Armies of Liberation

Australian: LONG before he was arrested in Yemen this week, Marek Samulski was suspected by intelligence services of keeping bad company. (Read on …)

Lawrence Wright is the author of The Looming Towers. This excellent article in the New Yorker focuses on the failure of the CIA to coordinate with the FBI in the USS Cole investigation, which lead to a failure to uncover the plans for 9/11.

Outside the scope of the article is the fact that all the Yemenis mentioned (and a dozen not mentioned) are free in Yemen including those convicted in Yemen of the Cole bombing. The exceptions are Nasheri, “Khalled” bin Attash and others who are in Gitmo. These Yemenis were in the inner core of bin Laden’s group. Mostly everyone at the Malaysia meeting, where both the Cole and 9/11 were planned, are dead or in jail except for the Yemenis who were in Yemeni custody.

Although they are given benign descriptions in the MSM (and by the leftards) like Abu Jindal “driver” or al-Quso “failed photographer”, these are persons involved in large-scale lethal al-Qaeda attacks against the US: the embassies, the Cole and 9/11. Factoring in the passage of a few years and protestations of rehabilitiation, statistically they continue to have a high likelihood of recidivism.

New Yorker

Yemen is a status-conscious society, and, because Soufan had promoted O’Neill to “general,” his counterpart was General Ghalib Qamish, the head of Yemeni intelligence. Every night, when the Yemeni authorities did business, Soufan and O’Neill spent hours pushing for access to witnesses, evidence, and crime scenes. Initially, the Yemenis told them that, since both of the bombers were dead, there was nothing to investigate. But who gave them money? Soufan asked. Who provided the explosives? The boat? He gently prodded the Yemenis to help him.

A few days after the bombing, the Yemenis brought in two known associates of bin Laden’s for questioning. One was named Jamal Badawi; the other was Fahd al-Quso, the man who had failed to videotape the Cole attack. Both men were Yemeni citizens. Quso, who ran a guesthouse in Aden for jihadis, had turned himself in after family members were questioned. He did not admit his role in the Cole plot, but he and Badawi confessed that they had recently travelled to Afghanistan, and had met there with a one-legged jihadi named Khallad. Badawi said that he had bought a boat for Khallad, who, he explained, had wanted to go into the fishing business. The Yemenis eventually determined that this was the boat used in the Cole bombing. (Read on …)

MOSCOW, October 26 (RIA Novosti) – A missile frigate from Russia’s Baltic Fleet arrived at the port of Aden in Yemen on its way to join an international naval group fighting piracy off the coast of Somalia, the Russian Navy said.

“After water and food replenishments, the warship will carry out measures to protect shipping in the coastal waters of Somalia where sea pirates are active. In particular, the Neustrashimy frigate may escort passenger and merchant vessels,” the Russian Navy said, adding that the warship had the right to use force, including weapons, against pirates.

The Neustrashimy (Fearless) frigate is to join an international naval group, which has surrounded a Ukrainian ship, the MV Faina, after it was seized by Somali pirates on September 25. The Faina, which was carrying tanks and heavy weapons, has a crew of 17 Ukrainian nationals, two Russians, and one Lithuanian on board.

The Faina’s Russian captain died of a heart attack after the vessel was seized. The pirates holding the ship have demanded an $8 million ransom, and have threatened to kill the hostages if a military operation is launched against them.

The Neustrashimy’s armament includes SS-N-25 Switchblade anti-ship missiles, SA-N-9 Gauntlet SAM, a 100-mm gun, torpedoes and depth charges. The frigate also carries a Ka-27 ASW helicopter.

Pirates are increasingly active in the waters off Somalia, which has no effective government and no navy to police its coastline. Somali pirates have seized around 30 ships so far this year off the coast of the east African nation.

Possible Base

Sana’a, 16 Oct. (ITAR-TASS). The speaker of the Federation Council Sergey Mironov does not exclude the possibility that during the Yemeni President would bring up the issue of re-establishing Russian naval bases on Socotra Island in the Gulf of Aden during his visit to Moscow.

In answer to the question if Russia has any plans to do so, Mironov said, “I think that this theme will be discussed concretely during Ali Abdallah Saleh’s visit to Moscow”. Mironov did not discuss the length of the visit.

The speaker considers the future use of Yemeni ports by the Russian Navy as well as re-establishment of a base to be possible. “We have to proceed step by step, taking into account new vectors in the foreign and defense policies of Russia and the increase in op tempo by the Navy. I think that its possible that we will examine the issue of the use of Yemeni ports by Russian Naval ships”, he said.

Military violating truce agreements still. Yemen Times

SA’ADA, Oct.25 — Tribal sources from the Sa’ada governorate have said that the state of people, particularly those who are loyal to Houthis, is worsening due to the advent of winter and the continuous siege imposed by security authorities and tribes supporting the government in the area.

“A military checkpoint in Sa’ada governorate’s Al-Malahidh area prevented a medical unit belonging to medical humanitarian aid agency Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) from entering to Marran, Haidan and Saqain areas to offer medical aid to the affected citizens,” according to a statement issued by Houthis media center last Tuesday.

The statement said, “The Al-Malahidh checkpoints, in addition to the Al-Majram military site in the mountainous area of Marran, have recently witnessed military reinforcements”. It accused security apparatuses of practicing violations since the agreement to end the fifth war in Sa’ada.

According to the statement, new military sites have been set up in the areas bordering Marran from the Al-Malahidh area and confirmed that arrests had taken place in Sana’a and Mareb during the last two days. (Read on …)

update: no food or medicine for three days:

(ap) SANA, Yemen – Flooding caused by a tropical storm has killed 90 people and displaced 20,000 others in southern Yemen, police and the World Food Program said Monday.

The WFP, which said 20,000 people were displaced, said it has been difficult to get aid to hard-hit Hadramut province because many roads were destroyed by floodwaters after Thursday’s storm.

A police official said 90 people died and 24 farms were wrecked. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

President Ali Abdullah Saleh called on Yemenis and non-governmental organizations to help flood victims by donating money and other aid.

“Efforts are too slow,” said Akeel Al-Ataf of Hadramut province’s municipal government. “We haven’t seen any food or medicine in three days, and the relief efforts are chaotic.”

Yemen Times

SANA’A, Oct. 26 — 58 have been killed, dozens of citizens are missing and over 20,000 people are homeless due to flash floods that resulted from heavy rains in the eastern areas of Yemen including Hadramout and Al-Maharah.

In a report by Minister of Interior Mutahhar Rashad Al-Masri, the death toll from the floods in Hadramout and Al-Maharah governorates was estimated at 58 and rescue teams had been able to shelter 3,000 people whose houses were destroyed.

The Ministry of Defense declared in its latest statistics published in its electronic “September mobile” service that 1,700 houses and public buildings had collapsed and that power lines, telephone wires, roads and bridges had been cut due to floods in many areas of the two governorates.

In Al-Maharah governorate, 1,318 kilometers east of Sana’a, floods caused more than 45 fishing boats to sink, an Indian ship to break down and a cut in telecommunications in the districts of Hawf, Qishin, Shahin and Saihut due to damage to optical fiber cables and the destruction of mobile phone coverage towers.

In Hadramout governorate, located some 794 kilometers east of Sana’a, eyewitnesses said that floods are threatening the historical town of Shibam, a UNESCO world heritage site, after heavy rains resulted in the collapse of archeological buildings and had eradicated features of other historical ones.

Salem Al-Khanbashi, governor of Hadramout, said in a statement to the state-run Saba News Agency that the executive authority in Hadramout had received field notifications which indicate that a number of dead bodies are floating in the flood water.

The rescue and emergency committee formed by President Ali Abdullah Saleh last Friday has declared the governorates of Hadramout and Al-Maharah devastated areas “due to the major damage that befell them.”

Hasan Al-Lawzi, Minister of Information and member of the emergency committee, told Al-Siyassiya newspaper that the committee is currently surveying human and material damage and said that “flash floods resulting from heavy rain [had] caused huge damage to roads and bridges and cut electricity and telecommunication cables in addition to the human damage.”

(Read on …)

sign agreements

almotamar.net – A session of talks between the delegation of the General People’s Congress (GPC) headed by Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs Sheikh Sultan al-Barakani and the National Leadership of the Arab Ba’th Socialist Party of Syria chaired by Assistant Secretary General Abdullah al-Ahmar was held at the headquarters of the Ba’th National Leadership Saturday morning.

The meeting reviewed organizational issues and development of relations between the GPC and the Ba’th parties as well as Arab, Islamic and international issues and importance of unifying the Arab rank as well as coordination of stands regarding all national issues particularly the Palestinian issue, the Arab Israeli conflict and occupation of Iraq.

Sheikh Sultan al-Barakani confirmed in the meeting Yemen’s government and people with their Syrian brothers and their support for the efforts Syria exerts for restoration of the occupied Arab territories in the Golan Heights , indicating the stands in support for Syria of which President Ali Abdullah Saleh announced repeatedly during his meetings with the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Al-Barakani praised wisdom of the Syrian leadership and steadfastness of the Arab people of Syria in foiling the foreign schemes that try to target Syria that were thinking that they placed Syria between pincers.

SANA’A, NewsYemen

The independent weekly newspaper al-Ghad quoted informed sources as confirming that two of six attackers carried out a suicide attack on U.S. Embassy last September could be identified through D.N.A tests.

Sources said that the Yemeni investigators could get “dangerous” information about the attackers to be announced in the coming days.

The weekly quoted a source close to al-Qaeda as denying any relationship between al-Qaeda and cell of Abu al-Ghaith al-Yamani that Yemeni authorities said has link to Israeli intelligence. The source added that the al-Qaeda Media Section is preparing to publish details and pictures about the attack on the U.S. Embassy on the al-Qaeda-run Sada al-Malahim magazine.

Source confirmed that Abu al-Ghaith and Basam al-Haidari are not known amongst Jihad youths who affiliate with al-Qaeda and that al-Qaeda could not ask for the assistance of a “mortal enemy”, means Israel.

President Saleh announced last week in a speech in Hadramout that security authorities arrested a terrorist cell with link to Israeli intelligence, but Israeli government denied Saleh’ accusation.

SANA’A, NewsYemen

The Yemeni security forces are hunting suspects in Hodeidah believed to be involved in a terrorist attack on U.S. Embassy in Sana’a last September.

Informed sources said the terrorist cell that carried out attack on the US embassy has links to al-Qaeda in neighboring Saudi Arabia and most suspects are from Hodeidah. This information does not go in line with previous official reports that most of attackers are from Hadramout.

Some members of the Hodeidah cell are among those released after promising to give up Jihadist ideas, said the source.

News Yemen

The full report is here and it very good. The report makes many good observations including:
The government failed to implement its part of the peace deal(s)
The mediators were arrested
The regime replaced Zaidi preachers with Salafi preachers
Arbitrary arrests included family members of suspected rebels, critics, journalists and children
The media black-out

LAT

Observers are concerned that the current cease-fire won’t hold, especially since an earlier truce failed because, critics charge, the government reneged on its promise to release Houthi loyalists. That fed growing anger against President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who is also a Zaidi but has largely allied himself with the country’s Sunni Muslim majority.

“They’re not knocking heads to stabilize the country,” said Christoph Wilcke, the Human Rights Watch researcher who wrote the report. “It’s having the opposite effect. This is a futile conflict. . . . Continuing the war is undermining stability both in terms of resources and the growing anger at the government.”

Wilcke, who spent two months researching the report, said he met Thursday with National Security Council officials in Washington in hope of influencing efforts to draft a new Yemen policy. A Sept. 17 car bomb explosion targeting the U.S. Embassy in Sana, the Yemeni capital, killed at least 16 people, mostly bystanders. He said U.S. officials are concerned that the practices of the Saleh government may be undermining broader security concerns.

Empty Quarter

An al Qaeda source told al Wasat by telephone that the assassination of Mohammad Rabeysh Kalan was in retaliantion for the killing of four AQ operatives last year – Ali Doha, Abdul Aziz Jaradat, Naji Jaradat, and Amer Jaridat. The source said that the assassination came as was promised to the family of the martyrs…

The al Qaeda source also gave up the name of the US embassy bomber, “Mahmoud Saad,” but refused to give more details. The article reaffirms that the al Qaeda cell which attacked the embassy was actually from Hodeidah, and includes the prominent jihadist”Sheikh Latif.”

Ukranian, (like the tanks?)

The Miracle MiG Makeover
October 14, 2008: Egypt and Yemen have hired a Ukrainian firm to upgrade most of their MiG-21 fighters. Egypt has 62 MiG-21s, while Yemen has 47. Egypt had earlier upgraded some of its MiG-21s with British electronics. The Ukrainian firm (Odesaremservis), will install a modern, digital, cockpit (flat panel color displays and far fewer switches and buttons to deal with). Installed under the aircraft will be a laser designator and camera so that the aircraft can deliver smart bombs.

The 9.5 ton MiG-21 is a 1950s design. Poor flight controls and lousy visibility limited what a good pilot could do with this aircraft. But few good pilots flew the MiG-21, as it was built for poorly trained pilots who mainly followed instructions from someone on the ground. It can carry two tons of bombs and missiles.

After the American experience with smart bombs over the last two years, most air forces have accepted the fact that the more expensive (starting at $30,000 each) smart bombs are more effective than the much cheaper ($500 or less) dumb bombs. This potentially makes the MiG-21 a much more effective aircraft.

The Ukrainian firm also offers the Sura targeting helmet, which enables the pilot to look at the target and fire a Russian R-73 heat seeking missile, that will then go after the target the pilot is looking at. If the MiG-21 is facing roughly equivalent aircraft, the Sura helmet makes the aircraft a much more effective dog-fighter.

The Ukrainian cockpit and targeting upgrade costs several million dollars per aircraft.

now for a little humor:

Ba-Mashmous: achievements of President’s program reach 80 percent

[15 October 2008]

SANA’A, Oct. 15 (Saba)- Head of Non-government Consultative Authority for following up implementing President Saleh’s electoral programs Ahmad ba-Mashmous said that achievements’ level of the program has reached 80 percent.

He made it clear that being non-governmental, the authority has honestly sought to show the President real prospect of achievement level of the electoral program after critical and inclusive revision made by the authority members to government categories of the program.

The authority indicated that the most prominent achievements have represented by independence and quality of judiciary authority, local governance, establishing Supreme National Anti-Corruption Committee, expanding democratic exercise, freedom of speech, constitutional amendments and financial and administrative reforms.

Yemen Times

SANA’A, Oct. 15 – The Radfan district of Lahj governorate witnessed on Monday a huge popular rally on the 45th Anniversary of the 14 October 1963 Revolution. At the Jubail Jabr district of Radfan, participants in the rally also marked the first anniversary of the Al-Jabalin incursion that killed 4 citizens and injured 15 others last year.

Organized by the Lahj-based Peaceful Struggle Organization in cooperation with martyrs’ families and relatives, the rally was attended by tens of thousands of citizens who came from various areas. Several speeches were given at the event before clashes between policemen and rally participants, who took to streets protesting against the government, injured four protesters when they threw stones at a security soldier.

Witnesses noted the clashes occurred in an area between Hebail Jabr and Al-Jabalain districts, adding that policemen fired live bullets and teargas at protesters and arrested many of them. Information obtained from witnesses revealed that as many as 23 protesters were arrested by the police during the event, while other sources indicated that 30 protesters were arrested after hurling stones at policemen.

Participants in the rally chanted slogans criticizing the government while driving their cars on the road leading to the area of Rasd, but they were intercepted by a military checkpoint and clashes broke out between protesters and army members at the checkpoint. They called on lifting security check points and random arrests which targeted civilians from the south. A statement by the protestors demanded an international tribunal for the crimes committed against people from the south. It also emphasized that the coming elections are rejected absolutely and does not concern the people from the south because their main concern is acknowledgement of their political struggle.

Speakers at the popular rally urged all participants to come together and continue their peaceful struggle against the regime in order to press it reform course of the unity and reconsider both October and September revolutions in Yemen. They said that military retirees in the southern governorate are ready to conciliate with other political groups.

This whole Stalinist thing is going a bit far.

Women Journalist without Chains Organization denounced the outrageous aggression against private radio stations in Hadramout governorate. On October 1st, 2008, apparatuses in Tarim district, Hadramout governorate, closed down 21 radio stations after they had confiscated their broadcasting equipments under the pretext that these stations are not licensed by Ministry of Information.

While the organization shows solidarity with owners of these radio stations and their editors, it considers that closedown of the stations is an outrageous aggression against freedom of expression in Yemen. It also confirms that Ministry of Information confiscates, in its act against the stations, a constitutional right which guaranteed, for all Yemenis, the right to practice freedom of expression through all audio, visual and written means. The organization maintains that Ministry of Information aggresses the rights of individuals, parties and organizations to possess audio and visual mass media as well as confiscates the rights of Yemenis to obtain the information and circulate it.

WJWC calls on all advocates of freedom of opinion and expression to show solidarity with these radio stations. It further appeals to all the international organizations concerned with human rights and freedom of expression to exert pressure on the Yemeni government to fulfill its international commitments with regard to human rights and freedom of expression, end the siege imposed on the right to possess private audio-visual mass media, stop official violations against freedom of expression and people’s right to have access and circulate the information.

Huge development

SANA’A, NewsYemen

Fawaz Ba-oam, son of Hassan Ba-oam, leader in the Yemeni Socialist Party, said that 10,000 armed men participated in a rally organized Saturday morning by his father in Yafe city of Lahj, south of Yemen.

Fawaz said that the public rally was successful and armed men did not shoot a single bullet.

Some reports said that thousands of armed tribesmen gathered when security forces surrounded a house in Yafe and tried to detain Ba-oam. Press reports said that security forces had to leave the area to avoid confrontations with armed men.

Security Director of Yafe Omer Saleh al-Kasad denied in a statement to NY that security forces were trying to detain Hassan Ba-Oam. Al-Kasad said the security forces had to stop “an unlicensed” protest led by Ba-oam.

Security source said no one in the city hosted Ba-oam or his fellows.

Yemeni authorities released Ba-Oam last September after President Saleh pardoned him. Ba-oam was detained for months for organizing protests in Aden authorities said against the unity.

The rally was held in Yafe on the occasion of killing four people in previous rally last October 2007.

Ba’oum hunted, after he was released from jail last month

Yemen Post: Local sources from Yaf’e, a mountainous area in the southern of Yemen, said that tribal men from Yaf’e’s Nakheb region managed to transfer Hassan Ba-Aum, a leader in the Southern Movement to a safe place, where he could avoid governmental forces who were searching for him.

Ba–Aum’s son told media that hundreds of tribal men have managed to protect his father from armed forces that wanted to arrest him and take him back to prison.

Sources mentioned that the armed forces are believed to have orders from higher authorities to arrest those who were released from prison lately by President Saleh.

Security forces have been distributing the names of those who were released to all police stations throughout the country in an effort to arrest them again.

Meanwhile, specialized penal court started trialing Hassan Ba-Aum, Ali Monasser, and Yahya Khaleb as they are suspected to be behind actions that would harm the unity of the country.

Last month, President Saleh ordered the release of 864 demonstrators arrested during protests in the southern part of Yemen.

As Yemen was doing a good job in hunting down Al-Qaeda elements across the country and managed months ago to end the ongoing war in Sa’ada, the southern issue opened the door for new erupting problems in the country.

Former military generals, unemployed professionals, and disgruntled youth across the south claim that the north is economically more developed than the south, and that northerners are favored by the government in Sana’a.

Charged with revealing an AQ plot to bomb tourists in Egypt (with the knowledge of the Yemeni government) to the Egyptian embassy in Sana’a. The Egyptian officials told the National Security and the two informants were arrested.

MEOL

Court confirms death sentence on espionage charges against former Saudi soldier Dhahouk.

SANAA – A Yemen court of appeal confirmed on Monday a death sentence on espionage charges against a Saudi who had been stripped of his citizenship, while it acquitted a Yemeni national.

Hamad al-Dhahouk, a former Saudi soldier of Yemeni origin, and Abdul Aziz al-Hatbani, an officer in Yemen’s army, were both sentenced to death in February by a court specialised in handling terrorism cases.

They were convicted of passing false information to the Egyptian embassy in Sanaa claiming that Saudi Arabia and Kuwait were financing a terrorist cell in Yemen to attack tourists in Egypt, with the knowledge of the Yemeni government.

The court found “the evidence provided was valid against” Dhahouk, 50, whose Saudi citizenship was revoked in 1995.

Hatbani, on the other hand, was set free.

At their initial trial, which began in June 2007, the prosecution accused Dhahouk of passing documents containing the false information to the Egyptian embassy and demanding money in return.

Dhahouk said during interrogation that he had been a soldier in Saudi Arabia but was expelled from the country in 1995 during a visit by Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

He claimed that the Saudi authorities told him “Go with your president,” and revoked his Saudi citizenship.

Earlier this month, the same court began the trial of three Yemenis who are alleged to have spied for Iran.

Iranian Spy Trial Continues, Weapons Smugglers

SANA’A, NewsYemen

Specialized Primary Court held on Sunday hearing sessions on the cases of two groups of Iranians charged of smuggling drugs to Yemen.

The first hearing session was held on the case of 11 Iranian fishermen and one Pakistani charged with smuggling hashish to the country.

The charged fishermen admitted they illegally crossed Yemen’s territorial waters, but denied that the quantity of hashish seized on their boat belongs to them. (Read on …)

from Russia, Yemen Post

Yemen announced that it will postpone the regional summit for fighting piracy, which was planned to be held in Sana’a next week. Participating countries were expected to sign a memorandum of understanding for mutual cooperation between them in fighting piracy.

From his part, Minster of Transportation, Khalid Al-Wazir, told media outlets that the postponing came in response to the Regional Center for Combating Piracy request, adding that the summit will be held later this year.

Al-Wazir assured that Yemen will establish a center in Sana’a for monitoring ships in collaboration with 20 countries and International Maritime Organization.

In the meantime, seven military ships from six different countries have headed to Bab Al-Mandab Strait and Gulf of Aden in a mission to fight Somali pirates, and to protect trade ships and fisheries from pirates operations, whose attacks have risen over the last few months, especially in the international waters between Yemen and Somalia.

This comes within the country’s efforts to restrict piracy activities targeting ships off Yemen’s coasts, especially in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.

Piracy activities have long been a headache for international navigation in the Gulf of Aden, which is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and connects Asia and Europe.

A Yemeni official who preferred not to reveal himself, told a Chinese agency that president Saleh’s visit to regional countries came as the result of the Yemeni government’s worry for business ships that pass by the Gulf of Aden.

The sudden movement by regional countries came after pirate’s hijacked a Ukrainian ship that was believed to be carrying seven tankers. Further, pirates warned that they would explode the ship if procedures were taken against them.

Sources who asked to be left anonymous mentioned to the Yemen Post that the tanks that were on the Ukrainian ship were on their way to Yemen, and were part of the military agreement signed between Russia and Yemen.

Chairman of the Russian Federation Council Mrs. Sergey Meronof said last Friday while visiting Yemen that her country intends to send more military ships soon to free the Ukrainian ship if needed.

Increased Russian Naval Presence, Increased Use of Yemen’s Ports for Military and other Goals

Russia could resume naval presence in Yemen

SANA, October 16 (RIA Novosti) - The speaker of Russia’s upper house of parliament said on Thursday that Russia could resume a naval presence in Yemen.

Authorities in the Middle East country are calling on Moscow to help fight piracy and possible terrorist threats. The U.S.S.R. had a major naval base in the former socialist state of South Yemen, which merged with North Yemen in 1990 to form the present-day Yemen.

Speaking to journalists in Sana, the capital of Yemen, Federation Council Speaker Sergei Mironov said the new direction of Russia’s foreign and defense policies and an increase in its naval missions would be taken into consideration when making a decision on the request.

“It’s possible that the aspects of using Yemen ports not only for visits by Russian warships, but also for more strategic goals will be considered,” he said. (Read on …)

then there was the one who made the gun busts….

MAREB, NewsYemen

Security director of Medghal district in Mareb, Mohammad bin Rabesh, was reportedly killed on Monday an explosive parcel sent to him from Sana’a.

A soldier was also said to be injured in the explosion.

Security authorities said that Rabesh died at a hospital in Sana’a due to the explosive substance used in a parcel, the first operation of its kind in Yemen.

This came after a month of terrorist attack on U.S Embassy in Sana’a that killed six security guards and other Yemeni nationals.

YO

According to the al-Afif Cultural Foundation, it is estimated that about 70 to 80 percent of Yemenis between the ages of 16 and 50 years have chewed Qat on at least one occasion. It has also been estimated that Yemenis spend about 14.6 million man-hours a day chewing Qat. This wasted time could be used in more productive ways, such as engaging in work, extracurricular activities, studying or exercising.

The report, published on the WHO’s website, indicates that nearly 90 percent of adult males chew Qat daily for three to four hours, and that more than 50 percent of females engage in this serious habit.

According to WHO reports, Qat production seriously damages the already weak Yemeni economy. Many farmers replace coffee and other useful crops with Qat trees as they yield far larger profits. More than 90,000 Qat trees were planted on Yemeni farms during the 30 years from 1970 to 2000, the report said. It is also found that about 60 percent of areas that could be used to grow cash crops are being used to cultivate Qat, which consumes huge quantities of Yemen’s already limited underground water. (Read on …)

At a rally in Lahj, police opened fire on protesters (again) and wounded five. Over forty people were arrested. The demonstration was held in commemoration of incidents a year ago when four people were killed October 13 while preparing for the next day’s planned demonstration. The crowd today was estimated at about 100,000, and a statement confirmed what was anticipated- southern oppositionists will boycott the upcoming parliamentary elections. A unified executive council of the southern opposition movement was established in September covering the governorates of the former PDRY: Aden, Lahej, Abyan, Shabwa, Hadhramout and Almahra.

About thirty people have been killed by police since protests began in the south a year ago. The central government has responded to the growing unrest with censorship, violence, propaganda ploys (including May’s governors elections), insults along with inconsistent, superficial attempts at addressing the root issue of instutional discrimination. Last month, nearly a thousand demonstrators were released from jail by presidential decree along with three southern leaders, including Hassan Ba-oum, who were on trial for treason.