Armies of Liberation

Jane Novak's blog about Yemen

Millions of Meters of Stolen Land Returned to the State in Hodeidah

Filed under: Corruption, South, land disputes — by Jane Novak at 9:22 pm on Monday, October 6, 2008
28 public funds cases completed in Hodeidah

HODEIDAH, Oct.06 (Saba)- Appeal Court for Public Funds in Hodeidah branch completed during the last nine months 28 cases with an executive seizer decision to pay public debts at $ 288,875, in addition to YR16 million.

In a statement to Saba, chairman of the prosecution judge Eshak Salah said that the prosecution has returned millions of meters of lands to the state during the period from January to September.

He added that the prosecution completed during the same period around 88 public funds cases and referred them to court and 7 cases which were referred to concerned bodies.

Civil Society Statement on Arbitrary Arrests Related to Sa’ada War

Filed under: Civil Society, Saada War, prisons — by Jane Novak at 9:15 pm on Monday, October 6, 2008
A statement by the meeting in solidarity with the prisoners of Sa’da war

On Sunday, 5 October, 2008, a solidarity meeting with the families of detainees of Sa’da war at the headquarters of Arab Sisters Forum was held. The meeting was attended by the families of the detainees and a number of organizations, activists and journalists, the following statement was issued,

The solidarity meeting and the civil society organizations continued the intense activity made by the families of prisoners and of coercively-hidden people of Sa’da war, praising its continued efforts towards their issues. The organizations see that departure of the holy month of Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr, which coincided with releasing of a number of detainees, was optimistic to families of the detainees for it was supposed to set them free, which exacerbated their suffering especially that they had recently made a lot of efforts and staged several sit-ins last of which was at Eid day in front of Alsaleh Mosque while the President was present to do Eid prayer.

Those arrested in connection with war Sa’da had not been taken due to criminal charges or acts of violence, rather due to discriminating racial attitude depending on incitement against a specific group of people because of their religious beliefs, which is indicative of the fact that the power is considering the return of the war, which worry the organizations and the community.

The meeting urged the community to stand against arbitrary detention, coercive hiding and to urgently react for the release of prisoners and stand against all forms of oppression and discrimination, and calls upon the international community to shoulder its responsibility and work for the release of all detainees in the secretariat of the capital, Hajja, Sa’da, Hodeidah, Aden, Karesh and others.

The meeting formed a coordinating and solidarity-based body between civil society organizations and families of the detainees in order to jointly work on internal and international framework.

Meeting in solidarity with the prisoners of Sa’da war

Yemen Rights and Freedom Defence ORG.
Hewaar Forum
Arab Sisters Forum
Hood ORG.
Political Development Forum
Yemen Observatory for HR
Altagheer Rights and Freedom Defence ORG.
Female Journalists without Chains
Social Democratic Forum
Committee of torture fighting

Hash from Pakistan to Yemen

Filed under: Iran, Other Countries, Trials, drugs — by Jane Novak at 1:35 pm on Monday, October 6, 2008

Gulf News

Sana’a: Eleven Iranians and one Pakistani were put on trial in Yemen on Sunday on charges of drug smuggling.

The hearing was adjourned till October 13 because translators did not come to the court.

The defendants requested the State Security Court chaired by Judge Redhwan Al Namer to appoint lawyers for them.

One of the defendants, who spoke broken Arabic, helped the Judge verify the names and ages of the accused, which range between 24 to 50 years.

No representatives from the Iranian or Pakistani embassy in Sana’a attended the first court session.

The prosecutor accused the men of smuggling a total of 3,560 kilogrammes of drugs from Pakistan to the Yemeni territorial waters with the purpose trading.

Earlier this year, the authorities arrested a total of 26 Iranians and Pakistanis on their east coast, including these 12, with about 12 tonnes of drugs.

Meanwhile, three tonnes of hashish were confiscated from a Pakistani boat in the Gulf of Aden this week, according to a ministry of interior statement.
An American warship intercepted the Pakistani boat and handed it over to the Yemeni Coast Guards, said the statement.

Yemen: No Religious Insults

Filed under: Donors, UN, Religious — by Jane Novak at 8:28 pm on Thursday, October 2, 2008

oh goody, doe this mean that Christians in Yemen might get equal rights?

Yemen calls for legislations banning insulting religious figures

NEW YORK, Sep. 29 (Saba)- Yemen called on Monday the UN General Assembly to adopt decisions to protect religious figures and to criminalize attacks on sacred properties.

That was mentioned in Yemen speech delivered by Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi in the 63rd round of the UN General Assembly which is currently held in New York.

Al-Qirbi talked about Yemen’s efforts in confronting terrorism and thwarting a number of terrorist acts such the last terror attack that targeted the US embassy in Sana’a.

He expressed hope that international condemnations of that attack is translated on reality in the form of support to help Yemen accelerate human development and confront poverty challenges.

YJS Postpones Conference, Sami Ghalib Resigns from Freedom Committee

Filed under: Media — by Jane Novak at 8:25 pm on Thursday, October 2, 2008
YJS postpones general conference

SANA’A, Sep. 29 (Saba)- The Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS) announced on Monday the postponement of its general conference scheduled 24 November to 20 December.

In a press release, the YJS’s council justified the postponement to participate in meetings of the 11th General Conference of the Union of Arab Journalists and receive from Finance Ministry a budget of the 4th Conference of YJS.

Meanwhile, the council accepted the resignation of Sami Ghaleb as chairman of the Committee of Freedoms in the council.

Statement of Sami Ghaleb September 16, 2008:

A statement of the Syndicate’s chairman said that the syndicate council is seeking for a special amnesty for the imprisoned Journalist Abdulkareem Al-Khaiwani from the Yemeni president.. Ghalib Said: I disagree with that. What we know in the syndicate is that we are asking to stop the continuous targeting of our colleague, and release him, he had been imprisoned according illegal procedures. His sentence was modified later to ensure that he stayed in the prison.. It is incorrect for the syndicate chairman to say that wee are seeking for a special amnesty for Al-khaiwani, because that means we are accept the charges against him. I produced my resignation from the freedom committee because I am not able to meet the requirements of the committee because of the absence of the cohesion within the council of the syndicate about the violations against press freedom in Yemen.

PSA: Poison Chinese Milk in Yemen

Filed under: Children, China, Medical — by Jane Novak at 8:06 pm on Thursday, October 2, 2008
Press release: Seyaj organization calls upon Media means to draw an urgent campaign to warn from the Chinese milk Sanlo”

The Organization (SEYAJ) for Children Protecting in Yemen called the government and private media to launch an awareness campaign to warn from the milk ‘Sanlo” produced by the Chinese company “ Saint Loup” which was laboratory proved its danger on the health of children.

The organization has followed with great sadness the tragic of poisoning thousands of children in china and other countries after taking the product.

As Yemen is one of the countries that import such product, we call for this warning campaign.

While Seyaj appreciates the immediate response of Ministry of industry and Trade and its interaction with

When directed to withdraw the product from stores, it calls on minister of information, head of Yemeni general establishment of Radio & television, the head of national television in both Sana’a and Aden, Alsaida Space channel and the directors of local radio stations in some Yemeni provinces to quickly adopt and launch an awareness campaign to warn citizens of that milk with pointing out the importance of breastfeeding as the best food for infants.

in addition, the organization stressed its concern that Media “ audio/visual” should take this role as it reaches the public easily and quickly by introducing film guidance and declarations warning with pictures of rotten milk items during the prime time after Magrib “ sunset” prayer.

May Allah help us all for the good and safety of humanity.

Seyaj Organization for Childhood Protecting

Sana’a – Yemen.

23 September 2008

USAID finds Youth Programs 3.1 mil

Filed under: Children, USA, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 7:45 pm on Saturday, September 27, 2008
USAID grants $ 3.1 mln to develop capacities of youths in Yemen

[15 September 2008]

SANA’A, Sep. 15 (Saba)- Yemen and United Stated Agency for International Development USAID signed on Monday an agreement of grant at sum of $ 3.1 million, which would be used by Social Fund for Development and Al-Saleh Corporation for Vocational Training and other training centers.

(Read on …)

Hash

Filed under: Saudi Arabia, drugs — by Jane Novak at 7:32 pm on Saturday, September 27, 2008
Security seize 135 kg of hashish in Harad city

[16 September 2008]
SANA’A, Sep. 16 (Saba) - Security sources said on Tuesday that about 135 kg of hashish and a big quantity of wine were seized at Harad city of Hajjah province.

The sources were quoted by the military-run 26sep.net as saying that the hashish and wine were prepared to be smuggled into Saudi Arabia.

Baha’i

Filed under: Religious, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 7:29 pm on Saturday, September 27, 2008
Bahairi Rights

At-Tagammu, a Yemeni newspaper published by the Yemeni Unitary Congregation party, recently reported on the threats facing Yemen’s small Baha’i community following the arrest of 6 Baha’is in June. The newspaper highlighted the propagandist attempts inciting hatred against the community and accused extremist fundamentalists for the oppression. Below is our translation of the article.

After Yemen’s security authorities informed several Baha’i families that their breadwinners will be deported, the lives of 250 Baha’is in Yemen has been fraught with the risks of deportation, exclusion and cancellation, to a level that makes the country the scene of a major case of religious persecution.

(Read on …)

President Saleh Spends 60 Million of Personal Funds for Mosque

Filed under: Corruption, Presidency, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 7:23 pm on Saturday, September 27, 2008

Nice of him to spread it around a little.

The al-Saleh’s mosque is partially opened on the advent of Ramadan as many people from Sana’a and visitors from the governorates went to pray in it.

The president’s mosque which is built on the president’s expense is considered to be an immense Islamic building and one of Sana’a city distinctive features. Its cost is mounted to $60 million.

Yemen Observer

thats over 1/4 mil US

2 Columbian Hostages

Filed under: Targeting, Tribes — by Jane Novak at 7:21 pm on Saturday, September 27, 2008

The third kidnapping in 2008.

It would be nice to have some stats on how many Yemenis a year get kidnapped.

Yemen cracks down to free two Colombian hostages

[20 September 2008]

ABYAN, Sep. 20 (Saba)- Security sources said on Saturday that the security committee of Abyan province held a meeting to conduct security crackdowns for the release of two Colombian oil experts who were kidnapped on Friday by tribal gunmen.

The sources added that the two Colombian oil experts, working with the Yemeni Liquefied Natural Gas Company, were kidnapped on Friday while they were on their way to the pipelines, in Balhaf, Shabwa province.

Well-informed sources said the two Colombian oil experts, along with two Yemenis, were kidnapped in the Shabwa province, east of Yemen. The hostages were identified as Hector Marin, Rafael Abala, Basheer Al Sulwi, the driver, and Abdul-Aziz Abdul-Gani.

Primary investigations revealed the kidnappers were from the Ba Kazem tribe in Shabwa province. The kidnappers drove off in the car of the kidnapped experts, leaving their car at the spot where the kidnapping occurred.

According to a local statistics, Yemen has witnessed about 134 kidnappings, which included about 325 Europeans and 25 Americans, between 1990 and 2005.

Around 80 per cent of these abductions took place in the provinces of Sana’a, Amran, Mareb, Sa’ada and Shabwa.

Religious Freedom

Filed under: Religious — by Jane Novak at 7:15 pm on Saturday, September 27, 2008

Not Zaidis, Hashemites actuallly, but the report is getting much better. There’s also the Bahai arrested and facing deportation.

The US International Religious Freedom Report 2008,released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, said that neither Yemeni constitution nor other laws protect or inhibit freedom of religion.

“Neither Yemeni constitution nor other laws protect or inhibit freedom of religion; however, government policies contributed to the generally free practice of religion.”

(Read on …)

Corporal Punishment

Filed under: Children, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 7:04 pm on Saturday, September 27, 2008

SDC

Abstract
Objective
To examine the occurrence, type and associations of harsh corporal punishment in Yemen.

Methods
Caregiver and teacher reports were obtained on 1,196 Yemeni 7–10-year olds obtained by systematic random sampling of children in the 1st to 4th grades of urban and rural schools. Caregivers (86% mothers) reported on disciplinary practices, socio-familial background, and child psychopathology. Teachers reported on school performance and child psychopathology.

(Read on …)

Al-Khaiwani Sprung!

Filed under: al-Khaiwani — by Jane Novak at 11:59 am on Thursday, September 25, 2008

I love writing that.

SANA’A, NewsYemen

Yemeni imprisoned journalist Abdul-Karim al-Khaiwani left the Central Prison on Thursday after President Saleh gave him amnesty and canceled a six-year sentence issued by a primary court three months ago.

After leaving prison, al-Khaiwani told NY that his release is “a victory for all Yemeni journalist and civil society organizations and human rights advocates”.

Al-Khaiwani declined that security authorities have demanded him to sign any obligation before leaving the prison, but said they have asked him to commit to law and constitution. “I have assured them that I was always committed to law and constitution”, said al-Khaiwani.

Al-Khaiwani expressed his gratitude to his colleague journalists and rights activists.
“I am proud to belong to journalists who can defend democracy”.

Yemeni Journalists Syndicate welcomed the presidential amnesty.

Al-Khaiwani was sentenced to six years in jail for allegedly supporting rebels in Sa’ada, north of Yemen and insulting President Saleh.

Local and international organizations have condemned the imprisonment of al-Khaiwani including the Amnesty International that has awarded him the 2008 award for “Journalists under Threat”.

American Islamic Congress Hails Release of Journalist Al-Khaiwani

Filed under: al-Khaiwani, mentions — by Jane Novak at 11:08 am on Thursday, September 25, 2008

I’d really like to thank everyone at Jawa who helped and the ladies of the Cotillion who really did a wonderful job highlighting the petition and the case. A remarkable grass roots coalition they call it in the article. (No astroturfing here!)
karim.jpg

The people at HAMSA who set up the petition, organized the facebook group and helped me with the media (akkk!) really deserve a lot of credit. Thirty-seven international human rights organizations and a variety of civil society groups in Yemen kept up the pressure since June when al-Khaiwani was sentenced to six years for writing an article that “made the military sad” as my son called it.

Anyway for the second time in my life I have a post called Al-Khaiwani Sprung. (There’s a few people around, including Rusty, who remember when we did this the first time in 2005.)

Earth Times:

BOSTON, Sept. 25 AIC-Yemen-Journalist

Weddady: “A Great Day for Free Expression in the Middle East.”

BOSTON, Sept. 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The American Islamic Congress (AIC) today hailed news that leading Yemeni journalist Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani has been pardoned after more than three months in prison on charges of “insulting the president.”

AIC has campaigned for al-Khaiwani’s release since June, generating over 1,600 letters to Yemeni officials from free speech supporters around the world (http://campaigns.aicongress.org/yemen).

“This is a great day for freedom of expression in the Middle East,” said Nasser Weddady, AIC’s Civil Rights Outreach Director. “A pioneering Arab journalist who stuck to his principles is once again a free man.”

“Freedom is not a gift, and the struggle is for everyone,” al-Khaiwani said in a statement to AIC following his release. He left prison just before 4 pm local time and returned home, reuniting with his family.

(Read on …)

GPC Calls JMP Extremists

Filed under: GPC, JMP — by Jane Novak at 8:12 am on Thursday, September 25, 2008

The regime exploits the terror attacks every time, on the home front and abroad.

Almotamar.net - Assistant Secretary General of the General People’s Congress (GPC) for Information Sector Dr Ahmed Ubaid Bin Daghr said Friday the current stage is characterized Assistant Secretary General of the General People’s Congress for Information Sector Dr Ahmed Ubaid Bin Daghr said Friday the current stage has different characteristics and it is object to discussion and exchange of opinions among political leaderships in the arena.

(Read on …)

Yemen Refuses Visa to IFJ President

Filed under: Donors, UN, al-Khaiwani — by Jane Novak at 10:37 am on Sunday, September 14, 2008

WOW!!!! Man, that’s going to make waves. The IFJ represents over 600,00 journalists in 122 countries worldwide

Yemen refuses granting entry visa to IFJ President

SANA’A, Sep. 14 (Saba)- A senior Yemeni official said on Sunday Yemen’s government had apologized officially to grant an entry visa to President of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) Jim Boumelha to visit Yemen.

The IFJ President was planning to hand over Yemeni journalist Abdelkarim al-Khaiwani an award of Amnesty International.

In a press release, Chairman of Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS) Nasr Taha Mustafa said that the IFJ had expressed understanding of the government’s step, canceling the visit which was scheduled to take place next month.

Mustafa confirmed the YJS is monitoring the issue of Abdul Karim al-Khaywani, hoping al-Khaywani to be released soon.

The IFJ has congratulated Yemeni journalist Abdelkarim Al Khaiwani winner of Amnesty International’s Sepcial Award for Human Rights Journalism Under Threat and renewed its call for journalist organisations around the world to support al-Khaiwani as he challenges a six-year jail sentence handed down by a Yemeni court.

Corruption at the Aden Refinery

Filed under: A-INFRASTRUCTURE, Corruption, Oil — by Jane Novak at 10:33 am on Sunday, September 14, 2008

Yemen Times

SANA’A, Aug. 3 — A parliamentary report reveals corruption over the past two years at Aden Oil Refineries, a company belonging to the Yemeni government. Prepared by the Parliament-affiliated Oil and Minerals Development Committee, the report indicates that corruption at Aden Oil Refineries “consumed $200 million from public finances.” The committee prepared its report in light of its field visits to the refineries over the past four years.

Based on analysis of figures in the public budget and the Central Monitoring Apparatus, the results indicate that corruption was rampant within the administration of Aden Oil Refineries, one of the region’s oldest established energy companies. The oil refinery dismissed the report as “mere personal speculation.”

(Read on …)

Business Practices

Filed under: Business, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 10:11 am on Sunday, September 14, 2008

al-Motamar

Yemen surpassed 25 countries in reforms: WB
Thursday, 11-September-2008
Almotamar.net - A report on practice of business activities for 2009 issued lately by International Foundation for Financing and the World Bank (WB) classified Yemen among 9 countries in the world that created reforms in establishment of companies.

The report mentioned that Yemen carried out one of the most radical reforms, which is the reduction of the condition of minimum limit of the capital necessary for the establishment of companies. That condition was considered the second biggest limit in the world, in addition to inauguration of the one-stop shop system for facilitation of completion of companies establishment procedures.

(Read on …)

Primary School Fees Waived

Filed under: Education, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 10:07 am on Sunday, September 14, 2008

As usual implementation is another thing altogether, as the schools must be re-imbursed by the state.

Yemen Times

SANA’A, Aug. 27 — Yemen’s education minister confirmed in a statement to the Yemen Times on Tuesday that his ministry is investigating those school principals who breach its decision to eliminate primary school fees.

Last week, the Education Ministry issued a law exempting primary students from paying school fees for girls in grades 1 through 9 and boys in grades 1 through 6. The announcement comes only two weeks before the start of the 2008-2009 school year.

(Read on …)

V&V Commission, Talibanization of Yemen

Filed under: Religious, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 10:03 am on Sunday, September 14, 2008

or the growth of Salafi extremism, whatever

Guardian

The Egyptian crooner Ehab Tawfiq has bedroom eyes, smouldering good looks and a voice that enchants Arab audiences. Sadly he won’t be perfoming any time soon in Yemen, where he has been blocked by a controversial new Saudi-style “religious police” charged with enforcing austere standards of public morality.

Tawfiq sings catchily about love and relationships. But a concert he was due to give in Sana’a was postponed and then cancelled last month after a campaign by the country’s newly-formed “virtue committee”, which distributed posters and leaflets — and, say some, encouraged death threats and intimidation — condemning the handsome Egyptian for promoting “sedition, immorality and nudity”.

For many Yemenis, and for women in particular, this was another alarming sign of the growth of Salafi extremism — an unwelcome import from neighbouring Saudi Arabia where the “mutaween” religious police are part of the scenery.

(Read on …)

Al-Qarni Prefers Jail than Selling Rights

Filed under: Civil Rights, Media, Yemen, prisons — by Jane Novak at 10:00 am on Sunday, September 14, 2008

released, returned to jail for refusing to sign pledge refraining from political speech…

Sahwa Net – Popular comedian and artist Fahad al-Qarni was incarcerated again after he was released on Thursday in the wake of issuing an amnesty by the president.

“I decisively refused to abandon one of my political rights guaranteed by the state-constitution, and preferred to stay in jail” said al-Qarni.

Al-Qarni had been released and moved to the office of Taiz governor Hamould al-Sofi who asked him to commit in writing that he would not practice any political activities.

It is worth nothing that al-Qarni was arrested on April 5 by members of Taiz political security forces while he was on his way to a festival and was charged with inciting against Yemeni unity and insulting the Yemen president.

Meanwhile, many local and international human rights bodies had considered, in statements, that al-Qarni was arrested as a result of his work to promote democracy and campaign against corruption in Yemen.

Pollution

Filed under: Enviornmental — by Jane Novak at 9:57 am on Sunday, September 14, 2008
Yemen reveals maritime pollution in Gulf of Aden

[05 September 2008]

ADEN, Sep. 05 (Saba)- Yemeni authorities revealed a maritime pollution emerged recently in the Gulf of Aden, accusing a Yemeni businessman of causing this pollution.

Interior Ministry said that the pollution caused by diesel leaking to the sea, pointing out that the coastguards’ investigations showed the involvement of the al-Amodi Company for Constructions which is currently implementing the project of a maritime bridge.

Last month, the Ministry formed a committee to investigate a similar marine pollution took place in the province of Hodeidah.

Convert to Islam= Good, Convert to Christianity = Jail

Filed under: Religious — by Jane Novak at 9:53 am on Sunday, September 14, 2008

There’s nine people in jail for either converting to Christianity or proselytizing.

Ethiopian, Philippine women converted to Islam in Aden

ADEN, Sep.13 (Saba)- Ferot Taklik, Ethiopian women and Liza Nightah from Philippine converted to Islam on Saturday here. They declared themselves as Moslems before a committee from endowment and guidance office.

Director General of Aden Endowment and Guidance Office Fuad al-Buraihi told Saba that the Ethiopian woman changed her name as Fatima while the Philippine women named herself Mariam. The two women were given documents of converting to Islam and two books of Holly Koran.

Baoum Released, Qarni May Be Released, But Where is al-Khaiwani?

Filed under: Civil Rights, Media, South, Yemen, al-Khaiwani, prisons — by Jane Novak at 11:57 am on Saturday, September 13, 2008

Not still in jail? But he’s the highest profile political prisoner… I hope Dear Leader is not holding a personal grudge. It shows though the limited power of the JMP canbe effectively deployed when there is international attention, like on the upcoming parliamentary “elections”.

President asks to set al-Qarni free

SANA’A, Sep. 11 (Saba)- President Ali Abdullah Saleh gave orders on Thursday to set Fahd al-Qarni free after getting promises from him that he will comply with law and national principles.

Tazi court has found al-Qarni is guilty in change of calling for riots and resistance against the state. The court sentenced him one year and half in prison and have to pay half million as fine.

News

Opposition and human rights sources initially said a senior socialist figure, Hassan Baoum, remained behind bars, but opposition politicians later said he was freed on Thursday evening.

The official website of the Yemeni defence ministry said Saleh pardoned 12 people who were released after pledging to uphold the law, including Baoum, a member of the political bureau of the Yemen Socialist Party (YSP).

(Read on …)

Trade Imbalance with Gulf States: YR 500B

Filed under: Agriculture, Economic, GCC, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 11:49 am on Saturday, September 13, 2008

Yemen Post

The Central Statistical Administration announced an increase in trade volume between Yemen and Gulf countries to reach YR 777 billion including the imports and exports. Compared to the previous years, 2007 has shown a noticeable increase.

Trade exchange between Yemen and Gulf countries reached in 2006 YR 552 billion, compared to YR 433 billion in 2004. The growth rate as for trade exchange has mounted in 2006-2007 to reach 4 percent.

Statistics indicate that the Yemeni market is still a consumptive market, especially when the gap between imports and exports is wide. The country’s imports from Gulf countries have reached YR 626 billion in 2007 and YR 418 billion in 2006, with an increase of 49.9 percent.

However, Yemen’s exports to Gulf countries are scant and showed only timid increases in 2007 as it reached YR 150 billion compared to YR 133 billion in 2006, with a total increase of only 12.9 percent.

This commercial deficit is influenced by Yemen’s increased growth of imports from Gulf States. Observers believe that Yemen lacks facilities and proper equipment and procedures for its exports, especially those competitive commodities including fruits, vegetables, fish and other commodities like honey and cotton.

United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia come in first place and them being the biggest exporters. Emirates came first in exports to Yemen surpassing YR 366 billion during 2007, followed by Saudi Arabia with YR 139 million. In return, Yemen’s exports to Saudi Arabia reached YR 28 billion in 2007.

Corruption Kills: Donated Medical Equipment Stolen

Filed under: Corruption, Donors, UN, Medical, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 11:47 am on Saturday, September 13, 2008

The importation and distribution of medicines is riddled with corruption, which impacts directly on the standard of living of the entire population.

YO

The German Hammer Forum threatened to quit from Yemen if the sequestration of the organization’s containers continued in Hodiedah port.

The organization’s coordinator, Dr. Ali Al-Zakhmi, said that the organization is studying pulling out from Yemen if the health sector’s authorities continued their rigidity against them despite the charitable health services they provide to the Yemeni children in particular.

Al- Zakhmi said that the higher medical authority is still sequestrating 93 medicines and medical equipment packages, which the organization sent to al-Thawra Hospital in Taiz, since last February. He added that the organization donated these medical appliances and medicines to Taiz al-Thawra Hospital yet the higher medical authority holds them under the excuse that they contain foreign medical appliances incompatible to the specifications.

(Read on …)

Child Soldiers in Saada

Filed under: Children, Military, Saada War, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 11:42 am on Saturday, September 13, 2008

I’m glad this issue is getting some attention. Both the rebels and the government are using kids to fight the Saada War.

al-Sahwa

Sana’a, Sahwa Net- The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers has accused, in its recent report, Yemen of using children as soldiers in Saada war.

“Although Yemen’s laws specified 18 as the minimum recruitment age, under-age recruitment to the armed forces reportedly remained common” said the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers in 2008 report.

It further explained that parents sometimes agree to the recruitment of their children into the armed forces because of their poor economic situation, pointing out that joining the army is highly sought after as a result of other employment opportunities are extremely limited.

Saleh Shopping for More Russian Weapons

Filed under: Russia, Security Forces, Yemen, govt budget — by Jane Novak at 11:41 am on Saturday, September 13, 2008

Of Yemen’s 5.9 billion in external debt, Yemen owes Russia about one billion for military hardware including the Mig 29’s.

Yemen Post

Preparations at Yemeni Foreign Ministry are underway for President Saleh’s expected visit to Russia in which he seeks to buy large quantities of weapons.

Diplomatic sources announced that Saleh’s visit comes at a time the region witnesses complicated developments together with Russia’s differences with western countries and America over the last Russian-Georgian conflict.

The same sources further indicated that Yemen has balanced stances of world powers, hinting the visit comes within the frame of the developed relations between Yemen and Russia.

Observers note that Saleh seeks to buy modern Russian fighters and reinforce the military arsenal after a four-year war in Sa’ada that exhausted the country’s both budget and military armament.

12 year old hostage in prison

Filed under: Children, Security Forces, Tribes, Yemen, prisons — by Jane Novak at 11:39 am on Saturday, September 13, 2008

Hood On Line

Hood concerns About Detaining al-Salihi Juvanile along with three others:
Tuesday 09 September 2008 / Hoodonline

Hood has informed that a 12-year juvenile of al-Salihi family was apprehended along with three of his relatives for more than a month and a half at Moa’en security directorate prison in the Capital.

These four prisoners are the juvenile Bakeel al-Salihi,12, Hussien Saleh al-Salihi,18, Mohammed ,21,and Ali Ahmed al-Salihi who are still under arrest until this writing.

They are kept in prison as hostages with no clear charges pressed against them. It became obvious later on that the detention was on the grounds of tribal dispute in M’arib-Yemen, which these four men play no part in it.

After receiving a complaint from the detainees’ relatives, the prosecution of the capital west-circuit visited the detention scene and proved the illegal condition of the detention. The prosecution also noted that the Police Station director scoffed at Law offering an excuse of receiving a high order from the Interior ministry.

Hood says, addressing the interior ministry, that the hostage system is supposed to be vanished since the blessing Sep26th Revolution. As Hood also alerts the Interior Minister of being drifted towards the rejected tribal practices and shifted to be a brigand entity Kidnapping and arresting people as hostages.

Therefore, Hood considers this detention illegal and egregious violation in human rights and calls the Interior Ministry and the Attorney-General, in two letters each, for the urgent release and the prosecution of those responsible.

Drought Displaces Thousands, Harbinger of Things to Come

Filed under: Demographics, Water, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 11:38 am on Saturday, September 13, 2008

Yemen Times

(IRIN) - Hundreds of families (totalling about 2,000 people) in the southern governorate of Abyan have begun to leave their homes due to severe drought in their mountain villages, a senior official has said.

Sirar District, a mountainous area in Abyan, has been particularly badly affected since May.

Al-Khader Mohammed Saleh, director-general of Sirar District, told IRIN that over 300 families had left their villages over the past week as a result of the drought.

(Read on …)

Prison Conditions

Filed under: Civil Rights, Ministries, prisons — by Jane Novak at 11:37 am on Saturday, September 13, 2008

HR Minister doing good stuff.

YT

SANA’A, Sept. 4 — Human rights’ violations, lack of medical care and insufficient nutrition plague the Central Prison in Sana’a city, the House of Social Guidance and Dar Al-Amal for female juveniles. This is according to a revealing report, released last week by the Minister of Human Rights Dr. Huda Al-Ban, who visited the prisons between June and July 2007.

(Read on …)

Free Child Prisoners, Please

Filed under: Children, Yemen, prisons — by Jane Novak at 11:36 am on Saturday, September 13, 2008

This is a total disgrace.

Press Announcement?

Seyaj Organization ’s humanity Call:-?

Free children prisoners??

Seyaj organization for childhood protecting calls upon all government and state authorities to release under 18 years old prisoners who are detained at state prisons.?

It implores above all the Republic Presidency, the supreme judgeship Committee and the Ministry of Interior Affairs to offer top priority to the youngling detainees of fines or debits against their families to help them spend Ramadan and Alfitr holiday with their parents and families and live their life normally.?

While Seyaj takes the opportunity of Ramadan ? as the state’s annual tradition to dedicate amounts to free some debit prisoners - it? has? no doubt of? your positive response to this humanity call since it is? of human rights? and? is considered as a practical image of the state strategy related to childhood and youths issues.?

Also, Seyaj calls upon rich and business men to pay more attention for those prisoners and hold humanity initiatives to release them. ?
?

Seyaj Organization for Childhood Protecting

Sana’a- Yemen? 11th September 2008.?

Pakistani hash: 12 tons

Filed under: Other Countries, drugs — by Jane Novak at 11:35 am on Saturday, September 13, 2008

This references the earlier bust of millions of dollars worth of hash.

al-Motamar

Almotamar.net - Almotamar.net learned Thursday from judiciary sources that the criminal prosecution has completed lately interrogation with 16 Pakistanis accused of bringing 12 tons of narcotics with the aim of trading with them in Yemen.

According to the sources that it is scheduled sending the file of the defendants to court beginning of next week to stand trial. Security authorities has caught the accused persons in March this year at Al-Mukalla seaport , Hadramnout governorate on board of a Pakistani boat coming from a port called the “port of Pakistani boasts”

Youth Excluded from Party Politics

Filed under: Political Parties, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 11:18 am on Saturday, September 13, 2008

Quite true, there is no transition of leadership just a bunch of established elite who switch chairs now and then.

The National

SANA’A // Despite living in a young democracy with a multiparty system that started only in 1990, many young Yemenis are losing interest in joining political parties which they see as outdated and unrepresentative of their views.

Ali Hussein, a 29-year-old graduate from Sana’a University, said he was quitting Islah, the main Islamic opposition party, because its values no longer met his needs.

“Islah is a big party controlled by traditional forces that do not give space for youngsters to voice their views,” Mr Hussein said, adding he joined the party when he was 12 because his family were all members.

“You find that when these young people reach a certain level of education and knowledge, they start expressing their views which the leaders of the party do not like. They get frustrated and then quit the party,” he said, adding that many young Yemenis wanted to discuss human rights and secular issues.

(Read on …)

1650 Officials Not Submit Financial Disclosure

Filed under: Corruption, Ministries, Reform, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 11:17 am on Saturday, September 13, 2008

SNACC looms prosecuting 1650 Yemeni officials

SANA’A, Sep. 13 (Saba)- The Supreme National Authority for Combating Corruption (SNACC) loomed on Saturday prosecuting 1650 Yemeni officials who didn’t deliver their financial disclosures yet.

Member of NSACC Mohammed al-Matari said that the number of financial disclosures received by the national commission reached to 5200 financial disclosures.

The al-Matari pointed out that the SNACC had sent legal notes to officials in some government bodies whom exceeded the legal limit for the delivery of financial disclosures.

“The SNACC is going to take a legal action against those officials”, said al-Matari.

Corruption Triggers Media Repression

Filed under: Janes Articles, Media, al-Khaiwani — by Jane Novak at 9:10 pm on Thursday, September 11, 2008

The level of media repression may be a determining factor in whether Yemen avoids the threat of state failure. The Yemeni government suffers from entrenched corruption in nearly every office, a legacy of traditional patron/client relationships. Demands for transparency threaten the substantial patrimonial networks associated with access to the government budget.

More than 20% of state funds go to the administrative expenses of the Presidency and Parliament. A quarter of the Yemeni budget is allocated to the military as a line item. Another third of the budget is spent on diesel subsidies. Beyond the misappropriation of state funds, members of the administration also spin off criminal enterprises using advantages gained from their official positions.

In Yemen’s pervasively corrupt environment, investigative reporting is challenging the conditions that undermine efforts at wider economic and political reform. The Supreme National Authority for Combating Corruption credits journalists with uncovering the vast majority of cases in its docket. The NGO, “Journalists Against Corruption”, recently documented financial malfeasance in every governmental ministry.

This investigative journalism is an agent of change on a social level as well. Published reporting on corruption has somewhat reduced the culture of fear. Corruption is now a topic more available for public discussion.

International efforts in working with the Yemeni government on the issue from the top down are augmented by the efforts of the journalists working from the bottom up. As the CPJ noted, “During the last three years, opposition newspapers have smashed political taboos by criticizing rampant government corruption…”

However, red lines exist for journalists wherever there is money and crime. One Yemeni journalist defines the taboo topics as the President, his family and close associates, oil revenues, oil smuggling, military budgets, corporate nepotism, and the naming of corrupt officials or their activities.

Journalists faced hundreds of attacks from 2005-2007. No investigations occurred. Of 301 instances of media repression, 96 were committed by the National Security Organization, including physical assaults, arbitrary imprisonment, property vandalism and theft, kidnapping and death threats. Ninety-five violations were perpetrated by the Ministry of Information including revoking licenses, prohibiting the printing or circulation of newspapers, fines and judicial proceeding. The Interior Ministry committed 54 violations, the PSO 45 and the military 11. Powerful non-state actors brought lawsuits against journalists and sometimes subjected them to assaults. As reports on corruption triggered retaliation, Yemeni journalists turned to technology and international rights groups to amplify their message. (Read on …)

10M Pills Seized in 10 Months, Almost all Keptagon

Filed under: Yemen, drugs, smuggling — by Jane Novak at 9:20 am on Monday, September 1, 2008

Yemen Times

Yemen seizes ten million drugs capsules in 8 months

Security sources said on Sunday that Interior Ministry seized about 1400000 capsules of drugs since the beginning of 2008. The sources added that the latest operation of capturing drugs was done in the Aden harbor, where about 3500000 capsules of drugs were found inside water heaters imported from a neighbor country. The source pointed out that investigations are underway with the smugglers.

Last week, the security forces in Hodeidah province held a Syrian citizen charged with smuggling 1.212 million captagon pills into the country. The seizure comes after the security forces seized a large amount of captagon pills concealed in water heaters shipped in a container and after they found large quantities of hashish on two cars.

UN Office on Drugs and Crime

Due to its technological development under communism,
Bulgarian criminals have had an advantage in synthetic
drugs production. They are best known for production
of Kaptagon (fenethylline), a synthetic stimulant prized
in the Middle East for its alleged aphrodisiacal qualities.
Today, most pills sold as Kaptagon are, in fact, forms
of amphetamine that are easier to produce, but large
quantities of these counterfeits are regularly seized.
There have also been reports of false Kaptagon being
produced in Turkey, destined largely for markets in the
Middle East. According to Europol:
… amphetamine tableted with the ‘captagon’ logo is produced
on a substantial scale in Bulgaria for the domestic
market as well as for the export to Turkey and Middle
East countries such as Saudi Arabia. More than 900 kg
of amphetamine were seized in Bulgaria in 2006, the
majority on its way to Turkey. Moreover, Turkey reported
the seizure of nine amphetamine production, storage
and tableting sites detected in its territory plus more than
fourteen million amphetamine / ‘captagon’ tablets as well
as 65 kg of BMK. According to Bulgarian information this
production is controlled by Bulgarian organised crime.189
But the potential for synthetic drug production exists in
other countries as well, such as Serbia.

Ramadan in Jail

Filed under: al-Khaiwani — by Jane Novak at 8:35 am on Monday, September 1, 2008

Nice editorial from the Yemen Times

Ramdan Kareem Ya Khaiwani

Now that today is the first day of the holy month of Ramdan, automatically the hearts and behaviors of most Muslims soften. Today as I think of my friends and family and congratulate them on the Holy Month, my heart goes out to my collogue Abdulkarim Al-Khaiwani who will be keeping fast (if his health permits) and spending Eid behind bars for no legitimate reason.

Al-Khaiwani is probably the most famous Yemeni journalist of today who has been continuously harassed and taken to prison more than once. He has become a legend and a hero to many Yemeni journalists.

Some of us don’t dare to write about the things he had written, and some don’t agree with his ideas. Some even think he was mad to have put himself out there as a brave and perhaps rash journalist considering he knew the consequences.

But he still did it, and has no regrets, or so he says.

When he was out of prison last year we had a talk and I asked him why he was doing this, making an enemy of the government. He said someone has to do it, someone has to stand up and say no.

I was impressed and sad in the same time. It meant that he would continue on this path regardless.

The sentence he received was not fair at all. It was not even legally valid. He was accused of being a terrorist because he had photos of the war in Sa’ada.

In the security’s eyes, AL-Khaiwani was a terrorist because he had good contacts with people involved in the war. It is similar to Sami Al-Haj Al-Jazeerah correspondent who was jailed in Spain for s