UPDATE: CEASEFIRE IN YEMEN HOPES TO STOP THE KILLING OF PROTESTERS BY TROOPS LOYAL TO PRESIDENT SALEH

By Adom M. Cooper
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

SANAA, Yemen–A ceasefire procured by Yemen’s vice president and Western diplomats has gone into effect in the capital of Sanaa, ending three deadly days of violence. Security forces backing Alu Abdullah Saleh, the president of Yemen, have fired upon a crowd of protesters in Sanaa, killing as many as 25 individuals while leaving hundreds of others wounded on Sunday 18 September. Some tens of thousands of protesters calling for the conclusion of Saleh’s 33-year reign poured into the streets of the Yemeni capital several days after protesters descended upon Yemen’s main university.

Yemeni doctors treat wounded protesters at a field hospital in Sanaa. (Photo Courtesy of NYT)
Yemeni doctors treat wounded protesters at a field hospital in Sanaa. (Photo Courtesy of NYT)

The ceasefire was put into effect at 1600 local time on Tuesday September 20, although witness still reported sparse gunfire among an otherwise relatively calm change in the status quo. Envoys from the UN and Gulf Cooperation arrived on Monday September 19 to attempt to get a deal done to end the bloodshed. Roughly 24 hours later, they were successful.

Early on Tuesday September 20, heavy shelling and machine gun fire shook Sanaa. At least 26 individuals were killed and several others were injured, according to witnesses and various medical personnel. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)’s deputy head of delegation in Yemen, Valerie Petitpierre, shared these words concerning the continued bloodshed.

“ICRC called on Yemeni authorities, pro-democracy protesters and others involved in the violence to spare lives after scores were killed in the past 72 hours alone.”

The violence on Sunday September 18 began as the anti-government demonstrators marched down Agriculture Street, which is located on the eastern edge of a long-running sit-in protest, protected by Maj. General al-Ahmar of the opposition. The protesters said that they were attacked as they moved past the area controlled by the army’s First Armored Division, led by al-Ahmar.

The security forces reportedly used heavy-caliber machines guns and other weapons to punish the protesters for their peaceful demonstration. Sakher al-Oldany, a 20-year-old protester, said the protesters moved beyond the area protected by the First Armored Division, hoping to “escalate the rebellion against the government.”

Mohammad al Qadhi, a Yemeni journalist, said the government was using snipers to target and fire upon demonstrators from the rooftops.

“I talked to one of the protesters. He told me shots were fired on chests, legs, and other parts of the body.”

Witnesses reported that forces loyal to Saleh as well as armed civilians opened fire on protesters who left Change Square. The protesters had setup camp in Change Square since earlier this year in February, demanding regime change and marched towards the center of the city.

More than 100,000 protesters gathered on Sunday 18 September around the state TV building and government offices in Sanaa. Freelance journalist Tom Finn reported that he was able to count at least 16 bodies piled up in a mosque, most of them bearing headshot wounds.

“Most of them are under 22. I saw one that was 16 years old. There are three hospitals in Sanaa filled to the brim with the injured. One doctor said he expects the death toll will rise over 50 by tomorrow morning.”

The march was the first in several months since demonstrators had gathered outside a portion of the capital controlled by Maj. Gen. Mohsin al-Ahmar. al-Ahmar is widely recognized as the second most powerful person in the country after President Saleh and he has sided with the opposition.

al-Ahmar said that his fighters chose not to return fire after they were shelled by the Republican Guard. He cited that he did not want to give President Saleh any excuse not to sign a deal to transfer power.

The crackdown on the protesters come as Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi, Yemen’s vice-president, will sign a Gulf Arab initiative to arrange for a transfer of power in Yemen “within a week,” according to a high-level Saudi official. Requesting anonymity, the high-level Saudi official shared these words.

“Within a week, the vice president will sign the Gulf Initiative in the name of the president.”

Last week, President Saleh authorized his vice-president to negotiate a transfer of power with the opposition contingents. The Gulf Arab Initiative was proposed by the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council and sets the path for a peaceful removal of Saleh from power, a position he has held since 1978.  Saleh fled the country approximately three months ago for Saudi Arabia, where he had been recovering from a June assault on his presidential compound.

On Saturday 17 September, thousands of protesters crashed onto the main university in Sanaa, preventing the first day of school and called for the end of Saleh’s reign. The protesters shut the doors of administrative buildings and tore down images of Saleh in the dean’s offices.  As many as six students were injured during the protests, while many others enthusiastically chanted for change.

“No studying, no teaching until the president goes.”

In other areas around Sanaa, at least 20 other schools were kept closed to students on Saturday 17 September. According to Fata Mutahar, principal of Ayesha School in Sanaa and an official with the Education Ministry, government gunmen and troops whom have defected to the opposition are using many educational buildings as outposts.

“Schools are for learning, not to serve as barracks.”

It is clear that the protests and demands for Saleh’s ouster are taking their toll on Yemen’s population, especially its youth. Until a peaceful and substantive removal of Saleh from power, the youth of Yemen should expect continued denial of their education. While many of the youth may only be able to understand that their education is the only thing at risk due to the status quo, the opposition struggles for every aspect of life.

They struggle to ensure that the future leaders of Yemen will one day read about the revolution in a history book, knowing that they were affected in many more ways than just school closings.

For more information, please see:

Al-Jazeera-‘Ceasefire’ halts third day of Sanaa violence-20 September 2011

BBC-Yemen unrest: ‘Ceasefire’ halts fighting in Sanaa-20 September 2011

CNN-Dozens killed as international pressure mounts in Yemen-19 September 2011

Al-Jazeera-Many protesters shot dead in Yemen-18 September 2011

The Guardian-Yemeni protesters ‘fired on by troops’-18 September 2011

NYT-Yemeni Forces Open Fire, Killing at Least 15 Protesters-18 September 2011

Reuters-At least 25 killed in anti-Saleh march in Yemen-18 September 2011

BBC-Yemen unrest: Protesters wounded in Taiz-15 September 2011

CNN-Yemeni troops wound 12 protesters-15 September 2011

Author: Impunity Watch Archive