Foreign Policy Blogs

Violent Crackdown on the Town of Taiz

The Following piece is written by a Yemeni-based journalist who writes for Foreign Policy Association (FPA) and, due to serious security concerns, remains anonymous.

As anti-government protesters gathered up on the main square of their city, Taiz, for another day of demonstration they were met by the Security Forces. In scenes similar to those witnessed in the capital only a couple of weeks ago, officers armed with spiked batons and guns descended upon unarmed crowd, shooting live ammunition to create panic.

Demonstrators were also sprayed gas upon them. A reported 1100 men and women were seriously injured as a result of gas inhalation and they had to be carried to the field hospital nearby. According to medical staffs and witness reports, some of the symptoms experienced by the injured would led to believe that nerve gas was used rather than the usual tear gas. Although those claims have not been independently verified, it is the second time that the Yemeni government is accused of allowing such practice.

Many of the men and women suffered from spasms, loss of consciousness and local paralysis. So far, 4 people are said to be in critical condition.

This new wave of violence instigated by the Saleh regime has prompted an immediate response on the part of the demonstrators in Sana’a Change Square. Anti-government protesters organized a new march chanting for the departure of their leader and accusing him of crime against humanity. Many influential political figures such as the newly defected Minister of Water, Al Aryani said that he was holding Saleh personally responsible for the attack on Yemeni civilians.

The Police was also seen conducting arrests and beating up passers-by. For a President who solemnly swear to protect his people with his own blood, Saleh seems rather keen to allow his thugs to continue their reign of terror in all impunity.

This will no doubt make him more endearing to his fellow countrymen

Political Stalemate

Meanwhile, the Parliament Speaker announced that Ali Abdullah Saleh did not agree with the new transition plan put forward by the Opposition. The proposal was for Saleh to hand down power to his appointed Vice President, Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi and to organize the next elections within 6 months. Mr. Hadi would also have to oversee the dismantlement of the Security Forces and the Republican Guard as they stand, in order to comply with the Constitution. The Vice-President would also have to form a National Transition Council which would ensure free and fair elections for the country.

Some activists are now frustrated by the lack of compromise and many are suspecting the US to be still in support of the Saleh regime, which would explain according to them the “bravado” attitude. In recent days the Al Qaeda card has been brandished by the President in the hope that fear of the unknown would help his ally realize that he was still the only man for the job.

In all probability the US might just be too concerned about the events in Syria to pay sufficient attention to Yemen right now. Potential fall of Al-Assad carries much deeper implications in the region than that of Ali Abdullah Saleh. What is to happen next is now a fool’s prediction.