Armies of Liberation

Crowded dialysis centers, kindey transplant unavailable:

YO: Cancer is a misfortune, but kidney failure is a double misfortunes. It is actually the illness that makes victims forget all worldly essentials behind them and wait for every Sunday or every Thursday to hopefully extend their life one more week.

And so the patients live on high alert with one every-moment dread and concern about their weekly deadlines for renal clean-up if they actually fail to meet a deadline die.

Yemen is one of the countries where renal failure is a widespread disease, though no precise figures on the cases in Yemen are available. Al-Thawra Public Hospital is nearly Yemen’s best hospital and the only hospital that offers a subsidized service of hemodialysis.

Mohammed Showee, a father of three, has a kidney failure that happened to him before two years. “Every week, I fear of missing the deadline due to crowdedness in the hemodialysis center.” Although, he undergoes the blood filtering process for free of charge, he tells tragic tales of kidney failure as an illness in Yemen. He said that many people in other hospitals die as they are standing in the queues for the dialyzer.”
“The dialyzer connects to a machine. During treatment, my blood travels through tubes into the dialyzer which, in turn, filters out wastes and extra fluids. Then the newly cleaned blood flows through other tubes back to my body,” he says as his own words chill his spine.
“Fine, this is the only possible common treatment. It is a weekly obligatory practice for the patients to extend their lives one week more or five days more. But at least, there should be enough centers that offer the hemodialysis service and reduce the fatalities”.

“Why do so large number of people still need to go abroad for kidney transplant. Why shouldn’t be large scale kidney transplant service in Yemen,” he asks. “Millions of dollars will be saved.”
Showee said he read in one of the newspapers a tragic story of the life of one man whom kidney failure cost him and arm and a leg. The story he says, is: “some named Mohammed al-Showafi, a 27-year-old father of three found – five months ago – that he has kidney failure, all of a sudden and felt dying of the related pain. He had to sell his car – his only means of income, and the jewelries of his wife all making up to $7000. But then he left to India in the company of two relatives hoping that he would have a kidney donated from either of them.

However, the Indian doctors found neither of the two willing donors had a good match kidney that fits into his body. He came back to Yemen with half of the 7000 dollars used up in travel and lodging and other essential costs. And to his bad luck, it was banned at that time for Indian citizens to sell kidneys and for a kidney donation, the patient has to be someone who has been in India for one year.
Now he is with half of the amount that hardly managed to make. And he is intending to travel to Pakistan where the Yemeni embassy is supposed to receive him, reserve a hospital seat for him and find a donor. However, the kidney transplant in Pakistan costs 14000 dollars. I just don’t know how he is he going to manage.”

Showee says that “kidney transplant, the breakthrough in the treatment of renal failure, kidney transplant, is highly expensive although it was first started in the middle of the 19th century”. “For people with income like the average Yemeni people, it costs you a fortune. You sell all the valuable assets that you have in order to have such a treatment. Many people sell their houses, cars or lands. It is pity. For many kidney failure patients, the travel abroad per se is not easily affordable. Tickets are very costly for them. And when they come to find that they have the calamity of such an illness that requires treatment abroad, they sell all their valuable assets.

I believe the government must offer substantial amount of financial aid for the kidney failure patients and their families. A large number of people who are suffering from kidney stones but because of lack of money don’t even dare to go any hospital. They keep waiting and bearing the pain for years with their full knowledge that the stones in their kidneys expand further and further and they are going to have kidney failure. But they can do nothing. They are impoverished”.
Ayesh al-Hammami is almost a 31-year-old illiterate person who tried to commit suicide more than one time because he is seeing that he is going to have a slow and agonic death by kidney failure. His last self-suicide attempt was two months ago.

Hammami who doesn’t know what a journalist means as I tell him I am a journalist said he will try suicide again “I will hopefully do it successfully next time”. I really expect him to do it again, his last attempt was a frightening cut in his hand. Al-Hammami is a man who lives on massage as a profession he practices in a Turkish-style steam bath. He massages people and earns an average of 500 rials (less than three dollars) a day.
Three years ago, his father almost renounced him and being uneducated, he could only work as a masseur, a job that requires no skills. This man, after deciding to move to Sana’a to work suffered severe kidney pain. Many times, he would come back from work crying and lie down screaming and rolling in the floor of his small dark room. That was out of pain. The stones kept agonizing him frequently for one year and a half. After that one year and a half he had 100,000 rials (almost $550) saved. He went to one of the private hospitals to have what he says “a laser removal” of the stones. After a one-week surgery he complained that urinating is hard and painful for him.

He went for a screening and it was found that the stones are still there, which means only very tiny fragments of them were destroyed. Because, he doesn’t know what to do, he said he can’t argue in the hospital or the police station to get the operation carried out again for free or get compensation. Now, the stones are big again and the right kidney, the previously healthy one, has a stone as well and he is being agonized every night again. His already poor income has lowered and he predicts that “I’m going to die soon of the stones.” He says that “doctors tell me that I am about to have a kidney failure soon if I don’t get the stones removed”. “As I can’t afford the cost of stones removal, I will surely die when I am required to have a hemodialysis every week.”. This is just one story that I, the writer of this report, found for myself.

Showee said one man with a kidney failure says he is indirectly a victim of Saddam’s ousted regime in Iraq. He said that he had a kidney failure while he was in Saudi Arabia.
But he would have a dialyzer thrice a week. “But as the Gulf War broke out and Yemeni immigrants had to come back home from the Gulf states, he began his tragic life. He could no longer have an opportunity in Yemen to have a hemodialysis thrice a week.”
Showee says the man became more gaunt and ailing as he came back from Saudi Arabia.

The good tiding in today’s world is that “If you have a chronic kidney failure, kidney transplantation may be the treatment option that allows you to live much like you lived before your kidneys failed. In contrast however, transplantation is not a cure, but an ongoing treatment that requires you taking medicines for the rest of your life,” says pharmacist Murtadha Mohammed. “This means that even a successful transplant doesn’t mean the patient regains his health totally. The fact that a patient needs to buy medicines for the rest of his life as a bribe for the immune system to not reject the donated kidney is a big burden. I believe those who had kidney transplants must have access to safe medicines to be imported and subsidized by government.”

Now its a little clearer how the LNG project would up inside a marine reserve and on the coastline of one of the world’s greatest coral reefs:

SANA’A – A project of the first animal sanctuary in the Arab peninsula set to be built in Hadhramout governorate has been scrapped by the Environment Authority of the United Arab Emirates. According to the Yemeni Green peace society, the UAE Environment Authority in cancelled the project after claims that the General Environment Authority in Yemen was corrupt.

The Green peace society said that the Yemeni Environment Authority had presented demands, including that money be paid for what it called “dignitaries and influential characters”, under the pretence of getting the support of them to ensure the success of the project. However, this made those involved doubt the credibility of the Environment Authority.

a huge issue, as is the confescation of and disputes over private land

SANA’A- Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs Ali Hamoud Abbad has uncovered that some politicians are using their influence to illegally occupy or steal state land.

The minister urged the MPs to stop the practices, threatening that he will personally talk to these MPs if they do not back down from seizing the lands.
“If they don’t respond, we will talk to the presidency of the parliament to tackle the issue,” he said.
He cited a recent encroachment by judicial authorities over large pieces of land in Mualla in Aden, although the land is known and accredited to state land.

However, he admitted that he has no authority over the judicial authorities, which are independent.
A report said the State Lands and Properties Office is donating endowment lands to many government authorities.

The president of the Islah’s party in the parliament has demanded the resignation of the endowments ministry over what he called “the rise of encroachment over endowments lands since he took office”.

Well thats very good

SANA’A – A public works project in Yemen has been judged to be the third best in the world by the World Bank.
Yemen’s public works project was chosen as one of four of the “most successful projects across the world” according to the WB classification.
The Yemeni public works project was ranked third after Cambodia and Latvia, while Albania came fourth.

The Public Work’s Project was established in 1996 as part of the social security network, and started its activities in the beginning of 1997 when began its first phase, financed by the WB with a soft loan of US$25 million and US$3million by the Yemeni government.
The project focuses on implementing small projects that aim at employing unskilled labour, and aim at creating job opportunities to decrease unemployment.

At the same time the project aims at providing the essential services for citizens, especially in the remote areas.
The General Manager of the public works project Engineer Saeed Abdu Ahmad said that during the first phase of the project 435 projects were implemented in different Yemeni governorates.

He added that these projects provided 64,000 monthly job opportunities.
The evaluation of the project was based on field studies conducted by WB experts.

A team from the WB visited Yemen in 2004 and conducted an evaluation study for the performance of the project, which had completed its second phase at that time. The team were impressed by its success.
The WB then sent a second team in 2005 to evaluate the performance, again praising its success.

New Finance Minister says very logical things about tax reform: “Although gaining high tax revenues is the goal of the Tax Authority, the matter in practice is very different. Tax is not usually collected according to proportional tax system and the tax receptacle is not covered properly,” said al-Asali. (Also penalties: sometime, somewhere the notion of criminal prosecution for corruption has to come into play.)

Saleh cancels Aden Port deal with DPI, in response to Parliament and other objections. Gulf News calls it a renegotiation.

The first investment and HR development conference, sponsored by Gobari Investment Group, concludes today under the title, “Development and investment can only be realized by our own efforts.” Trade Minister who tried to cancel the conference last week does not attend.

European Commission: Yemen’s investment climate unhealthy.

New Minister of Planning: The statement from the ministry said that the meeting would be “different than others” as it would deal with serious directives of the government to combat corruption and enhancing reforms process in the country.

World Bank funds electricity project:

The World Bank 2005-05-23 approved a Credit to the Republic of Yemen for SDR35 million (US$50 million equivalent) to help finance the Power Sector Project. The objectives of the Project are to relieve critical power supply constraints and enhance the overall technical efficiency and quality of electricity supply by supporting the Republic of Yemen’s power sector reform initiatives and strengthening the sector’s corporate governance to improve the efficiency of the Public Electricity Corporation.

Yemen is the least electrified country in the MENA region, with only about 40% of the total population having access to electricity. In rural areas, the electrification rate is very low at only about 20%. More than half of the rural power supply comes from cooperatives, the private sector, and auto-generation, and not from the Government-owned Public Electricity Corporation system.

The low access and the absence of reliable electricity supply have been recognized as severe constraints to economic growth in Yemen, and to the achievement of the Government of Yemen’s poverty alleviation objectives. “Economic growth and a better quality of life for the Yemeni people will be realized with adequate access to reliable electricity services”, commented Somin Mukherji, Project Task Team Leader.

Ruling Party MP’s summon Finance Minster about currency fluxuations:

SANA’A- Members of Parliament have made urgent calls that Minister of Finance Dr. Saif Al-Asali appear before Parliament to explain the recent surge in the price of US dollar against the Yemeni rial. Last week, MPs criticized the “ignorance of the presidential board” for a request presented by Saleh Abu Adal and Abdul-Kareem Jadban, members of the GPC ruling party in the parliament, to summon the minister over a decrease in the exchange rate.

Nabeel Basha, an MP of the ruling party, asked presidency of the parliament to allocate a session to discuss the issue.
He said it was a key issue associated with the life of all citizens, and that Yemen does not have a currency rules policy.
Meanwhile, police arrested three groups of people on charges of forging Saudi and Yemeni currencies in different governorates.

According to security sources in Mukalla city in Hadhramout, police arrested and jailed one man for forging YR 30,000 rials. Investigations are continuing. In Abyan governorate, police arrested two men accused of selling and forging Saudi money. In Mahweet, 11 men were arrested on charges of forging Saudi money.

Yes, Parliament has a role in ensuring the conduct of the government on issues that effect the lives of all citizens.

Saudi Support: Saudi Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdel Aziz is to approve new loans to impoverished Yemen of $160 million during a visit to the southern port of Mukalla on May 31, official media said.

YM: New Oil MInister embraces transparency. (Hopefully will give support to EITI which looks very good if everyone can get on board-ie, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative .)

Just spending millions of dollars right before the election, nice to have that old public budget to buy votes with. Ali Saleh continues his tour:

GHEIDHA, May 29(Saba)- President Ali Abdullah Saleh inaugurated Monday in Mahra governorate the important strategic road which links
Saihootdistrict with Nashtoon district at a length of 162 km.
The cost of the project was estimated at Yrs 11.2 billion. The road connects the governorate with the other Yemeni governorates and Yemen
with theneighboring Arab countries via the coastline.
President Saleh also inaugurated Saihoot Fishery Company where he listened to a brief explanation of the contents of the company by its manager Mohammed Khaudam.
The project costs USD 1.5 million.
He also laid foundation stones for the projects of unloading station and marine cable affiliate in Gheidha, which connects Yemen with the
outsideworld by Filaj net at a cost of Yrs 3.5 billion.
President also inaugurated a station of Yemen Mobile in the governorate.

On this occasion, president expressed great pleasure for such significant achievements which Yemen witnesses in the era of the
Yemeni Unity.
He said that a large number of people would benefit from such strategic projects which help in raising the local and economic
development. He made it clear that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is working hard to improve the Yemeni economy in order to integrate with the Gulf region, saying that that Yemen is also aspiring to be
an active member in theGulf states.
He also paid visits to a number of districts in the governorate and listened to citizens needs and requirements.

How irresponsible and inept. Roads and employment opportunites are essential but where was all this money before, and how much of it is going to medical, education and water services, which are less visable, don’t require a cornerstone, but are very important to the lives of the citizens.

More: President Ali Abdullah has launched and laid foundation stones for 2730 service and investment projects worth YR283 billion in Hodeidah, as part of the celebrations of the16th anniversary of Yemen’s unification.

Financial statements required from public officials.
Three years in jail for making accusations of corruption without concrete proof.
Three years in jail for corruption.

Just another way to target the journalists, but how outrageous to make an equivalency between an unfounded statement and the theft of public funds. How does the rights of an individual outweigh so greatly the rights of society as a whole? And how does one make a case for corruption without starting from a position of less than concrete proof? This is just another layer of protection for corrupt public officials to continue their thievery without public scrutiny. The pretense that the regime has any respect for free speech is completely shot.

NY: The Yemeni Parliament started to discuss the law of financial liability that was submitted by the government to the Parliament that referred it to the Constitutional Committee in 16th April, 2005 for study.
The law aims to enhance trust between the State’s organs and people as it guarantees clear legal measures for protecting the public funds, safeguarding the public job and fighting illegal affluence, according to the Constitutional Committee.
The law will hold all who occupy a public post and decision-makers accountable for any financial and administrative failures.
According to committee, the law will be applied to the president, vice president, leadership and members of the Parliament, prime minister, premier deputies, ministers and their deputies, leadership and members of the Shura (consultative) council, chairman of the Supreme Commission for Elections ad Referendum and his deputy, chairman of presidency office, chairmen of local councils, rectors of universities, employees of the administrative organs, members of diplomatic corps, leaders and members of judiciary authority, the prosecution, military leaders, financial and accountant affairs general directors.
The law obligates those under accountability to submit financial quitclaims about their own possessions, the possessions of their wives and sons’ during 60 days since the law approval.
The law approved three years in jail for anybody offers statements about any illegal financial practices without concrete evidence and three years and fines against anyone of the so far responsible persons to be proved guilty by the auditing authority.
According to the law, anyone does not deliberately submit a financial liability statement, after notification, will be imprisoned six months and fined YR 50.

The part about holding public officials accountable of course is the essential component of reform, democratization and development. Lets see what Parliament thinks of that.

YT:

Public health ministry undersecretary Arwa al-Rabee stated that the rate of morality among mothers and children in Yemen reached 37.3 children and 66 mothers out of 1000 deliveries.
Al-Rabee said that the rate of mortality among children under five years reached 102 children out of 1000. “These rates are very high and need the care of all concerned,” said al-Rabee.

1997 infant mortality rates were 33.6/1000

With one out of ten kids dead by age 5, half of all the under five deaths can be attributed to dirty water, I think its 20% malaria and 30% diarrhea.

20% of infant mortality is caused by neonatal tenenus, preventable by a maternal vaccine and attention to umbilical cord cleanliness.

About 85% of all deliveries take place without medical assistance.

Also high rates of cerebral palsy, due to lack of oxygen at birth.

40% of the budget is spent on the military, with latest purchases including helicopters from the Chinese and Armored Personel Carriers from Pakistan.

YT; A number of local newspapers reported that citizens of a rural Yemeni governorate forced the mayor to return to his office while on his way to lay cornerstones for some projects for the 16th anniversary of Yemeni Unity. Apparently, citizens opened fire at the mayor’s car(s), forcing back him, his companions and guards while shouting angry protests against everything the mayor represents.

Many Yemenis don’t appreciate the laying of project foundations or cornerstones, especially if it’s done as a façade or a matter of showing off. Most projects remain mere cornerstones for generations and do not pacify hungry and angry citizens.

A European Commission MP from Malta recently visiting Yemen said, “I walked the streets of rural areas in your country and I found poverty, hunger and illness all around. What are you going to do about it?”

He addressed his question to several development activists and NGO representatives, most of whom were baffled by the question and looked at each other with weary eyes. One female activist hesitantly admitted, “I am ashamed that you foreigners see it too.”

The reality is that people are poor, hungry and sick and not much is being done about it. This is precisely why citizens mocked the mayor’s initiative and forced him to return to his prestigious office. “You’re just a liar!” they shouted, “We don’t want any cornerstones!”

Attacking the mayor would indicate a certain level of fustration.

This is not tribalism. This is unequal application of the law.

YT: Ali Maqsa’a, a maternal uncle of President Saleh, sent mediators to settle the predicament through tribal arbitration. Meanwhile, prominent sheikhs from the Sanhan, the Belad Al-Rous, and the Khawlan tribes tendered eight guns to Hubeishi sheikhs last week in an attempt to settle the issue by arbitration.

The Huheishi locals’ refusal to accept tribal arbitration compelled Sanhani sheikhs to make pledges to transfer the suspected killers to police, but nothing has been achieved.

On May 14, relatives of the victim–who was allegedly killed by a group of armed men from Sanhan inside his small shop on 45 Meter Street in Sana’a in front of his two sons aged 8 and 13— renewed their rejection of any tribal solution to the crisis.

Fahd Al-Hamidi asserted that the family will never accept any solution other than a legal remedy that will see the alleged killers punished. He complained of the prolonged nature of case procedures by the Southwest Capital Prosecution authority, which has not yet authorized a legitimate physician to examine the corpse for forensic evidence and thereby write a report about the crime.

YT Oped: The murder of Mohammed al-Hamidi, a second-hand shop owner in Sana’a, last week by some tribesmen from Sanhan district raises many questions about equal citizenship and protection of the people rights in Yemen. The tribesmen said they were just superior because they belonged to Sanhan, the home village of the president Ali Abdullah Saleh. They badmouthed the man, beat him up in front of his children and then simply shot him dead and drove away. The guilt of Al-Hamidi is that he refused to humiliatingly accept the verbal insult and more importantly, he is labeled as an inferior citizen who can be easily killed without any notice or punishment…..To add insult into injury, we have also heard the family of al-Hamidi is now facing strong pressure and influence by the relatives of the president to accept tribal mores solution. This usually takes the form of blood money and an apology according to tribal traditions extended to the family of the killed person. A bull might be slaughtered and guns fired which the weakest party has to accept as if nothing happened. Okay, this might end the case but who will mend the broken hearts of the two children whose “lower social rank and dialect” was enough reason to kill their father. Will the blood money be able to put off the flaming hostility of these orphans towards the people of Sanhan and the society at large? Will this repair a deflowered citizenship?

Beat him and shot him in front of his kids, but considering they are from Saleh’s tribe, their elevated status normally would protect them from prosecution.

Our democratic ally, Yemen: its normal security proceedure to question people about their relationship with the US.

YT: The Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS) is preparing to hold a plenary meeting to begin protest activities regarding practices against journalists in response to the two-hour airport detention of journalists Jamal Amer, Al-Wasat newspaper Editor-in-Chief, and YJS Secretary-General Hafidh Al-Bukari. All papers and books they were carrying were confiscated after they were subjected to what they described as humiliating searches.

Al-Bukari, who was returning from a conference in Tunis last Thursday, said airport political security personnel held him for two hours and seized his personal papers, adding that they demanded he admit activity against the nation during his visit to the United States, despite the fact that he was not visiting the U.S.

from News Yemen:

The two journalists said they had been asked about their relationship
with America .
The interior ministry condemned “the media escalation” over routine measures the airport security took with Amer and al-Bukari like any other passengers.
“Nobody prevails over law whatever his/her post and security measures at the airport are to keep security of the country and passengers. They are routine measures being taken in all countries, airports and passages,” said the interior source.
This is the first time the security authorities announce that questioning Yemeni citizens on their relationship with America and confiscating their personal documents is a normal practice.

Jamal Amer and al-Bukari said the airport security officers, who interrogated them, were contacting someone by the phone as he was giving the officers questions should be asked.
Al-Bukari said that a person threatened him through the phone at the airport security “if you tell anybody about what happened for you will pay the price.”

Another article translation from the mailbag:

Will you ever learn your lesson Mr. President?
Written by Saeed Al-Hriri

After all that happened to Iraq such as the shock or rather the quake that destroyed the eastern gate’s guard and the century’s tyrant, which shook his foremost and delayed lined of defense and demolished his republican guards and the American army became in the middle of Al-Firdaus square in the middle of Bagdad the Capital of Iraq, in a few days. The statue of the brave leader was exterminated and insulted and stepped on be the Iraqi people.

What happened in Iraq verifies with no doubts the weakness of some Arabic armies that look like the tyrant. Saddam’s army system which it’s solemnity dose not go past the nation and the native and humiliating or stepping on him or even rather stepping on whoever joins it. This is the condition of the Yemeni army which its solemnity does not go past the borders of the nation and the Yemeni citizen. What actually happened in the Yemeni army when some leaders dared to step on some of this institutions associated and the started gibing speeches about manners and discipline from on the soldiers backs, then the president and the highest leader of those troops and in his last meeting with the leaders of the armed forces he starts accusing and threatening any body that harms this national institution in a clear indication to what the hero and the doctor Nasser Al-khabji defending the Southern soldiers who were exposed to humiliation, insulting, and degradation from their military leaders and it was more appropriate for the general leader to give them the maximum punishment instead of turning the victim into an executioner and vice –versa .

Here I tell to Mr. President to learn a lesson from what is happening in Iraq and to work on executing all the factors and the reasons what led Iraq to this present condition, but rather it is obvious that he does not intend to move to change anything and that what we notice in the political scene since after the war of the summer of 94 which the regime in Sanaa launched against the South. So we didn’t hear about the president stepping forward to all the opposition and primarily with the main partner in signing the unity agreement in May 22nd 1990, the unity was lost by declaring war against the main partner in it and it became after the war a unity of subjection and coercive addition using military forces and imposing the pre unity system that used to exist in ( the Arabic Republic of Yemen ) and we didn’t hear the president pronounce the decision to cancel the verdicts and not forgive those who were sentenced by after the war government because they represent their country, for declaring war by the other party that that declared the unity cancels the unity, and the security council decisions regarding this matter is the best proof.

We didn’t hear that the president issue a decision to release all the detainee and eliminate the number of prisons and concentration camps and stop digging the graves and the past. We didn’t hear that the president issued a decision to limit the secret services authorities and the political security and central security the tormentors, the oppressors, and forbidding the arresting accept by a judicial command. We did not hear that the president decided to give up the principle of “authority is our right forever” and granted the principle of the peaceful deliberation of the authority and enable the people in all provinces to choose their leaders instead of sending mayors from the North especially to the South provinces.

We didn’t hear that the president decided to assign the nations fortunes to the people and enable them to benefit from those stolen fortunes and stop stealing peoples living. And we did not hear that the president issued his commands to the army and the security systems not to interfere in the citizen matters and to stop interfering in drawing the features of political scene and leave politics to politicians and we did not hear that the president and the commander in chief of the armed forces and its derivatives, decided to arrest any military leader that harms or tortures a helpless soldier or profanes his sacredness and citizenship and submits him and steps on his neck

We did not hear that the president excluded his sons, nephews and brothers to be the crown princes or the expected new successors, and he imposed them unjustly and offensively on the people present and future leaders. And we did not hear that the president instructed of forming a constitution in which the people rule, create, and decide their fate, and draw their politics, not to make it fit him and his regime.

And we did not hear that the president learned a lesson from what happened to his sincere friend Saddam, and decided to return the people’s stolen money that’s being deposited in western bank accounts, and distribute it back on the poor and the oppressed people.

We did not hear that the president decided to separate his presidential job from other jobs that he occupies and give the chance to the skilled, the qualified and the able to manage the government matters. We did not hear that the guaranteed openly in front of the public that if his sons ,nephews , brothers and their acquaintances , stole the people living , then they are going to get punished for committing theft like every body in Al-Sabeen public square.

We did not hear that the president decided clearly before the public wit no doubts that he is stepping down from ruling the country and he is satisfied with the period he ruled which extend from the seventies of the twentieth century till our day (2006), and decided not to nominate his son or any other personality that relates to his family because the people did not accept this family to rule again.

We did not hear that the president is going to punish the military leaders who are devastating and causing mischief in the country like he does day and night threaten his oppressed people who are sick of looking at his face.

We did not hear that the president admitted his mistakes he committed against the Southern, and called them to sit with them and correct those mistakes according to the International Security Council decision 924 and 931 and implement them and grant the Southern their right in deciding their fate. But if the head of the house is playing the drums then the family has to dance.

Update 5/31: its chicken pox.

Smallpox was eradicated in 1979, with the last known case in 1977, so this has to be Rubella which has extremely dire consquences if contracted during pregnancy.

SANA’A, May 28 — Students of four schools located in the Hebra neighborhood within Sana’a refrained from sitting for their final examinations because of the spread of an infectious disease suspected to be smallpox.

Media sources have said that the disease is thought to be rubella. Up until now, it has infected children and adults alike. The same sources regretted the silence of the government and the private media. Sources also declared that the disease has swelled among students of October 14, July 7, and Imtiaz private schools.

The disease is spreading throughout Sana’a in general and constituency 18 in particular, which is the most infected area so far.

Medical sources from Bani Matar, an outlaying town west of Sana’a, stated that “the medical team sent to the Barhan District has made tests for 53 cases and it has been shown that they are infected with smallpox, a disease that transfers through contact and respiration.”

The Al-Motamar.Net website noted that “an operation room including the General Manager of the Health Bureau and the District Director, Abdulmalik Al-Taifi, as well as authorities in Bani Matar has been set-up and the victims [of the disease] have been gathered in one place and samples have been taken to Sana’a to be examined.”

The medical team is still at the operation room together with ambulances to handle any new found cases and make locals aware of known ways that the infection can be communicated, according to Al-Taifi.

Article Translation from the mailbag

The relationship between the Yemeni regime and the international terrorism

Since the beginning of the current year 2006, the media circulates respectively news on the frantic activities of the terrorist groups in Yemen. Observers will find that these activities are directly and actively mixed with the state and with the head of the system .

Late February of this year news carried the incident of (escape) of 23 figures and activists from al-Qaeda organization from the (prison) of the Political Security in Sana’a in a silly and senselessness play, after they dug a tunnel under the land from (prison) to the courtyard of one of the mosques nearby of whom using the eating tools such as spoons, dishes etc. News were published by Saba News Agency and by the Conference Net which is belong to the ruling party and by September Net; the close site to the Presidential Office.

At the end of February 2006 the president; the Marshal Ali Abdullah Saleh made a statement to the Hayah newspaper (the Life) indicated that there is (possibly) collusion. He added that there are dialogues and contacts with the fugitives to return to prison, (note dear reader that the Yemeni president refuses to conduct a dialogue with the Southerners from the Reform Movement who struggle to bring the Unification to its right course).This and earlier incidents of significant activities of terrorist groups prompts us to try -without experts claim in the religious groups or terrorists issues- to know the relationship between the political regime led by the Marshal Ali Abdullah Saleh and these groups. Hence we can note a number of important observations in this context: -

There is a correlation between the Yemeni political system, and its top, the Marshal Ali Abdullah Saleh, who came to the power in 1978 and the religious groups, which their activities are characterized in accusing the society at infidelity, violence and terrorism against adversaries to local and foreign as well. They were not known at the whole Yemeni arena that these activities did not become known and did not have the role that we come to mention some of it later, before Saleh seized the governance in the Arab Republic of Yemen, and did not have a presence in the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen previously as well.

But the presence of the Marshal Ali Abdullah Saleh on the power enabled these groups to establish their solid material base and to secure the environment for knowledge, which enabled the dissemination of the ideas of these religious groups across the country (Arab Republic of Yemen) before the unity through establishing thousands of religious schools and institutions, which amounted with more than 4,000 religious schools with their curricula and special training programmes that are not subject to the ministry of education according to the current prime minister; Mr Abdulkader Bagammal in his statement Thanks to the huge support and care given by the system, their followers spread in the South after the unity.

Thanks to the support, nourish and protection of the president, Marshal Ali Abdullah Saleh in the presence of these groups, it is also a fact that these extremist religious groups has been very generous to his rules in giving intellect, blood, men and the lives of their young people who scarified for the regime of the president Saleh in the Central Region at early 80s of last century when they launched what they considered a holy war against the communism. They also contributed generously in the war of their government against the scientist diligent clergyman Hussein Badr Eddin Alhouthi in Sa’dah Governorate by direct participation with a large number of their members in that war also in supporting the regime in legal opinions (Fatwa) that accused the adversaries with infidelity. They always ready to provide fighter men to defend the interests of the system of Saleh wherever is required.

This fateful interdependence between extremist religious groups and the Marshal Ali Abdullah Saleh’s regime was translated strongly in the war that was launched by the regime against the South in 1994.It was known worldwide how big the role was contributed by those militant groups. They have been recruited for that war and summoned hastily from Afghanistan to contribute to the war on Southerners during the summer of 1994. That was found later through interviews of some of their leaders recently published in local newspapers and in the Arab press and other widespread newspapers such Ashsharq Alawsat (the Middle East) and Alhayah newspaper (the life).

It is known that Yemen has facilitated and sponsored in a wide scale other terrorist groups, which have emerged during the previous years in Chechnya. Despite the fact that Yemen tried to deny its relationship with what is happening on the territory of the Russian Federation, however during the visits of the Yemeni president to Moscow 2003 the Russian president Putin has brought forward some of the personal documents and identities before Saleh and made his complain from Yemeni terrorism in Chechnya,.

As it was published by the international media, including the American that arms of Yemeni government were found among the weapons that were used in the attack against the American consulate in Jeddah in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Newspapers and other mass media touch in stories of the wide flow of arms shipments to Somali factions, which they are fighting each other in that country, which has been ravaged by the civil wars. News has quoted the presence of a number of Somalis scholars affiliated to extremist religious groups study in Yemeni religious institutes.

The activity of the Yemeni regime in supporting groups of global terrorism has arrived in Chechnya and Somalia, at the same time the countries of the Arabian Peninsula have experienced a great deal of the Yemeni terrorists activity .
Late February 2006, Ashsharq Alawsat newspaper (the Middle East) has disclosed some information about the arrest of terrorist groups with relation to Yemen., I think the reader still remembers the failed terrorist attack on Saudi oil refinery in Abqiq, then Saudi newspapers published in on the relationship with the source of terrorist groups from Yemen in a clear allusion to the fact that one of the terrorism’s leaders was running criminal acts inside (prison) in Yemen.

Until recently, President Ali Abdullah Saleh was talking frequently about his partnership with the USA in its war against global terrorism, trying to delude everyone about his relevance his rules with the terrorism. President Saleh has achieved much success in doing so and was masterful in misleading a while the whole world, including the Americans that he is a real partner in the war against terrorism and therefore who has nothing to do with terrorist organisations, at the local level, regional or global level.

With the increasingly numbers of Yemenis involved in terrorist acts in Iraq the situation began to be more complicated and hard to be believed. How comes that Yemen is declared that it is a partner in fighting against terrorism in ally with the United States of America, at the same time it allows the flow of those terrorists to Iraq. An investigation was initiated and led to significant facts, which took the observers in surprise. The facts stated that an integrated system stands behind this extensive work including the operations of persuasion and recruitment, training and insuring documents and the provision of money, etc…

The investigators reached to serious and terrifying facts as well. It is for the first time facts, events and documents demonstrate that the Marshal Ali Abdullah Saleh’s regime is closely linked to terrorism both locally and on Arabic level. The tragic has reached its top with the fact that the regime has a link with the destructive terrorist operations which was carried out by suicide bombers at Dhahab tourist resort in Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. That attack has called the Egyptian government to send urgently the head of the intelligence; Major General Omar Suleiman to Yemen. He was received by the Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, the head of the Political Security Apparatus Major General Ghaleb Al-Qamesh, the head of the National Security Ammar Mohammed Abdullah Saleh and by the director of the office of the president Mr Ali Alanesi, according to the news broadcasted by the Yemeni satellite channel yesterday 27th April 2006.

In a very impudence declaration, the system called a number of domestic terrorism activists who carried out a campaign of systematic terror during the early 1990s against the cadres of the Yemeni Socialist Party in Sana’a. On 29th April 2006 the Yemeni media declared that the presidential guidance instructs to release a number of leaders of the Islamic Aden Abyan Army. The organisation was established after the war in 1994 and its followers carried out a massacre of Australians tourists in Abyan governorate in Yemen in late 1998. Also it is well known about the relationship of this organisation with a number of high influential leaders of the Yemeni regime.

All those activities and actions taken by the president Marshal Ali Abdullah Saleh and his regime declare to the world openly and without any equivocation or disguise that the Yemeni system is sponsoring enshrining the terrorism. He provides it with protection and secures proliferation. At the same time these connections between the Yemeni regime and terrorism reveal the nature of the regime and its danger to the security and stability of the peoples of the region and the world at large. The system warmly embraces the forces of terrorism and provides with protection and security to be deployed and to reach Chechnya and Sinai to cause the devastation and destruction in Iraq and Egypt Also he already made every country in the Arabian Peninsula and the Gulf under the threat of terror.

The Yemeni regime has no hesitation and will not refrain from disseminating these groups in the countries of the civilized world in Europe and America to carry out killings and destruction and disseminating terror among the population. Such acts will find a religious cover and the turban of the (Dailami) who will not withhold from legal opinions when necessary as provided similar opinions during the declaration of the war on the South and Southerners, also when perfidy hands fired in assassination of the martyr Jarallah Omar and the killing of the doctors in Jebla city in Yemen. He is also expert in launching legal opinions (fatwas) feeding the propitiatory and obscurant forces of terrorism in Iraq.

He also has been generous in issuing his legal propitiatory opinions (fatawi) against cleric and scholar man Alhouthi and against the followers of the Shiite doctrine. It should be mentioned here that the movement of Yemeni terrorism to Europe and America is a matter of time only. As according to the information that was published and announced previously by the local press and on the electronic sites such as News Yemen, that the Yemeni system has announced to form an organization under the responsibility of the official government security apparatus dealing with what it is called (plucking up courage through external support) and working actively amidst Yemeni communities abroad. In my opinion the terrorist groups has already started to put its plan on practice and I belief that the aim of this organisation is not only to terrify the opposition abroad by also to use the government terrorism (state terrorism).It is clear that this organisation will be used as an official and formal cover for spreading terrorist activities whom will be led and managed by symbols from Al-Qaeda’s leadership and other terrorist organization. With no doubt this terrorists will be ordered out and used effectively by various means and under many different names, whenever the need arises.

After this brief narrative we come to a compendium that the president; the Marshal Ali Abdullah Saleh has returned to the square one of his political coalition. He has built a militarily foundation sincere to the tribe and allied with the forces of obscurantism. These are the main forces, which rule the Yemen Arab Republic’s system and justify its existence. The story of the alliance between Saleh’ regime and the terrorists started early when the terrorist religious factions supported the system’s war in the Central Region in Yemen Arab Republic, then they moved together to the formation of militant groups and to the recruitment of the volunteers’ batches to fight against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. Further more moved to the establishment and deployment of more than 4,000 religious schools according to the statement of the Yemeni Prime Minister Abdulkader Bagammal.

The regime expends funds of billions of Riyals on this branched network; supports the activities of Al-Imaan University(Faith University), the university, which has received donation from the president Saleh with amount of 1 billion Riyals.The university is headed by the Sheikh Abdul-Mageed Alzendani who is formally accused by the United States of America of terrorism and supporting terrorism. All these evidences are really proved that the president really has returned to his first square and to his origins and beliefs. It is a clear evidence that any pretending of supporting democracy, human rights, women’s rights or fair elections or any similar terms that were imposed by the necessities of the present era; the era of science and technology, technical revolution and satellites, is only way to keep up with new variables and to avoid collision with them. It is also to maintain the major material and technical base of the rule (the political system) which is fully belonging to the tribal and military coalition and allied with the religious terrorism and its obscurantist and expiatory forces. These forces are foster-parent to the Saleh’s regime and we have to comprehend that the regime well takes care of them, and to ensure the environment for their proliferation in all corners of the earth whenever possible. That is the rule, what else is the exception.

Ambassador: Ahmed Abdullah Al-Hasani

If this article is only 25% true its very scary. This al-Hasani is the former head of Yemen’s navy who defected to England and stated that al-Qaeda sympathizers are in high level positions in Yemen’s security forces and that Saleh knew in advance about the Cole bombing.

The tribes really are the only effective check on executive authority and the fact that they are exerting pressure on the political system for reform is encouraging. But the revolt thing is scary. NY

The so-called High Coalition for Tribes, including Marib, Shabwa and Al-Jawf, announced its support for the call of sheikh Hamid Abdullah Hussein al-Ahmar, for a public revolt unless president Saleh intervenes to stop the current political crisis and responds to requests of Yemeni people.
Hamid al-Ahmar, the older song of sheikh Abdullah bin Hussein al-Ahmar, the Parliament Speaker and president of the biggest opposition party Islah, said in a statement, that NewsYemen got a copy of it, that the coalition of the three tribes is interestingly following the current political developments on the national arena.
The statement said it supports the requests of the opposition parties over reforming the political system, finding a neutral commission to sufficiently manage free and just elections, keeping neutrality in distributing the public financial resources and jobs, impartial media and military and security institutions.
The statement said important political groups and many Yemenis who suffer from the “ghost of corruption” accept such requests.
The coalition concluded the statement expressing regret that those requests were refused by the ruling party, pointing that the ruling party crossed the red lines in terms of many requests for the people and the opposition causing the current “political dilemma.

SANAA, Yemen, May 25 (UPI) — Yemeni public prosecutor Abdullah Alafi revealed that a court specializing in terror cases will next week begin the trial of 23 suspected al-Qaida members.

Alafi was quoted as saying Thursday in the weekly September 26, mouthpiece of the Defense Ministry, that interrogation of the suspects was completed and they will be referred to trial next week on charges of belonging to the terrorist group led by Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden.

“These are among detainees with the security agencies whose trial was decided after their cases were studied and reviewed,” Alafi said. Of the suspects, seven are accused of forming an armed gang for carrying out terrorist operations.

Alafi pointed out that 315 people suspected of belonging to al-Qaida have been freed for lack of evidence, including 95 recently let go.

He also revealed that 12 people are currently being tried by the military court on charges of facilitating the escape of 23 Qaida prisoners from the central intelligence prison in Sanaa in February. Among them are prison security officials.

Alafi said that of the 23 escapees, nine have been arrested or have surrendered to the authorities. “As for the remaining fugitives, security agencies are still chasing them,” he said.

NDI:
Despite these improvements, however, the atmosphere of anxiety in the run-up to the
elections caused by fears of violence, as well as heavy-handed and coercive measures on and after
election day by elements of the ruling GPC in many polling stations across the country are troubling.

There were credible reports of election law violations including political intimidation, underage
voting, improper behavior by security forces, vote buying and obstruction by ruling party counting
commissioners. Serious incidents were witnessed by the National Democratic Institute for
International Affairs (NDI) delegates in Sanaa, Aden, Taiz, the Hadramaut and elsewhere around the
country. There have also been reports of ruling party retribution against supporters of opposition
candidates, especially against teachers and other civil servants. By-elections, which were held in four
constituencies in July, were particularly flawed, with reports of commissioners actively encouraging
or insisting that voters mark their ballots outside the booth, and numerous irregularities during
counting procedures.

Reports of misconduct and manipulation of the vote tabulation and the appearance of
judicial bias during the appeal period also cast an unfortunate shadow over the elections. NDI
recommends that a careful and open review of the elections law and legal procedures pertaining to
election complaints be undertaken. Specifically, the Institute suggests the following steps be taken
to build confidence in future elections:
• review of election complaints procedures
• clarification of the enforcement authority of the SCER before the 2006 Presidential and local
council elections
• redrawing of political boundaries to bring parliamentary constituencies into compliance with
a requirement that they be demographically balanced and equal
• correction of deficiencies in the voter registry
• adoption of impartial guidelines to achieve balanced political coverage in the news media
• review of the role of the military in elections
• a review of election law and procedures to remove or modify those aspects which inhibit
women’s ability to campaign effectively for public office
• implementation of voter education campaigns stressing the importance of individual
decision-making

Another blast from the past, November, 2005:

On another front, The HCER acknowledged the existence of 400 thousand minors who have been enlisted on the election registers. However, it has not undertaken any rectifying measures to delete minors from the list despite claims by the opposition parties to modify the elections register as early as possible.

What a good article that is. Good title too. YT Oped:

In democratic countries, a multiparty system is an important device used to preserve a people’s rights and freedom. However things are different in Yemen, here a multi party system becomes a tool in the authority’s hand, used to accuse any civil society calling for rightful and constitutional demands. This could lead to a “formal” cancellation of a multi-party system while keeping the façade of its form to beautify the regimes image abroad.

There are many instances in which civil societies face abuse for standing by their membership. The pretext is often that they are politically motivated to do so. Lack of political vision in both the opposition and the government, leads each side to prove and disprove these accusations. The ensuing arguments often detract both sides from the basic rights for which the protests themselves were originally held.

All this happens in a country described as the only democratic entity in the region, with parties running local and presidential elections under alleged agendas serving the people’s rights.

The multi- party system is summarized as a number of parties competing to provide agendas that serve the objectives of the public. The voter chooses the party’s candidate with the agenda that suits their interests. Yet in Yemen, out of political ignorance, the parties, with the ruling one on top tend to promote persons instead of principles. Such practices spread the cultural belief in individual power not in programs.

Authorities attack parties whose agendas call for promoting general improvement on peoples’ status. This occurred during the 2003 electoral campaign when the Islah party promised to raise the army’s salaries 200 percent. The ruling party’s press attacked and mocked Islah saying the party had discovered oil fields in the Al-Eman University (which is run by the Islah leader Al-Zandani) when Islah asserted it was going to fulfill it’s promises with their revenues. Yet in an ideal democracy, it is the favorite party that instigates a certain social class into obtaining their rights. Such a party is one which is considered “in tune to the pulse” of the group and the constituents in turn believe their rights are being looked after by the party.

The “political scene” can be expressed as protests of civil society organizations and their issues, such as that of the journalists, the doctors, the teachers, students and motor bikes’ syndicates. They all ask the government to carry out its promises, which is supposedly on the agenda of the ruling party, and not on that of the opposition. They have also called for implementation of the laws issued by the ruling party’s government, that has had dominate power for 16 years, nine of those consecutive.

Despite the difference in demands the accusations are the same: that they are politically motivated by the opposition, and that they distort the image of the ruling regime. Protestors are compelled to defend themselves instead of attacking to achieve their rights. The opposition chooses to stay aloof, giving the government the chance to liquidate these rights.

The motorbike drivers, in their condemnation of the multiparty system, made a mock funeral for the opposition in spite of their limited political awareness and their lack of an organized syndicate. They had been told not to work in the Capital. The government’s reasons are based on claims that did not look into rising unemployment rates, or at the pervasive levels of corruption dominating the country.

The regime’s answer is to resort to the creation of parallel syndicates that legalize infringements and oppress our basic rights. These clones do not recognize legalized organizations and appoint their leadership from within the bodies that they are supposed to watch (the education manager is appointed Head of the teachers’ syndicate). The leadership is given to “pro-government” personnel who receive privileges for accepting these infringements on their membership’s rights. Other rival syndicates are made to appear to be “partisan mad”. The most striking of these clones is the Teachers’ syndicate an affiliate of the ruling party. The leadership of this syndicate is appointed by party officials. They agree with government procedures and condemn other syndicates which stand on the side of their members’ demands. The same criterion is true of the doctors’ syndicate.

Democracy in Yemen is only a décor. To receive more donations the government’s face is brightened and white-washed, while rights are infringed to maintain the décor. Our situation requires serious reconsideration. However there are two options, either to undertake democracy as a method that preserves the right of all, that seems impossible under present conditions; or to go back to a single party system as long as it provides the rights of ideal democracies. This would save us from the illusions of the destructive tendencies of democracy and multiparty systems. The first is the easiest way out as it suits the regime’s perspective. As for us, the public, we will miss criminal incentives and hold a certain entity accountable for the loss of our rights, releasing us from the exhausting search for the impossible exchange of power.

Dioxin? Good thing they found it. YT:

Yemen Society for Consumer Protection (YSCP) has responded with satisfaction to the decision made by the chairman of the West Capital Secretariat Court, Judge Mohammed Ismael Al-Hajji, on 20 May 2006 that prevents the sale of concentrated fodder containing lards contaminated with dioxin and other toxic substances. On 20 May, the YSCP issued a press release mentioning that the judge’s verdict was a response to the lawsuit filed by the society against the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, the Yemeni Authority of Specifications and Standardization, and the Al-Falah poultry company. The lawsuit holds the three parties responsible for importation of 223,874 thousand kilograms of fodder concentrates polluted with lard containing the highly poisonous chemical substance dioxin.

Update: Dang it, this article makes it sound like some of the feed is already on the market:

SANA’A- The Consumer Protection Society (CPS) has asked the West of Sana’a Court to order the seizure of packed food for chickens currently on the market. The CPS says these foods are contaminated with lard and a highly poisonous substance it calls dyoxine.

However, it has also demanded that the burial of the contaminated foods should not be in Yemeni soil. A press release from the CPS said the society had asked the court to oblige the Ministry of Agriculture, the Authority for Quality Standards and the direct importer of those foods to send the imported foods back to the country of origin.

It also requested that they should to deposit YR 1,000,000,000 rials as a potential compensation for any harm caused to the buyers of the food and for the environment.

The request of the CPS was prompted by the entry of 23,874 kilograms of food to the country. The consumption of chicken and other fowls that were fed with such substances could lead to diseases of cancer, kidney illnesses, fetus deformation and nervous system disorder, it claims.

23,000 kilos or 223,000 kilos?

What is going on with the fisheries, the Central Statistical Oraganization has one set of numbers, the office of Fish Wealth has another set of numbers and recently announced the production for 2005 was I think, 3 million tons at 6 million dollars, first quarter 2006 at 1.9 million tons. Could that be a typo? Product catagory differential? These number from the same office match the CSO numbers, which show several hundred thousand tons production per year going back to 2002. YT:

While many fishermen criticize the government for not devoting enough energy to the development of Yemen’s fisheries and associated businesses, Minister of Fisheries Mahmoud Ibrahim Saghiri says the fishery management and conservation project, the “Fish Fifth Project,” represents one of the government’s fields of investment fixed in the Third Five-year Plan (FYP) for development and poverty alleviation. It is anticipated that the project will begin implementation by the end of this year lasting until 2010. The project’s budget comes to $35 million and is supported by the World Bank, the European Union as well as the government.

Seeking to increase the average annual fish production to 700,000 tons a year by 2010, the Ministry has lobbied for the restructuring of fish exports in the next FYP so that the industry becomes value focused instead of concentrated on maximizing the sum of exports. The draft FYP aims to increase production growth rates and fish exports, while preserving the fish reservoir in a manner that sustains Yemen’s fisheries. Additionally, it plans to improve the quality of the catch and how it is marketed. It is expected that the plan will increase fish exports by an annual rate of 8.5% so that the catch will amount to 124,000 tons by 2010.

The teachers have tried, they really did, at both local and national levels, to resolve the issues of salary deductions and suspensions via acceptable civil means: protests, appealing to Parliament, sit-ins, strikes, meeting the President. Not that violent attack is warrented but this is what happens when very fustrated people who are told they have rights see those rights trampled with no avenue of redress.

AL-JAWF, May 24 — Ameen Abdallah Al-Ghuthaifi, the General Manager of the Education Bureau, along with five other persons were reportedly injured, while two others were killed, in a gunfight. The incident took place at noon in the village of Al-Kharbah located near the government complex in Al-Hazm. Armed, disgruntled teachers intercepted the Al-Ghuthaifi’s car, leading to a deadly exchange of fire.

Sources said that teachers had complained previously of salaries deductions and suspension of work. Frustrated at the slow response to their complaints, the teachers resorted to violence to make their voices heard.

Locals intervened and mediated between the two sides, which resulting in a ceasefire. Casualties were rushed to local hospitals. Fear still lingers though of the possible consequences of the incident, which might include revenge killing and tribal fighting.

GPC policies and blindness to the need for reform is driving the country toward revolution. YT

“I think that any Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) and ruling party consensus to nominate the current president in this September’s elections is bound to impact the former and cause them to lose credibility and suffer conflicts from within,” Al-Ahmar said. “The JMP may destroy themselves if they do this. It is impossible for the nation to tolerate the totalitarian regime and its failed policies.”

In a dialogue with Al-Sahwah weekly, Al-Ahmar confirmed that the ruling party is driving citizens toward a nationwide revolution by blocking any change outlets via proper political means. According to him, the matter is in the hands of the authority able to overcome problems and increase public electoral awareness via the media to help citizens exercise their political right without the need for engaging in conflicts.

“The ruling party’s stronghold on the throne, plus its lack of faith that the nation is in need of change to build a modern Yemen, are the primary reasons behind ruling party and opposition dialogues reaching an impasse,” Al-Ahmar noted.

He called on the JMP not to participate in unfair elections that may not lead to real change, particularly as the General People’s Congress (GPC) destroyed democracy’s meaning by controlling the voter registration process individually, refusing calls for multi-party electoral management to prepare fraud-free voter registries.

“Legitimacy is not based on addresses and debates by state employees; rather, legitimacy stems from citizens’ needs,” Al-Ahmar added. He called for establishing an electoral mechanism to help voters express their opinions, stressing that the ballot must reflect the voters’ will.

Al-Ahmar denied having any desire to run for president in the upcoming election, saying a man of reason and logic should not apply for such matters unless it is a must. He emphasized peaceful transfer of power and building a modern state via fair and transparent elections.

According to Al-Ahmar’s son, Yemen is in need of establishing a principle for peaceful transfer of power and living in an atmosphere free of violations.

“If President Ali Abdullah Saleh does not back out on his historic decision not to stand in this September’s presidential elections, he will reach a great achievement for his country. If Saleh insists on his declaration, this will be a great achievement similar in importance to establishing national unity,” Al-Ahmar stated.

Various media outlets mentioned that Speaker of Parliament Al-Ahmar, who chairs Yemen’s Islah Party, criticized the stance taken by his son and some minor sheikhs in Hashid, who call for what they describe as “Popular Revolution.”

Al-Ahmar renewed his refusal to sign any political statement or document at the present time. Minimizing the importance of his son, he said Yemen has judicious men to be in charge of such matters and considered his son’s declarations as merely statements of anger, media quoted reliable sources as saying.

RAIMAH May 24 (Saba) - President Ali Abdullah Saleh paid here on Wednesday a visit to Raimah governorate to see needs of the citizens.

President Saleh was welcomed by Raimah governor Ahmad Mussaid Hussein and top officials of the governorate as well as Sheikhs and social
individuals.

The citizens highly appreciated declaration of President Saleh for Raimah as a governorate, saying that this decision supported the
governorate’s right in the projects and development.

Afterward, president Saleh launched 81 projects with total cost of YR 41 billion in framework of celebration of the Yemeni people on the
16th anniversary of the Yemeni reunification.
During the popular carnival held in the governorate, President Saleh delivered a speech said in which “I am pleased of the second visit to Raimah, at the beginning I congratulating you in this great occasion of the Yemeni unification that we celebrated in the last days.
He pointed to the projects which have been achieved in the governorate during the last two years.

SANA’A, May 24 (Saba)- The Supreme Commission for Election and Referendum has followed up the process of surveying Yemeni votes abroad though Yemeni embassies in 20 countries.

The embassies started listing the immigrant voters who hold voting cards and can vote in the coming presidential elections, the
assistant deputyminister of Foreign and Expatriates Affairs, Abdul-Qader Aedah said.

He also said that the process would continue till the coming June 15, pointing out that the Supreme Commission for Elections and Referendum
would form a committee to follow the process of counting countries that contain more than 500 voters.

Sheesh, so many of the embassys are so corrupt, I dont know if this will be done properly.

who is also the minister of defense and 13 ministers:

Riyadh, May 24 ( BNA ) The Saudi Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Aviation and Inspector General will pay a three day visit on forthcoming Wednesday to Yemen to head the Saudi side at the 17th round of Saudi Yemeni Coordination Council.
The Saudi Crown Prince who heads a delegation of 14 ministers including the Minister of Interior, Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz as well as the Foreign Minister, Saud Al-Faissal. The Yemeni Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Ali Al-Ahwal told the Saudi daily `Okaz` that the two Saudi and Yemeni sides will sign in the meeting of the Coordination Council 8 protocols of developmental, medical and educational projects to be mainly financed by Saudi Arabia, donating countries as well as Yemeni government.

That’s a big delegation.

A good layout of the case from the SeattlePI:

RICHMOND, Va. — A lawyer for the Republic of Sudan urged a federal appeals court on Wednesday to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the families of the 17 sailors killed in the terrorist attack on the Navy’s USS Cole.

The families allege that the East African nation’s government provided support, including money and training, that allowed al-Qaida to attack the Norfolk-based destroyer in the harbor of Aden, Yemen, on Oct. 12, 2000.

The lawyer for Sudan, Knox Bemis, told a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that the lawsuit should be thrown out because it does not directly connect any support of al-Qaida to the bombing.

However, the families’ attorney, Andrew C. Hall, argued that such specifics do not have to be established until the case goes to trial.

“We’ve more than met our burden,” Hall said.

Sudan is appealing a decision by U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar to allow the lawsuit to go forward.

Foreign nations ordinarily are immune from suit in U.S. courts, but Congress amended the law in 1996 to allow victims to seek monetary damages against countries classified as state sponsors of terrorism.

The U.S. State Department continues to list Sudan among six countries classified as state sponsors of terror, but credits its government with taking significant steps to cooperate in the global war on terror. Sudan once harbored Osama bin Laden but threw him out in 1996 under U.S. pressure.

The families are seeking $105 million, which Hall said could be paid from Sudanese assets frozen by the U.S. government.

Several relatives of victims attended the hearing and spoke to reporters outside the courthouse.

“Seventeen families have been devastated just as badly as the 9/11 families have,” said Saundra Flanagan of Bridgeport, W.Va., whose son Kevin Shawn Rux was killed in the attack. “We want people to remember.”

The appeals court usually rules several weeks after hearing oral arguments.

The lawsuit alleges that al-Qaida operated training camps in Sudan and that the country allowed an operative of the global terror network to ship four crates of explosives to Yemen before the Cole bombing. It also accuses Sudan’s president of authorizing bin Laden’s entry into his country and says bin Laden and Sudan operated joint businesses and a bank that provided financing for the Cole attack.