Armies of Liberation

The video shows the Republican Guard looting an orphans charity in Taiz, Yemen and carting off televisions, tables, chairs and anything not bolted down. It goes on for ten minutes.

The article doesn’t make note of the enhanced US role in the conflict, directly and indirectly. But its undeniable that the Yemeni regime is currently committing war crimes, and has committed mass violations and mass murder for years in the Saada War, in the south as well across the nation.

HRW 7/9/11, (Aden) – Yemeni forces may have killed dozens of civilians in unlawful attacks while fighting an Islamist armed group in southern Abyan province since May 2011, Human Rights Watch said today. The militants in Abyan, called Ansar al-Sharia (Partisans of Islamic Law), may have unlawfully placed civilians at risk by deploying in densely populated areas and engaged in looting and other abuses, Human Rights Watch said. (Read on …)

Ibb “Revolutionary Will”

Taiz “Revolutionary Will”

Other demos including in Sanaa and Dhamar were held against the inane US policy in Yemen that marginalizes, insults and ignores the millions seeking a democratic future. One person was killed and several wounded during the funeral march of Ahmed Darwish, tortured to death in Aden jail a year ago during the tenure of General Qiran The murdered man, Dr. Jeyab, was the son of Ali Alsaadi a leader in the southern movement. One killed in Republican Guard’s bombing of al-Sama mountain near Arhab. The protesters refused to meet with Feltman, due to the US’s constant obstruction of the rev and continuing support for the barbaric regime, and dedicated this week’s protests to condemning the US and Saudi Arabia.

al Masdar: The demonstrators chanted “O my America .. Saud Ali Saleh will not be back.” And other slogans demanding to drop the rest of the regime.

The (Organizational Committee of the popular revolution of youth) drew in a statement received by the source online, and sent greetings “to all young people who refused to attend the meeting (with Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman).” She stressed that the position of the trip came from the revolutionary responsibility and an expression of absolute rejection of the role of the American Revolution against the scandalous what the U.S. ambassador in Sana’a. According to the statement.

She said that the U.S. ambassador in Sanaa, proclaimed himself “the patron of policy dialogues between the parties and the purpose of lengthening life of the system and try to convert the Revolution to a political crisis despite the barbarism of the system, which reached its case to the siege of ambassadors Gulf and European and U.S. Ambassador without finding a position as a deterrent against such conduct reckless, who abused customs and traditions of Yemeni.”

The committee said in its statement that “the lack of response the U.S. administration to the demands of the rebels for a meeting of the Security Council to discuss the violations of human rights and stand against the serious crimes committed by the regime to benefit in addition to not freeze his assets and his relatives all this strengthens our conviction that the U.S. position is not in the interest of the Yemeni people and stands against his will to freedom and dignity.”

The statement renewed confirmation of the commission to “clear its rejection of the initiative Gulf since the first day of the (…) announced that it does not meet the aspirations of the Yemeni people do not achieve the goals of the revolution to drop the system.”

The committee also criticized the regulatory Saudi position, and said “It was clearly evident to all the rebels in the fields and arenas that the Saudi intervention in the course of events has taken a negative attitude towards the revolution in Yemen and is working to prevent the achievement of objectives of the revolution to drop the rest of the staff of government family and about this we should point out that the Saudi position will be has implications for future large are not in anyone’s interest. ”

Update: Sanaa “Revolutionary Will” via twitpic:

The US is on the wrong side of history with a policy that is alienating millions while pampering Saleh and his political tribe. Update: protesters chanting that the US is the enemy of the people:

The demonstrators demanded that Saudi Arabia and the United States to stop playing with the blood of Yemenis at the expense of political interests and carried the United States responsible for the situation catastrophic and tragic for the displaced in Abyan, Lahj and the targeting of civilians by U.S. airline, which violates the sovereignty of the country, allegedly hit the sites of militant groups in Yemen.

And raising the participants in the march, banners refusing to intervene in the U.S. and Saudi support for the Yemeni Shan system in favor of “America the enemy of the peoples of the exciting wars,” “Al Qaeda justified the U.S. occupation of the homeland”

http://www.4shared.com/video/k1K46EYK/My_Movie_12.html

http://www.4shared.com/video/0V_wB8j9/dhamar3.html

Some graphic photos. Its really beyond words. But not included are photos of the citizens burned alive when Saleh’s forces set fire to the camp in Taiz, including some in wheel chairs. Hundreds were also kidnapped and reports are emerging of another mass grave; the last time wounded and killed protesters disappeared they were found chopped up in garbage bags, per HOOD. The Saleh forces steal corpses, wounded and make arrests (ie, people are disappeared) to understate the fatalities and their families think they are in jail.

Some other news: Al-Ahmar’s office disputes Saba News Agency claims of the regime that they retook control of the Ministry of health, Ministry of Trade; those claims are not true

Related “I see dead political initiatives but they don’t know they are dead.” (May 22)

Saleh regularly deploys deniable proxies to do his dirty work.

Leaked document reveals that the regime is planning to blow up civil war.

A secret document issued by the People’s Committee for Defending the Constitutional Legitimacy and the President in Dalii city revealed the distribution of weapons to citizens through the President of the GCP in preparation for civil war.

The document is to direct to governor of Dali city, President of the People’s Committe, Major General. Ali Qassim Talib to the cheif of security of Dalii to give out 325 pieces of Kalashnikov to Qataba directorate and handing it to President of GCP in that directorate Sheikh. Abdulrab Al-Marah according to the plan that was submitted to him as it is shown in the document.

Al-Wahdawi website published the document quoting other confirmed sources that the governor had distributed weapons to security personnel. More sources pointed that the ruler has already distributed some weapons to its members confidentially.

Videos show protests in favor of an independent South Yemen. Both the Saleh regime and Sanaa based protest movement are embargoing news of the southern independence movement. The state media said the protests were due to a 6 hour electricity blackout, which is quite common. Some of the protesters in Sana’a deny the southerners have a right to protest for independence, a hypocritical position from people seeking to overthrow the state. No one on any side has reached out to the secessionists in Yemen. The plan seems to be to ignore them for another two decades. The recent meeting in Cairo with al Attas and Ali Nasser Mohammed produced a statement endorsing a two part federation. But, while its far from a statistical representation, all the southerners I know since before 2007 haven’t changed their goal. They consider the departure of Saleh a good first step. The signs, the songs, the cars etc, demonstrate this is an organized protest by an older section of the population (I mean over 16). Update: Protests in Shibuya, Shabwa seemed entirely anti-Saleh vs. pro-independence. Also strikes around the country are on going.

Protests by day

http://youtu.be/7RWrKZiDhW0

Protests by night

http://youtu.be/q0BGrcSEMD8

below the fold, its hanging the blog
(Read on …)

Very well done, interviews capture the mood of the Yemeni protesters, no gore, English subtitles. “Everytime he makes a promise he lies.”

The following document published by the Yemeni Revolutionary Youth purports to detail plans to distribute weapons to GPC members and other loyalists. The letter follows anecdotal witness reports of weapons given out in Aden by a white car in mid-March and other instances. Update: some people are selling the weapons to get money for food.

Update: Sahwa Net – A secret official document has revealed that the Yemeni Interior Minister ordered to distribute weapons to the supporters of Ali Adbullah Saleh and members of his party, the General People Congress. In a letter sent by to the commander of the Special Guard, Khalid Mohammad Abdullah Saleh, the Interior Minister explained that he attached the final lists of persons eligible to receive weapons.

To Brigadier General, Tariq Mohamed Abdullah Saleh,

Commander of the Special Guards

Attached here to a final list approved by Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi and Mr. Ahmad Al-Kahlani members of the private committee for distribution of weapons to the employees of the GPC and to committees and officers that are supporting Ali Saleh and the constitutional legitimacy.

Therefore

Kindly arrange to assign Mr. Issam Dowaid to distribute weapons according to the attached list approved by the committee.

Minister of Interior

Excellent!!!
(Read on …)

Updated and bumped: still going on. Its been maybe four hours already.

Graphic, parts very graphic, video compilation of events of the last few hours in Taiz

Security fires on protesters (Read on …)

Protests all over the country. Two motorcyclists passing a government building in Taiz shot by the Republican Guard, critical. Rival demos planned for tomorrow “accord” the state financed, pro-Saleh and “endurance”, the popular protests demanding Saleh’s immediate departure.

from Yemen Rights Monitor blog

Yemen Post:More than 230 people were injured when pro-regime security forces out of uniform and thugs some in female uniform attacked the anti-government protesters in the square of change in Hajjah province in northern Yemen. (Read on …)

Yemen frees political prisoners: “Decision for their release came for fear that residents might storm jails to free their kinsmen, especially after most of the police units were pulled out due to increasing pro-reform protest movements.”

Protest in Ibb, today’s protests are a mourning day for the citizens killed in the explosion in Abyan after al Qaeda wired the ammo dump:

Another day, another offer: Saleh’s new idea (the sixth in the last week) is that he stays in his post until elections are held but transfers his powers to a caretaker government of technocrats, an opposition source said on Wednesday. It wont fly or come even close. Saleh was on his way out the door last Thursday but got a new lease on the presidency after US statements.

Weeks of protests by many thousands in Sanaa and other cities have sent Saleh’s 32-year rule to the brink of collapse, but the United States and top oil producer Saudi Arabia, a key Yemen financer, are worried over who could succeed their ally.

They have long regarded Saleh as a bulwark of stability who can keep al Qaeda from extending its foothold in an Arabian Peninsula country that many see as close to disintegration.

Yemen’s al Qaeda wing claimed responsibility for a foiled attempt in late 2009 to blow up an airliner bound for Detroit, and for U.S.-bound cargo bombs sent in October 2010.

U.S. officials have said openly they like working with Saleh — who has allowed unpopular U.S. air strikes in Yemen against al Qaeda — and Saleh has said the U.S. ambassador in Sanaa is involved in talks to find a solution.

The only outcome the nation will accept is Saleh’s immediate resignation and the longer he stays, the more damage he does. But Saleh is living in an illusion where the protesters are a tiny minority of extremists and can be deported as occurred in other Yemeni revolutions, al Watan:

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh said that 95 percent of the Yemeni people support him and the remaining 5 percent are worried about homeland security and are a minority, calling his opponents to leave the country and calling them liars and Badigalin and customers. (Read on …)

Following are excerpts from a rap song performed by Yemeni comedian Adre’i, which was posted on the Internet on March 6, 2011, Translation from Memri

Crowd: “The people wants to topple the regime.

“The people wants to topple the regime.”

Andre’i: “You’ve been waiting for a year, nothing will happen to you if you wait another day. Please, don’t hurry, even if the heat grows. Why should we be in a hurry? With your permission, people, why not be patient for another 30 days?”

Crowd: “The people wants to topple the regime.

“The people wants to topple the regime.”

Andre’i: “Be reasonable, people, it’s harmful to go berserk. The government is a lethal poison – whoever upsets it finds his way to the grave. They will bring in the entire army, and declare a state of emergency. They will kill you, they will jail you, we can’t run away from them… ” (Read on …)

Photo credit: WaPo, “Pressure builds for Saleh departure”

No violence reported during huge rival demonstrations in Sana’a as the pro-democracy protest color escalates from pink to red as organizers explained in January, or from yellow to red (soccer cards), whichever protest color line you are following. Click here for more of today’s photos via @al3ini

There’s strong indications that Saleh is going very soon, maybe tomorrow.

Al Qaeda lunatics release new vid: Jihadology.

The National Security accused the JMP of planning to target demonstrators and blame the state 26 Sept reported after Suhail channel reported the regime hired 800 sharp shooters. Southerners also having issues with biased reporting and propaganda on Suhail.

AP Saleh also imposed a state of emergency last week that allows media censorship, gives wide powers to censor mail, tap phone lines, search homes and arrest and detain suspects without judicial process. (ed- He’s been doing all that for decades.) (Read on …)

Update: continuing information that both Ali Mohsen and Ali Saleh are resigning. Adjusted to: After a meeting, the consensus is Saleh will resign and Ali Mohsen will pledge not to run for president. Hamid and Mohsen announced on Al Jazeera that Saleh will go into exile but then AJ took down the link. Thus the initial news that both are going is really coming to its one going and one staying. Update: more precisely They said President Saleh and Gen. Ahmar agreed to the central demand of the protest movement: that a civilian council should rule in place of Mr. Saleh, instead of an Egyptian-style military council.:WSJ

The Youth Transitional Plan and Faisel Abo Rais came up with a plan as well.

New: A deal brokered by Ali Mohsen turns control of Saada entirely to Houthis, UN sanctioned arms dealer Faris Manna is new governor or adminstrator, also al Jawf entirely beyond regime control. The move shows that Mohsen is re-enforcing his criminal networks and power base already, since he and Manna are partners, and that he has no respect for civilian authority. Who is Mohsen to appoint a governor, if not the new kingmaker? Manna and the Houthis have a settled relationship, with Manna a long time supplier to them as well as groups across the region. Faris Manna was also the Saleh regime’s negotiator during the Saada War.

News/rumors of the meeting between Ali Saleh and Ali Mohsen say that Saleh said he would step down if Ali Mohsen did, and Mohsen agreed. They are going to hand power to VP Hadi. This is unconfirmed but from a reliable source. That would be very good. In my view it would be a unmitigated disaster on many levels and for many reasons for Ali Mohsen to stay in a leadership position in the new Yemen. Others are insisting its regime spun propaganda designed fracture the movement and they can only succeed in ousting Saleh with the help of Ali Mohsen. Update: apparently the news is more accurately that Saleh will resign and Mohsen will agree not to become the new president, but it doesn’t remove him from the power equation but will give him power without accountability.

Robert F. Worth, New York Times bureau chief, stopped at airport and banned from Yemen.

This I support: The Civil Block conference, established to guard revolution and ensure commitment “to the creation of modern civil and democratic state based on the principles of justice and equal citizenship, and to ensure national representation for all Yemenis and respect for their diversity of religious, sectarian and cultural, social, political, and drafting a national constitution new harmonized with other conventions and international legislation and human rights principles and to ensure complete separation and effective between the authorities and is consistent with the principles of good governance, and to ensure that the new state of the representation of women’s full of Yemen, and the abolition of all forms of discrimination that prevent the participation of public or detract from their right.” Nice.

Saada: Ahram English: Dubai police have foiled a bid to smuggle 16,000 guns from Turkey to Yemen’s northern province of Saada, the stronghold of Shiite rebels, the Gulf emirate’s police chief said on Thursday….The consignment, which landed in Dubai by ship for transit to northern Yemen, was made up of 16,000 guns. It was bound for Saada, “we can’t say to which side, but definitely not to the government,” Khalfan said. See story above about Faris Manna.

Mukallah: Xinhua: At least three soldiers were injured in fresh clashes between republican guard forces loyal to Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and defected army forces in the southeast province of Hadramout on Thursday, local witness said.

The first transitional plan published with the list 100 excluded (but not AMA) is also on scribd, seems an Islah product. Just wanted to link it for future reference.

Crisis Group: “Ironically, the most powerful current backers of the protest movement — Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, Sheikh Sadiq al-Ahmar’s brothers and salafi leaders such as Sheikh Abd-al-Majid al-Zindani — are long-time regime insiders and symbols of the status quo.” I thought Ambassador Feirestein was engaging in histrionics when he said last week-end that the US would have problems with Zindani as president or in a major role. I couldn’t imagine it, not even remotely. But as the week progressed, I began to see that it is possible.

Saudis may back Mohsen over Saleh: Firedoglake quotes the FT:

Saudi Arabia would like to see a quick and smooth transition of power in Yemen, where Mr Saleh has been clinging to power in spite of weeks of protests and the dramatic narrowing of his support base, say analysts close to the government in Riyadh. And the kingdom is now concerned that the situation could devolve into a Libyan scenario in which Mr Saleh uses his presidential guards against the people and the army, transforming a revolt against the regime into a civil war.

“For Saudi Arabia, the end results for any mediation will be to guarantee stability and a smooth transition of power,’’ says Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi analyst. “The kingdom will not fight for Saleh … We have very bad experiences with him. The man’s survival makes no difference.”

Http://taizcity.net/live Taiz

sometimes:

http://www.facebook.com/aljazeeramubasher?sk=app_4949752878

http://www.aljazeera.net/channel/livestreaming?GoogleStatID=32

First the march and the opening shots:

This one is shot in front of the Aden Hotel in Khormakser, Aden as people ran from the gunfire:

Its 3:00 am there, and there’s still shooting.

Update: yesterday’s report of possible fatality at this protest is revised to head shot and unconscious, one student was shot in the leg among other injuries.

Student protesters in Mukallah, Hadramout yesterday. As reported below, the protesters were later attacked with live fire and tear gas, several injuries and arrests but it appears the early report of one fatality was incorrect.