Thursday, February 3, 2011

The riots in Tunisia and Egypt spur on the protest in other Arab countries

The Yemeni President Saleh has announced it will waive a second term - similar to Mubarak he will not resign immediately. New demonstrations are announced. Sanaa - After the fall of the Tunisian dictator and the revolt in Egypt show the first effect of protests in Yemen: President Ali Abdullah Saleh announced on Wednesday to try to do without a further term.


He ruled the country, which is struggling with high unemployment and dwindling oil and water reserves for more than 30 years. In a statement, he declared that he does not want power to pass on to a son. "There will be no extension, no hereditary succession, the clock is not reset," said Salih.

On Thursday, the opposition announced a "day of wrath", hundreds of thousands of people are expected to street protests. On Tuesday there were new demonstrations, tens of thousands were drawn through the capital Sanaa. "Yesterday, Tunisia, Egypt, today, tomorrow, Yemen" is a slogan of the protest movement.

An alliance of all opposition parties, which organized the demonstrations will use the revolutionary mood in the sister states for themselves. But the situation for the poorest Arab country is completely different. Yemen moves for years on the brink of disintegration. Salih, who managed for decades, tribal leaders, sheiks and incorporate old fighter loses more in control.

Large parts of the country's desire against his rule. The former socialist south called 20 years after the secession of the Association. Even the far north has Salih against him. In the local region of Saada agreed with the Shiite rebel cease-fire is fragile. The Islamist fundamentalists have turned away from Salih and attack its security forces.

Although al-Qaeda does not enjoy wide popular support, the terrorists a serious threat to the stability of the country have become. U.S. ally loses a game and the opposition in Sanaa, which have long been marginalized in the political, patience. The 2009 agreed with the ruling party dialogue on political reforms to the parliamentary elections scheduled for late April should be implemented was unsuccessful.

Instead, the 68-year-old Salih wanted to change the constitution to allow himself to a life term. From this project moved Salih from now. The 68-year-old Yemeni leader had come to power in 1978. In the first democratic elections in 1999 he was confirmed as president in 2006, he was re-elected for seven years.

However, Salih had protested before, not to want power to pass on to his son. It is not clear how serious he is with the new promises. In Yemen for 27 April parliamentary elections scheduled. President Saleh is considered autocratic ruler, but is a key ally in the United States proclaimed by the worldwide fight against terrorism and al-Qaida members are hiding in some regions of Yemen.

Almost half the 23 million people in Yemen live on less than two dollars a day, a third suffer hunger. The social crisis has intensified in recent years. In Egypt, the demonstrations on Tuesday were again escalated. Following the "March of Millions" was the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak stated that he would decline a second term will, however, resign immediately.

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