Yemen’s longstanding leader pledges not to run in next election: A groundhog must’ve shown his shadow, because Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh just pledged to step down in 2013. He’s been in office for 32 years. source
» But that’s not stopping Anonymous: At least two Yemeni government sites have possibly been attacked by the nebulous, anonymous organization, including the Yemeni Ministry of Information and the site of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. And they even have a list of sites to target and stuff, which means that those five percent of Yemenis with internet access are going to have a hard time with the interwebs for the next little bit.
Dueling rallies set stage for conflict in Yemen today: See this shot here? It’s from the anti-government rally held today in Yemen. There was also a pro-government rally across town. We’re guessing less duct tape was involved. source
Here’s the difference between the pro-government protesters in this clip, recorded earlier this weekend, and the anti-government protesters. The groups supporting Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh have clubs and knives. The people protesting against Saleh don’t. Today, anti-government protesters were prevented from marching to the presidential palace by police, who also used violent tactics against protesters. source
Why do you turn to violence? Why do you turn to the destruction of things? This is an infection, it’s not in our culture, it’s not in our tradition.Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh • On the groundswell protests against his government. He also referred to the protest movement as being “like a flu,” which while a rather crude way to describe the forces stacked against him is not wholly without merit. The middle east appears to be reaching a critical mass of anti-ruling party mentality, as the victories and adversities of protesters in other states provide limitless fuel and momentum for still more revolution. So, disrespect aside, the pathological reference bears some fruit. source (via • follow)
“Not even for one week”: A glimpse of what’s going on in Yemen as the tour of Middle East upheaval continues. President Ali Abdullah Saleh clearly doesn’t care for these movements against him, and isn’t being particularly coy or diplomatic about it. Yemen’s death-toll is thought to have grown to double-digits of late, and protests against Saleh continue to rage in Aden. source
The peaceful and smooth transition of power is not carried out through chaos but through the will of the people expressed through elections.An official for Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh • Explaining that Saleh will not leave his post until at least 2013, continuing to anger the people who oppose his continuing rule. Protests against Saleh, however, keep getting stronger – on Friday, 100,000 people reportedly showed up in Sanaa alone, and thousands of others showed up in numerous other cities in the region. With such a strong groundswell of popular dissent, how long is Saleh going to keep this up, anyway? source (via • follow)
yemen, boiling over: The vehement protests against Yemeni President Ali Abudullah Saleh have racheted up in recent days, culminating in live rounds being fired on citizens, and the attack of a provincial governor. Naji al-Zaidi was stabbed in the neck with a dagger, as were four of his bodyguards, and was rushed to a hospital from where no further information has been announced. Government forces have deployed teargas against the protesters, and all told about sixty people were injured across Yemen, part of a violent crackdown that President Saleh is employing in a bid to maintain control (h/t pantslessprogressive). source
Top Yemeni General defects: Major General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar broke with the Saleh government in Yemen today, following a recent surge of violence in that’s been said to have claimed more than fifty civilian lives. The twist? Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar is also the half brother of President Saleh, and has decided to send troops to guard the civilian protesters. While the Yemeni population seems appreciative of this new ally, there are concerns about the General’s close history with Saleh, and his consequent military operations against northern Shiites, now a core of support for the uprising (some want him prosecuted for war crimes). This also makes it likely that a post-Saleh era in Yemen will be ushered in through military rule, which can make people a little nervous. (Trigger warning: Some graphic images in the clip.) source
Friday broke our hearts; yesterday opened our eyes. We saw people of our generation killed with head shots and chest wounds. We don’t want that pain again.DC-based Yemeni spokesperson Mohammed al-Basha • Describing the pain he felt over the violence in his country, pushed forth by president Ali Abdullah Saleh. The bloodshed in particular pushed many in the government over the edge. While many other government figures resigned yesterday, al-Basha hasn’t. Rather, he says he seems himself as a “neutral” civil servant. Saleh, meanwhile, threatened civil war at the same time he was offering an olive branch to the people he was threatening civil war against. Follow that? Neither did we. Clarity is not Mr. Saleh’s strong suit. Nor is human rights, apparently. source (via • follow)
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President Saleh welcomed the proposal and has accepted it. Though President Saleh has constitutional rights to stay in power, he is willing to leave office willingly.Yemeni presidential aide Tariq Shami • Revealing that Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh accepted the deal we wrote about earlier in the week to ensure his departure. He’ll be out in 30 days. Saleh has been in office for 32 years, and will leave with immunity from prosecution. So, another one down, guys. Who’s next? source (via • follow)
» Protesters aren’t really into it, either: For whatever reason, the Yemeni leader has started to waver on his agreement last week to leave office in exchange for his immunity, and has refused to sign it. Yemeni protesters want Ali Abdullah Saleh to be tried for both corruption and the deaths of protesters, which currently number around 142. If Saleh doesn’t agree to step down, it could be a huge setback for negotiations (obviously).
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