Eleven Yemeni coastguards, including three officers, were found dead and six others rescued when their boat capsized
By Saeed Al Batati, Correspondent
January 2, 2012
Sana'a: Eleven Yemeni coastguards, including three officers, were found dead and six others rescued when their boat capsized in the Red Sea off the western port province of Hudieda, Yemen Ministry of Defence reported on Monday.
The 17-crew boat had a machine fault before it was struck by a tidal wave, which turned it upside down. The coast guards found three bodies.
The ministry accused media affiliated with the opposition of exploiting the incident to incite the soldiers to revolt against their commanders. Also, a protester was killed outside a government facility in the southern port city of Aden. He was standing with a group of workers staging a sit-in outside their offices to demand the resignation of their manager.
A local journalist from the city told Gulf News that the protester was shot dead by the manager's nephew. The killing of the worker only further angered the protesters who demanded the prosecution of the manager.
Yemen is experiencing a surge of protests and public strikes against government officials appointed during the reign of outgoing Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. A couple of days ago, Saleh denounced the public strikes and indirectly accused the opposition of encouraging workers to take over the public offices.
"There is a growing chaos spreading across some ministries and government offices. We are working to contain them as to stop them from bringing down these institutes," he said in a meeting with the party.
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Monday, January 2, 2012
Missing French Journalist Found Strangled in Yemen
December 2, 2011
A French-Algerian journalist who was found strangled by an electrical cord in a hotel room in the Yemeni Capital of Sanaa had been missing for four days before his body was discovered on Monday. The journalist hasn't yet been named, nor has the media company for which he worked. France 24 denied an early report that he worked there, after Reuters reported that police had found a France 24 identification card on him. The man was found in the hotel Al-Maali, which is "near the presidential palace in an area controlled by Yemen's Republican Guard, an elite force commanded by the son of President Ali Abdullah Saleh," the Associated Press reports. "The guards have been battling renegade troops and armed tribesmen in Sanaa for months as Saleh tries to cling to power in the face of a popular uprising demanding he step down and stand trial.
" On Twitter, a fellow Yemen-based French journalist, Benjamin Wiacek, has already started suggesting a conspiracy theory, positing that the man was not a journalist at all, but some kind of government agent carrying a fake identification card. With so little information released, however, the case remains a mystery to almost everybody.
A French-Algerian journalist who was found strangled by an electrical cord in a hotel room in the Yemeni Capital of Sanaa had been missing for four days before his body was discovered on Monday. The journalist hasn't yet been named, nor has the media company for which he worked. France 24 denied an early report that he worked there, after Reuters reported that police had found a France 24 identification card on him. The man was found in the hotel Al-Maali, which is "near the presidential palace in an area controlled by Yemen's Republican Guard, an elite force commanded by the son of President Ali Abdullah Saleh," the Associated Press reports. "The guards have been battling renegade troops and armed tribesmen in Sanaa for months as Saleh tries to cling to power in the face of a popular uprising demanding he step down and stand trial.
" On Twitter, a fellow Yemen-based French journalist, Benjamin Wiacek, has already started suggesting a conspiracy theory, positing that the man was not a journalist at all, but some kind of government agent carrying a fake identification card. With so little information released, however, the case remains a mystery to almost everybody.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Saudi Diesel Grant Covers Two Months-Yemen Oilmin
January 1, 2012
Yemen's oil minister said on Saturday a grant of diesel from Saudi Arabia would be enough to cover the country's needs for two months.
“Yemen’s diesel consumption is 260,000 tonnes monthly, worth $280 million,” oil minister Hisham Sharaf told Reuters.
“We sell it at 25 percent of its cost because of the government subsidy on diesel. The Saudi grant will cover Yemen’s diesel needs for two months.”
Industry sources said on Thursday Saudi Arabia’s Aramco was seeking to buy fuel in order to donate about 500,000 tonnes of products to Yemen in January.
It would be the second time in six months Saudi Arabia has thrown a fuel lifeline to its impoverished neighbour, where a political crisis over demands for the ouster of President Ali Abdullah Saleh drags on. Saudi Arabia fears Yemen could slip into civil war.
Saleh has agreed to step down after 11 months of mass protests. A government split between members of his party and opposition figures is to work with the acting leader, Saleh’s deputy, to lead Yemen to a presidential election in February.
Sharaf said production at the Masila oilfield, now under Yemeni administration after Canada’s Nexen had one of its production contracts expire without renewal, was 70,000 barrels per day.
Yemen relied on 3 million barrels of Saudi-donated crude oil to run its refinery in June, when its main pipeline was shut after blasts, unleashing a fuel shortage that degenerated into clashes in which people were killed at dry petrol stations.
The pipeline, which was repaired during the summer, is shut once again after attacks in October. The lack of crude flow in the pipeline has also forced the Aden refinery, where production mainly meets domestic fuel demand, to halt operations.
Yemen's oil minister said on Saturday a grant of diesel from Saudi Arabia would be enough to cover the country's needs for two months.
“Yemen’s diesel consumption is 260,000 tonnes monthly, worth $280 million,” oil minister Hisham Sharaf told Reuters.
“We sell it at 25 percent of its cost because of the government subsidy on diesel. The Saudi grant will cover Yemen’s diesel needs for two months.”
Industry sources said on Thursday Saudi Arabia’s Aramco was seeking to buy fuel in order to donate about 500,000 tonnes of products to Yemen in January.
It would be the second time in six months Saudi Arabia has thrown a fuel lifeline to its impoverished neighbour, where a political crisis over demands for the ouster of President Ali Abdullah Saleh drags on. Saudi Arabia fears Yemen could slip into civil war.
Saleh has agreed to step down after 11 months of mass protests. A government split between members of his party and opposition figures is to work with the acting leader, Saleh’s deputy, to lead Yemen to a presidential election in February.
Sharaf said production at the Masila oilfield, now under Yemeni administration after Canada’s Nexen had one of its production contracts expire without renewal, was 70,000 barrels per day.
Yemen relied on 3 million barrels of Saudi-donated crude oil to run its refinery in June, when its main pipeline was shut after blasts, unleashing a fuel shortage that degenerated into clashes in which people were killed at dry petrol stations.
The pipeline, which was repaired during the summer, is shut once again after attacks in October. The lack of crude flow in the pipeline has also forced the Aden refinery, where production mainly meets domestic fuel demand, to halt operations.
Al-Qaida flexing its muscle in Yemen
ZINJIBAR, Yemen, Jan. 1 (UPI) -- Yemeni government military commanders say an al-Qaida faction is consolidating its control over a worrisome region in the south of the nation.
Militants with al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula have been sparring with beleaguered government forces and unilaterally imposing strict Sharia law in the rural area in manner reminiscent of the Taliban in Afghanistan.
"They are already acting like they are rulers of a state," Brig. Gen. Muhammed al-Somli, commander of a government brigade in the al-Qaida stronghold of Abyan, told The Washington Post.
The Post said in a dispatch from one of it reporters in Abyan -- a first for a Western media outlet -- that much of Abyan and the city of Zinjibar were in the hands of al-Qaida. The militants, including fighters from other Middle East nations, have made it clear they want to establish a base for terrorist attacks on the United States.
Somli said his first priority was to keep al-Qaida out of the Yemeni capital of Aden, which has been in turmoil due to pro-democracy demonstrations in the past months.
He said the United States has been helping by training counter-terrorism units and using unmanned drones to take out al-Qaida leaders, but the assistance has so far not been enough to turn the tide.
Militants with al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula have been sparring with beleaguered government forces and unilaterally imposing strict Sharia law in the rural area in manner reminiscent of the Taliban in Afghanistan.
"They are already acting like they are rulers of a state," Brig. Gen. Muhammed al-Somli, commander of a government brigade in the al-Qaida stronghold of Abyan, told The Washington Post.
The Post said in a dispatch from one of it reporters in Abyan -- a first for a Western media outlet -- that much of Abyan and the city of Zinjibar were in the hands of al-Qaida. The militants, including fighters from other Middle East nations, have made it clear they want to establish a base for terrorist attacks on the United States.
Somli said his first priority was to keep al-Qaida out of the Yemeni capital of Aden, which has been in turmoil due to pro-democracy demonstrations in the past months.
He said the United States has been helping by training counter-terrorism units and using unmanned drones to take out al-Qaida leaders, but the assistance has so far not been enough to turn the tide.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Islamist fighters halt Yemen peace march-witnesses
Sat Dec 31, 2011
* Almost 100,000 displaced by army, militant fighting
* Militants block march, talks underway
* Saudi oil grant will cover needs for two months-min (Recasts with militants stopping march)
ADEN, Yemen, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Islamist militants fired into the air on Saturday to halt a peace march by thousands of Yemenis who were demanding an end to fighting that has forced them to flee their homes in the south, witnesses said.
Marchers told Reuters they were stopped on a 50 km (31 mile) walk from the port city of Aden to Zinjibar, capital of southern Abyan province where the army has been battling fighters suspected of having links with al Qaeda.
The southern fighting is one of many challenges facing the impoverished state, which has also been rocked by nearly a year of protests against the 33-year rule of outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
The United States, and top oil producer Saudi Arabia, are both concerned about the growing chaos in the country, which is close to oil shipping routes.
Analysts fear the unrest could be exploited by al Qaeda's arm in Yemen, seen as the group's most powerful branch.
The marchers said they were calling on both sides to lay down their arms in the south and demanding the government open the Aden-Zinjibar coastal highway, a key trade route which has remained closed during the conflict.
The protesters, who said 20,000 people took part in the march including women and children, told Reuters they forced their way through a military check-point on the road before meeting the militants.
"About 20 armed men shot in the air to stop us. They told us they had nothing against our returning home as long as we did not get involved in the conflict," Mahmoud al-Sayyed, one the marchers, told Reuters.
Some of the marchers turned back, while others were holding talks with the militants to convince them to allow the march to continue, Sayyed said. The militants said they wanted to keep the marchers away from the fighting for their own safety, said marchers.
"Our march is a message to the regime, the army and al Qaeda that we are the sons of Abyan ... and we are determined to return to our homes," said one marcher earlier, declining to give his name.
Saudi Arabia has backed a Gulf Arab peace plan to resolve the anti-Saleh uprising, under which the president handed power to his deputy. A presidential election is scheduled for February.
But the fighting against the Islamist militants in the south has continued, forcing about 97,000 people to flee. More than 300,000 others have been displaced by a conflict in the north, according to U.N. estimates.
FUEL LIFELINE
Separately, Yemen's oil minister said a grant of diesel from neighbouring Saudi Arabia would be enough to cover the country's needs for two months, easing some fears about the strife-hit economy.
Industry sources said on Thursday Saudi Arabia's state oil company Aramco was seeking to buy fuel in order to donate about 500,000 tonnes of products to Yemen in January.
It would be the second time in six months Saudi Arabia has thrown a fuel lifeline to its impoverished neighbour.
Sharaf also told Reuters production at the Masila oilfield - now under Yemeni administration after Canada's Nexen had one of its production contracts expire without renewal - was 70,000 barrels per day.
* Almost 100,000 displaced by army, militant fighting
* Militants block march, talks underway
* Saudi oil grant will cover needs for two months-min (Recasts with militants stopping march)
ADEN, Yemen, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Islamist militants fired into the air on Saturday to halt a peace march by thousands of Yemenis who were demanding an end to fighting that has forced them to flee their homes in the south, witnesses said.
Marchers told Reuters they were stopped on a 50 km (31 mile) walk from the port city of Aden to Zinjibar, capital of southern Abyan province where the army has been battling fighters suspected of having links with al Qaeda.
The southern fighting is one of many challenges facing the impoverished state, which has also been rocked by nearly a year of protests against the 33-year rule of outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
The United States, and top oil producer Saudi Arabia, are both concerned about the growing chaos in the country, which is close to oil shipping routes.
Analysts fear the unrest could be exploited by al Qaeda's arm in Yemen, seen as the group's most powerful branch.
The marchers said they were calling on both sides to lay down their arms in the south and demanding the government open the Aden-Zinjibar coastal highway, a key trade route which has remained closed during the conflict.
The protesters, who said 20,000 people took part in the march including women and children, told Reuters they forced their way through a military check-point on the road before meeting the militants.
"About 20 armed men shot in the air to stop us. They told us they had nothing against our returning home as long as we did not get involved in the conflict," Mahmoud al-Sayyed, one the marchers, told Reuters.
Some of the marchers turned back, while others were holding talks with the militants to convince them to allow the march to continue, Sayyed said. The militants said they wanted to keep the marchers away from the fighting for their own safety, said marchers.
"Our march is a message to the regime, the army and al Qaeda that we are the sons of Abyan ... and we are determined to return to our homes," said one marcher earlier, declining to give his name.
Saudi Arabia has backed a Gulf Arab peace plan to resolve the anti-Saleh uprising, under which the president handed power to his deputy. A presidential election is scheduled for February.
But the fighting against the Islamist militants in the south has continued, forcing about 97,000 people to flee. More than 300,000 others have been displaced by a conflict in the north, according to U.N. estimates.
FUEL LIFELINE
Separately, Yemen's oil minister said a grant of diesel from neighbouring Saudi Arabia would be enough to cover the country's needs for two months, easing some fears about the strife-hit economy.
Industry sources said on Thursday Saudi Arabia's state oil company Aramco was seeking to buy fuel in order to donate about 500,000 tonnes of products to Yemen in January.
It would be the second time in six months Saudi Arabia has thrown a fuel lifeline to its impoverished neighbour.
Sharaf also told Reuters production at the Masila oilfield - now under Yemeni administration after Canada's Nexen had one of its production contracts expire without renewal - was 70,000 barrels per day.
President Saleh now plans to stay in Yemen
(AP) December 31, 2011
SANAA, Yemen — Yemen's president now plans to remain in the country even after he steps down because protests that have spread to include employees of government agencies are threatening the rest of his regime, a senior member of the ruling party said Saturday.
President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has ruled for 33 years, had said he would travel to the United States in an attempt to calm tensions in his country after 10 months of protests seeking his ouster. Saleh signed a deal last month to transfer power in exchange for immunity from prosecution over the deadly crackdown on protesters.
The deal, brokered by Yemen's neighbors on the Arabian Peninsula, has failed to end the unrest, however, because protesters in the streets want to see Saleh stand trial over the killings of hundreds of demonstrators. Instead, demonstrations have widened as employees stage sit-ins at government agencies and more members of the security forces rebel against commanders they accuse of corruption and playing a role in the crackdown.
"It is not possible in any way, shape or form to allow the collapse of state establishments and institutions that have been built over the last 49 years," Saleh said in a statement addressing the new threats.
He did not mention his plans to stay in Yemen, but Mohammed al-Shayekh, a leading member of Saleh's People's Congress Party, said separately that the president had decided to remain.
Meanwhile, the president's son, Ahmed, is leading a crackdown to purge the Republican Guard, which he commands, of any rebellious officers found to be siding with anti-government protesters, a military official said Saturday.
The Republican Guard is a pillar of Saleh's rule, and the attempts to ensure it remains loyal also point to an effort to keep the entire regime from unraveling in the wake of the deal for Saleh to transfer power.
Ahmed Saleh has had dozens of members of the powerful military force arrested so far, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
The Republican Guard has helped President Saleh maintain power despite the months of protests, intense international pressure and an assassination attempt in June that forced him to leave the country for weeks of medical treatment in neighboring Saudi Arabia.
The Guard, one of the best trained elements of Yemen's military, has not suffered a high number of defections like some other military units whose soldiers and commanders left to join the protest movement.
But with more frequent and serious acts of rebellion breaking out in other parts of the security services, the Guard's commanders are moving to prevent their ranks from doing the same.
The military official said Ahmed warned at a Guard meeting over the past week against "copying" the actions of others. They are searching units, barracks and have banned the use of cell phones inside the camp, the official said.
"We will not permit copying here. Force will be the way to deal with any protest," the official quoted Saleh's son as saying.
Some renegade units in other parts of the military have locked their commanders out of military installations and demanded the removal of officers accused of corruption or involvement in the deadly crackdown on protesters.
In a significant concession, the defense minister ordered the removal of a longtime Saleh confident within the armed forces, Ali al-Shater, known as one of the regime's strongmen. Protests by subordinates accused al-Shater of corruption and using his connections with the president to illegally amass wealth.
Another sweep in search of rebellious soldiers took place within the ranks of the Central Security forces, led by Saleh's nephew, Yahia, according to a Central Security official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity because of the secretive nature of the security measures.
Hundreds of men in military uniform marched on Saturday through the southern city of Taiz, a center of the uprising, calling for trials of top commanders over the killings of unarmed protesters in the regime's crackdown.
Also Saturday, hundreds of thousands of protesters held demonstrations in the capital city of Sanaa and in several other cities. They vowed to stop Saleh from leaving the country and to force him to stand trial.
SANAA, Yemen — Yemen's president now plans to remain in the country even after he steps down because protests that have spread to include employees of government agencies are threatening the rest of his regime, a senior member of the ruling party said Saturday.
President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has ruled for 33 years, had said he would travel to the United States in an attempt to calm tensions in his country after 10 months of protests seeking his ouster. Saleh signed a deal last month to transfer power in exchange for immunity from prosecution over the deadly crackdown on protesters.
The deal, brokered by Yemen's neighbors on the Arabian Peninsula, has failed to end the unrest, however, because protesters in the streets want to see Saleh stand trial over the killings of hundreds of demonstrators. Instead, demonstrations have widened as employees stage sit-ins at government agencies and more members of the security forces rebel against commanders they accuse of corruption and playing a role in the crackdown.
"It is not possible in any way, shape or form to allow the collapse of state establishments and institutions that have been built over the last 49 years," Saleh said in a statement addressing the new threats.
He did not mention his plans to stay in Yemen, but Mohammed al-Shayekh, a leading member of Saleh's People's Congress Party, said separately that the president had decided to remain.
Meanwhile, the president's son, Ahmed, is leading a crackdown to purge the Republican Guard, which he commands, of any rebellious officers found to be siding with anti-government protesters, a military official said Saturday.
The Republican Guard is a pillar of Saleh's rule, and the attempts to ensure it remains loyal also point to an effort to keep the entire regime from unraveling in the wake of the deal for Saleh to transfer power.
Ahmed Saleh has had dozens of members of the powerful military force arrested so far, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
The Republican Guard has helped President Saleh maintain power despite the months of protests, intense international pressure and an assassination attempt in June that forced him to leave the country for weeks of medical treatment in neighboring Saudi Arabia.
The Guard, one of the best trained elements of Yemen's military, has not suffered a high number of defections like some other military units whose soldiers and commanders left to join the protest movement.
But with more frequent and serious acts of rebellion breaking out in other parts of the security services, the Guard's commanders are moving to prevent their ranks from doing the same.
The military official said Ahmed warned at a Guard meeting over the past week against "copying" the actions of others. They are searching units, barracks and have banned the use of cell phones inside the camp, the official said.
"We will not permit copying here. Force will be the way to deal with any protest," the official quoted Saleh's son as saying.
Some renegade units in other parts of the military have locked their commanders out of military installations and demanded the removal of officers accused of corruption or involvement in the deadly crackdown on protesters.
In a significant concession, the defense minister ordered the removal of a longtime Saleh confident within the armed forces, Ali al-Shater, known as one of the regime's strongmen. Protests by subordinates accused al-Shater of corruption and using his connections with the president to illegally amass wealth.
Another sweep in search of rebellious soldiers took place within the ranks of the Central Security forces, led by Saleh's nephew, Yahia, according to a Central Security official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity because of the secretive nature of the security measures.
Hundreds of men in military uniform marched on Saturday through the southern city of Taiz, a center of the uprising, calling for trials of top commanders over the killings of unarmed protesters in the regime's crackdown.
Also Saturday, hundreds of thousands of protesters held demonstrations in the capital city of Sanaa and in several other cities. They vowed to stop Saleh from leaving the country and to force him to stand trial.
Yemen protesters demand end to southern fighting
ADEN | Sat Dec 31
(Reuters) - Thousands of Yemenis began a 50 km (31 mile) march on Saturday to demand an end to a conflict which has forced nearly 100,000 people to flee southern Yemen, residents said, a day after seven militants were killed in fighting there with the army.
Up to 20,000 activists set out from the port city of Aden towards Zinjibar, the capital of Abyan province where the army has been battling Islamist militants suspected of having links with al Qaeda, residents said.
The marchers called on both sides to lay down their arms and demanded the government open the Aden-Zinjibar coastal highway, a key trade route which has remained closed during the conflict.
The militants and the Yemen-based regional wing of al Qaeda -- seen by the United States as the group's most dangerous branch -- have thrived during the instability caused by nearly a year of protests against the 33-year rule of outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia, which shares U.S. concerns over more instability in a country sitting next to oil shipping routes, has backed a Gulf Arab plan to ease Saleh out of power.
Since Saleh handed over the reins to his deputy under the Gulf peace accord, a new government headed by an opposition leader has been formed. A presidential election is scheduled for February.
But the fighting against the Islamist militants in the south has continued, forcing about 97,000 people to flee. More than 300,000 others have been displaced by a conflict in the north and nearly 200,000 have sought refuge from Somalia, according to U.N. estimates.
FUEL LIFELINE
Separately, Yemen's oil minister said a grant of diesel from neighboring Saudi Arabia would be enough to cover the country's needs for two months, easing some fears about the strife-hit economy.
Industry sources said on Thursday Saudi Arabia's state oil company Aramco was seeking to buy fuel in order to donate about 500,000 tonnes of products to Yemen in January.
"Yemen's diesel consumption is 260,000 tonnes monthly, worth $280 million ... The Saudi grant will cover Yemen's diesel needs for two months," Oil Minister Hisham Sharaf told Reuters.
It would be the second time in six months Saudi Arabia has thrown a fuel lifeline to its impoverished neighbor, which Saudi officials fear could slip into civil war after a year of protests against outgoing President Saleh.
Sharaf also told Reuters production at the Masila oilfield - now under Yemeni administration after Canada's Nexen had one of its production contracts expire without renewal - was 70,000 barrels per day.
Yemen relied on 3 million barrels of Saudi-donated crude oil to run its refinery in June, when its main pipeline was shut after blasts, causing a fuel shortage.
The pipeline, which was repaired during the summer, was shut again after attacks in October. The lack of crude flow in the pipeline has also forced the Aden refinery, where production mainly meets domestic fuel demand, to halt operations.
(Reuters) - Thousands of Yemenis began a 50 km (31 mile) march on Saturday to demand an end to a conflict which has forced nearly 100,000 people to flee southern Yemen, residents said, a day after seven militants were killed in fighting there with the army.
Up to 20,000 activists set out from the port city of Aden towards Zinjibar, the capital of Abyan province where the army has been battling Islamist militants suspected of having links with al Qaeda, residents said.
The marchers called on both sides to lay down their arms and demanded the government open the Aden-Zinjibar coastal highway, a key trade route which has remained closed during the conflict.
The militants and the Yemen-based regional wing of al Qaeda -- seen by the United States as the group's most dangerous branch -- have thrived during the instability caused by nearly a year of protests against the 33-year rule of outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia, which shares U.S. concerns over more instability in a country sitting next to oil shipping routes, has backed a Gulf Arab plan to ease Saleh out of power.
Since Saleh handed over the reins to his deputy under the Gulf peace accord, a new government headed by an opposition leader has been formed. A presidential election is scheduled for February.
But the fighting against the Islamist militants in the south has continued, forcing about 97,000 people to flee. More than 300,000 others have been displaced by a conflict in the north and nearly 200,000 have sought refuge from Somalia, according to U.N. estimates.
FUEL LIFELINE
Separately, Yemen's oil minister said a grant of diesel from neighboring Saudi Arabia would be enough to cover the country's needs for two months, easing some fears about the strife-hit economy.
Industry sources said on Thursday Saudi Arabia's state oil company Aramco was seeking to buy fuel in order to donate about 500,000 tonnes of products to Yemen in January.
"Yemen's diesel consumption is 260,000 tonnes monthly, worth $280 million ... The Saudi grant will cover Yemen's diesel needs for two months," Oil Minister Hisham Sharaf told Reuters.
It would be the second time in six months Saudi Arabia has thrown a fuel lifeline to its impoverished neighbor, which Saudi officials fear could slip into civil war after a year of protests against outgoing President Saleh.
Sharaf also told Reuters production at the Masila oilfield - now under Yemeni administration after Canada's Nexen had one of its production contracts expire without renewal - was 70,000 barrels per day.
Yemen relied on 3 million barrels of Saudi-donated crude oil to run its refinery in June, when its main pipeline was shut after blasts, causing a fuel shortage.
The pipeline, which was repaired during the summer, was shut again after attacks in October. The lack of crude flow in the pipeline has also forced the Aden refinery, where production mainly meets domestic fuel demand, to halt operations.
Yemeni president's son purges rebellious officers
By AHMED AL-HAJ, Associated Press
December 31, 2011
SANAA, Yemen (AP) — The son of Yemen's outgoing president is leading a crackdown to purge the Republican Guard, which he commands, of any rebellious officers found to be siding with anti-government protesters, a military official said Saturday.
The Republican Guard is a pillar of the regime of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and the attempts to ensure it remains loyal point to an effort to keep the regime from unraveling in the wake of a deal for Saleh to transfer power after 33 years as president.
His son, Ahmed, has had dozens of members of the powerful military force arrested so far, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
The Republican Guard has helped Saleh maintain power despite 10 months of protests, intense international pressure and an assassination attempt in June that forced him to leave the country for medical treatment in neighboring Saudi Arabia.
The Guard, one of the best trained elements of Yemen's military, has not suffered a high number of defections like some other military units whose soldiers and commanders left to join the protest movement.
But with more frequent and serious acts of rebellion breaking out in other parts of the security services, the Guard's commanders are moving to prevent their ranks from doing the same.
The official said Ahmed warned at a Guard meeting over the past week against "copying" the actions of others. They are searching units, barracks, and have banned the use of cell phones inside the camp, the official said.
"We will not permit copying here. Force will be the way to deal with any protest," the official quoted Saleh's son as saying.
Some renegade units in other parts of the military have even locked their commanders out of military installations and demanded the removal of officers accused of corruption or involvement in the deadly crackdown on protesters.
In a significant concession, the defense minister ordered the removal of a longtime Saleh confident within the armed forces, Ali al-Shater, known as one of the regime's strongmen. Protests by subordinates accused al-Shater of corruption and using his connections with the president to illegally amass wealth.
Another sweep in search of rebellious soldiers took place within the ranks of the Central Security forces, led by Saleh's nephew, Yahia, according to a Central Security official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity because of the secretive nature of the security measures.
Hundreds of men in military uniform marched on Saturday through the southern city of Taiz, a center of the uprising, calling for trials of top commanders over the killings of unarmed protesters in the regime's crackdown
Labor protests have also swept Yemen since Saleh signed the power transfer deal last month. The deal, brokered by Yemen's neighbors on the Arabian Peninsula, grants him immunity from prosecution in return for stepping down.
He transferred power to his vice president and said he will leave the country and travel to the United States, though Washington has yet to say if he would be granted a visa.
The pact has failed to end street protests, however, because many still want to see Saleh stand trial.
On Saturday, hundreds of thousands of protesters held demonstrations in the capital city of Sanaa and in several other cities and vowed to stop Saleh from leaving the country.
December 31, 2011
SANAA, Yemen (AP) — The son of Yemen's outgoing president is leading a crackdown to purge the Republican Guard, which he commands, of any rebellious officers found to be siding with anti-government protesters, a military official said Saturday.
The Republican Guard is a pillar of the regime of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and the attempts to ensure it remains loyal point to an effort to keep the regime from unraveling in the wake of a deal for Saleh to transfer power after 33 years as president.
His son, Ahmed, has had dozens of members of the powerful military force arrested so far, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
The Republican Guard has helped Saleh maintain power despite 10 months of protests, intense international pressure and an assassination attempt in June that forced him to leave the country for medical treatment in neighboring Saudi Arabia.
The Guard, one of the best trained elements of Yemen's military, has not suffered a high number of defections like some other military units whose soldiers and commanders left to join the protest movement.
But with more frequent and serious acts of rebellion breaking out in other parts of the security services, the Guard's commanders are moving to prevent their ranks from doing the same.
The official said Ahmed warned at a Guard meeting over the past week against "copying" the actions of others. They are searching units, barracks, and have banned the use of cell phones inside the camp, the official said.
"We will not permit copying here. Force will be the way to deal with any protest," the official quoted Saleh's son as saying.
Some renegade units in other parts of the military have even locked their commanders out of military installations and demanded the removal of officers accused of corruption or involvement in the deadly crackdown on protesters.
In a significant concession, the defense minister ordered the removal of a longtime Saleh confident within the armed forces, Ali al-Shater, known as one of the regime's strongmen. Protests by subordinates accused al-Shater of corruption and using his connections with the president to illegally amass wealth.
Another sweep in search of rebellious soldiers took place within the ranks of the Central Security forces, led by Saleh's nephew, Yahia, according to a Central Security official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity because of the secretive nature of the security measures.
Hundreds of men in military uniform marched on Saturday through the southern city of Taiz, a center of the uprising, calling for trials of top commanders over the killings of unarmed protesters in the regime's crackdown
Labor protests have also swept Yemen since Saleh signed the power transfer deal last month. The deal, brokered by Yemen's neighbors on the Arabian Peninsula, grants him immunity from prosecution in return for stepping down.
He transferred power to his vice president and said he will leave the country and travel to the United States, though Washington has yet to say if he would be granted a visa.
The pact has failed to end street protests, however, because many still want to see Saleh stand trial.
On Saturday, hundreds of thousands of protesters held demonstrations in the capital city of Sanaa and in several other cities and vowed to stop Saleh from leaving the country.
Friday, December 30, 2011
New island appears off Yemen after volcanic eruption
December 30, 2011
A new island has appeared off the west coast of Yemen following a volcanic eruption, Nasa has announced.
The US space agency's Earth Observatory posted satellite photos showing a plume of white smoke rising from the ocean near the Zubair group of islands in the Red Sea on Dec 23.
"The image from December 2011 shows an apparent island where there had previously been an unbroken water surface," the observatory said in a statement.
"A thick plume rises from the island, dark near the bottom and light near the top, perhaps a mixture of volcanic ash and water vapour."
New islands are created by undersea volcanoes every few years, but many are not strong enough to withstand the wind and waves of the open sea, volcanologist Rick Wunderman told CNN on Thursday.
He added, however, that the volcanic material in the Red Sea tends to be more durable.
A new island has appeared off the west coast of Yemen following a volcanic eruption, Nasa has announced.
The US space agency's Earth Observatory posted satellite photos showing a plume of white smoke rising from the ocean near the Zubair group of islands in the Red Sea on Dec 23.
"The image from December 2011 shows an apparent island where there had previously been an unbroken water surface," the observatory said in a statement.
"A thick plume rises from the island, dark near the bottom and light near the top, perhaps a mixture of volcanic ash and water vapour."
New islands are created by undersea volcanoes every few years, but many are not strong enough to withstand the wind and waves of the open sea, volcanologist Rick Wunderman told CNN on Thursday.
He added, however, that the volcanic material in the Red Sea tends to be more durable.
Activists in south Yemen burn election cards
Friday, Dec 30, 2011
Gulf News
Sana’a The secessionist movement in Yemen’s south stepped up protests and called on its supporters to burn their election cards to raise the pitch for an independent southern state.
Thousands of protesters marched though Yemen’s southern cities of Aden, Dhale, Radfan, Hawta, Ateg and Mukalla hoisting the flag of the former communist state chanting slogans against the government in Sana’a and urging people in the south to boycott the presidential election scheduled for next year.
“We have called all of the people in the south to burn their election cards to express our rejection of the election. We have a special ceremony tonight for this purpose,” an activist taking part in the protests told Gulf News.
Since it took shape in 2007, the Southern Movement has been calling for the disengagement of the former southern state that united with the North in 1990. Dozens of people have been killed when the government tried to crush protests.
Clashes with Al Qaida
Elsewhere in the south of the country, two soldiers were killed and seven injured in the last couple of days in fierce clashes with Al Qaida militants in the restive district of Zinjibar in Abyan province, a local source told Gulf News. Three militants were also killed in the clashes.
The self-styled Proponent of Sharia, an offshoot of Al Qaida, has seized control of large swathes of the province of Abyan and a city in the neighbouring Shabwa province since May.
Meanwhile, protests against outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh escalated yesterday in the streets of Sana’a and Taez.
Anti-Saleh protests
In Sana’a, a huge number of protesters marched demanding that Saleh and his aides be tried for ordering the killing of protesters.
Meanwhile, workers across Yemen continued strikes yesterday to demand the dismissal of long-serving officials loyal to Saleh.
Eyewitnesses in Sana’a said dozens of policemen arranged a sit-in demanding the removal of general Mohammad Abdullah Al Qowsi, accusing him of withholding their wages.
The unity government urged the civil servants to call of strikes against their managers and be patient and give it time to put in place its programme, promising to look into their demands, Saba news agency reported.
Gulf News
Sana’a The secessionist movement in Yemen’s south stepped up protests and called on its supporters to burn their election cards to raise the pitch for an independent southern state.
Thousands of protesters marched though Yemen’s southern cities of Aden, Dhale, Radfan, Hawta, Ateg and Mukalla hoisting the flag of the former communist state chanting slogans against the government in Sana’a and urging people in the south to boycott the presidential election scheduled for next year.
“We have called all of the people in the south to burn their election cards to express our rejection of the election. We have a special ceremony tonight for this purpose,” an activist taking part in the protests told Gulf News.
Since it took shape in 2007, the Southern Movement has been calling for the disengagement of the former southern state that united with the North in 1990. Dozens of people have been killed when the government tried to crush protests.
Clashes with Al Qaida
Elsewhere in the south of the country, two soldiers were killed and seven injured in the last couple of days in fierce clashes with Al Qaida militants in the restive district of Zinjibar in Abyan province, a local source told Gulf News. Three militants were also killed in the clashes.
The self-styled Proponent of Sharia, an offshoot of Al Qaida, has seized control of large swathes of the province of Abyan and a city in the neighbouring Shabwa province since May.
Meanwhile, protests against outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh escalated yesterday in the streets of Sana’a and Taez.
Anti-Saleh protests
In Sana’a, a huge number of protesters marched demanding that Saleh and his aides be tried for ordering the killing of protesters.
Meanwhile, workers across Yemen continued strikes yesterday to demand the dismissal of long-serving officials loyal to Saleh.
Eyewitnesses in Sana’a said dozens of policemen arranged a sit-in demanding the removal of general Mohammad Abdullah Al Qowsi, accusing him of withholding their wages.
The unity government urged the civil servants to call of strikes against their managers and be patient and give it time to put in place its programme, promising to look into their demands, Saba news agency reported.
New island appears off Yemen after volcanic eruption
December 30, 2011
A new island has appeared off the west coast of Yemen following a volcanic eruption, Nasa has announced.
The US space agency's Earth Observatory posted satellite photos showing a plume of white smoke rising from the ocean near the Zubair group of islands in the Red Sea on Dec 23.
"The image from December 2011 shows an apparent island where there had previously been an unbroken water surface," the observatory said in a statement.
"A thick plume rises from the island, dark near the bottom and light near the top, perhaps a mixture of volcanic ash and water vapour."
New islands are created by undersea volcanoes every few years, but many are not strong enough to withstand the wind and waves of the open sea, volcanologist Rick Wunderman told CNN on Thursday.
He added, however, that the volcanic material in the Red Sea tends to be more durable.
A new island has appeared off the west coast of Yemen following a volcanic eruption, Nasa has announced.
The US space agency's Earth Observatory posted satellite photos showing a plume of white smoke rising from the ocean near the Zubair group of islands in the Red Sea on Dec 23.
"The image from December 2011 shows an apparent island where there had previously been an unbroken water surface," the observatory said in a statement.
"A thick plume rises from the island, dark near the bottom and light near the top, perhaps a mixture of volcanic ash and water vapour."
New islands are created by undersea volcanoes every few years, but many are not strong enough to withstand the wind and waves of the open sea, volcanologist Rick Wunderman told CNN on Thursday.
He added, however, that the volcanic material in the Red Sea tends to be more durable.
Yemen protesters demand trial of President Saleh
December 30, 2011
Tens of thousands of people in Yemen have called for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to face trial for the deaths of hundreds of anti-government protesters.
After nearly a year of protests, Mr Saleh handed over presidential powers to his deputy last month and agreed to leave office in February 2012.
The deal also granted Mr Saleh, who remains honorary president, immunity from prosecution.
He has asked the US for permission to travel there.
US officials said Mr Saleh would only be admitted "for legitimate medical treatment" and that the request was being considered.
Mr Saleh was badly injured in an attack in June after which he spent several months in Saudi Arabia for medical treatment.
He said last weekend that he would leave for the US "in the coming days... to get out of sight... to calm the atmosphere for the unity government to hold the presidential election" in February.
But he has also said he would return later as "an opposition figure".
The anti-Saleh protesters are concerned that the president's inner circle, including his son, will attempt to hold on to power.
Mr Saleh has ruled Yemen for more than 30 years.
He has co-operated with the US in fighting al-Qaeda militants based in the country but came under increasing pressure from street protests from early 2011 to step down.
Yemen also faces separatists in the south, Shia rebels in the north, chronic unemployment and corruption and dwindling oil reserves.
Tens of thousands of people in Yemen have called for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to face trial for the deaths of hundreds of anti-government protesters.
After nearly a year of protests, Mr Saleh handed over presidential powers to his deputy last month and agreed to leave office in February 2012.
The deal also granted Mr Saleh, who remains honorary president, immunity from prosecution.
He has asked the US for permission to travel there.
US officials said Mr Saleh would only be admitted "for legitimate medical treatment" and that the request was being considered.
Mr Saleh was badly injured in an attack in June after which he spent several months in Saudi Arabia for medical treatment.
He said last weekend that he would leave for the US "in the coming days... to get out of sight... to calm the atmosphere for the unity government to hold the presidential election" in February.
But he has also said he would return later as "an opposition figure".
The anti-Saleh protesters are concerned that the president's inner circle, including his son, will attempt to hold on to power.
Mr Saleh has ruled Yemen for more than 30 years.
He has co-operated with the US in fighting al-Qaeda militants based in the country but came under increasing pressure from street protests from early 2011 to step down.
Yemen also faces separatists in the south, Shia rebels in the north, chronic unemployment and corruption and dwindling oil reserves.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Yemeni civilian killed in Sanaa clash
Clash between government troops and supporters of Al-Ahmar Wednesday leads to the death of a civilian as a military commission attempts to remove barriers near the interior ministry
AFP , Thursday 29 Dec 2011
A Yemeni civilian was shot dead Wednesday in a shootout between the Republican Guard and gunmen loyal to dissident tribal chief Sadiq al-Ahmar, witnesses said.
The clash broke out when a military commission attempted to remove barriers near the interior ministry in Amran Street, Hasaba neighbourhood, in an effort to return the capital to normalcy following unrest.
Three others were wounded in the gunbattle, witnesses said.
The commission plans to complete the lifting of barricades from the northern district of Hasaba by Thursday, said General Fadhel al-Qawassi, a member of the commission.
The commission was formed by Vice President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi who has been charged with managing the transfer of power and designated to serve as a consensus president after the expected departure of Ali Abdullah Saleh in February.
The aim of the commission is to restore stability, as well as reforming the security service controlled partly by Saleh loyalists, in accordance with the transition deal signed by Saleh in November after more than 10 months of protests against his 33-year rule.
Violence in Yemen has continued since the agreement was inked.
AFP , Thursday 29 Dec 2011
A Yemeni civilian was shot dead Wednesday in a shootout between the Republican Guard and gunmen loyal to dissident tribal chief Sadiq al-Ahmar, witnesses said.
The clash broke out when a military commission attempted to remove barriers near the interior ministry in Amran Street, Hasaba neighbourhood, in an effort to return the capital to normalcy following unrest.
Three others were wounded in the gunbattle, witnesses said.
The commission plans to complete the lifting of barricades from the northern district of Hasaba by Thursday, said General Fadhel al-Qawassi, a member of the commission.
The commission was formed by Vice President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi who has been charged with managing the transfer of power and designated to serve as a consensus president after the expected departure of Ali Abdullah Saleh in February.
The aim of the commission is to restore stability, as well as reforming the security service controlled partly by Saleh loyalists, in accordance with the transition deal signed by Saleh in November after more than 10 months of protests against his 33-year rule.
Violence in Yemen has continued since the agreement was inked.
US officials fear they were “played” in Yemen strike
December 29, 2011
US officials suspect that Yemen fed them false intelligence for a 2010 strike against Al-Qaeda suspects that killed a local leader locked in a dispute with the president's family, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
The disclosure of such an incident would complicate relations between the two allies at a time when Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh is seeking to visit the United States amid months of popular protests demanding his ouster.
The May 25, 2010 US missile strike, launched on intelligence supplied by the Yemeni government, killed Jabir Shabwani, 31, deputy governor of the central Mareb province, whose long-standing relations with Saleh's family had soured.
"We think we got played," the Journal quoted an official as saying, adding that other officials do not believe there was a Yemeni plan to kill Shabwani.
Saleh has been a key ally in the covert US war on Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), a group increasingly seen as a threat to the United States comparable to the global network's core leadership in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Saleh has also faced months of massive protests demanding the end of his 33-year reign accompanied by growing unrest that further threatens stability in the impoverished and largely tribal country.
Earlier this month Saleh requested permission to visit the United States, setting up a dilemma for US President Barack Obama, who has relied on the Yemeni leader as an anti-Qaeda ally but has also voiced support for the pro-democracy revolts sweeping the Arab world.
The Journal said some US officials doubt the military was intentionally misled in the 2010 strike but said it raised troubling questions about the reliance on Yemeni security forces for intelligence.
The report also quoted Yemeni officials as denying that they had any knowledge that Shabwani was at the site of the air strike.
US officials suspect that Yemen fed them false intelligence for a 2010 strike against Al-Qaeda suspects that killed a local leader locked in a dispute with the president's family, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
The disclosure of such an incident would complicate relations between the two allies at a time when Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh is seeking to visit the United States amid months of popular protests demanding his ouster.
The May 25, 2010 US missile strike, launched on intelligence supplied by the Yemeni government, killed Jabir Shabwani, 31, deputy governor of the central Mareb province, whose long-standing relations with Saleh's family had soured.
"We think we got played," the Journal quoted an official as saying, adding that other officials do not believe there was a Yemeni plan to kill Shabwani.
Saleh has been a key ally in the covert US war on Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), a group increasingly seen as a threat to the United States comparable to the global network's core leadership in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Saleh has also faced months of massive protests demanding the end of his 33-year reign accompanied by growing unrest that further threatens stability in the impoverished and largely tribal country.
Earlier this month Saleh requested permission to visit the United States, setting up a dilemma for US President Barack Obama, who has relied on the Yemeni leader as an anti-Qaeda ally but has also voiced support for the pro-democracy revolts sweeping the Arab world.
The Journal said some US officials doubt the military was intentionally misled in the 2010 strike but said it raised troubling questions about the reliance on Yemeni security forces for intelligence.
The report also quoted Yemeni officials as denying that they had any knowledge that Shabwani was at the site of the air strike.
Government's new plan neglects economic development in Yemen
December 29th, 2011
Both political sides convened in parliament this week for the first time in more than a year following a boycott by the opposition that began weeks before anti-government protests took hold in January.
The parliamentary sitting was chaotic. Armed men protecting rival politicians clashed and the building was thrown into darkness by the familiar power outages that have blighted the capital for more than nine months. The purpose of the meeting was the presentation of the new government's draft two-year programme. The 38-page document, which aims to "restore political stability and security to achieve safe power transfer in line with the Gulf initiative", was read out.
Despite International Monetary Fund (IMF) predictions that Yemen's economy would contract by 2.5 percent this year, there was no mention of economic reforms in the draft document, a point that was noted by several members of parliament present. Nearly 11 months of unrest have left Yemen's economy on the brink of collapse. IMF forecasts put this year's budget deficit at more than US$4 billion (Dh14.6bn).
Hisham Sharaf, former industry and trade minister, said last month that the political turmoil had cost the economy more than $8bn. Analysts say half the country's workforce is unemployed. "The crisis has depleted all the country's resources, and without foreign financial support, the government will only be able to partially implement its proposed programme," said an independent MP, Naser Arman. The amount of foreign economic support the country will receive next year has yet to be determined. Last month, Yemeni officials met with the IMF in Jordan. In 2010 the IMF approved a $370 million loan for Yemen. That money will help repay government debt, among other pressing needs.
Further IMF assistance has yet to be approved and the IMF declined to comment on Yemen's situation following last month's discussions. The conditions for further monetary assistance appear to rely on Yemen's political stability and economic reforms. The government's primary source or revenue is oil, accounting for 60 percent of income and 90 percent of exports, according to IMF figures. This year production was halted as oil and gas lines where damaged by anti-government tribesmen.
The Ras Isa offshore oil terminal in the Red Sea, which usually produces 110,000 barrels per day of exports, ceased production in March, and the Aden refinery was closed. Yemen has since relied on donations from Saudi Arabia and the UAE for oil. Electricity supplies also have been hit with many areas, including the capital, where residents and business have been restricted to an average of three hours a day of power.
"For months now we have been living in darkness. The price of fuel, gas, water, everything, is making living almost impossible," said Mohammed Farhan as he sat in his candle-lit shop. "If a political solution is not found, the alternatives are horrible: a civil war and an economic collapse," predicted Ibrahim Sharqieh, the deputy director for the Brookings Doha Center, this year. Sanaa residents have staged regular protests against power cuts and the rising cost of fuel and cooking gas.
The GCC deal has now provided a fragile political resolution. But foreign donors appear to be waiting to see how successful the transition process is at maintaining stability and addressing corruption. "Instability links directly to investor confidence," said Mr Sharqieh, a delay that Yemen's economy can ill afford.
Both political sides convened in parliament this week for the first time in more than a year following a boycott by the opposition that began weeks before anti-government protests took hold in January.
The parliamentary sitting was chaotic. Armed men protecting rival politicians clashed and the building was thrown into darkness by the familiar power outages that have blighted the capital for more than nine months. The purpose of the meeting was the presentation of the new government's draft two-year programme. The 38-page document, which aims to "restore political stability and security to achieve safe power transfer in line with the Gulf initiative", was read out.
Despite International Monetary Fund (IMF) predictions that Yemen's economy would contract by 2.5 percent this year, there was no mention of economic reforms in the draft document, a point that was noted by several members of parliament present. Nearly 11 months of unrest have left Yemen's economy on the brink of collapse. IMF forecasts put this year's budget deficit at more than US$4 billion (Dh14.6bn).
Hisham Sharaf, former industry and trade minister, said last month that the political turmoil had cost the economy more than $8bn. Analysts say half the country's workforce is unemployed. "The crisis has depleted all the country's resources, and without foreign financial support, the government will only be able to partially implement its proposed programme," said an independent MP, Naser Arman. The amount of foreign economic support the country will receive next year has yet to be determined. Last month, Yemeni officials met with the IMF in Jordan. In 2010 the IMF approved a $370 million loan for Yemen. That money will help repay government debt, among other pressing needs.
Further IMF assistance has yet to be approved and the IMF declined to comment on Yemen's situation following last month's discussions. The conditions for further monetary assistance appear to rely on Yemen's political stability and economic reforms. The government's primary source or revenue is oil, accounting for 60 percent of income and 90 percent of exports, according to IMF figures. This year production was halted as oil and gas lines where damaged by anti-government tribesmen.
The Ras Isa offshore oil terminal in the Red Sea, which usually produces 110,000 barrels per day of exports, ceased production in March, and the Aden refinery was closed. Yemen has since relied on donations from Saudi Arabia and the UAE for oil. Electricity supplies also have been hit with many areas, including the capital, where residents and business have been restricted to an average of three hours a day of power.
"For months now we have been living in darkness. The price of fuel, gas, water, everything, is making living almost impossible," said Mohammed Farhan as he sat in his candle-lit shop. "If a political solution is not found, the alternatives are horrible: a civil war and an economic collapse," predicted Ibrahim Sharqieh, the deputy director for the Brookings Doha Center, this year. Sanaa residents have staged regular protests against power cuts and the rising cost of fuel and cooking gas.
The GCC deal has now provided a fragile political resolution. But foreign donors appear to be waiting to see how successful the transition process is at maintaining stability and addressing corruption. "Instability links directly to investor confidence," said Mr Sharqieh, a delay that Yemen's economy can ill afford.
S. Arabia to donate 500,000T of fuel to Yemen-sources
DUBAI Dec 29 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia will donate 500,000 tonnes of oil products to Yemen, which has been struggling to get fuel as its largest refinery has been shut for over a month after several blasts on its oil pipeline halted crude flow.
State oil giant Saudi Aramco will buy oil products from the market but will ask the supplier to discharge the cargo in Yemen instead of in Saudi ports, industry sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
"There is a government to government agreement between Yemen and Saudi Arabia where Aramco is buying the gasoline and gasoil and paying for it," one industry source said.
This would be the second time this year that Saudi Arabia would be throwing a lifeline to its impoverished southern neighbour, which relied on 3 million barrels of Saudi-donated crude oil to run its refinery in June, when its main pipeline was again shut after blasts.
The poorest Arab country has been in chaos this year with 11 months of demonstrations demanding the end of President Ali Abdullah Saleh's 33-year rule.
Its main pipeline carrying high-quality sweet Maarib crude is shut once again, after consecutive blasts on it in October. The lack of crude flow in the pipeline has also forced the Aden refinery, which mainly produces to meet the domestic fuel demand, to halt operations.
State oil giant Saudi Aramco will buy oil products from the market but will ask the supplier to discharge the cargo in Yemen instead of in Saudi ports, industry sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
"There is a government to government agreement between Yemen and Saudi Arabia where Aramco is buying the gasoline and gasoil and paying for it," one industry source said.
This would be the second time this year that Saudi Arabia would be throwing a lifeline to its impoverished southern neighbour, which relied on 3 million barrels of Saudi-donated crude oil to run its refinery in June, when its main pipeline was again shut after blasts.
The poorest Arab country has been in chaos this year with 11 months of demonstrations demanding the end of President Ali Abdullah Saleh's 33-year rule.
Its main pipeline carrying high-quality sweet Maarib crude is shut once again, after consecutive blasts on it in October. The lack of crude flow in the pipeline has also forced the Aden refinery, which mainly produces to meet the domestic fuel demand, to halt operations.
Why Obama Shouldn't Let Yemen's President Come to the U.S.
By Paul R. Pillar
Dec 29 2011
The U.S. is considering hosting Ali Abdullah Saleh for medical treatment, but his country's transition is too messy to be stage-managed from Washington
The most delicate visa application the State Department has handled in quite some time comes from Ali Abdullah Saleh, the Yemeni president who is supposed to be on his way out of office but doesn't seem to be in the mood for retirement. Saleh has become a prime Arab Spring target as a longtime strongman whose departure many Yemenis now believe is worth fighting for in the streets. If Saleh comes to the United States, it would ostensibly be for medical treatment.
He no doubt really does need additional medical treatment; he was seriously injured in an attack in June. Saleh himself, however, has most recently said he feels "fine" and that if he makes the trip it would be less for health care than "to get away from attention." The difficulty of the issue is reflected in split editorial opinion. The New York Times says let him come here; the Washington Post says keep him out.
The wiser course is to keep him out. Saleh's case is a prime example of a situation in which the perceptions of U.S. motivations and interests will differ substantially from actual motivations and interests, and in which the perceptions will matter more. If the United States admitted Saleh, it would be for the laudable reasons not just of tending to his wounds but of increasing the chance of a constructive political process taking hold in Yemen. With Saleh no longer in his home country as a target of wrath in the streets and as an on-scene manipulator, perhaps a modicum of stability would ensue. But that's not how most Yemenis and probably most Arabs would see the U.S. role.
Saleh's presence in the United States would be perceived as confirmation that he is America's man, and was remaining so no matter how much he had been rejected by his own countrymen. The United States would thus share in whatever opprobrium or hatred was directed at the former strongman. Any suspicion that Saleh was continuing to manipulate events in Yemen from afar would be accompanied by the belief that the United States was intentionally letting him do so. These perceptions would foster the image of the United States being on the wrong side of the popular tide that is the Arab Spring.
It would indeed be helpful to Yemeni politics for Saleh to leave the country, but that does not mean the destination has to be the United States. Nearby countries have even more of a stake in Yemen and possible spillover effects of instability there than the United States does. Saleh's medical records must still be in Saudi Arabia, where he initially went for treatment after his injuries. Pakistani president Asif Zardari recently took a politically convenient trip for medical care in Dubai. Let the peninsular Arabs be out in front on this one.
No one, the United States included, will be able to stage manage events in Yemen over the coming months. Any thoughts of trying to make a difference by controlling Saleh's actions or communications while in the United States should be dispelled. The basic U.S. goal should be to try to be avoid being muddied by what will inevitably be a very messy situation in Yemen.
This article originally appeared at The National Interest, an Atlantic partner site.
Dec 29 2011
The U.S. is considering hosting Ali Abdullah Saleh for medical treatment, but his country's transition is too messy to be stage-managed from Washington
The most delicate visa application the State Department has handled in quite some time comes from Ali Abdullah Saleh, the Yemeni president who is supposed to be on his way out of office but doesn't seem to be in the mood for retirement. Saleh has become a prime Arab Spring target as a longtime strongman whose departure many Yemenis now believe is worth fighting for in the streets. If Saleh comes to the United States, it would ostensibly be for medical treatment.
He no doubt really does need additional medical treatment; he was seriously injured in an attack in June. Saleh himself, however, has most recently said he feels "fine" and that if he makes the trip it would be less for health care than "to get away from attention." The difficulty of the issue is reflected in split editorial opinion. The New York Times says let him come here; the Washington Post says keep him out.
The wiser course is to keep him out. Saleh's case is a prime example of a situation in which the perceptions of U.S. motivations and interests will differ substantially from actual motivations and interests, and in which the perceptions will matter more. If the United States admitted Saleh, it would be for the laudable reasons not just of tending to his wounds but of increasing the chance of a constructive political process taking hold in Yemen. With Saleh no longer in his home country as a target of wrath in the streets and as an on-scene manipulator, perhaps a modicum of stability would ensue. But that's not how most Yemenis and probably most Arabs would see the U.S. role.
Saleh's presence in the United States would be perceived as confirmation that he is America's man, and was remaining so no matter how much he had been rejected by his own countrymen. The United States would thus share in whatever opprobrium or hatred was directed at the former strongman. Any suspicion that Saleh was continuing to manipulate events in Yemen from afar would be accompanied by the belief that the United States was intentionally letting him do so. These perceptions would foster the image of the United States being on the wrong side of the popular tide that is the Arab Spring.
It would indeed be helpful to Yemeni politics for Saleh to leave the country, but that does not mean the destination has to be the United States. Nearby countries have even more of a stake in Yemen and possible spillover effects of instability there than the United States does. Saleh's medical records must still be in Saudi Arabia, where he initially went for treatment after his injuries. Pakistani president Asif Zardari recently took a politically convenient trip for medical care in Dubai. Let the peninsular Arabs be out in front on this one.
No one, the United States included, will be able to stage manage events in Yemen over the coming months. Any thoughts of trying to make a difference by controlling Saleh's actions or communications while in the United States should be dispelled. The basic U.S. goal should be to try to be avoid being muddied by what will inevitably be a very messy situation in Yemen.
This article originally appeared at The National Interest, an Atlantic partner site.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Yemen government workers rally against corruption
By AHMED AL-HAJ
December 28, 2011
SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Labor strikes spread through Yemen Wednesday as workers demanded reforms and dismissal of managers over alleged corruption linked to the country's outgoing president.
Corruption was one of the grievances that ignited mass protests against the rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh in February. After months of stalling, Saleh last month signed an agreement to transfer power.
The deal includes immunity for prosecution for the longtime leader, but protesters reject that. They are also demanding that his relatives and associates, also suspected of corruption, be removed from their posts in the government and military and put on trial.
Months of political turmoil in Yemen, pitting tribes and army units against each other during mass demonstrations as Saleh fought to stay in power, have given the dangerous al-Qaida branch in Yemen more freedom of action. The Islamist militants have taken over territory in Yemen's south, including several towns.
The strikes are following a pattern. Workers lock the gates to an institution, and then they storm the offices of their supervisors, demanding their replacement with bosses who are not tainted with corruption allegations. So far the scenario has played out in 18 state agencies.
"This is the real revolution, the institutions revolution," said Mohammed Gabaal, an 40-year-old accountant who is on strike. "The president has appointed a ring of corrupt people all over government agencies."
The case of the Military Economic Institution stands out. Hundreds of workers demonstrated in front of the building on Wednesday.
The key agency hauls in significant revenues from naval transport and other investments, but its budget is kept secret. Striking workers are demanding dismissal of the agency manager, Hafez Mayad, who is from Saleh's tribe and is seen as one of the regime's most powerful and corrupt figures.
Opponents of the Saleh regime charge that armed civilians who attacked protesters in the capital of Sanaa got their funds from Mayad.
Other strikes are under way at the state TV, Sanaa police headquarters and another institution affiliated with the military.
The wave of strikes began last week when employees of the national airline, Yemenia Airways, walked off their jobs demanding dismissal of the director, Saleh's son-in-law, charging him with plundering the company's assets and driving it into bankruptcy. The government gave in to the demands.
December 28, 2011
SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Labor strikes spread through Yemen Wednesday as workers demanded reforms and dismissal of managers over alleged corruption linked to the country's outgoing president.
Corruption was one of the grievances that ignited mass protests against the rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh in February. After months of stalling, Saleh last month signed an agreement to transfer power.
The deal includes immunity for prosecution for the longtime leader, but protesters reject that. They are also demanding that his relatives and associates, also suspected of corruption, be removed from their posts in the government and military and put on trial.
Months of political turmoil in Yemen, pitting tribes and army units against each other during mass demonstrations as Saleh fought to stay in power, have given the dangerous al-Qaida branch in Yemen more freedom of action. The Islamist militants have taken over territory in Yemen's south, including several towns.
The strikes are following a pattern. Workers lock the gates to an institution, and then they storm the offices of their supervisors, demanding their replacement with bosses who are not tainted with corruption allegations. So far the scenario has played out in 18 state agencies.
"This is the real revolution, the institutions revolution," said Mohammed Gabaal, an 40-year-old accountant who is on strike. "The president has appointed a ring of corrupt people all over government agencies."
The case of the Military Economic Institution stands out. Hundreds of workers demonstrated in front of the building on Wednesday.
The key agency hauls in significant revenues from naval transport and other investments, but its budget is kept secret. Striking workers are demanding dismissal of the agency manager, Hafez Mayad, who is from Saleh's tribe and is seen as one of the regime's most powerful and corrupt figures.
Opponents of the Saleh regime charge that armed civilians who attacked protesters in the capital of Sanaa got their funds from Mayad.
Other strikes are under way at the state TV, Sanaa police headquarters and another institution affiliated with the military.
The wave of strikes began last week when employees of the national airline, Yemenia Airways, walked off their jobs demanding dismissal of the director, Saleh's son-in-law, charging him with plundering the company's assets and driving it into bankruptcy. The government gave in to the demands.
Yemen: Saleh 'chose Abu Dhabi for exile
Sanaa, 28 Dec. (AKI) - Yemen's president Ali Abdullah Saleh has chosen Abu Dhabi as his place of exile, according to Yemeni weekly al-Wasat.
Saleh will go into exile in the United Arab Emirates' capital and second-largest city after he recovers from medical treatment in the United States.
The United States said it agreed in principle to grant Saleh a visa so he can be treated at at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital for problems stemming from wounds he suffered during a bomb attack on the Presidential Palace mosque in Sanaa.
Saleh would go into exile with 50 other people, including his wife, children and their spouses, and grandchildren, according to the report.
The embattled leader of Yemen for around 30 years has agreed to transfer power in exchange for immunity from prosecution for any possible role he played in the killing of anti-government protesters. Critics of the deal say he should stand trial.
In announcing his intention to travel to the US, Saleh referred to the trip as ''temporary exile.
"I will go to the United States. Not for treatment, because I'm fine, but to get away from attention, cameras, and allow the unity government to prepare properly for elections," reports quoted him as saying.
"I'll be there for several days, but I'll return because I won't leave my people and comrades who have been steadfast for 11 months," Saleh said, hours after fresh reports of fatalities at the hands of Yemeni security forces.
Saleh in November handed power to vice-president Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi Hadi after signing a Gulf Co-operation Council-brokered agreement that gave him immunity.
Saleh will go into exile in the United Arab Emirates' capital and second-largest city after he recovers from medical treatment in the United States.
The United States said it agreed in principle to grant Saleh a visa so he can be treated at at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital for problems stemming from wounds he suffered during a bomb attack on the Presidential Palace mosque in Sanaa.
Saleh would go into exile with 50 other people, including his wife, children and their spouses, and grandchildren, according to the report.
The embattled leader of Yemen for around 30 years has agreed to transfer power in exchange for immunity from prosecution for any possible role he played in the killing of anti-government protesters. Critics of the deal say he should stand trial.
In announcing his intention to travel to the US, Saleh referred to the trip as ''temporary exile.
"I will go to the United States. Not for treatment, because I'm fine, but to get away from attention, cameras, and allow the unity government to prepare properly for elections," reports quoted him as saying.
"I'll be there for several days, but I'll return because I won't leave my people and comrades who have been steadfast for 11 months," Saleh said, hours after fresh reports of fatalities at the hands of Yemeni security forces.
Saleh in November handed power to vice-president Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi Hadi after signing a Gulf Co-operation Council-brokered agreement that gave him immunity.
5 killed as Yemen army, militants clash in south
28 December 2011
ADEN -(AFP) Yemen’s army exchanged machinegun fire with Al-Qaeda suspects in the country’s south in clashes that left two soldiers and three extremists dead, military and local officials said on Wednesday.
“Battles using machineguns erupted on the eastern outskirts of the city of Zinjibar, leaving two soldiers dead and seven others wounded,” a military official told AFP, referring to the capital of Abyan province.
The wounded were taken to a military hospital in nearby Aden for treatment, the same source said.
Three militants from the Partisans of Sharia, the Al-Qaeda-linked insurgent group that took over most of Zinjibar in May, were also killed in the clashes late on Tuesday and at least five were wounded.
A local official in the adjacent town of Jaar confirmed the toll, adding that the three dead militants were a Syrian, a Saudi and a Yemeni.
The army also fired Katyusha rockets at the extremists’ hideouts in several areas across the outskirts of Zinjibar, the military official told AFP on the condition of anonymity.
The Islamist extremist network has turned 11 months of political turmoil in the country to its advantage, using the popular revolt against President Ali Abdullah Saleh to bolster its presence in southern and eastern Yemen.
Militants linked to Al-Qaeda control several regions and towns including Zinjibar, where they clash regularly with government forces and tribal auxiliaries.
Government forces are also sometimes supported by US drone strikes in their battle against the Partisans of Sharia.
ADEN -(AFP) Yemen’s army exchanged machinegun fire with Al-Qaeda suspects in the country’s south in clashes that left two soldiers and three extremists dead, military and local officials said on Wednesday.
“Battles using machineguns erupted on the eastern outskirts of the city of Zinjibar, leaving two soldiers dead and seven others wounded,” a military official told AFP, referring to the capital of Abyan province.
The wounded were taken to a military hospital in nearby Aden for treatment, the same source said.
Three militants from the Partisans of Sharia, the Al-Qaeda-linked insurgent group that took over most of Zinjibar in May, were also killed in the clashes late on Tuesday and at least five were wounded.
A local official in the adjacent town of Jaar confirmed the toll, adding that the three dead militants were a Syrian, a Saudi and a Yemeni.
The army also fired Katyusha rockets at the extremists’ hideouts in several areas across the outskirts of Zinjibar, the military official told AFP on the condition of anonymity.
The Islamist extremist network has turned 11 months of political turmoil in the country to its advantage, using the popular revolt against President Ali Abdullah Saleh to bolster its presence in southern and eastern Yemen.
Militants linked to Al-Qaeda control several regions and towns including Zinjibar, where they clash regularly with government forces and tribal auxiliaries.
Government forces are also sometimes supported by US drone strikes in their battle against the Partisans of Sharia.
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