.- The President of Yemen, Ali Abdullah Saleh, agreed to resign within weeks in exchange for immunity from justice, but protesters said they would continue on with their protests until the president leaves office. The protesters, who took to the streets in groups of tens of thousands to demand the end of term of 33 years of Saleh, fear the plan is a ploy by Bush and official opposition parties to share power.
The handover plan was drafted by the Gulf Cooperation Council and supported by Yemen's opposition coalition, known as the Joint Meeting Parties. "Protests will not stop and this will escalate. This initiative has nothing to do with us "said Mohammed Sultan, a protester in the capital Sanaa.
"It is related to the Joint Meeting Parties, who accepted the offer," he said. A square in Sana'a where protesters have camped for weeks, activists chanted "No negotiation, no dialogue, surrender or flee." There is still a month until the president resign and hope you change your mind at any time "said the activist Mohammed Sharafi." We're not leaving here (...) Until Saleh go and achieve our goals of establishing a modern federal state, "he said.
Dozens of protesters demanding the departure of Saleh have been killed in months of protests by young Yemenis inspired by a wave of rebellions in northern Africa and the Middle East to topple the leaders of Tunisia and Egypt. "Saleh's sons, who are military leaders, as well as tribal leaders, are poised to lose power with this agreement, "said Ali Seif Hassan, Yemeni political analyst.
"If there is no civil war, will be losers (...) but if any, would win because that would lead the struggle," he said. Ibrahim al-Ba'adani, an opposition activist in the city of Ibb, said he was "surprised" when he learned that the formal opposition accepted the principle of immunity for Saleh.
"We will continue peaceful protests until the president is gone" he said. Yemen, with 23 million inhabitants, is one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, Saleh protesters accuse of corruption and mismanagement during decades in power. He took the helm of North Yemen in 1978 and presided over the unification of the separate state of South Yemen in 1990.
In recent years positioned itself as a U.S. ally against al Qaeda, while fighting against Shiite rebels in the breakaway north and south. His opponents accuse him of using the eternal country's security crisis to strengthen his inner circle. The harsh repression of street protests only further angered the protestors.
After years of supporting Saleh as a bulwark against instability and the activities of the Yemeni branch of Al Qaeda, its powerful neighbor Saudi Arabia and the United States began to pressure him to negotiate the transfer of power. "We encourage all parties to act quickly to implement the terms of the agreement for the Yemeni people may soon reach the security, unity and prosperity they have sought with so much courage and have well-deserved, "said White House spokesman Jay Carney said in a statement.
The plan established the Gulf Cooperation Council - a group of Arab countries including Saudi Arabia - Saleh suggested that hands over power to his vice president a month after signing an agreement with opposition forces. The governor would receive immunity from justice for himself, his family and advisers.
"The president and the party (ruling) GPC agree with this initiative in all its parts," said Deputy Information Minister al-Janady Abdoh, reporters. "Under this final approval no reserves," he said. The opposition coalition said on Saturday that it accepted the key elements of the plan, although some politicians have rejected a proposal to join a unity government.
"The opposition welcomes the initiative, with the exception of the formation of a unity government nationally, "said the current president of the opposition, Yassin Noman. Yemen is a state that depends on foreign aid, overwhelmed by rapid population growth, reducing its oil reserves and a severe crisis of water shortage 
The handover plan was drafted by the Gulf Cooperation Council and supported by Yemen's opposition coalition, known as the Joint Meeting Parties. "Protests will not stop and this will escalate. This initiative has nothing to do with us "said Mohammed Sultan, a protester in the capital Sanaa.
"It is related to the Joint Meeting Parties, who accepted the offer," he said. A square in Sana'a where protesters have camped for weeks, activists chanted "No negotiation, no dialogue, surrender or flee." There is still a month until the president resign and hope you change your mind at any time "said the activist Mohammed Sharafi." We're not leaving here (...) Until Saleh go and achieve our goals of establishing a modern federal state, "he said.
Dozens of protesters demanding the departure of Saleh have been killed in months of protests by young Yemenis inspired by a wave of rebellions in northern Africa and the Middle East to topple the leaders of Tunisia and Egypt. "Saleh's sons, who are military leaders, as well as tribal leaders, are poised to lose power with this agreement, "said Ali Seif Hassan, Yemeni political analyst.
"If there is no civil war, will be losers (...) but if any, would win because that would lead the struggle," he said. Ibrahim al-Ba'adani, an opposition activist in the city of Ibb, said he was "surprised" when he learned that the formal opposition accepted the principle of immunity for Saleh.
"We will continue peaceful protests until the president is gone" he said. Yemen, with 23 million inhabitants, is one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, Saleh protesters accuse of corruption and mismanagement during decades in power. He took the helm of North Yemen in 1978 and presided over the unification of the separate state of South Yemen in 1990.
In recent years positioned itself as a U.S. ally against al Qaeda, while fighting against Shiite rebels in the breakaway north and south. His opponents accuse him of using the eternal country's security crisis to strengthen his inner circle. The harsh repression of street protests only further angered the protestors.
After years of supporting Saleh as a bulwark against instability and the activities of the Yemeni branch of Al Qaeda, its powerful neighbor Saudi Arabia and the United States began to pressure him to negotiate the transfer of power. "We encourage all parties to act quickly to implement the terms of the agreement for the Yemeni people may soon reach the security, unity and prosperity they have sought with so much courage and have well-deserved, "said White House spokesman Jay Carney said in a statement.
The plan established the Gulf Cooperation Council - a group of Arab countries including Saudi Arabia - Saleh suggested that hands over power to his vice president a month after signing an agreement with opposition forces. The governor would receive immunity from justice for himself, his family and advisers.
"The president and the party (ruling) GPC agree with this initiative in all its parts," said Deputy Information Minister al-Janady Abdoh, reporters. "Under this final approval no reserves," he said. The opposition coalition said on Saturday that it accepted the key elements of the plan, although some politicians have rejected a proposal to join a unity government.
"The opposition welcomes the initiative, with the exception of the formation of a unity government nationally, "said the current president of the opposition, Yassin Noman. Yemen is a state that depends on foreign aid, overwhelmed by rapid population growth, reducing its oil reserves and a severe crisis of water shortage
- Deal Could End Saleh Presidency In Yemen (24/04/2011)
- Yemen Prez Saleh agrees to step down - Hindustan Times (24/04/2011)
- Yemen: Obama backs Saleh's resignation, but protesters don't (24/04/2011)
- Yemen's Saleh conditionally welcomes transition plan - Reuters (22/04/2011)
- Timeline: Protesters demand Saleh step down as Yemen ruler - Reuters (24/04/2011)
No comments:
Post a Comment