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.
After weeks of failed negotiations among members of the Yemeni political coalition: the JMP and the government, Yemenis have decided to take matters in their own hands.
So far and despite some reluctance, the Youth Movement had agreed to allow the politicians to play the agreement card in the hope of a peaceful transition of power. However, the regime’s many lies and conflicted statements have proven too wearisome for protesters, who appear ready to move on to the next stage of the Revolution.
Escalation
Tawakul Karman, the young woman activist and founder of “Women Journalists without Chains”, asked yesterday at Freedom Square for people to mobilize across the country and march towards all government buildings. She urged all Yemenis to join the fight for democracy and to descend on the streets in their millions. Today it was clear that her call was answered.
Early morning reports came from a rural area near the Capital of warplanes pounding civilians. Eye-witnesses claimed that at least two tribesmen were hurt by the bombs. It is believed that the Republican Guards, led by Ahmed Saleh, the President’s son, attempted to quench the mounting tribal opposition within this area in order to allow their troops to cross and reach the town of Hodeidah.
The Sheikhs refused to bow to government pressure, maintaining that they would stand with the pro-democracy movement until the bitter end. Ahmed Saleh had to withdraw his troops and order an end to the bombing.
In Taiz, the second largest city of Yemen and the southern epicenter of the uprising, violent clashes with the police were caught on cameras. On the footage, government forces are seen using batons and live ammunitions against protesters. Later without the use of any weapon other than stones on the part of the revolutionaries, a Police Station was overtaken and later burned to the ground.
Disturbing reports of government using anti-aircraft guns against protesters came from Taiz. Those claims could not be independently verified. However, gruesome images of the injured suggested that lethal force was used against civilians. Meanwhile several cities in Yemen responded positively to a call for further civil disobedience, bringing all activities to a halt.
The Capital Bleeds
The Youth Movement decided today to take out its demands throughout the streets of Sana’a, clamming for President Saleh’s immediate departure.
As they moved towards the Prime Minister Headquarters they were met by an army of snipers at the ready as well as the entire 4th Division. They immediately opened fire on the crowd.
The PM Headquarters being less than a mile away from the Presidential Palace, the Regime wanted to strike a blow of such massive proportion that it would dissuade the Youth from going any further. But again, those young men and women are quite determined, and once their mind is made up, nothing seems to be stopping them, not even live bullets.
Gunned down and in agony, protesters continued to cry out for Saleh’s departure. Soon, many casualties were rushed in to the field hospital. Doctor Al-Anisi who was talking to AlJazeera said two men had already died from their wounds and that many more injured were brought to the hospital. Women and children were amongst the wounded as the government forces shot indiscriminately at the crowd, little bothering who they were aiming at.
In the midst of all this chaos, some pro-democracy protesters decided to plant their tents right in front of the PM offices, signaling that they had no intention of abandoning any ground to the government.
Tribesmen from Mareb have decided to march toward the Capital in order to offer their “armed” support to the Youth Movement. If this move is replicated by other tribes across the country, Thursday and Friday could turn out to be the last days of this Revolution.
Government is barely Holding on
According to some businessmen, Yemen is losing about $3 million a day in blocked exports and millions more in lost Oil production.
Added to that the loss in revenues brought by the halt in Oil production; the nation is only a few weeks away from bankruptcy. Workers of the National Bank have accused the President of allowing the circulation of fake money in order to help finance its supporters. Although this claim seems outrageous, Saleh is known for having bribed southern leaders to his cause back in the 90’s using a similar scheme…
Saleh is also facing further pressure from within, with more tribal chiefs refusing to recognize his authority. For the first time in Yemen’s history, the Sheikhs are uniting their forces to bring down the Regime; acting for the common good of the nation rather than their own selfish interests.This move could be the founding ground for Yemen’s future governmental structure.
With a Parliament reduced to only a handful of sitting members, no official government, and an economy in tatters; one is allowed to wonder how long the President can pretend to be in charge.
