By Zach Waksman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East
SANA’A, Yemen – Gunfire and explosions threw Yemen into a state of flux over the weekend. On Saturday, fighting broke out in Sana’a, the capital, between forces loyal to controversial President Ali Abdullah Saleh and pro-democracy activists who have received backing from army defectors led by Maj. Gen. Ali Mohsin al-Ahmar, and it has continued since then. At least 30 people were killed by security forces during peaceful protests on Saturday and Sunday alone.
Protesters were trying to increase pressure on Saleh, who has been in power for 33 years, to step down from his position. In response, the longtime leader has returned fire with live ammunition. Saturday’s peaceful protest was met with gunfire and rounds form rocket-propelled grenades. A Yemeni journalist in Sana’a told Al Jazeera that many of the at least 17 who died Saturday were shot in either the head or the chest. The news organization’s own special correspondent described the shooting as “another day of bloodshed in Yemen where unarmed protesters are caught in the middle of Pro-Saleh forces and defected soldiers.”
At least 13 people were killed during Sunday’s protest, a march into portions of the capital, which has been split between territory held by General Ahmar and government territory, constituted hostile grounds. Accompanied by a division of Ahmar’s troops, unarmed dissidents made their way toward government offices. As they approached a checkpoint near the Foreign Ministry, loyalist forces again opened fire, focusing on the protesters. A video on YouTube shows footage of young men carrying a woman who had been shot off the street.
Unlike prior rallies, the activists made their intentions known to the government in an effort to avoid what happened over the weekend, which were attributed to fear of attacks on government offices or the presidential palace.
“We [the protesters] used to fear announcing the marches’ plans or places, scared of thugs’ attacks,” said independent protester Ameen Dabwan. “This time, the protesters thought that announcing the marches path would be a good way to avoid the security attacks. Although this time we made it clear to the regime that the protesters would only march peacefully away from the palace, they attacked and killed the protesters.”
Saleh disagreed with that assessment.
“O.K., how is it a peaceful march then, when behind them is the power of a rebel military, which is now an integral part of what are called demonstrators?” he said. “The outside world treats this as if it is a peaceful revolution against a political regime and does not see” the government’s supporters.
On Sunday, SABA, Yemen’s official news agency, issued a press release regarding a meeting Saleh had with his Ministries of Defense and Interior. According to the release, the protesters are part of a military coup operated by the Muslim Brotherhood, with backing from Al Qaeda. He described them as “insane people, who can’t sleep and only want to take power.”
These recent skirmishes come against a backdrop of international pressure for the longtime president to relinquish power. The Gulf Cooperation Council has been trying to create an initiative that would lead to this happening, in exchange for immunity from prosecution for himself and his family. So far he has not abided by this initiative, but says that he will step down “in the coming days,” which could mean anything.
Later this week, the United Nations Security Council is expected to vote on a resolution based on the GCC initiative that would call for him to immediately resign. The United Nations has support from Yemeni Nobel Peace Prize laureate Tawakkul Karman, who wrote a letter to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon encouraging him “to take immediate and decisive action to stop the massacres and hold the perpetrators accountable…”
Saleh issued a statement accusing the Western powers of ignorance, saying that they “just take their information from shows and from the opposition who considers itself oppressed and is vying for its own victory.”
For more information, please see:
Yemen Post — Karman Speaks Up — 18 October 2011
Al Jazeera — Fighting Erupts in Yemeni Capital — 17 October 2011
BBC — Fighting Shakes Yemen Capital Sanaa — 17 October 2011
New York Times — Violence in Yemen’s Capital Escalates as Clashes Enter Third Day — 17 October 2011
Yemen Times — Violence Resumes in Sana’a — 17 October 2011
SABA — President Heads Meeting of Security and Military Leaders — 16 October 2011