Ala’a al-Aghbari of Aden, the reasons behind the large number of recent casualties is the absence of the press, poorly organized demonstrations and the fear that Aden may fall into the hands of the Southern separatists.
Earlier this week, security forces arrested Mr. Hassan Ba Oum, a leader of the Southern Movement after breaking through the hospital in which he was receiving treatment after suffering a heart attck. Well-placed sources indicate that Ba Oum was transferred to Sana’a by air.
Since the outbreak of the protests demanding president Saleh’s resignation, government departments and schools in Aden have undergone a total paralysis while traffic has increased. Al-Mansoura district is still completely shut by the army and cars are unable to enter Aden between 6:00pm until 6:00am.
Khour Maksar witnessed violent actions that included burning tires and stone throwing on al-Arish road. Gunfire was exchange by the army and militants said to belong to the Abyan governorate.
In al-Mansora the local council building was burned in addition to a number of vehicles among which were vans and a patrol car. Another local council bulding was also burned in Sheikh Othman on Friday and its member resigned in protest against the use of live bullets against demonstrators and a security patrol car was subject to drive-by shooting from an identified car resulting in the injury of two soldiers.
Sira local council’s members also resigned and that of al-Mansoura suspended its activities until further notice for the same reason.
As a part of the resignation series, Dr. Abdul Bari Dughaish, an MP representing consistuency 28 of Dar Sa’ad resigned from the ruling party as the second GPC member after Mr. Abdul Karim Al-Aslami of Hajja governorate to leave the party.
Women’s demonstrations
For the first time since the outbreak of the current protests against the political system, an all-woman demonstration in Crater Tuesday evening led by teachers, rights activists and politicians.
Sources informed Yemen Times that some persons described as “interpolated” tried in vain to obstruct the march comprised of tens of Yemen. It was remarkable that the demonstration included leading women from Yemen Children League party (Ra’ai) after the party’s express statement in Aden last Saturday that it will join people requesting the political regime in Yemen to leave. Students of Engineering College at Aden University at al-Mulla’a protested last Tuesday in solidarity with the persons killed and injured in Aden and aksed for the regime to leave.
During the past two days a security belt has been imposed among the city’s districts at crossroads and street junctions leading to the bus stop in al-Mansoura which has been occupied by a youth sit-in, demanding the regime step-down.
Sources say the number of people performing the sit-in is not large and it varies from place to place. Sources also state that the numbers decrease during the day and increases remarkably at night. The same sources said that trade and economic activities have largely been paralyzed in Aden and many shops and restaurants have closed their doors due to the violence taking place.
Last week a teenager named Ali al-Khulaqi was injured in Khour Maksar and later died of his injuries. Local sources said that a Central Security Forces shot Ali and his friends while they were demonstrating near al-Jamhouri hospital by burning tires.
According to youth activist Ala’a al-Aghbari of Aden, the reasons behind the large number of recent casualties is the absence of the press, poorly organized demonstrations and the fear that Aden may fall into the hands of the Southern separatists.
Earlier this week, security forces arrested Mr. Hassan Ba Oum, a leader of the Southern Movement after breaking through the hospital in which he was receiving treatment after suffering a heart attck. Well-placed sources indicate that Ba Oum was transferred to Sana’a by air.
Since the outbreak of the protests demanding president Saleh’s resignation, government departments and schools in Aden have undergone a total paralysis while traffic has increased. Al-Mansoura district is still completely shut by the army and cars are unable to enter Aden between 6:00pm until 6:00am.
Khour Maksar witnessed violent actions that included burning tires and stone throwing on al-Arish road. Gunfire was exchange by the army and militants said to belong to the Abyan governorate.
In al-Mansora the local council building was burned in addition to a number of vehicles among which were vans and a patrol car. Another local council bulding was also burned in Sheikh Othman on Friday and its member resigned in protest against the use of live bullets against demonstrators and a security patrol car was subject to drive-by shooting from an identified car resulting in the injury of two soldiers.
Sira local council’s members also resigned and that of al-Mansoura suspended its activities until further notice for the same reason.
As a part of the resignation series, Dr. Abdul Bari Dughaish, an MP representing consistuency 28 of Dar Sa’ad resigned from the ruling party as the second GPC member after Mr. Abdul Karim Al-Aslami of Hajja governorate to leave the party.
Women’s demonstrations
For the first time since the outbreak of the current protests against the political system, an all-woman demonstration in Crater Tuesday evening led by teachers, rights activists and politicians.
Sources informed Yemen Times that some persons described as “interpolated” tried in vain to obstruct the march comprised of tens of Yemen. It was remarkable that the demonstration included leading women from Yemen Children League party (Ra’ai) after the party’s express statement in Aden last Saturday that it will join people requesting the political regime in Yemen to leave. Students of Engineering College at Aden University at al-Mulla’a protested last Tuesday in solidarity with the persons killed and injured in Aden and aksed for the regime to leave.
Source: http://bit.ly/gwFmEb
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Saleh Falls
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February 21, 2011
As the revolutionary spirit sweeps beyond Tunisia and Egypt to other Arab countries in the Mideast and Gulf, many wonder which country will be next to fall in the Arab world. We have already seen clamors for reform in Syria and Jordan; protests have spread throughout Khartoum. But the strongest candidate for the next upheaval is Yemen. With 35% unemployment and a paltry $2,600 in GDP per capita, Yemen ranks as the Arab world's most destitute country.
The unemployment rate and other economic indicators suggest that Yemen is near its breaking point. The people are clamoring for substantive policy reforms. They are demanding that the government engage in meaningful dialogue with opposition groups that will ultimately lead to open political participation and free and fair elections. But appearances are often misleading—especially in the Middle East.
Not everything about Yemen portends revolution. The complex mosaic of Yemeni politics (which has led to decades of instability and economic woes) disperses anger across a range of responsible groups: from the Houthi rebels in the north, and the separatist movement in the south to the looming specter of Al-Qaeda. Unlike Egypt and Tunisia, where protestors concentrate their rage towards the government only, the Yemeni people scatter their anger, leaving anti-government sentiment weaker. The Yemeni government has even benefited from sectarian conflicts, arguing that the alternative to the central government in Sana'a is civil war and widespread violence. The 60 million firearms spread amongst Yemini citizens—or one for every three people—certainly support the government's argument. Many Yemenis do, in fact, fear that an uprising striving for democracy would produce chaos instead.
Yemen is dominated by a strong, ingrained tribal system where President Saleh enjoys strong relations with the major tribal leaders. A popular revolution in Egypt and Tunisia needed the public endorsement of a few individuals; an uprising in Yemen will first require the blessing and participation of the tribes. Since each tribe features its own economic, social and political agenda—in addition to the tribes' historical hesitancy to confront the government—a pan –tribal alliance with the aim of uprooting the political system is remote.
In addition, internet usage in Yemen also differs strikingly from Egypt and Tunisia. Social media, which effectively and immediately disseminated crucial updates, played an undeniable factor in the North African uprisings. But only 9.4 percent of Yeminis can access the internet, compared to 36% of Tunisians. Because social media in Yemen would be unable to mobilize potential demonstrators, a mass revolution against the regime will have to take a different form.
But—and this is the key—despite all these challenges, the Yemeni opposition is making progress towards an uprising against President Saleh. The abject poverty and destitution of the Yemini population are the foundation of support for opposition. With 35% unemployment and 40% living below $2 a day, the need for change is obvious. In the aftermath of Tunisia and Egypt, many ordinary Yeminis are starting to hold the regime solely responsible for their impoverished lives.
In paving the road from popular discontent to political upheaval, the Yeminis have drawn lessons from Tunisia and Egypt where possible. First and foremost, they have learned that traditional opposition parties do not produce revolutions. Islamists like the Brotherhood, as well as secular groups like the Al-Wafd party in Egypt, were just overwhelmed by the emergence of a new type of opposition that came from the educated but unemployed youth as was Mubarak. It was this same type of protestor that organized the anti-regime demonstrations in Yemen over the past two weeks. Tawakkul Karman emerged as a young woman leading the call for change. While the traditional opposition continues dialogue with the government, it is the new, young opposition that aggressively campaigns for change. Fueled by the hope of recent weeks, Yemeni youth believe they can forge a brighter future for themselves and their country.
This young opposition's outreach efforts have proven remarkably successful in uniting various factions against Saleh's government. Karman presented the situation as follows, "We have the Southern Movement in the South, the (Shia) Huthi rebels in the north, and parliamentary opposition," all uniting against the regime. The young protestors are fashioning a wide coalition of opposition across the country that together would act to topple the regime. And the opposition's ability to reflect, learn from mistakes, and adapt to a fast-paced environment has only added to their success. In short, this is a dynamic opposition.
After over a week of protests, President Saleh certainly feels the heat. He declared his commitment to reform. He vowed not to seek reelection in 2013, nor will his son run for office. Though the protestors have not yet brought about complete regime change, they are well on their way. Saleh's commitment to "no extension, no inheritance," long contested between opposition groups and government, is a turning point in modern political history of Yemen.
Should President Saleh remain in power until 2013, he must do more to respond sufficiently to the calls for change by the protesters and the wider society: a declaration of specific election date; fair and free elections; international elections observers to monitor them; and inclusion of opposition representatives in election preparations. The Obama administration, fearful of an Egypt replay in Yemen, can have a pivotal role in shepherding genuine reform efforts. It’s best for Washington to preserve an important ally in Saleh while carefully and deliberately building towards a more democratic Yemen.
One important lesson has been learnt from Tunisia and Egypt: once people are in the streets there will be no going back.
Source: http://bit.ly/fqPFCj
Monday, February 21, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
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