The Following piece is written by a Yemeni-based journalist who writes for Foreign Policy Association, and due to serious security concerns, remains anonymous.
Hit by another wave of resignations and defections, the embattled Yemeni President offered to step down by January next year. He said that he was willing to leave the presidential chair at the condition that he was to organize the next Parliamentary elections. Saleh continues to put forward the same rhetoric by presenting himself as the only viable political figure able to unite Yemen. He has said on many occasions, that him and only him could dance on the snakes’ heads…..the snakes being the tribes and various political factions.
The offer was rejected almost immediately by the Opposition as they feel that this “time” would only be used to crackdown on the President opponents and to reestablish his autocracy. Some other opposition members felt as well that Saleh could use “Security” to postpone the elections and by doing so, remain in power ad vitam eternam. Given that this very tactic was used before, Yemenis are a tad paranoid when it comes to presidential promises and rightly so.
One of the President advisers declared yesterday: “Ali Abdullah Saleh will not leave without knowing who he is handing over to.” This sentence alone is heavy with meanings and leaves little to the imagination. If not in the driver’s seat, the President has not relinquished his wanting for control over the affairs of the nation and one could imagine a take-over by another member of his family.
Scaremongering
True to his political style, Ali Abdullah Saleh has once again raised the flag of security, warning that upon his departure the country would be thrown into civil war and utter chaos.
Although in reality Yemen is facing many difficulties, this cannot justify an unwanted regime to cling onto power. The best way forward for Yemen as a whole is to find its way towards democracy. Then and only then, will the many voices of this Arabian nation find a platform. And if the threat of Al-Qaeda is indeed on the minds of many; years of failed conflicts should be proof enough that such radical movements are fought on a political level and not on the back of armoured tanks.
Of late, the US has actually been singing to a different tune as it started to distance itself from its decades’ long ally. Reports from within the capital Sana’a are talking about secrets meetings made by the US Ambassador to influential political figures. Maybe a sign that the Americans are already looking for the next Yemeni government’s support. Very much like Mubarak before him, Saleh is becoming more of a liability than anything else, and the latest attacks on protesters have done nothing to further his cause amongst the western nations.
Political Opposition
If the opposition appeared fragmented only a few weeks ago, things have now changed and the different opposition figures are showing a united front.
The recent defection of Ali Mohsen Saleh, General of the north western Brigade and the declared renunciation of the regime by Sadeeq Al-Ahmar, made people believe that Yemen might be headed towards a “Coup d’Etat” and the take-over of power by the powerful Hasheed tribe.
However, reliable sources have confirmed that those men are fully aware of the need for Yemen to have a new class of politicians and leaders. Their only ambition is to provide the change that so many are calling on for on the streets of Yemen. Yemen is now at a defining crossroads.
What’s Next
There are very few options left to the President and they all involve his departure. The questions now is rather if he wants to leave peacefully with honor or he if wants to be dragged out of his palace handcuffed and humiliated.
Now that the tanks are surrounding the protesters and that the Hasheed tribe and many others for that matter have vowed to use all their firepower to protect civilians, Yemen is on the verge of massive armed clashes.
Emboldened by the support of the Army, the calls of the clerics and the tribal chiefs, demonstrators are now talking about moving towards the Presidential Palace. Given that the President has posted thousands of Republican Guards on a 7 miles radius with clear orders to shot to kill, we might witness the bloodiest day of protest yet.
