Armies of Liberation

Express India

June 21 A joint operation by the Military Intelligence (MI) and the Bangalore city police culminated in the arrest of six Manipuri extremists of the People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) on Thursday. Officials from the MI unit at Southern Command Headquarters, Pune, co-coordinated the operation.

Those arrested are Ibungo Singh alias Chulamba (29), a self-styled lieutenant who had to discharge the duties of an officer, Sergeant Major Laikhu Ram Jiten Singh alias Dada (30) who was the project officer in charge of collecting money and Joney alias Nanao (26), all of them Manipuri nationals who are wanted in many cases of bomb blasts, extortion and other terror activities. The other three arrested are Megan Chander (29), Vikas Pradhan (24) and a foreign national from Yemen, Almer Mohammed (23).

The MI was tracking the extremists for the past one month and after enough evidence against them was gathered, decided to zero in and make the arrests….While Jiten Singh is suspected to have links with the ISI, sources said the foreign national was suspected to have Al Qaeda connections, which are yet to be conclusively proved.

Al-Khaiwani’s acceptance speech delivered from jail by a spokesman:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Peace be upon you

Conferring this award on me is a great honour to my colleagues in Yemen and myself. I would like to extend my thanks and gratitude to Amnesty International, as well as to all those attending this event.

I wish I were among you to accept this award in person and to talk to you face to face. However, I am imprisoned in my country, following a six-year prison sentence handed down by a special court on June 9.

The authorities in my country commit systematic violations against journalists and activists. What I have been through is only a example of the attacks and risks facing Yemeni journalists as a result of their professional and moral commitments.

The freedom of the press has faced an increasingly deteriorating situation recently, because of the authorities’ insistence on keeping national and international public opinion in the dark about serious crises, like the war that broke out four years ago in Sa’da, (north of Yemen) and the resulting tragic humanitarian situation, the citizens’ peaceful protests in the southern and eastern governorates against marginalization (exclusion) and denial of political, civil and economic rights.

The independent and opposition press, one of the most important instruments of peaceful change and democratic reform, is operating in a tough and precarious environment, especially in the absence of independent judiciary, disrespect for the rule of law, widespread institutional corruption and the government’s monopoly over broadcast media. The authorities have developed repressive methods against journalists, those who hold anti-government views and human rights activists. These methods range from prison, torture, death threats to the use of subservient newspapers that are supported by public funds to discredit human rights defenders and government’s opponents, especially independent women journalists and human rights activists.

Those who believe in liberty, justice, equality and democracy realize that the embodiment of such human values requires sacrifice, patience and hope, as well as a belief that they are not alone in this confrontation. This award is strong evidence to this effect.

The authorities have frequently banned me from traveling abroad. I have already been through the prison ordeal four years ago, and have been kidnapped and tortured more than once. However, I have never been alone, thanks to solidarity by my colleagues and support from the fledging Yemeni human rights movement that has never lost hope. Also thanks to an influential international human rights movement that have persistently responded to the violations by the Yemeni authorities aimed at isolating me and breaking my will.

Repeating my pride in this award with its noble humanitarian and human rights significance, I would like to assure you in this regard that I consider it an honour well deserved by everyone who stood by my side against repression, intimidation and the culture of hatred and intolerance, namely my dear and persevering wife and beloved children.

Thank you
Abdul Karim al-Khaiwani

Sahwa Net- Yemeni security sources in Hodiada province has arrested a missionary cell including 7 people on charges of promoting to Christianity and distributing the Bible.

Sources told Sahwa Net that the Political Security of Hodaida arrested a so-called Hadni Dohni accused of converting to Christianity and other 6 aides.

The sources said that the suspects were transferred to Sana’a in order to investigate them to know who support them.

This is a man who has already endured the horrors of prison because of the stand that he’s taken. Despite that, he is determined to continue his work and has of course just been jailed again. That is an act of courage, and it is right that he is being honoured.’

Jailed Yemeni journalist given Human Rights Media Award

At risk 42-year-old recognised by Alan Johnston at awards ceremony tonight

‘The authorities in Yemen are trying to silence me’ – Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani

Amnesty International has tonight made a human rights media award to a leading Yemeni journalist just days after he was imprisoned by the Yemeni authorities.

The award – Amnesty’s ‘Special Award For Human Rights Journalism Under Threat’, made by BBC journalist Alan Johnston at an emotional awards ceremony in central London tonight- was made to Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani, 42, the former editor of Yemen’s political weekly newspaper Al-Shora.

Last week (9 June) Mr Al-Khaiwani was jailed for six years, a move criticised by Amnesty, which said he should ‘never have been on trial in the first place’ and that ‘his imprisonment looks like a clear case of the authorities putting an independently-minded journalist behind bars for his criticism of government policies.’ (Read on …)

I find it quite an impressive gesture that the families included freedom for Yemeni journalist al-Khaiwani in their demands. The families are calling for justice not only for themselves and their murdered family members, but for also the democracy advocate al-Khaiwani who was wrongly imprisoned and in a broader way, the Yemeni people.

Families of Victims of USS Cole Bombing Join with American Islamic Congress to Call for Accountability in Yemen

The American Islamic Congress announced today that it is joining with families of sailors killed in the USS Cole bombing to demand Yemen take responsible action against terrorists and protect the basic freedoms of journalists. The ad hoc coalition has issued the following statement:

“We are a coalition of civil rights activists, the families of USS Cole sailors murdered in the Al Qaeda attack on the USS Cole, and Americans of conscience.

“We are troubled by repeated reports that the Government of Yemen has released the masterminds of the attack on the USS Cole and that these terrorists freely roam the streets of Sana’a, Yemen’s capital.

“We are concerned that at the same time the Yemeni regime has targeted several leading independent journalists, including Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani, who was just sentenced to six years in prison with hard labor.

“And we note with concern that the US administration has proposed doubling US foreign aid to Yemen, despite the regression in the Government of Yemen’s action on terrorism and civil rights.

“We therefore issue the following demands:

“1) The Government of Yemen must re-arrest the masterminds behind the USS Cole bombing and keep them behind bars to serve their initial sentences. No more pardons or reduced sentences.

“2) Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani must go free, either exonerated of all trumped-up charges or pardoned by Yemen’s president, and Yemeni journalists must be free to practice their profession without government repression.

“3) The United States Congress should urgently review foreign aid to Yemen in light of the regime’s recent actions and condition such aid on verifiable progress on combating Al Qaeda terrorists and protecting civil rights for all citizens.”

Signed:

Gary G. Swenchonis, Sr., Deborah Swenchonis, and Shalala Swenchonis

Survivors of Petty Officer Gary E. Swenchonis

John Clodfelter and family

Survivors of Hull Maintenance Technician 3rd Class Kenneth E. Clodfelter

Jesse L. and Lynn D. Nieto

Survivors of Engineman 2nd Class Marc Nieto

Nasser Weddady

Civil Rights Outreach Director, American Islamic Congress

Jane Novak, writer and blogger leading campaign for Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani

The American Islamic Congress is a civil-rights organization promoting tolerance and the exchange of ideas among Muslims and between other peoples. With the motto “passionate about moderation,” the organization leads initiatives around the world and has offices in Washington, Boston, Egypt, and Iraq.

Initial Report on attacks of Yemen regime against Altagheer members

Introduction:

Al-tagheer Organization for Rights and Defense is a Yemeni comprised of a number of rights activists; politicians, media men, parliament members and other important social groups. The Org. has been active for more than a year, held founding conference on 19th Feb. 2008.

The purpose of the organization is to enhance respect towards human rights, defense law, constitution and freedom of speech, stabilize basics of equal citizenship, establish concepts of wise ruling, oppose violence and revive culture of tolerance and contribution in democratic change.

The Org. is currently facing strong opposition by the regime, which is embodied in a series of attacks targeting the leadership and the founding members, as follows:

Dr Nasser Al-khubbagi:

Dr Nasser Al-khubbagi , a member of the House of Representatives and a founding member of Al-tagheer , is threatened with an arrest and has been prevented from going to the House since 13th Oct2007, for having protested against firing on Radfan locals by Security Forces , while the locals were preparing for the festival of Yemen Revolution. The firing led to fifteen wounded and four killed while the criminals are still not captured. Many attempts were made to capture Al-khubbagi, the first of which was on 13th May 2008, but he survived . His car was confiscated and his driver, Nasser Mohammad Saleh, and bodyguard both were illegally arrested and still at the Sana’a Political Security Prison , without allowing being visited .

Al-khubbagi has been prevented from going to the House for more than eight months due to such a threat.

Salah Qaid Saleh:

Salah Qaid Saleh , a member of parliament, of the House Committee of General Freedom and Rights and a founding member of Al –tagheer was threatened to be arrested on the basis of Southern peaceful protests and has been prevented from going to the House since more than eight months, while an attempt of arrest was made on April 2008.

Mohammad Mohammad Muftah:

Mohammad Mohammad Muftah, a member of the Org., managerial staff . His car, in which he was with two of his children, was fired, and he has been coercively taken to unknown place since 21 May. 2008 up till now, has already been tried and sentenced to eight years imprisonment, of which two were executed, rearrested for a week by the authority, and he was released after efforts of local and international rights and media orgs, were made .

Abdulkareem Alkhaiwani:

Abdulkareem Alkhaiwani, a leading Yemeni journalist , a political activist, a founding member, has suffered a lot due to writing on bequeathing of power and his opposing attitudes towards policy of Saleh regime . He has already been sentenced to one year imprisonment, a half of which was spent, arrested more than once, beaten in front of his children. On 9th June he was sentenced to six years imprisonment, by specialized Penal Court, for having USB Flash Disk, CDs and Documents containing journalistic items related to Sada’a war.

Yahya Ghalib Ahmad:

Yahya Ghalib Ahmad, a lawyer, a rights activist, and a founding member, was arrested on 31 of March, at night, taken to unknown place. 20th days later, he was confirmed to have been referred, in chains, to Sana’a, and still there up till now . He is suffering from hepatitis and the authority refused to take him to hospital, which resulted in health decline. The political Security Apparatuses prevented leadership of Altagheer, among of them, MPs Ahmed Saif Hashid, Mohammad Alassaly, Abdulbari Aldughaish, Dr. Mohammad Saleh, from paying a visit to Yahya, however, they had a prior permission by General prosecutor. He is being tried at the Specialized Penal Court on backgrounds of Southern peaceful protests, threatened to heavy punishment, possibly execution.

Yasser Alwazeer:

Yasser Alwazeer was arrested on 5th June 2008, and abducted by unknown figures, without be known about him up till now. He was constantly threatened with an arrest or disappearance by figures from the political Security of Old Sana’a.

Mohammad Mohammad Almaqaleh:

Mohammad Mohammad Almaqaleh , a political activist and founding member, was arrested at 22 April. 2008, due to a laughing claimed to be an insult to justice, from the inside of the court while attending the trial session of Alkhaiwani, illegally prevented from being visited at the precautionary Jail, subjected to unjustified threats due to opposing attitudes towards the authority’s choices embodied in solving its problems by resorting to fighting opponents (Sada’a War) or to fighting his fellow journalists, who suffer constant attacks. It is confirmed that a sentence would be issued against him during this month (June 2008) since the case is being seized by the court.

Mueen Ibraheem Almutawakil:

Mueen Ibraheem Almutawakil, a founding member, was driving his car in front of Sana’a University of Science with his sister and daughter, on 27 April, when two cars (Hilux), on of them has a number of 2- 47690, faced them, with figures coming out raising guns. He was taken coercively into the cars to an unknown place, and up till now he is still hidden.

Ali Hussein Aldailami:

Ali Hussein Aldailami, a rights activist, Secretary General of Altagheer. His house was surrounded and attacked on 26 of May 2008, family and children were frightened by Security forces. Ali had already been abducted at Sana’a Airport when he was travelling to a press conference in Denmark with the result that he did not participated, and spent more than a month in prison, coercive hiding.

Mohammad Ahmed Albuthaigi:

Mohammad Ahmed Albuthaigi, rights activist and a founding member, was arrested for three hours on 26 of May 2008 by Police Personnel while covering events of Aden University Students’ sit-in . His camera and mobile were both taken, receiving verbal abuses, threatened to be hidden in dark jails, due to journalistic activities.

Hassan Ali Aldhailami:

Hassan Ali Aldhailami, a founding member, and rights activist was subjected to an attack and arrest for a day on 26 of May 2008 when the Security forces attacked his brother’s house.

Ali Mohammad Muqbil Alaod:

Ali Mohammad Muqbil Alaod, a founding member and a local council member in Aldhalea governorate, was arrested in 22 May. 2008 by the Central Security Forces upon objecting repressing detainees . He was freed six hours later after he had been tortured.

Yahya Mohammad Alshawbagi:

Yahya Mohammad Alshawbagi, a founding member, a former local council member in Aldhalea, was arrested at 10 P.M on 5 March2008, imprisoned for two days on backgrounds of Southern peaceful protests.

Anees Thabet Mohammad:

Anees Thabet Mohammad, Founding member of Altagheer, is a delegated professor at Radfan Faculty of Education, was and still subjected to security inconveniences at his place of work and residence .

At last, we hope all local, regional and global human rights organizations be jointly liable with Al-Tagheer members attack-victims, and to exert pressure on the regime for releasing the detainees and stating the fate of the coercively-hidden members .

We further hold the authority accountable for all these attacks, we also would like to remind that rights can never be ignored even if it is too late.

Issued by:

Altagheer Organization for Rights and Freedom Defense

Sana’a – 16 June. 2008

YO

The government approved in its cabinet regular meeting held on Tuesday a budget of youth summer camps for 2008 and its general program to be launched on July 17th across the country.

The camps are 31 and contain 718 centers, 382 for males and 134 for females, 48 centers for educating religious duties, 30 for female scouts, 34 for vocational training, 34 for educating in computer science and languages, 58 for sports and 8 centers for university students. More than 200 thousand male and female participants will make use of these 40-day long camps.

There are also 600 centers for educating 100 thousands students on memorizing the Holy Koran in the capital Sana’a and in other governorates around the country.

7th Space reports on Yemeni progress or lask thereof in areas of woman’s empowerment.

While praising Yemen today for being among the first countries to have ratified the Women’s Convention and for having updated its citizenship laws in women’s favour, the Committee monitoring countries’ compliance with the Convention expressed concern about the prevalence of underage marriages, including tourist marriages, polygamy, domestic violence and negative sexual stereotypes, and questioned the Yemeni Government’s political will to implement the treaty.

Yemen ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in 1984, without any substantive reservations, but it had far to go to achieve full equality between the sexes, experts of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women agreed as they considered Yemen’s sixth periodic report.

(Read on …)

Yemen deported 16 thousand terror suspects: Vice President
Al-Motamar
Almotamar.net – The Yemeni Vice-President Abid Rabu Mansour Hadi revealed Sunday the Yemen has in the past three years deported 16000 persons suspected of their affiliation to al-Qaeda organisation as part of the efforts it exerts for combating terror.

During his meeting on Sunday with leadership of Al-Mithaq Institute the Vice President said those suspected terrorists who were deported in the period 2003-2008 were from various nationalities and many of them were those who were known as Arab Mujahidins in Afghanistan and they were deported to their countries….The Vice resident renewed his call for the international community to stand by Yemen and offer more assistance to ensure success of its campaign for combating terror, particularly that Yemen’s strategic situation adds on it many burdens in this regard.

Retraction

The 16 thousand persons deported by Yemen were migrants rather than terrorists
Monday, 16-June-2008
Almotamar.net – President of al-Mithaq Institute Mohammed al-Aydarus denied that what the news published by almotamar.net on Sunday on Yemen deportation of 16 thousand suspected terrorists in the past three years , confirming the news as groundless. (Read on …)

It is Yemeni government policy to starve unaffiliated civilians in order to prompt them to turn in the rebels. The Yemeni government has been starving the 700,000 residents of Saada governorate for years, and now they are starving the 75,000 residents of Bani Hushaish deliberately.

The blockade is collective punishment against Yemeni citizens who happen to live in the area where the rebels decided to hide. The rebels themselves are guilty of mingling among the civilians, however a state has a responsibility not to purposefully starve its children. Withholding food to their own citizens as a tactic of war, how cruel.

Yemen Times: In an attempt to control the troubled areas of Bani Hushaish district in Sana’a governorate where a number of Houthi rebels took refuge, security authorities placed a blockade around the area on diesel and food products.

According to local sheikhs and citizens in the surrounded area, there are military checkpoints on all roads leading into the district, inhabited by over 75,000 people.

Security forces at the checkpoints prevent any diesel, used primarily for farming equipment like tractors, from entering the district. They also prevent wheat, among other foodstuffs, from entering the area. According to locals, the security forces also won’t allow residents to take their products such as vegetables, fruits and qat outside the district. This prevents the Bani Hushaish locals from selling their goods in neighboring markets, including those in Sana’a city. (Read on …)

SANA’A, News Yemen: Dozens of journalists, human rights advocates and parliamentarians on Sunday staged a sit-in outside the office of the General Attorney demanding the immediate release of journalist Abdul-Karim al-Khaiwani whom a primary court sentence to a six-year prison term last Monday.

The demonstrators awaited the General Attorney for one hour and a half to hand him a letter condemning the arrest of al-Khaiwani by security immediately after the court pronounced the verdict and putting him in the Central Prison. They considered the procedure illegal. They said al-Khaiwani should be free as he appealed against the sentence and he has the right to follow the appeals procedures.

My blog is blocked inside Yemen. The entire Matoob blogging platform was blocked in March. (Matoob is the biggest Arabic blogging service.) Yemen Portal, a news aggregator, is blocked, as are many Yemeni news and opinion websites. However, Anwar al-Awlaki’s blog is open, where he explains the rightfulness of murdering people who are insulting. Awlaki, an American citizen was spiritual advisor to the 9/11 highjackers and is blogging from Yemen. Nifty.

Freedom of speech, yr doin it rong!

Update: Wow! The article looks so good in hard copy! And its really on the front page. The APP published a photo of one of the massive protests in South Yemen and another of the poor residents of Saada in North Yemen digging out the bodies of a woman and baby killed in one of the government bombing strikes. And there’s a map! And several nice photos of al-Khaiwani, including the one where he’s interviewing bin Shamlan and smiling. So thats NICE. Some of the comments are hilarious. Scroll through, they’re even funnier than the comments at the article on Alarabiya’s website.

This is a recent letter from al-Khaiwani to his supporters here (before he got sentenced to SIX years for an article “liable to undermine the morale of the military”. Seriously, that’s the charge he was found guilty of.)

We believe that democracy and freedom have an expensive price…

Thank you very much for this campaign, which comes in the context of the overall values that we believe, and they punish us when we believe those values and adopt them. I do not want to talk about myself, but rather the environment that we live in and suffering we endure from the inconsistency between what the authorities announce about democracy and freedoms, and what happens when we believe in those same things, democracy and freedoms.

They want us to practice our rights as they understand them, but we do it ideally. The regime said that democracy is the way of ruling, but when we try to practice our rights within this concept, criticizing the way that the regime governs and how they act, then they deal with us in a way that has no relation to democracy. They deal with us as outlaws. They use all of the state’s resources to attack anyone who has any opinions not corresponding with their opinions, and to attack those who even discuss their way of ruling.

What I am suffering and facing is part of the price I and many others pay for the democracy and freedom we hope to achieve in the future. At least we are preparing for a healthy environment that we want the next generation to live in. We believe that democracy and freedom have an expensive price, and this is a part of that price.

However that doesn’t mean we will keep silent and bend, as it is the price. We will refuse injustice peacefully. Solidarity is a way to enhance new civil values which support the democracy we will make with our sacrifice and with the support of others. We pay the price of the freedom for ourselves and for the generations after us. Again, thank you very much for your help and support.

Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani
05/10/08
Sana’a, Yemen

And then he went to jail.

To the regular readers: NICE article in the APP.

Local blogger irritates government in Yemen

To rulers’ chagrin, she backs free press, democracy

By KIM PREDHAM
STAFF WRITER

In a country many Americans might have trouble locating on a map, one Monmouth County woman has become the focus of both hatred and admiration by government officials, journalists and citizens — all without ever leaving the comfort of her home.

“It boggles my mind entirely,” said Jane Novak, 46, an energetic stay-at-home mother of two who — between caring for her children and husband — devotes hours of her time exposing the alleged dirty deeds of the government of Yemen, especially its crackdown on opposition journalists. (Read on …)

The First Report of (Yemen JAC)

on corruption about Yemen in 2007

Background:

The Yemeni Journalists Against Corruption (Yemen JAC) is an Association which consists of journalists, writers, and intellectuals who work voluntary for the sake of fighting corruption and reinforcement of rational governance in Yemen.

The key objective of the Association is to expose corruption and shedding lights on and investigate cases of corruption.

This report comes as an interpretation of that key goal as a first step to fulfill in cooperation with the corruption concerned bodies all the objectives of the JAC Association at large.

The questions to be asked are…what’s corruption? What’s the purpose of this report and on what basis it was based?

There are many approaches that differ in the identification of corruption. One approach identifies it as violation of the law and disrespect of the regime or exploiting the lack of law domination in order to gain personal or collective political, social and economic interests. However, another approach views it as; the irregular misconduct of an employee towards his career and disrespect of his duties. Such misbehavior disagrees with the official requirements and ethics of the public post to obtain particular material or ethereal gains.

Some others go beyond that to the identification of corruption as; every conduct disagrees with the public interest.

This broader classification was undertaken by the team who has worked in the preparation of this report to the bound of including some issues which sometimes irrelevant to corruption but an exposure of a certain point of issue. However, there’s an international consensus on the identification of corruption as recognized by the “Transparency International” as “Any action involves the misuse of the public post for the sake of achieving personal gains for the employee himself or for his group”.

Close to that identification of corruption, comes the recognition of the Yemeni law No (39) for the year 2006 on fighting corruption as “The exploitation of the public post in order to gain personal interests either by violating the law or by using it or using the entitled powers”.

In addition, corruption may include number of behaviors exercised by the public posts occupiers like; bribery, discrimination, intermediation, looting public money and blackmailing. This report comes within the view of the last definition in the observation and registration of whatever the Yemen media published on corruption during the 2007.

This report has been through three different stages as below:

1. Observation

Which means: Recording all the news stories that were published by the different political and independent media outlets; including electronic and printed or any type of journalistic products.

2. Classification

Which means: sorting out all the published items under the title of corruption in while the content is not in line with the definition of corruption mentioned earlier.

3. The formulation

Which means: putting the results of the previous two stages together after conducting the necessary revision and classification under the relevant topics or names of the official bodies where it was witnessed and referred to by the press. Thus, the sources of the Yemen JAC report include what the press reports has disclosed, official reports produced by the Central Organization for Control and Auditing (COCA), parliament reports, Shoura Council reports, the judiciary verdicts, reports of the international and research organizations and the complains of citizens about corruption.

The report was abided by the inclusion of what had been published by the Yemeni press in 2007 about the infringements and braches that happened in the public institutions regardless if they were committed during 2007 or before.

As the Yemen JAC Association presents this first annual report about corruption in Yemen, it aims at disclosing facts and driving the attention of the concerned bodies of investigation and accountability like the Corruption Fighting Authority and the Public Attorney towards such infringements. We at the Yemen JAC are quite confident that the Corruption Authority would react positively with our report and effectively holds the involved bodies responsible. Our confidence stems from the fact that the Authority considers whatever the press had published as guidance assist it to carry out its missions. We relay on our believe and trust in the Corruption Authority as a specialized and authorized body to do its role in view of the current report.

Once again, the Yemen JAC reconfirms that the purpose behind producing this report-which the first of its kind-is to achieve some of its goals of which is to exercise pressure towards investigating those involved in corruption cases and present them to justice and follow up the final sentences. It also meant by this report to practice pressure in order to taking the necessary measures to retain the looted public money and revenues.

The Yemen JAC would be committed to fixed policy of fighting corruption through the production of the periodical and annual reports on corruption cases published by the press including the measures taken to address them. We will pursue our mission in exposing all forms of corruption to public and concerned bodies like the Corruption Authority, COCA, General Attorney, the parliament, the local councils and the local and international organizations.

In addition, we think that it would be a good step if the Corruption Authority would produce its own periodical and annual reports on corruption cases observed and to publish them via the different media means.

Similarly, we do greatly encourage the COCA-and we highly appreciate their valuable efforts in exposing corruption- to get their reports published as well to shed more lights and public intention to it.

Moreover, it is important to confirm our commitment to impartiality and objectivity in conducting our reporting mission as depend mainly on what has been published by press or unveiled by the parliament and the COCA.

Last but not the least, we present our appreciation and thanks to the Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) chaired by Mrs. Tawakkol Karman to the efforts exerted to support this report, make it happen and see the light.

Summary

o Ministry of Defense

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry of Defense amounted at 202.872.037.000 YR which was mentioned in the public budget as undistributed expenses which disagree with the transparency that the parliament members demanded from the Ministry when it presented its budget to the parliament.

o The Prime Presidency

The financial breaches observed in the Prime Presidency amounted at 452.227.955.000 YR which was mainly loans and aids funds. The total loans granted to the government amounted at 358.200.000.000 YR for the implementation of some projects without sound planning, sufficient studies and effective monitoring and accountability. Moreover, an amount of 7.721.200.000 YR was the total aids granted to the government but was not properly due to the lack of sound management and the misuse of the grants and aids. In addition, an amount of 66 billions, 518 millions and 32 thousands YR were spent without providing information or commitment to transparency.

o The Republic Presidency

The financial breaches observed in the Republic Presidency amounted at 3.357.823.953 YR of which 2 billions and 14 millions YR spent without the providing the supportive documents, 758 millions YR was spent as advance payment without clearance, 8 millions and 900 thousands was spent without clear justifications and 23 millions YR spent on direct procurements in a clear violation to the tendering regulations

o The Ministry of Health

The financial breaches observed in the Health Ministry 9.404.096.793 YR of which 9 billions and 700 millions were spend against the tendering regulations, 420 millions YR spent on uncompleted projects due to the lack of monitoring and supervision, 184 millions was illegally spent, and 19 millions as the total debts of the Ministry.

o Ministry of Public Works

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 7.133.802.000 YR of which 5 billions and 18 millions were spend on uncompleted projects due to the lack of monitoring and supervision, 1 billion and 355 millions YR spent against the tendering regulations and 760 millions was illegally spent.

o Ministry of Agriculture

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 10.606.554.000 YR of which 2 billions and 520 millions YR were illegally spent, 2 billions and 630 millions were spend on uncompleted projects due to the lack of monitoring and supervision, 1 billion and 880 millions YR was misplaced, 1 billions and 920 millions YR as violation to the financial law as no valid documentary was provided, 353 millions YR tender breaches, 420 millions as unsettled advance payments and credits and 880 millions YR spent projects which were not implemented.

o Ministry of Civil Service

The total debts unpaid to the Ministry amounted at 21.500.000.000 YR without taking any measures to claim and collect it.

o The Ministry of Endowment

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 127200000 YR as collected revenues but spent illegally.

o The Ministry of Social Affairs

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 2.960.988.719 YR of 952 millions YR tender breaches, 966 millions YR as the debts uncollected by the Ministry, 127 millions unsettled credits, and 25 millions YR spent without providing supportive documents.

o The Ministry of Transportation

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 297.072.347 YR of which 23 millions and 900 thousands YR spend on uncompleted projects due to the lack of monitoring and supervision, 36 millions and 627 thousands YR were transferred to private accounts and illegally spent.

o The Ministry of Trade

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 7 billions YR spent illegally.

o The Ministry of Youth and Sports

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 5 billions YR spend on uncompleted projects due to the lack of monitoring and supervision.

o The Supreme Commission of Election and Referenda (SCER)

The financial breaches observed in the SCER amounted at 377.906.000 YR as advance payments and unpaid credits.

o The Ministry of Legal Affairs

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 155 millions and 58 thousands YR were spent illegally, 13 millions YR as unsettled advance payments and credits and 104 millions spent in disagreement with the financial law.

o The Shoura Council

The financial breaches observed in the Council amounted at 20.986.555 YR as unsettled advance payments and credits.

o The Ministry of Education

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 138 billions, 300 millions and 562 thousands YR of which 1 billion and 900 millions were illegally spent, 14 billions and 14 millions as unsettled advance payments and credits, 1 billion and 964 millions YR illegally spent and 645 millions YR as tender violation.

o The Ministry of Fishery Wealth

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 4.909.343 YR of which 2.193.000.000 YR as unsettled advance payments and credits, 2.514.000.000 YR spent illegally and 199 millions YR as violation to the financial laws.

o The Ministry of Oil

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 62.961.574 YR of which 58.508.000.000 YR as unsettled advance payments and unclaimed debts, 1.581.000.000 YR illegally spent, 3.366.973 YR as loss due to carelessness and poor management and 19.000.000 YR as tender breach.

o Sana’a University

The financial breaches observed in the University amounted at 2.741.322 YR of which 217 millions and 90 thousands YR illegally spent, 2.415.324 YR as unsettled advance payments and credits, 2 billion, 415 millions and 314 thousands YR as unsettled advance payments and unclaimed debts, 7 millions YR as tenders violation and 14 millions spent in violation to the finance law.

o Ibb University

The financial breaches observed in the University amounted at 150.000.000 YR was illegally spent.

o Dhammar University

The financial breaches observed in the University amounted at 488.934.000 YR was illegally spent.

o The Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 200.284.000 YR of which 195.000 YR as uncollected debts and 5 millions and 275 thousands were illegally spent.

o The Ministry of Immigration

The financial breaches observed in the Ministry amounted at 16 millions and 581 thousands were illegally spent.

o The Cooperative Agricultural Credit Bank

The financial breaches observed in the bank amounted at 42.759.830.000 YR of which 21 billions, 693 millions and 563 thousands YR as unsettled advance payments and unclaimed debts and 4.000.000 YR were illegally spent.

o The Civil Aviation Authority

The financial breaches observed in the Authority amounted at 3.681.034.000 YR of which 3 billions, 502 millions and 15 thousands YR as unsettled advance payments and unclaimed debts and 178 millions and 116 thousands were illegally spent.

o The Customs Authority

The financial breaches observed in the Authority amounted at 53.812.035.000 YR of 26 billions as unclaimed debts, 12 billions, 575 millions and 76 thousands YR as illegally freed taxes, 15 billions, 138 millions and 409 thousands YR as illegally freed customs and 98.549.000 YR were spent against the financial law.

o The local Authority

The financial breaches observed in the Authority amounted at 4.839.699.000 YR of which 4 billions as the amounts transferred to private accounts and illegally spent, 234 millions and 186 thousands were illegally spent and 381 millions and 855 thousands YR as unsettled advance payments and credits, 182 millions and 423 thousands were spend on uncompleted projects due to the lack of monitoring and supervision. Besides, an amount of 41.243.000 YR recorded as loss and misused funds.

Yemen to establish religious police and Jihad TV channel, further undermining reformers and democracy advocates.

The Media Line

[‘Sana, Yemen] Educated and liberal, Ghaida Farouq likes to hang out with her family and friends in places like the Coffee Trader, a Starbucks-style coffee shop in ‘Sana, capital of Yemen, and in the new variety of restaurants offering quality services and food.

Smiling, happy faces can be seen in such places, where men and women, locals and foreigners can enjoy drink or food. A first-time visitor might ask: “Is this really Yemen?”

People who hang out in these places spend on a cup of coffee more than the average pay slip of a regular citizen in Yemen. And the ambience provides a romantic venue for couples to enjoy being together without any kind of harassment.

However, this Western-like environment is deemed by some religious scholars in Yemen as a center of immorality. They believe that “international Zionism” and “materialism” of the owners will damage the morality of the Muslim nation. (Read on …)

HI!!! Welcome to my blog, the bane of the Yemeni government. I’m banned in Yemen along with many Yemeni news websites including Yemen Portal, a news aggregator (??!!). The al-Qaeda websites remain accessible in Yemen, but I’m banned…. Go figure.

If you’d like to join the 1400 people who took a stand for civil rights in Yemen, you can sign a letter in support of my friend, the Yemeni journalist, al-Khaiwani. Please click here.

Check out the categories on my sidebar for a variety of information on Yemen.

Also, if you’d like to subscribe to this website for updates, the link is also on the sidebar.

Of course, if you really want to listen to the interview again, here you go:

Thanks to National Public Radio, On the Media.

Transcript: (Read on …)

June 11 Article 19, UK:
We therefore call on Yemen to reaffirm its commitment to democratic reforms and respect for human rights, including the right to freedom of expression of media professionals and the right to a fair trial, and to allow for an appeal of the verdict.

June 11 International Press Institute, Austria :
“Al-Khaiwany has been targeted for his critical reporting in the past, calling into question the real motives behind his conviction and lengthy sentence. We urge the appellate courts to objectively review his case to ensure that Al-Khaiwany does not remain imprisoned simply for daring to speak out against the government.”

June 10 Front Line Defenders, Ireland:
Front Line believes that Abdul-Karim al-Khaiwani has been sentenced to six years’ imprisonment as a result of his legitimate work in defence of human rights, in particular his work to promote democracy and the right to freedom of expression in Yemen. Front Line is concerned that the imprisonment of Abdul-Karim al-Khaiwani is part of an ongoing trend of harassment against human rights defenders in Yemen.

June 10 Reporters Sans Frontiers, France:
“The press has become a convenient scapegoat, as is often the case when the political climate in a country deteriorates. This sentence is unacceptable and will serve as a warning to all those who criticise the government in the media. We appeal to the authorities to act with lucidity and release Khaiwani at once.”

June 10 International Freedom of Expression Exchange, Canada:
OUTSPOKEN JOURNALIST GETS SIX-YEAR JAIL SENTENCE, Al-Khaiwani’s sentence confirms fears of a clampdown on free expression in Yemen, often in the name of the war on terror.

June 9, 2008 The Committee to Protect Journalists, US
“From the outset, this case has been about settling scores with a journalist because of his political news coverage. We hope that the appellate court will overturn this judgment, which makes a mockery of Yemen’s professed support for democracy and freedom of the press.”

June 9 Arabic Netrwork for Human Rights, CAIRO
“Despite the courage of many Yemeni Journalists, Al-Khaiwani was exposed to security [persecution] because of his critical writings against the Yemeni Government and president, which seem to be the reason behind the tough sentence.”

June 9 American Islamic Congress, US
“We call on Yemen’s president to correct this mistake and pardon al-Khaiwani. Otherwise it will appear that the Yemeni regime is tougher on independent journalists than on Al Qaeda terrorists.”

June 9 Amnesty International, UK
YEMEN: JAILING OF JOURNALIST IN LINE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD CONDEMNED Mr Al-Khaiwani, who was on trial with 13 other defendants, appears to have been convicted as a result of his professional work as a journalist, including his coverage of armed clashes between government forces and supporters of the late Zaidi Shiâa cleric Hussein Badr al-Din al-Huthi in the northern Yemeni province of Saâ’da.

And:
June 9 US State Department, US :
The conviction and sentencing of Yemeni journalist Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani to six years in prison points to a distressing trend in Yemen of intimidation and prosecution of independent journalists in criminal and security courts….We call upon the Government of Yemen to protect Yemeni journalists and their right to free expression in the pursuit of their profession. A free and independent media is a key component of a democratic society.

أمريكية تطلق موقعا للدفاع عن صحفي يمني مسجون

Bokra.net

سيدة امريكية تطلق قبل يومين موقعا على شبكة الانترنت تنشر فيه مقالات تدعو الى الافراج عن الصحفي اليمني عبد الكريم الخيواني الذي دخل السجن لست سنوات

في الصورة: جين نوفاك. تصوير وكالات

تزعمت سيدة شقراء أمريكية حملة عالمية للمطالبة بإطلاق سراح الصحافي اليمني عبد الكريم الخيواني الذي قضت محكمة في صنعاء متخصصة بالإرهاب الاثنين الماضي (9-6-2008)، بسجنه لـ 6 سنوات، بتهمة الاتصال مع جماعة الحوثيين المتمردين في محافظة صعدة شمال اليمن، وفق ما اوردته العربية على موقعها على شبكة الانترنت.

وعلقت جين نوفاك التي أطلقت موقعا الكترونيا “جيوش التحرير” للدفاع عن الصحافي الخيواني وإيصال قضيته للعالم، على قرار المحكمة أنه “قرار ظالم ومثير للاستغراب”.

وقالت جين نوفاك إنها كتبت عن أوضاع اليمن في عدة صحف عربية ناطقة بالانجليزية مثل جريدة “آراب نيوز” السعودية، مشيرة إلى أنها تعرفت إلى قضية الخيواني عن طريق خبر نشر في “اليمن تايمز” استرعى انتباهها، “فقررت حينها أنني سأكون محاميته وصوته في الغرب”.

من جهة أخرى قالت داليا زيادة رئيسة منظمة المؤتمر الاسلامي الأمريكي إن المنظمة أدانت الثلاثاء 10-6-2008 بشدة الحكم الصادر ضد الصحافي اليمني الحائز على جائزة دولية.

وطالب ناصر ودادي مدير التوعية بالحقوق المدنية في المنظمة “بتصحيح هذا الخطأ والعفو عنه فورا، و إلا يكون النظام اليمني بذلك يؤكد قولنا بأن اليمن أكثر قسوة على الصحفيين منها على تنظيم القاعدة الإرهابي.”

Free al-Khaiwani

The transcript of the 2005 al-Jazeera show “From Washington.” I didn’t see it online before. I should save it here at the website for reference. I can see now why it had such an impact. I ran a goggle translation which is at the end. I was rather straightforward.

The seminar: Hafez Mirzaee
ضيوف الحلقة: Diouf seminar:
- إدموند هول/ السفير الأميركي السابق لدى صنعاء — Edmund Hull / Former American ambassador to Sanaa

- جين نوفاك/ كاتبة أميركية متخصصة في الشؤون اليمنية — Jane Novak / American writer specializing in the affairs of Yemen

- أبو بكر القربي/ وزير خارجية اليمن وآخرون — Abu Bakr al-Qurbi / Minister of Foreign Affairs of Yemen and others

تاريخ الحلقة: 14/11/2005 Date Seminar: 14/11/2005

العلاقات اليمنية-الأميركية

– خلفية العلاقات اليمنية-الأميركية ووضعها الحالي
- الملف الأمني والتعاون في مكافحة الإرهاب
- تقييم وزير الخارجية اليمني للعلاقات مع أميركا

حافظ المرازي: مرحباً بكم معنا في هذه الحلقة من برنامج من واشنطن موضوعنا العلاقات اليمنية الأميركية في ضوء اللقاء الثالث بين الرئيس علي عبد الله صالح والرئيس بوش وهو اللقاء الذي تم في البيت الأبيض في الأسبوع المنصرم، سنبحث ملف هذه العلاقات؛ الموضوع الأول على أجندة هذه العلاقات مكافحة الإرهاب، ثم هناك موضوع الوضع الاقتصادي ومكافحة الفساد وأجندة واشنطن في نشر الديمقراطية هل تتعارض فيما يتعلق باليمن مع أجندتها في موضوع مكافحة الإرهاب؟ هذا ما نناقشه مع ضيوفنا في هذه الحلقة من برنامج من واشنطن.

خلفية العلاقات اليمنية-الأميركية ووضعها الحالي

[تقرير مسجل]

حافظ المرازي: كان هذا الاجتماع الثالث للرئيس اليمني مع الرئيس الأميركي منذ أحداث الحادي عشر من سبتمبر 2001 وشأن كل الزيارات ظل الموضوع الأول على أجندة العلاقات الأميركية اليمنية هو مكافحة الإرهاب والدور الذي يمكن لليمن أن يلعبه في هذا المجال. (Read on …)

Dengue fever soars in Yemeni province [13 June 2008]

SHABWA, June 13 (Saba)- Official sources said on Friday that health teams carried out spray in some districts of Shabwa province while the number of cases infected by dengue fever reached more than 1220 cases.

Director of the Health Office in the province Salim Nasser confirmed the teams carried out a control spray against mosquito of dengue fever for three weeks, noting over 25 cases were examined last Thursday.

Nasser affirmed that eight cases of the 25 cases were affected the disease, stressing that no deaths were reported.