Is Yemen the next Somalia, or the next Tunisia?

[Jacaylbaro]

SANAA, Yemen — In an apparent effort to quell the violent protests that have persisted for three days straight on the streets of Yemen’s capital, the country’s authoritarian ruler, Ali Abdullah Saleh, released a rights activist from prison today. He also made public denials that he is grooming his son to take over power.

 

In a televised speech, Saleh insisted that there would be no father-to-son succession, describing such talk as “insolence.” He also announced plans to raise the salaries of government employees and military personnel by almost $50 — a significant perk for the poorly paid soldiers and civil servants serving the Arab world's poorest nation.

 

The concessions came after Tunisian-style protests erupted in Yemen over the weekend when thousands took to the streets to demand the removal of its autocratic president, who has held power for more than 30 years, joining leaders from Algeria to Jordan in the crosshairs of a popular revolt.

 

Calls for regime changes in a number of stagnant Arab dictatorships have spread across the Middle East and North Africa since Tunisia’s Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali fled the country in the face of demonstrations on Jan. 14.

 

Tensions reached a boiling point in Yemen on Sunday when plain-clothed police officers arrested Tawakul Karman, a female activist responsible for organizing the uprising, in the early hours of the morning while driving home with her husband.

 

Authorities released Karman earlier today with a commitment from her family that “she will no longer offend public order and law.”

 

Karman had been on a hunger strike for the past 24 hours, according to the Yemeni Journalist Syndicate.

 

“Arresting a woman, especially at night, is seen as shameful here and many people will have been insulted,” said Abdullah al-Faqih, a professor of political science at Sanaa University. “I’m sure they released her because they did not want her becoming a figurehead like Mohamed Bouazizi [whose self-immolation helped spark the Tunisian revolt].”

 

On Saturday, the chants of 2,500 students and opposition activists could be heard pouring over the walls of Sanaa University where noisy demonstrations, led by Karman, called for the president to step down.

 

Encircled by a crowd of heavily armed police, the students waved placards, several referencing the recent uprising in Tunisia — dubbed the Jasmine Revolution — that started in late December and ended 23 years of authoritarian rule.

 

“You call Yemen the next Somalia, we call Yemen the next Tunisia,” one of the banners read.

 

Outside the gates of the university, riot police armed with water cannons used batons and shields to disperse protesters. A cameraman working for the satellite station al-Arabiya had his camera confiscated and was briefly detained for filming the skirmishes. Police beat another cameraman working for Al Jazeera, the Qatar-based station reported.

 

“They respond to peaceful protesters with heavily armed soldiers. This shows how worried they are. This is the last gasp of the regime,” said Sadeq Saeed, 20, a student at Sanaa University.

 

Since the overthrow of Ben Ali in Tunisia earlier this month, students and opposition activists have been holding regular protests in Yemen’s capital. But this weekend’s demonstrations appear to be the first to directly confront the rule of Yemen's president, a line few dissenters have dared to cross in the past.

 

Khaled al-Ansi, the general executive of Hood, the National Organization for Defending Rights and Freedoms, was among those journalists arrested.

 

“They arrested [Karman] because she's trying to transfer the Tunisian message to the Yemeni youth,” he told GlobalPost before he was detained.

 

Yemen’s 23 million citizens are among the poorest people in the Arab world and endure a deeply corrupt and largely ineffectual government. The country is plagued by tribal conflicts and a growing Al Qaeda movement. There are few political freedoms and the country is rapidly running out of water and oil reserves.

 

Ahmed Saif Hashed, an independent Yemeni parliamentarian, told GlobalPost he was disappointed at the absence of opposition party members from Sunday’s protest.

 

“The movement cannot succeed until the opposition parties are ready to lead. Too many of them are conservative businessmen who still have a stake in the regime,” he said.

[Jacaylbaro]

Source: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/africa/110124/yemen-protests-saleh-tunisia-democracy

[SayidSomal]

The BBC wants Egypt to be next Tunisia - I don't know why thought!

[NGONGE]

^^ It will be even worse than Somalia if ever a revolution takes place. Al Qaida is already there, the Houthis Shica are already fighting the government, the South is already fighting for secession and the tribal system is as lively as that of Somalia. Worse still, the Saudis will get involved, the Iranians will get involved and America will have no choice but to get involved (not to mention Eritrea taking advantage and invading a couple of islands or Al Shabab rejoining the mother movement).

[SayidSomal]

^OMG that is recipe for disaster and what will happen to my cousin Abdullahi?

[NGONGE]

^^ He will be fine. He survived the Somali model and will be prepared for the Yemeni one.

p.s.

It's not the BBC that wants Egypt to have problems, it's the Egyptian opposition. The problems there have been around for a while now and all they need is their own version of a Bouazizi to ignite it all (doubt it'll happen becuase of that though).

[SayidSomal]

According to the BBC they already had two Bouazizi and today the marches started.

[NGONGE]

^^ Not huge marches (and the Egyptians always march ninyaho). They still need someone to ignite it all. But the Bouazizi style is becoming boring (because of the correct view that it is xaraam nooh).

[SayidSomal]

I thought Egypt was still under marshal law?

[Gheelle.T]

What has happened in Tunisia was not a politically motivated uprising nor was it organized as such. It came about people's frustration with their government and the lack of social equality( jobs, high price foods, and etc..) To replicate it in Egypt or anywhere else in Arab world, will just be futile. What's happening in Egypt is political movement trying to take advantage on people's emotions. Those who support Egypt and the system in place will not accept, nor will Papa Mubarak go easy on these demonstrators. They rather come with something unique and sophistication. Not chaos that will produce death and destruction.

 

As for Yemen, it's more likely be Next Somalia or Where Lebanon once were than the Tunisia's peaceful power transfer.

[NGONGE]

 

They've been protesting for ever. There is even a movement called "Kifaayah" (Enough) that was set up to topple Mubarak.

[SayidSomal]

Gheelle.T;690236 wrote:

What has happened in Tunisia was not a politically motivated uprising nor was it organized as such. It came about people's frustration with their government and the lack of social equality( jobs, high price foods, and etc..) To replicate it in Egypt or anywhere else in Arab world, will just be futile. What's happening in Egypt is political movement trying to take advantage on people's emotions. Those who support Egypt and the system in place will not accept, nor will Papa Mubarak go easy on these demonstrators. They rather come with something unique and sophistication. Not chaos that will produce death and destruction.

 

As for Yemen, it's more likely be Next Somalia or Where Lebanon once were than the Tunisia's peaceful power transfer.

Exploiting public emotions is a well known ingredient for the formula of bringing down dictators

 

Ngonge - what do you make of the BBC campaign of stoking the fire in Egypt?

[Gheelle.T]

Sayid, this dictator is not budging at all. They have been protesting way too long and didn't bring the old cow down. Papa cow will leave that office in a coffin.

[SayidSomal]

i remember attending an islamic lecture once and they made joke about him wining elections always with 95% - never less or more - just the 95% always

and Qadafi's - lets talk about what is in locker A before we talk about Locker B

[Gheelle.T]

That crazy man can bribe every single Libyan and have them sing for him. I think they don't have the number or the audacity to take on the crazy wolf. They are better off with him and his wild fantasies.