Yemen protesters demand ex-president face trial

By AHMED AL-HAJ

Associated Press

March 23, 2012

SANAA, Yemen - Tens of thousands of protesters streamed into city centers across Yemen on Friday, demanding that their ex-president be stripped of immunity from prosecution and be put on trial for the deaths of demonstrators during the yearlong uprising.

Ali Abdullah Saleh, who ruled Yemen for 33 years, stepped down last month in a U.S.-backed deal that gave him immunity to ease a transition from his rule. He was widely expected to leave the country after relinquishing power but has instead remained in Yemen.

The power-transfer deal also gave Saleh's party half of the seats in the new Cabinet. Critics say this has enabled him to interfere in the new government, working through loyalist Cabinet ministers as well as relatives and cronies still holding top military positions.

Street protests have continued even after Saleh stepped down, with demonstrators denouncing the ex-president's immunity and demanding he face trial. The government has said at least 2,000 people have been killed in a year of turmoil.

Some protesters on Friday carried posters showing Saleh with a noose around his neck and many chanted demanding retribution for those killed in Saleh's crackdown on protesters.

The continued street protests also reflect growing frustration among many Yemenis that their uprising, inspired by other Arab Spring revolts, has not achieved its goals even though a new president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, has been appointed in Saleh's place.

During the rally Friday in the capital Sanaa, activist Abdel-Hadi al-Azazi said Saleh was "still working on sabotaging the revolution."

The opposition also says the new government is unable to stop al-Qaida from gaining strength in the country's south. The terror network's branch in Yemen is seen by Washington as the most dangerous arm of al-Qaida, after its repeated attempts to carry out bombings on American soil. It only grew stronger during the past year's turmoil, when militants seized control of several towns in the south, including Zinjibar, a provincial capital.

On Sunday, an American teacher was killed in Taiz, Yemen's second most populous city. Al-Qaida claimed responsibility for the killing, raising fears that militants had infiltrated the central city.

Many Yemenis say Saleh's military waged only a halfhearted battle against al-Qaida. Washington hopes that will change under the new president. However, in Taiz, Hadi has only appointed a new police chief while leaving other officials, believed to be Saleh loyalists, in power.

Opposition lawmakers have also accused Saleh's loyalists of being behind recent power outages in the impoverished country. The ministry of electricity on Friday issued a statement blaming tribesmen in areas under control of Republican Guard forces, which are commanded by Saleh's son, for sabotaging power stations.

The weekly al-Madr reported on Thursday that the Republican Guard prevented fuel tankers from entering Sanaa in the past days and published photographs showing tankers parked by the roadside.

On Thursday, the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa issued a statement noting a "deterioration in political cooperation" in Yemen, and said that "it is not acceptable for any party to interfere in the implementation" of the deal that led to Saleh stepping down. The statement was seen as a veiled warning to Saleh.

A senior official of Saleh's General People's Congress party told The Associated Press on Friday that Saleh has denounced the U.S. statement.

"The president sees the statement as biased in favor of the new administration," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

Yemen Threatened by Military, Humanitarian Crisis

March 22, 2012

 The government's forces on Thursday continue on alert after an explosion at a military base and clashes with Islamic rebels, while the humanitarian situation is deteriorating as a result of prolonged political instability.

 Military units were mobilized following the powerful explosion on Wednesday night in the barracks of the First Armored Division commanded by General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, a senior officer who supported the revolt against Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Mohsen Al-Ahmar, Saleh's cousin, led the insurrection within the Army supported by young people who revolted on January 27, 2011, especially after more than 50 protesters were shot by the Republican Guard loyal to the former president.

Meanwhile, local media on Wednesday reported clashes in several areas of the central province of Mareb where members of the Republican Guard and Central Security Forces fought against rebels linked to al-Qaeda.

The entire region remains heavily guarded by soldiers loyal to the government of President Abdo Rabbo Mansour, Saleh's successor, who also faces internal political pressure due to delays in the dismissal of government officials linked to his predecessor.

Yemen troops threaten to defect … to al-Qaeda

Chiara Onassis | 22 March 2012

SANA’A: Yemeni soldiers based in Abyan a southern province of the country currently battling al-Qaeda militants as they try to regain control of the region, told Bikyamasr.com that their living conditions were so appalling that they were now considering defecting in favor to the terror group.

Soldiers actually wrote a letter to the Deputy Defense Minister and President Abdu Rabbo Mansour Hadi, in which they accused the Commander-in-Chief of allowing high ranking officers to carry on their abuses of power, retaining salaries and food rations for their own personal financial benefit.

Soldiers painted a very grim reality, saying that they were lacking everything: fuel, food stuffs and basic commodities, making their posting that much more difficult and overall disheartening.

 “How can they [the government] expect us to fight for them and lay down our lives when they treat us like slaves? We are at the bottom of the food chain here; thrown in hell to fight the terror militants. Al-Qaeda has said to be fighting to restore the rightful rights of the people of Yemen. Maybe we owe to listen to them. At least they feed their men properly,” said a disenchanted lieutenant who for security reasons refused to reveal his identity.

Although not all soldiers are threatening to defect to al-Qaeda, many troops across the country are warning that unless their commanders are replaced anew they would refuse to obey the Defense Minister command, underscoring the men’s deep resentment for the current apparatus.

“We need real change, not some cosmetic patch that equates to nothing,” said an air force pilot of al-Dalaimi military base in Sana’a, the capital.

With al-Qaeda seemingly gaining more ground as its men are spreading to all provinces, the armed forces cannot really afford a new wave of defections or even protests as unity is of the essence if the country is to stand a chance at fighting the terror enemy.

Seven killed in north Yemen in mine blast

By Fatik al-Rodaini

SANA'A, March 22, 2012-  At least 7 people were reportedly killed and 15 others wounded on Thursday in a landmine explosion in Al-Haza, a district of Yemen’s northern province of Hajah.

The explosion occurred when a local resident who had fled the area following the unrest returned to his residence. Many locals had to run because of the ongoing bloody conflict opposing al-Houthis, a Shia rebel group and the Salafis, Sunni fundamentalists.

Sources reported that many of the victims lost their limbs to the blast, while others managed to escape with minor injuries.

Residents accused al-Houthi rebels to have planting explosive devices near their homes as to hold back their enemies, with blatant disregard to local residents’ well fare.

For months, the Shia insurgents targeted local villages for they believe they had sided with their enemies, firing rockets and launching raids on farms despite the presence of women and children. Despite numerous calls for help to the government, Sana’a has yet to act on behalf of its citizens and bring them some sort of support and protection.

Many similar accidents left several people dead and injured including children and women since the war ended early this year in the province.

In Huta, the regional capital of the southern province of Lahj, soldiers opened fire early morning yesterday on a car which failed to stop at a checkpoint, killing a child and wounding his mother, security officials reported.

Following the incident, alleged al-Qaeda militants killed a Yemeni soldier and injured 2 others during an attack on a military checkpoint in the southern province of Lahj.

Saleh maintains power in spite of deal

SANAA, Yemen, March 22 (UPI) -- Yemeni officials are expressing outrage at former President Ali Abdullah Saleh's meddling in affairs of state months after agreeing to relinquish his power.

Saleh formally agreed in November of last year to step down from the office of president after his 30-year rule, passing the torch to his deputy. In exchange, he would be granted immunity from prosecution for his crackdown on political protesters.

However, Gulf News reported ever since Abd Rabboo Mansour Hadi was sworn in as president, Saleh has continued to issue decrees and maintain correspondence with other heads of state.

A spokesman of the Joint Meeting Parties, Abd al Galeb al Audaini, said the countries that brokered the Gulf Cooperation Council deal should step in to enforce Saleh's end of the agreement.

"His work as a president of his party shows that his is not committed to his promise. He can't have his cake and eat it too. He can't be a political figure and at the same time have immunity," Audaini said.