By Nasser Arrabyee/14/03/2011
The protests in Yemen are different. It seems that no one thinks of the next the step.
It’s been more than one month now, and the protesters enthusiastically and emotionally demand the ouster of President Ali Abdullah Saleh without saying what can be done when he’s gone?
Even more, you might get in a trouble if you raise such a question to the protesters in the streets or even to the opposition leaders, who have different visions such as Islamic Caliphate and Secularism, but they all agree “blindly” on removing the regime.
“When I raise such a question I get accused of major treason by a lot of excited young people,” said Najeeb Abdul Rehman, one of the protesters, who spends day and night in his sit-in tent at the gate of Sana’a university, the Change Square.
Abdul Rehman agrees that there should be a plan to be declared to the Yemeni people and the world on what the opposition can do when the regime collapses.
The leaders of the Islamist-dominated opposition coalition have not yet said this what we can do when the protesters in the streets succeed in achieving their single goal.
The coalition which includes the Islamists, Socialists, and Nasserites, refused three initiatives offered to them by President Saleh within less than one month despite the fact that those initiatives included almost everything they wanted from Saleh.
The opposition leaders keep saying “We do not trust Saleh, he is lying” as many of them told me. And publicly they say, “It’s too late, the street now is the arbitrator.”
The US ambassador to Yemen, Gerald Feierstein, who always urges both sides to sit down for dialogue and negotiations, said that the street process will not achieve anything .
“We oppose simply saying that Ali Abdullah Saleh should go, without saying anything about what you think is going to happen next. We oppose the idea of chaos. We oppose the idea that this will lead to civil war or to violence,” Feierstein told a small group of Yemeni journalists, including me, in the embassy in Sana’a on March 12th, 2011.
“Those who want President Saleh to leave, they have a responsibility to say if President Saleh leaves, this is what we’re going to do, and until today, nobody has come forward, at least as far as we know.”
“The problem is that people are demanding something without any idea of how they will manage it, and how they will prevent a disaster for the Yemeni people.”
The opposition leaders say they are with the street and the street does not want any talks or dialogue now.
“If the Joint Meeting Parties (opposition) is not the representative of the people on the street then the people on the street need to say who are their representatives,” said the US ambassador.
“ We think if the JMP wants to be the leader of the opposition they need to bring the street into the process,” said Feierstein.
When asked whether US wants President Saleh to finish his term in 2013 or leave now, the ambassador said, “ We do not think that it is up to us what we want is something acceptable to the Yemeni people whether he stays till 2013 or leaves in 2011 or he goes on 2012.”
About allegations that toxic gas was used to disperse the protesters in Yemen the ambassador said, “ We are reasonably confident that the allegations that there are sirens or mustard gas used are not correct.”
“If mustard gas was used there would have been 500 people dead and not one person.”
When asked what Saleh can do more to convince the opposition to sit for dialogue , the ambassador said, “ We think it would be good to remove some ministers who are known to be corrupt .We think it would be useful to remove some of the senior security officials who were involved in some of these violent or forced confrontations with demonstrators particularly in Aden.”
When asked if US is concerned about the Islamist dominance over the Yemeni opposition and if an Islamist leader was elected as President like Al Zandani the ambassador said, “ Abdul Majid Al Zandani as you know is on the terrorism list for the US and the United Nations, so we have a problem if he were elected a president.”
Sunday, 13 March 2011
My country, Yemen: ‘Revolution has become as vital as air and water’
Source: Toronto Star, By Ali Al-Muqri, 13/03/2011
Ali Al-Muqri is a journalist from Yemen and author of eight books, including two novels.
When a Marxist friend invited me to join him for Friday prayers at the square in Sanaa that has been renamed “Change Square,” that meant the revolution had reached its full power and needed only God himself to stand behind it.
So I did not argue with my friend about his sudden piety or his insistence on taking his friends to heaven with him. “This is the revolution of the oppressed people and we must arm ourselves with every weapon in order to win,” I said to my friend.
Before I could say another word, he jumped in: “What is wrong with praying five times a day so long as it makes our Islamic friends happy and leads to the overthrow of this stupid system?”
“But why don’t they conform to your ways?” I asked him.
“They outnumber us and are better equipped than we are,” he replied.
I then stood at a distance and watched my atheist friend as he prayed wholeheartedly to Allah.
In Yemen, revolution has become as vital as air and water, even if the only reason may be the fact that people are tired of seeing the picture of their president for 32 years. We have always thought we would wake up one day and find him taking up half of our bed.
In the history of Yemen, fundamentalist Muslims and Marxists have never been united before now. This is a common search for freedom, I keep saying to myself. Revolution has become inevitable, for that is what people want.
Islamists cry a famous line from a Tunisian poet that goes, “If a people should one day decide to live, fate must also answer their call.” They do not try to endlessly interpret this line as they inevitably would with any other text. Isn’t this the first wonderful sign of change coming with this revolution?
We have no time for differences. The corruption and the autocratic rule of our president, his family, his close relatives and members of his tribe leave no space for compromise. The president says he will not pass on the presidency to his son or seek another term, yet he insists on ruling until 2013 in order to complete 35 years of rule.
But people are fed up with election boxes that bring back no name other than that of Ali Abdullah Saleh, and they fear that if he stays two more years he will make sure to groom another copy of himself to take power.
The Egyptians did not let Mubarak stay another eight months. Why should the people of Yemen let Saleh stay for two more years? We are all united to bring an end to our exclusion from social and political life. Some protesters dream of an Islamic caliphate, while the socialists believe they can achieve social justice. Others hope this revolution is the beginning of an Arab unity.
The majority believe this is a transitional stage leading to parliamentary and presidential elections that can eventually bring about democracy and public participation.
The conflict between the old and new generations certainly will not die down now that the storm has started. It is a storm people can no longer live without. People are not afraid of the future, because it is not going to be any worse.
Translated by Ayub Nuri.
Ali Al-Muqri is a journalist and author in Yemen. He has published eight books, two of them the novels Black Taste ... Black Smell and The Handsome Jew
Ali Al-Muqri is a journalist from Yemen and author of eight books, including two novels.
When a Marxist friend invited me to join him for Friday prayers at the square in Sanaa that has been renamed “Change Square,” that meant the revolution had reached its full power and needed only God himself to stand behind it.
So I did not argue with my friend about his sudden piety or his insistence on taking his friends to heaven with him. “This is the revolution of the oppressed people and we must arm ourselves with every weapon in order to win,” I said to my friend.
Before I could say another word, he jumped in: “What is wrong with praying five times a day so long as it makes our Islamic friends happy and leads to the overthrow of this stupid system?”
“But why don’t they conform to your ways?” I asked him.
“They outnumber us and are better equipped than we are,” he replied.
I then stood at a distance and watched my atheist friend as he prayed wholeheartedly to Allah.
In Yemen, revolution has become as vital as air and water, even if the only reason may be the fact that people are tired of seeing the picture of their president for 32 years. We have always thought we would wake up one day and find him taking up half of our bed.
In the history of Yemen, fundamentalist Muslims and Marxists have never been united before now. This is a common search for freedom, I keep saying to myself. Revolution has become inevitable, for that is what people want.
Islamists cry a famous line from a Tunisian poet that goes, “If a people should one day decide to live, fate must also answer their call.” They do not try to endlessly interpret this line as they inevitably would with any other text. Isn’t this the first wonderful sign of change coming with this revolution?
We have no time for differences. The corruption and the autocratic rule of our president, his family, his close relatives and members of his tribe leave no space for compromise. The president says he will not pass on the presidency to his son or seek another term, yet he insists on ruling until 2013 in order to complete 35 years of rule.
But people are fed up with election boxes that bring back no name other than that of Ali Abdullah Saleh, and they fear that if he stays two more years he will make sure to groom another copy of himself to take power.
The Egyptians did not let Mubarak stay another eight months. Why should the people of Yemen let Saleh stay for two more years? We are all united to bring an end to our exclusion from social and political life. Some protesters dream of an Islamic caliphate, while the socialists believe they can achieve social justice. Others hope this revolution is the beginning of an Arab unity.
The majority believe this is a transitional stage leading to parliamentary and presidential elections that can eventually bring about democracy and public participation.
The conflict between the old and new generations certainly will not die down now that the storm has started. It is a storm people can no longer live without. People are not afraid of the future, because it is not going to be any worse.
Translated by Ayub Nuri.
Ali Al-Muqri is a journalist and author in Yemen. He has published eight books, two of them the novels Black Taste ... Black Smell and The Handsome Jew
Saturday, 12 March 2011
Impact of Yemen's unrest on energy industry
Source: Reuters, 12/03/2011
Yemen is the world's 32nd biggest oil exporter and 16th biggest seller of liquefied natural gas (LNG) -- which lies at the mouth of a key global shipping route.
An estimated 3.2 million barrels of oil a day (bpd) passed through the narrow Bab al Mandab strait between Yemen and Djibouti in 2009, according to the U.S. Energy Information. Administration.
Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh, hoping to defuse increasingly violent protests against his 32-year rule, said on March 10 he would draw up a new constitution to create a parliamentary system of government.
The pledge came after thousands of protesters marched against government rule as unrest rumbled on across the oil and gas-rich Middle East and armed conflict between rebels and government forces raged in Libya.
Below are some facts about Yemen -- the world's 32nd biggest oil exporter and 16th biggest seller of liquefied natural gas (LNG) -- which lies at the mouth of a key global shipping route.
ENERGY BOTTLENECK
An estimated 3.2 million barrels of oil a day (bpd) passed through the narrow Bab al Mandab strait between Yemen and Djibouti in 2009, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
-- Disruption to the narrow shipping lane could stop Gulf oil and LNG tankers from passing through the Suez Canal to the Americas or Europe.
It could also prevent oil tankers from unloading at Egypt's Ain Sukhna terminal near the southern entrance of the Suez Canal which feeds crude to Sidi Kerir on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt via the Sumed pipeline.
About half of the Sumed crude comes from Saudi Arabia and is mostly shipped to Europe, according to the pipeline operator.
OIL
Protesters have renewed calls for southern Yemen, which produces most of the country's crude oil, to go back to its independent status before unity with the north in 1990.
Yemen had proven oil reserves of around 2.7 billion barrels at the end of 2009, equal to just 0.2 percent of global reserves, according to the BP Statistical Review.
Daily oil production fell to 298,000 bpd in 2009, or just 0.4 percent of the global total, continuing the steady decline in output from a peak of 457,000 bpd in 2002, according to BP.
Falling oil revenues has hindered the government's ability to provide basic public services, which has stoked anti-government sentiment. [ID:nLDE7280I6]
Increased gas exports could partially offset the decline when Yemen's LNG project hits capacity in late 2011. [ID:nTOE71N024]
Oil reserves and production lie mainly in Jannah and Iyad in the centre of the country Yemen, Marib-Jawf in the north, and Shabwa and Masila in the south. The government estimates Masila holds about 84 percent of the national total.
Yemen has five oil export terminals. Ras Isa is the main crude terminal offshore in the Red Sea, while the coastal terminal of Hodeidah handles small tankers. The Bir Ali facility handles crude from Shabwa, while Ash Shihr, operated by Canada'a Nexen (NXY.TO: Quote) ships oil from Masila.
-- Oil is transported from Masila to Ash Shahir by a 90-mile pipeline with a capacity of 300,000 bpd, while a the 130-mile Shabwa-Bir Ali pipeline carries up to 135,000 bpd from the Ayad-Shabwa block to the Bir Ali terminal on the Gulf of Aden.
REFINING
The state-operated Aden Refinery Company, which also manages Yemen's strategic fuel reserves, has an old refinery with a capacity of 130,000 bpd, while the Yemen Refinery Company's newer Marib can refine 10,000 bpd of crude.
Yemeni and Chinese officials have discussed upgrading the ageing Aden refinery to process Kuwaiti and Masila crude, which may cut Yemen's fuel imports and boost exports. [ID:nTOE70I05V]
GAS
Yemen has proven gas reserves of 490 billion cubic metres of gas, or about 0.3 percent of the global total, according to BP statistics.
Most of the gas is found in the Marib-Jawf oilfields and it is mostly reinjected to enhance oil recovery. Gas production has been in decline since 2005.
Yemen LNG's export facility at Balhaf, which opened in 2009 and is led by French oil major Total (TOTF.PA: Quote) with three South Korea companies holding stakes, is the largest-ever industrial project in Yemen.
-- It exported just 0.40 bcm of gas as LNG in 2009 (compared to nearly 50 bcm by world leader Qatar) but a production line added in 2010 and another expected to open in late 2011 is expected to boost annual capacity to 6.7 million metric tonnes, or 8.28 bcm of gas a year. [ID:nTOE71N024]
-- One of the pipelines feeding gas from the Marib field to the LNG plant was attacked in 2010. [ID:nSGE68L058]
Yemen is the world's 32nd biggest oil exporter and 16th biggest seller of liquefied natural gas (LNG) -- which lies at the mouth of a key global shipping route.
An estimated 3.2 million barrels of oil a day (bpd) passed through the narrow Bab al Mandab strait between Yemen and Djibouti in 2009, according to the U.S. Energy Information. Administration.
Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh, hoping to defuse increasingly violent protests against his 32-year rule, said on March 10 he would draw up a new constitution to create a parliamentary system of government.
The pledge came after thousands of protesters marched against government rule as unrest rumbled on across the oil and gas-rich Middle East and armed conflict between rebels and government forces raged in Libya.
Below are some facts about Yemen -- the world's 32nd biggest oil exporter and 16th biggest seller of liquefied natural gas (LNG) -- which lies at the mouth of a key global shipping route.
ENERGY BOTTLENECK
An estimated 3.2 million barrels of oil a day (bpd) passed through the narrow Bab al Mandab strait between Yemen and Djibouti in 2009, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
-- Disruption to the narrow shipping lane could stop Gulf oil and LNG tankers from passing through the Suez Canal to the Americas or Europe.
It could also prevent oil tankers from unloading at Egypt's Ain Sukhna terminal near the southern entrance of the Suez Canal which feeds crude to Sidi Kerir on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt via the Sumed pipeline.
About half of the Sumed crude comes from Saudi Arabia and is mostly shipped to Europe, according to the pipeline operator.
OIL
Protesters have renewed calls for southern Yemen, which produces most of the country's crude oil, to go back to its independent status before unity with the north in 1990.
Yemen had proven oil reserves of around 2.7 billion barrels at the end of 2009, equal to just 0.2 percent of global reserves, according to the BP Statistical Review.
Daily oil production fell to 298,000 bpd in 2009, or just 0.4 percent of the global total, continuing the steady decline in output from a peak of 457,000 bpd in 2002, according to BP.
Falling oil revenues has hindered the government's ability to provide basic public services, which has stoked anti-government sentiment. [ID:nLDE7280I6]
Increased gas exports could partially offset the decline when Yemen's LNG project hits capacity in late 2011. [ID:nTOE71N024]
Oil reserves and production lie mainly in Jannah and Iyad in the centre of the country Yemen, Marib-Jawf in the north, and Shabwa and Masila in the south. The government estimates Masila holds about 84 percent of the national total.
Yemen has five oil export terminals. Ras Isa is the main crude terminal offshore in the Red Sea, while the coastal terminal of Hodeidah handles small tankers. The Bir Ali facility handles crude from Shabwa, while Ash Shihr, operated by Canada'a Nexen (NXY.TO: Quote) ships oil from Masila.
-- Oil is transported from Masila to Ash Shahir by a 90-mile pipeline with a capacity of 300,000 bpd, while a the 130-mile Shabwa-Bir Ali pipeline carries up to 135,000 bpd from the Ayad-Shabwa block to the Bir Ali terminal on the Gulf of Aden.
REFINING
The state-operated Aden Refinery Company, which also manages Yemen's strategic fuel reserves, has an old refinery with a capacity of 130,000 bpd, while the Yemen Refinery Company's newer Marib can refine 10,000 bpd of crude.
Yemeni and Chinese officials have discussed upgrading the ageing Aden refinery to process Kuwaiti and Masila crude, which may cut Yemen's fuel imports and boost exports. [ID:nTOE70I05V]
GAS
Yemen has proven gas reserves of 490 billion cubic metres of gas, or about 0.3 percent of the global total, according to BP statistics.
Most of the gas is found in the Marib-Jawf oilfields and it is mostly reinjected to enhance oil recovery. Gas production has been in decline since 2005.
Yemen LNG's export facility at Balhaf, which opened in 2009 and is led by French oil major Total (TOTF.PA: Quote) with three South Korea companies holding stakes, is the largest-ever industrial project in Yemen.
-- It exported just 0.40 bcm of gas as LNG in 2009 (compared to nearly 50 bcm by world leader Qatar) but a production line added in 2010 and another expected to open in late 2011 is expected to boost annual capacity to 6.7 million metric tonnes, or 8.28 bcm of gas a year. [ID:nTOE71N024]
-- One of the pipelines feeding gas from the Marib field to the LNG plant was attacked in 2010. [ID:nSGE68L058]
Friday, 11 March 2011
One killed, dozens injured in violent escalation of Yemen’s protests
By Nasser Arrabyee/12/03/2011
At least one protestor was killed and tens others were injured early morning Saturday when security forces used water cannons, tear gas, and live bullets to prevent protesters from setting up more tents around the university area, said protesters.
The security forces aimed at removing the new tents that were set up yesterday before and after the Friday sermons.
More protestors set up new tents beyond the concrete barriers put by the police to prevent any increase.
“Some new protestors in new tents are still surrounded and armed tribesmen are in their way from Hamdan and Amran to rescue us,” said Abdul Rehaman Al Kubati, one of the protestors in the media committee from his tent close to the gate of the university.
On Friday, at least three people were injured in clashes with hands and sticks and firing to air between anti-regime protesters and owners of houses close to the sit-in tents at the neighborhood of the university in the Yemeni capital Sana’a, said local residents and protestors late Friday.
In an unprecedented escalation, the number of the sit-in tents of anti-regime protestors notably increased and extended beyond the concrete barriers put a few days ago by the police to prevent any increase of tents.
Some local residents have successfully built walls to prevent protestors from extending to their neighborhoods. With the sentence “ closed for the sake of calm” written on one of the walls such as the one close to Al Qadisyah traffic circle.
Some local residents were relatively successful to convince the protestors not to install tents close to their houses like those in Al Rebat street.
“We agreed with the local residents not to install tents but in return they will not build walls,” said the 28-yearl old protestor, Najeeb Abdul Rehman “They were telling us: we do not want our women to be searched when they come and go and we agreed with because we now the Yemeni society and it’s social sensitivities.”
The sit-in tents increased today while tens of thousands of worshipers (about 50,000) who wanted to show their support, were attending the Friday sermons in the neighborhood of university, or Change Square, as it is dubbed by the protesters.
Surprisingly, the sit-in tents of the supporters of President Ali Abdullah Saleh in the town’s main square, also notably increased over the last few days in Tahrir where many roads were blocked because of the new tents like the blocking of Jamal street.
Also, tens of thousands of Saleh’s supporters attended the Friday sermons in Tahrir to support those who stay in their tents day and night, and who started even before the anti-protestors.
This Friday was different from almost all the previous ones in terms of numbers of those in the streets whether anti or pro protestors, and also in terms of the general atmosphere of tensions, fears and worries.
It came only one day after President Saleh offered his third initiative since the protests that demand his ouster started more than one month ago.
Opposition figures said it’s too late for initiatives now, and protestors in the streets completely refused it and insisted on Saleh’s ouster.
When Saleh announced his third initiative Thursday, March 9th, which called for a referendum on a new constitution during 2011, he said, “I’m sure the opposition will refuse this initiative as they did with the previous ones, but I’m announcing it to the people instead just for the discharge of my responsibility.”
It was understood by a lot of Yemenis and observers that Saleh was saying this is the last attempt and this is what all he has.
More than 40,000 people including tribal and religious leaders came on Thursday from all over the country to support Saleh and listen to his last initiative. Many of those tribesmen joined the pro-Saleh protestors and installed new tents in Tahrir.
And with more tribesmen from outside Sana’a joining both rival protests, and with more incitement and hatred against each other and even sometimes by religious fatws as each side has its own clerics and religious leaders who ultimately decide what’s wrong and what’s right, the people in Sana’a have started to fear of any possible armed confrontations.
Some people started to buy more food stuff from the market and store them, and some others have left Sana’a to the their villages and some are packing their belongings.
“My village is much better than here, it’s our safe haven for my kids,” said the 50-year old shopkeeper Saeed Murshid, the father of 8 girls and one boy.
“I always remember my grandfather, who advised me not to live in Sana’a, he would always tell me Sana’a is very dangerous: people there are always conflicting over the power and the money,” said Murshid who was planning to return to his village with his family.
At least one protestor was killed and tens others were injured early morning Saturday when security forces used water cannons, tear gas, and live bullets to prevent protesters from setting up more tents around the university area, said protesters.
The security forces aimed at removing the new tents that were set up yesterday before and after the Friday sermons.
More protestors set up new tents beyond the concrete barriers put by the police to prevent any increase.
“Some new protestors in new tents are still surrounded and armed tribesmen are in their way from Hamdan and Amran to rescue us,” said Abdul Rehaman Al Kubati, one of the protestors in the media committee from his tent close to the gate of the university.
On Friday, at least three people were injured in clashes with hands and sticks and firing to air between anti-regime protesters and owners of houses close to the sit-in tents at the neighborhood of the university in the Yemeni capital Sana’a, said local residents and protestors late Friday.
In an unprecedented escalation, the number of the sit-in tents of anti-regime protestors notably increased and extended beyond the concrete barriers put a few days ago by the police to prevent any increase of tents.
Some local residents have successfully built walls to prevent protestors from extending to their neighborhoods. With the sentence “ closed for the sake of calm” written on one of the walls such as the one close to Al Qadisyah traffic circle.
Some local residents were relatively successful to convince the protestors not to install tents close to their houses like those in Al Rebat street.
“We agreed with the local residents not to install tents but in return they will not build walls,” said the 28-yearl old protestor, Najeeb Abdul Rehman “They were telling us: we do not want our women to be searched when they come and go and we agreed with because we now the Yemeni society and it’s social sensitivities.”
The sit-in tents increased today while tens of thousands of worshipers (about 50,000) who wanted to show their support, were attending the Friday sermons in the neighborhood of university, or Change Square, as it is dubbed by the protesters.
Surprisingly, the sit-in tents of the supporters of President Ali Abdullah Saleh in the town’s main square, also notably increased over the last few days in Tahrir where many roads were blocked because of the new tents like the blocking of Jamal street.
Also, tens of thousands of Saleh’s supporters attended the Friday sermons in Tahrir to support those who stay in their tents day and night, and who started even before the anti-protestors.
This Friday was different from almost all the previous ones in terms of numbers of those in the streets whether anti or pro protestors, and also in terms of the general atmosphere of tensions, fears and worries.
It came only one day after President Saleh offered his third initiative since the protests that demand his ouster started more than one month ago.
Opposition figures said it’s too late for initiatives now, and protestors in the streets completely refused it and insisted on Saleh’s ouster.
When Saleh announced his third initiative Thursday, March 9th, which called for a referendum on a new constitution during 2011, he said, “I’m sure the opposition will refuse this initiative as they did with the previous ones, but I’m announcing it to the people instead just for the discharge of my responsibility.”
It was understood by a lot of Yemenis and observers that Saleh was saying this is the last attempt and this is what all he has.
More than 40,000 people including tribal and religious leaders came on Thursday from all over the country to support Saleh and listen to his last initiative. Many of those tribesmen joined the pro-Saleh protestors and installed new tents in Tahrir.
And with more tribesmen from outside Sana’a joining both rival protests, and with more incitement and hatred against each other and even sometimes by religious fatws as each side has its own clerics and religious leaders who ultimately decide what’s wrong and what’s right, the people in Sana’a have started to fear of any possible armed confrontations.
Some people started to buy more food stuff from the market and store them, and some others have left Sana’a to the their villages and some are packing their belongings.
“My village is much better than here, it’s our safe haven for my kids,” said the 50-year old shopkeeper Saeed Murshid, the father of 8 girls and one boy.
“I always remember my grandfather, who advised me not to live in Sana’a, he would always tell me Sana’a is very dangerous: people there are always conflicting over the power and the money,” said Murshid who was planning to return to his village with his family.
New escalation in Yemen’s protests, fears of confrontations
By Nasser Arrabyee/12/03/2011
At least three people were injured in clashes with hands and sticks and firing to air between anti-regime protesters and owners of houses close to the sit-in tents at the neighborhood of the university in the Yemeni capital Sana’a, said local residents and protestors late Friday.
In an unprecedented escalation, the number of the sit-in tents of anti-regime protestors notably increased and extended beyond the concrete barriers put a few days ago by the police to prevent any increase of tents.
Some local residents have successfully built walls to prevent protestors from extending to their neighborhoods. With the sentence “ closed for the sake of calm” written on one of the walls such as the one close to Al Qadisyah traffic circle.
Some local residents were relatively successful to convince the protestors not to install tents close to their houses like those in Al Rebat street.
“We agreed with the local residents not to install tents but in return they will not build walls,” said the 28-yearl old protestor, Najeeb Abdul Rehman “They were telling us: we do not want our women to be searched when they come and go and we agreed with because we now the Yemeni society and it’s social sensitivities.”
The sit-in tents increased today while tens of thousands of worshipers (about 50,000) who wanted to show their support, were attending the Friday sermons in the neighborhood of university, or Change Square, as it is dubbed by the protestors.
Surprisingly, the sit-in tents of the supporters of President Ali Abdullah Saleh in the town’s main square, also notably increased over the last few days in Tahrir where many roads were blocked because of the new tents like the blocking of Jamal street.
Also, tens of thousands of Saleh’s supporters attended the Friday sermons in Tahrir to support those who stay in their tents day and night, and who started even before the anti-protestors.
This Friday was different from almost all the previous ones in terms of numbers of those in the streets whether anti or pro protestors, and also in terms of the general atmosphere of tensions, fears and worries.
It came only one day after President Saleh offered his third initiative since the protests that demand his ouster started more than one month ago.
Opposition figures said it’s too late for initiatives now, and protestors in the streets completely refused it and insisted on Saleh’s ouster.
When Saleh announced his third initiative Thursday, March 9th, which called for a referendum on a new constitution during 2011, he said, “I’m sure the opposition will refuse this initiative as they did with the previous ones, but I’m announcing it to the people instead just for the discharge of my responsibility.”
It was understood by a lot of Yemenis and observers that Saleh was saying this is the last attempt and this is what all he has.
More than 40,000 people including tribal and religious leaders came on Thursday from all over the country to support Saleh and listen to his last initiative. Many of those tribesmen joined the pro-Saleh protestors and installed new tents in Tahrir.
And with more tribesmen from outside Sana’a joining both rival protests, and with more incitement and hatred against each other and even sometimes by religious fatws as each side has its own clerics and religious leaders who ultimately decide what’s wrong and what’s right, the people in Sana’a have started to fear of any possible armed confrontations.
Some people started to buy more food stuff from the market and store them, and some others have left Sana’a to the their villages and some are packing their belongings.
“My village is much better than here, it’s our safe haven for my kids,” said the 50-year old shopkeeper Saeed Murshid, the father of 8 girls and one boy.
“I always remember my grandfather, who advised me not to live in Sana’a, he would always tell me Sana’a is very dangerous: people there are always conflicting over the power and the money,” said Murshid who was planning to return to his village with his family.
At least three people were injured in clashes with hands and sticks and firing to air between anti-regime protesters and owners of houses close to the sit-in tents at the neighborhood of the university in the Yemeni capital Sana’a, said local residents and protestors late Friday.
In an unprecedented escalation, the number of the sit-in tents of anti-regime protestors notably increased and extended beyond the concrete barriers put a few days ago by the police to prevent any increase of tents.
Some local residents have successfully built walls to prevent protestors from extending to their neighborhoods. With the sentence “ closed for the sake of calm” written on one of the walls such as the one close to Al Qadisyah traffic circle.
Some local residents were relatively successful to convince the protestors not to install tents close to their houses like those in Al Rebat street.
“We agreed with the local residents not to install tents but in return they will not build walls,” said the 28-yearl old protestor, Najeeb Abdul Rehman “They were telling us: we do not want our women to be searched when they come and go and we agreed with because we now the Yemeni society and it’s social sensitivities.”
The sit-in tents increased today while tens of thousands of worshipers (about 50,000) who wanted to show their support, were attending the Friday sermons in the neighborhood of university, or Change Square, as it is dubbed by the protestors.
Surprisingly, the sit-in tents of the supporters of President Ali Abdullah Saleh in the town’s main square, also notably increased over the last few days in Tahrir where many roads were blocked because of the new tents like the blocking of Jamal street.
Also, tens of thousands of Saleh’s supporters attended the Friday sermons in Tahrir to support those who stay in their tents day and night, and who started even before the anti-protestors.
This Friday was different from almost all the previous ones in terms of numbers of those in the streets whether anti or pro protestors, and also in terms of the general atmosphere of tensions, fears and worries.
It came only one day after President Saleh offered his third initiative since the protests that demand his ouster started more than one month ago.
Opposition figures said it’s too late for initiatives now, and protestors in the streets completely refused it and insisted on Saleh’s ouster.
When Saleh announced his third initiative Thursday, March 9th, which called for a referendum on a new constitution during 2011, he said, “I’m sure the opposition will refuse this initiative as they did with the previous ones, but I’m announcing it to the people instead just for the discharge of my responsibility.”
It was understood by a lot of Yemenis and observers that Saleh was saying this is the last attempt and this is what all he has.
More than 40,000 people including tribal and religious leaders came on Thursday from all over the country to support Saleh and listen to his last initiative. Many of those tribesmen joined the pro-Saleh protestors and installed new tents in Tahrir.
And with more tribesmen from outside Sana’a joining both rival protests, and with more incitement and hatred against each other and even sometimes by religious fatws as each side has its own clerics and religious leaders who ultimately decide what’s wrong and what’s right, the people in Sana’a have started to fear of any possible armed confrontations.
Some people started to buy more food stuff from the market and store them, and some others have left Sana’a to the their villages and some are packing their belongings.
“My village is much better than here, it’s our safe haven for my kids,” said the 50-year old shopkeeper Saeed Murshid, the father of 8 girls and one boy.
“I always remember my grandfather, who advised me not to live in Sana’a, he would always tell me Sana’a is very dangerous: people there are always conflicting over the power and the money,” said Murshid who was planning to return to his village with his family.
Anti-and pro-regime large protests take place In Yemen
Source: Radio Free Europe, 11/03/2011
Tens of thousands of anti- and pro-government protesters have taken to the streets of Yemen's capital after Friday prayers.
Protesters against President Ali Abdullah Saleh's 32-year rule gathered at Sana'a University in the capital, with crowds stretched back about two kilometers.
In a counter rally in the capital's Tahrir Square, tens of thousands of Saleh loyalists gathered, touting pictures of the 68-year-old leader.
The demonstrations followed the March 10 proposal by Saleh, a U.S. ally against Al-Qaeda's Yemen-based wing, for a new constitution to be put to referendum within the year and new electoral laws to ensure equal representation.
Opposition figures rejected the offer, calling it "too little, too late."
Tens of thousands of anti- and pro-government protesters have taken to the streets of Yemen's capital after Friday prayers.
Protesters against President Ali Abdullah Saleh's 32-year rule gathered at Sana'a University in the capital, with crowds stretched back about two kilometers.
In a counter rally in the capital's Tahrir Square, tens of thousands of Saleh loyalists gathered, touting pictures of the 68-year-old leader.
The demonstrations followed the March 10 proposal by Saleh, a U.S. ally against Al-Qaeda's Yemen-based wing, for a new constitution to be put to referendum within the year and new electoral laws to ensure equal representation.
Opposition figures rejected the offer, calling it "too little, too late."
Thursday, 10 March 2011
New constitution and referendum this year, President Saleh says
It's ’ too late, analyst says
By Nasser Arrabyee/10/03/2011
The Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh offered Thursday a new initiative in an attempt to defuse the crisis in his country because of the ongoing protests that demand his ouster.
Speaking to more than 40,000 people who came from all over the country to participate in what’s called “national dialogue” conference, President Saleh said a referendum on a new constitution should be held during 2011.
The three branches of power should be separated according to the new constitution. A parliament system will be used instead of the current mixed one.
A committee from House of Representatives, and Shura Council and from all parties and civil society organizations will be formed to prepare for the new constitution.
A unity government is to be formed according Saleh’s new initiative.
A new law for elections will be formulated with the proportional system as the system of elections in the country.
Saleh said in his speech that the government would meet all the demands of those demonstrating in the street.
However, some observers say the Saleh’s initiative is too late.
“I do not think the initiative will work now, it would have worked if president Saleh announced it immediately after what happened in Tunisia,” Said Abdul Salam Mohammed, chairman of the Abaad Center for Studies and Researches, a recently established local think tank.
“The street now is many steps ahead of President Saleh,” he added.
More than 40,000 tribal leaders, religious leaders , young people, civil society representatives, and members of parliament from the country’s 22 provinces and 330 districts attended the country’s biggest hall, 22 of May, Hall, to listen to the embattled Saleh and support him.
Last Friday, March 4th, 2011, President Saleh called for this meeting as a general conference for national dialogue after he rejected a five-point plan by the opposition which required him to peacefully and smoothly transfer the power by the end of this year at most.
The main opposition parties did not participate in the big meeting although it was under the title of “national dialogue”.
A leading member of the opposition said before the Thursday conference, the opposition will not pay attention to the conference.
“The conference will be just a declaration of the death of the regime and we will not pay any attention to it,” said Mohammed Al Sabri, one of the leading members of the opposition.
Anti- Saleh demonstrations are increasing day by day with the angry demonstrators refusing any initiative and demanding only the ouster of Saleh.
Two things might happen in Yemen now : A war or peaceful revolution if the conflicting parties stay as they are now.
The President Ali Abdullah Saleh earlier said he would not leave the power only when his current term ends in 2013 and he sticks to an 8-point plan by the religious leaders who suggested a national unity government to prepare for elections.
The opposition coalition which includes the Islamists , Socialists, and Nasserites, gave President Saleh only nine months at most to supervise presidential elections in which he is not participating. The opposition-backed increasing protesters in the streets want Saleh to leave now without delay.
Streets are not only for whose frustrated young people and disgruntled tribesmen, inspired by what’s happening now in the Arab world, who believe that ouster of Saleh will solve their problems, but also for supporters of Saleh
Tents of sit-ins are increasing day by day for both pro and anti-Saleh demonstrators. Tensions and concerns and fears of possible confrontation are always on rise.
It’s only a miracle if the conflicting parties return to normal and restart dialogue and stop the revolution or the war.
“Over history, Yemen has passed through even more difficult situations than now, and all of a sudden, the bother-enemies, become brothers and friends and no problem at all,” said Hassan Al Hashidi, a researcher and activist who is participating in the anti-Saleh protests.
Al Hashidi, could not say how that might happen, but he said, “ a miracle who knows?.”
After President Saleh rejected a five-point plan by the opposition which requires him to leave power by the end of this year, the Yemeni religious leaders said the opposition parties would be calling for a war if they do not agree on their 8-point plan which suggests formation of a national unity government.
In a statement read by the religious leader Mukbel Al Kadhi, after in a meeting held in Al Saleh grand mosque on Friday March 4th, 2011, the religious leaders said, the opposition would be calling for “Fitnah”, meaning a war, if they do not agree on this plan.
The 8-point plan was offered to President Saleh last Monday February 28, 2011, by Abdul Majid Al Zandani, the most influential cleric in the largest Islamist opposition party, Islah, in presence of all Yemeni clerics.
The religious leaders said, in their statement, they did not receive any answer on their plan from the opposition parties though they waited for two days.
According to the statement, Abdul Majid Al Zandani was assigned by the religious leaders to offer the plan to the opposition collation. The religious leaders said they were supposed to have an answer within two days at most.
“After the two days have passed, we met on Wednesday and unanimously approved the 8-point plan, and we agreed that whoever violates it, then he is calling for ‘Fitnah’ (a religious word meaning an all-out war) ,” said the statement.
On their part, the opposition parties renewed their support for the demonstrators in the street who demand the ouster of President Saleh and condemned any violence against them.
On the same day, on Friday , the opposition parties criticized in a statement the religious leaders who issued such Fatwas, religious decrees saying it was only to please the regime. “They have to repent to Allah and ask him for forgiveness, if He would forgive them,” said the statement in an obvious reference to the religious leaders who said the opposition is calling for ‘Fitnah’ if they do not agree on the
8-point plan.
By Nasser Arrabyee/10/03/2011
The Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh offered Thursday a new initiative in an attempt to defuse the crisis in his country because of the ongoing protests that demand his ouster.
Speaking to more than 40,000 people who came from all over the country to participate in what’s called “national dialogue” conference, President Saleh said a referendum on a new constitution should be held during 2011.
The three branches of power should be separated according to the new constitution. A parliament system will be used instead of the current mixed one.
A committee from House of Representatives, and Shura Council and from all parties and civil society organizations will be formed to prepare for the new constitution.
A unity government is to be formed according Saleh’s new initiative.
A new law for elections will be formulated with the proportional system as the system of elections in the country.
Saleh said in his speech that the government would meet all the demands of those demonstrating in the street.
However, some observers say the Saleh’s initiative is too late.
“I do not think the initiative will work now, it would have worked if president Saleh announced it immediately after what happened in Tunisia,” Said Abdul Salam Mohammed, chairman of the Abaad Center for Studies and Researches, a recently established local think tank.
“The street now is many steps ahead of President Saleh,” he added.
More than 40,000 tribal leaders, religious leaders , young people, civil society representatives, and members of parliament from the country’s 22 provinces and 330 districts attended the country’s biggest hall, 22 of May, Hall, to listen to the embattled Saleh and support him.
Last Friday, March 4th, 2011, President Saleh called for this meeting as a general conference for national dialogue after he rejected a five-point plan by the opposition which required him to peacefully and smoothly transfer the power by the end of this year at most.
The main opposition parties did not participate in the big meeting although it was under the title of “national dialogue”.
A leading member of the opposition said before the Thursday conference, the opposition will not pay attention to the conference.
“The conference will be just a declaration of the death of the regime and we will not pay any attention to it,” said Mohammed Al Sabri, one of the leading members of the opposition.
Anti- Saleh demonstrations are increasing day by day with the angry demonstrators refusing any initiative and demanding only the ouster of Saleh.
Two things might happen in Yemen now : A war or peaceful revolution if the conflicting parties stay as they are now.
The President Ali Abdullah Saleh earlier said he would not leave the power only when his current term ends in 2013 and he sticks to an 8-point plan by the religious leaders who suggested a national unity government to prepare for elections.
The opposition coalition which includes the Islamists , Socialists, and Nasserites, gave President Saleh only nine months at most to supervise presidential elections in which he is not participating. The opposition-backed increasing protesters in the streets want Saleh to leave now without delay.
Streets are not only for whose frustrated young people and disgruntled tribesmen, inspired by what’s happening now in the Arab world, who believe that ouster of Saleh will solve their problems, but also for supporters of Saleh
Tents of sit-ins are increasing day by day for both pro and anti-Saleh demonstrators. Tensions and concerns and fears of possible confrontation are always on rise.
It’s only a miracle if the conflicting parties return to normal and restart dialogue and stop the revolution or the war.
“Over history, Yemen has passed through even more difficult situations than now, and all of a sudden, the bother-enemies, become brothers and friends and no problem at all,” said Hassan Al Hashidi, a researcher and activist who is participating in the anti-Saleh protests.
Al Hashidi, could not say how that might happen, but he said, “ a miracle who knows?.”
After President Saleh rejected a five-point plan by the opposition which requires him to leave power by the end of this year, the Yemeni religious leaders said the opposition parties would be calling for a war if they do not agree on their 8-point plan which suggests formation of a national unity government.
In a statement read by the religious leader Mukbel Al Kadhi, after in a meeting held in Al Saleh grand mosque on Friday March 4th, 2011, the religious leaders said, the opposition would be calling for “Fitnah”, meaning a war, if they do not agree on this plan.
The 8-point plan was offered to President Saleh last Monday February 28, 2011, by Abdul Majid Al Zandani, the most influential cleric in the largest Islamist opposition party, Islah, in presence of all Yemeni clerics.
The religious leaders said, in their statement, they did not receive any answer on their plan from the opposition parties though they waited for two days.
According to the statement, Abdul Majid Al Zandani was assigned by the religious leaders to offer the plan to the opposition collation. The religious leaders said they were supposed to have an answer within two days at most.
“After the two days have passed, we met on Wednesday and unanimously approved the 8-point plan, and we agreed that whoever violates it, then he is calling for ‘Fitnah’ (a religious word meaning an all-out war) ,” said the statement.
On their part, the opposition parties renewed their support for the demonstrators in the street who demand the ouster of President Saleh and condemned any violence against them.
On the same day, on Friday , the opposition parties criticized in a statement the religious leaders who issued such Fatwas, religious decrees saying it was only to please the regime. “They have to repent to Allah and ask him for forgiveness, if He would forgive them,” said the statement in an obvious reference to the religious leaders who said the opposition is calling for ‘Fitnah’ if they do not agree on the
8-point plan.
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