Armies of Liberation

This is the vote that will abolish term limits, making Saleh president for life. Update: The Parliament had its vote and disparaged the US statement as interference in internal affairs. More on the measures included below the fold.

أود الإشارة إلى أن السيد مارك تونر الناطق الرسمي باسم الخارجية الأمريكية اصدر قبل لحظات (الساعة التاسعة مساءاً بتوقيت صنعاء / الواحدة ظهراً بتوقيت واشنطن) بيان حول موقف واشنطن من التعديلات الدستورية و الأنتخابات البرلمانية القادمة و فيما يلي ترجمتي للبيان:-
> أطلعت حكومة الولايات المتحدة على تقارير حول ما يبدو أنه قرار الحزب الحاكم اليمني المؤتمر الشعبي العام بالتصويت في جلسة يوم السبت القادم الموافق 1 يناير على مصفوفة تعديلات دستورية. في الماضي، رحبنا باستمرار و دعمنا التزام الحكومة و المعارضة بمعالجة التحديات الخاصة بالتعديلات الدستورية و الإصلاحات (Read on …)

Well that solves the al Alimi conundrum in a standard manner. Many government officials who are facing accusations are transferred to another government post. At the same time, many GPC MP’s hold multiple government posts including serving in the military at the same time as the serve in the Parliament. Usually its just a pay check as opposed to actual work.

Yemen Observer: Several Ministers have resigned from Mujawar’s government in preparation for running in the next parliamentary elections in April 27, 2011.

Ministers Rashad al-Alimi, Deputy Minister for Security Affairs, Sadeq Ameen Abu Rass, the General People’s Congress’ (GPC) Assistant General Secretary, Deputy Prime Minister for Internal Affairs, Engineer Awadh al-Soqatri, Minister of Electricity, Yahya al-Shuaibi, Minister of Civil Service and Insurance and Abdul-Rahman, al-Akwa Minister of State, Mayor of Sana’a, Hamoud Ubad, Minister of Youth, Nabil al-Faqih, Minister of Tourism, Mansour al-Hawshabi, Minister of Agriculture, and Ahmed al-kuhlani, Minister of State are the first ministers to announce their resignation from their positions hours after the declaration of the Supreme Elections Commission “HEC” demanding that those who occupy constitutional positions and wish to nominate themselves in the elections should leave their posts three months before the election date as provided by law.

In plea documents, LatiNode admitted that from about March 2004 through June 2007, it paid $1.1 million to third parties, knowing that some or all of those funds would be passed on as bribes to officials of Hondutel. In addition, from about July 2005 to April 2006, the court records show LatiNode paid $1.2 million to a third-party consultant, knowing some or all of the money would be passed on to Yemeni officials in exchange for favorable interconnection rates in Yemen: Miami Herald

Apparently Abdulelah was correct when he declared Naif dead the same week the US sanctioned him. People’s Daily

The Yemen-based al-Qaida wing announced the founder of its Arabic-language media arm was killed in one of the clashes with Yemeni troops over the past few months in a statement posted on jihadist forums on Tuesday.

Nayefbin Mohammed bin Saeed al-Kudari al-Qahtani, a 24-year-old Saudi national who is the founder of the official media arm of the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) Al-Malahim Foundation, was killed in a gunfight with Yemeni security forces in the past few months. (Read on …)

Yemen: President Saleh refuses to meet US official after Wikileaks cables
20/12/2010 News Yemen: President Ali Abdullah Saleh refused to receive the US Assistant Secretary of the State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, in protest to Wikileaks cables on Yemen, al-Ahaly independent weekly quoted special sources as saying. (Read on …)

There’s even people in jail. Bypassing the bid process is not hard when you can get people locked up. When al Hubaishi, the editor of 14 October arrives at work, he has drummers precede him in a procession as if he’s a minor king, which he is, and Hubashi junior is a real…

Packaging Essentials: Goss Community SSC press launches color expansion in Yemen
Submitted by Admin on December 21, 2010 – 07:54No Comment

* 14th October Foundation government printing operation enhances color capabilities
* Opportunity to increase circulation of leading daily titles

The inauguration of a new Goss Community SSC press at the 14th October Foundation for Journalism, Printing and Publishing in Aden City, Yemen, was officiated on November 22nd 2010 by the Yemeni vice president, Abdu Rabbu Mansoor Hadi. In a ceremony broadcast via national media channels and reported in the state press, Hadi announced a new benchmark for color and automation in Yemen. (Read on …)

Hopes of an authentic Yemeni democracy suffered a blow last week when a controversial new election law was approved by Parliament. The move triggered a protest by opposition MP’s in parliament as well as civil activists outside the building, where they were attacked by riot police. The following video was shot on December 14 and shows protesters chanting, “No to injustice, no to tyranny,” prior to an assault by riot police. The protest was organized by Women Journalists without Chains and brought together journalists, human rights activists as well as concerned citizens and opposition party members.

Following Yemen’s 2006 presidential election, the Joint Meeting Parties, the coalition of major opposition parties dropped its challenges to the election result (which predictable returned President Saleh to his throne) in return for an agreement to revise the election laws. The ruling GPC and the JMP agreed to a reform agenda that was largely in line with recommendations from the EU. One topic explicitly included was changing the voting method from “first past the post” to a proportional representation or list method. The current system gives a strong advantage to the ruling party and over the years has diminished the ability of opposition parties, minorities, independents and women to gain seats.

With no progress or meaningful negotiations concluded following the 2006 election, Yemen’s 2009 parliamentary elections were delayed until 2011 to allow time for meaningful negotiations. The two sides again failed to reach common ground or even hold prolonged discussions. The JMP termed the new law “a coup against democracy” and legal experts consider the law unconstitutional. The state’s unilateral decision to forsake consensus further undermines public trust in an already de-legitimized government and will increase instability.

JMP takes stand against secession

Yemen Observer
Article Date: Dec 20, 2010 – 11:48:02 AM

The General Secretary of the Yemeni Socialist Party Yasin Saeed Noman said that their party calls for a federal state and rejects the call of the former party’s southern leaders Ali Salem al-Bidh, Abo Bakr al-Atas and Ali Nasser Mohammed who call for separating southern Yemen. (Read on …)