Vast crowds rally in Yemen for and against Saleh

By Mohamed Sudam and Mohammed Ghobari

Apr 22, 2011

SANAA (Reuters) - Yemenis flooded the streets of Sanaa and Taiz on Friday in rival demonstrations for and against President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who gave a guarded welcome to a Gulf Arab plan for a three-month transition of power.

He told supporters in Sanaa any arrangements had to be "within the framework of the Yemen constitution" -- language which could mask objections to the plan -- and also vowed to "confront challenge with challenge," but without bloodshed.

Riot police fired in the air in the southern city of Taiz to try to keep vast, unruly crowds of pro and anti-Saleh demonstrators apart, witnesses said. Ambulance sirens could be heard, but there was no immediate word on casualties.

A sea of anti-Saleh protesters, perhaps in the hundreds of thousands, inundated the streets of Taiz, Yemen's third city and an epicenter of opposition to the 69-year-old president.

Tens of thousands of Saleh loyalists turned out in Sanaa, the capital, for what they called a "Friday of Reconciliation," waving Yemeni flags and pictures of the president.

Their numbers were matched by protesters demanding Saleh's immediate departure, spilling out of their usual protest area around Sanaa University to mark a "Last Chance Friday" in nearby Siteen Street, where there was a heavy security presence.

That raised concern that Saleh's security forces and republican guards might clash with troops loyal to renegade general Ali Mohsen, protecting the protesters in Sanaa.

Demonstrators voiced skepticism about the latest Gulf plan aimed at halting Yemen's descent into more violence and chaos.

The proposal of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) calls for Saleh to hand power to his vice president one month after signing an agreement. He would appoint an opposition leader to lead an interim cabinet tasked with preparing for presidential elections two months later, a Yemeni official said.

IMMUNITY FROM PROSECUTION

The plan, presented on Thursday, also gives immunity from prosecution to Saleh, his family and aides -- anathema to his foes, who would also have to end protests under the proposal.

"We won't depend on any initiative that doesn't demand that this man leaves right away," said protester Manea Abdullah. "We are sticking to the demands of the revolution for an immediate departure and prosecution of those who killed our comrades."

Saleh's long-time Gulf and Western allies, concerned that chaos in Yemen will open more opportunities for ambitious al Qaeda militants, are trying to broker an orderly transition after three months of protests against Saleh's 32-year rule.

While organized opposition parties may still be ready to do a deal, many protesters do not trust Saleh to implement it.

"This guy is a liar, we won't believe anything even if the opposition accepts the Gulf initiative," said Abdulnasser Ahmed.

"Every time he agrees to something, then backs off. We know his ways and so does the rest of the world. That's why the world should support our demands that he go."

In the lawless eastern province of Maarib, a local official said two soldiers were killed and two were wounded in an ambush, which he said was mounted by pro-opposition tribesmen.

The toll in a separate overnight clash between soldiers and militants in the southern province of Lahej rose to five soldiers killed and three wounded, a local official said. Two militants were also killed.

Anti and Pro Government Protests to be Held in all Yemen's Provinces

By Fatik Al-Rodaini

Sana'a, Apr 21, 2011- Yemen's opposition, the Joint Meeting Parties, JMP, and youth revolution will hold huge protests against embattled Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh in all Yemen's provinces demanding his immediate ouster for him and his regime.

Tomorrow's Friday will be called by '' the Friday of Last Chance'' in which it will be held in Sana'a in Al-Seteen Steet for the first time.

Yemen's opposition and youths will hold the tenth Friday in which was preceded by nine before.

In return, the supporters of President Saleh will hold demonstrations in Yemen's capital, Sana'a and in the other provinces in "the Friday of Reconciliation".

Millions of anti- and pro government protesters hold huge demonstrations in all Yemen's provinces each Friday.

Lavrov urges conflicting parties in Yemen to negotiate

LJUBLJANA, April 21 (Itar-Tass) -- The conflicting parties in Yemen should negotiate and come to terms, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in the wake of reports about a UN Security Council session on Yemen, which ended inconclusively, without adopting a joint statement.

"Nobody called for a vote,” said Lavrov. “There was a discussion of the situation and of what can be done to help."

"The Yemenis must agree among themselves," said Lavrov.

As Lavrov pointed out, the demands put forward by the opposition in many Arab countries are fair, but quite often, hoping for help from abroad, the opposition refuses to come to the negotiating table. Lavrov is certain that "it is up to the conflicting parties to seek accord, without expecting that someone would help them."

Earlier, the UN Security Council met behind closed doors to discuss the situation in Yemen. At the consultations, convened at the initiative of Germany, UN Deputy Secretary-General for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe briefed the Security Council members on what was happening in that troubled country. Then, some delegations suggested adopting a statement for the press, but the delegations of Russia and China exercised their right to consult with their capitals.

Russia did not block the adoption of a Security Council statement on the situation in Yemen, a diplomatic source at the UN headquarters told Itar-Tass. "The question of issuing a UN Security Council statement on the situation in Yemen was raised without any prior discussion, so the Russian delegation in accordance with the rules of the Council exercised its right to consult with the capital," the interviewee said.

"The situation in Yemen requires a detailed study," the source said. He drew attention to the fact that after the closed consultations at the Council there followed a leak to the press.

"Information based on leaks from the UN Security Council is contrary to the rules of the Council," he said.

US Ambassador to Yemen solves gas crisis

By Mohammed al-Kibsi, Abdul-Aziz Oudah
Sana'a, Apr 21, 2011- A Yemeni government official source praised the efforts exerted by the ambassador of the United States to Yemen for convincing tribesmen affiliated to the Islah opposition party to stop blocking gas containers from reaching to the capital Sana’a and to other provinces from Marib province in the north of Yemen.
The capital Secretariat (Sana’a city) is witnessing a sever crisis in cooking gas as all cooking gas shops closed down in the face of people. Three months has now passed as the government and the opposition exchange mutual accusations over the causes of the gas disappearance since the beginning of the protests.
The Yemen Gas company announced Saturday importing twenty thousand tons of cooking gas from abroad, while the opposition says that they have already warned of such action because Yemen is a major liquefied gas exporter in commercial quantities and has exported 60 million tons last year to world markets.
An official statement announced that the cooking gas import is a temporary measure because subversive elements have disrupted Marib route, however the opposition “Islah party” accused in its website the national security authorities of holding the gas tankers at major entries and prevented them from entering the capital and the other governorates.
Official media said that efforts exerted by the ambassador of the United Striates of America to Yemen Gerald Feierstein during the past days resulted in convincing leaderships and military leaders that rebelled to open the road of Marib –Sana’a to facilitate transporting gas supplies to the rest of Yemeni provinces.
According to these Media elements from the JMP, especially from the Islah party, had under incitement by elders from the JMP and some military leaders who announced their rebellion against the constitutional legitimacy, had blocked the road to prevent trailers from transporting cooking gas for more than four weeks now and that caused a real crisis in providing gas for the citizens and caused them suffering in this regard.
The Yemeni government has expressed its thanking and appreciation for the efforts of the US ambassador for convincing leaderships of the JMP that are behind this act to allow the passage of gas supplies as the first that are affected are the citizens rather than the regime.
In a related issue a security source in Marib said that a JMP dominated tribe, particularly by the Islah party are disrupting the route at several points on Marib –Sana’a route and have looted and burned down some of the gas tankers to prevent them from reaching Sana’a , adding that these elements have stopped Saturday two gas tankers and burned them after threatening with death the security unit escorting them.
The commander of the two gun mounted vehicles guarding the tankers, lieutenant Ahmed al-Hafashi said that a large group of gunmen have burnt down the two gas tankers after heated arguments with the guarding force in Madghal area, when the gunmen fired at the tankers while the drivers and the guarding force personnel ran for their lives because the attackers were greater in number and were armed with heavy weapons.
The Yemeni Gas company has regretted in an official statement the continued subversive actions by outlaws who interrupt the gas tankers, especially those on their way to the capital. The company expected to distribute large amounts of cooking gas within the next two days and supply all Yemeni markets with this vital commodity pointing out that the overall daily need of the Capital Secretariat and all governorates is 80 gas tankers.
Citizens in many residential neighborhoods had cut off roads and main streets, held demonstrations and gatherings as shots were heard during some of these gatherings communities leading to security forces interventions. There were clashes in some areas such as the al- Ragas, al-Zira’a and other areas.
Cooking gas shops’ owners deny that that they are the cause of the crisis as there are different reports of those behind the crisis. The shops owners say that the Gas company has stopped supplying them for two months now, since the beginning of the youth protests, adding that the company only supplies relatives of influential tribal and areas’ leaders.
Some areas have registered the names of families living in the Capital areas to supply them with gas so as to prevent tampering with prices, however citizens say that three weeks have passed since the registration and no gas was provided with the appearance of some trucks selling the gas cylinders at YR (3700 -5000.)
A national alliance for combating natural liquefied gas’ deal and other suspicious transactions 'an entity afiliated to the Joint Meeting opposition Parties' has accused the government of stopping the cooking gas supplies from entering the capital through one of the Republican Guard’s units outside Sana’a, alleging that unit 312 of the Republican Guard has prevented 200 gas tankers from entering Sana’a.
Commenting on news from Saba news agency of the arrival of a Russian Gas vessel to Aden port, the chairman of the Executive Alliance Authority, Mohammed al-Absi said, “ We have warned, in vain, of the disastrous consequences of natural liquefied gas deal on the Yemeni people, because while the Yemeni gas is sold to Korea at $ 13 per thousand cubic feet, we import it from Russia at the world prices of $ 32.
The Yemeni Oil Minister said that the cooking gas crisis that Yemen is witnessing since the beginning of this year, is due to tribal disruption to gas tankers, adding that since his appearance at the Parliament in 2010, the interruptions to the gas route of Sana’a – Marib which supplies the capital and other governorates have escalated. He pointed out that since January of this year the Marib route North of Sana’a has seen 30 cutoffs while it has seen 80 interruptions in 2009.
Source: Yemen Observer

UAE official due in Yemen soon

SANA'A, April 21 (Saba) - UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed al Nahyan will arrive in Yemen for a three-day official visit.

Well-informed source declared the UAE official would hold talks with Yemeni officials from the government and the Joint Meeting Parties (JMPs) to review visions presented by the Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in regard to implementing the GCC's initiative to address Yemen's current crisis.

During his visit, al Nahyan will also discuss ways of enhancing cooperation aspects as well as joint coordination between Yemen and the UAE in several fields to serve the common interests, the source added.

One Soldier Killed and others Wounded

By Fatik Al-Rodaini

Sana'a, Apr 21, 2011- At least one soldier was killed and others injured during clashes between republican guards and tribesmen in Yemen's southern province of Lahj.

Sources said that tribesmen from Southern Movement attacked a camp belong to the republican guards in Yefea district killing at least one soldier and wounding others.

Sporadic clashes have been continuing for months between tribesmen from Jabel Ali area demanding the moving of the republican guard camp to another area.