Armies of Liberation

CNN: Yemeni Prime Minister Ali Mujawar was back in Sanaa Tuesday for the first time since he was seriously injured in the presidential palace bombing last June, according to sources at the airport in the capital.

Thousands of pro-government supporters welcomed him back.

Mujawar was being treated in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He’s the first senior official to come back to Sanaa from Riyadh since more than 35 senior officials were taken to the Saudi capital for medical treatment more than two months ago.

The documents HOOD published were translated by Yemen Rights Monitor, an excellent site in English to follow all the news of the rev.

Regarding the heightened and unusual effects of the tear gas on the protesters, it says in document that the smoke bombs are expired and cause long term health problems, addressed to the interior minister Rashad Al-Masri.

I wrote about a mass grave in Aden in February and as well as later reports of security forces kidnapping wounded protesters to artificially reduce the number of fatalities.

Hood also spoke of its possession of official documents reveal the crimes committed by official orders and official complicity to conceal, other crimes committed, related to some political backgrounds.
Hood confirmed that it received information and testimonies written and documented about the central security forces and gunmen in civilian clothes attacking the demonstrators with live bullets, sharp weapons and poison gas on Saturday night 04/09/2011 in Zubairy Street and Ring Road, which led to the downfall of a number of dead and wounded. Hood quoted witnesses saying that “Nearly 20 people were pulled to some personnel carriers and government vehicles transferred to an unknown destination and their injuries were at the head, neck, chest, abdomen and some of them had died.” Also, confirmed that it had received “certificates for a mass graves in the area of “ Bait Boss , body parts were found in trash barrels in that area, it is believed it belong to protesters who were arrested during the massacre of Kentucky Round in Sana’a. Attorney General has received a notification of this.”
Below is the doctors’ report on the body parts found in Beit Bous.

Without the testimony of the person who provided them to Marib Press, its hard to authenticate. But there are anecdotal reports by eyewitnesses who saw weapons being given out from cars.

Yemeni officials deny press report on distributing weapons
Saturday 07 May 2011 202011000000Sat, 07 May 2011 20:32:12 +0300 08 PM / 26 September Net

Deputy Prime Minister for Defense Affairs Rashad al-Alimi and Minister of State for Parliamentary and Shura Council Affairs Ahmed al-Kuhlani have expressed regret about a forged document spread by Marebpress website that they were involved in distributing weapons to pro-government people. (Read on …)

Just think! If Saleh goes quickly, then maybe Obama can return the Yemeni prisoners and close Gitmo before the presidential election in 2012!

News Yemen: Former minister of endowment Hamoud al-Hittar, who also headed a committee for dialogue with militants in Yemen for years, said President Saleh is not committed to fighting al-Qaeda in the country.

Al-Hittar said that President Saleh uses al-Qaeda threat to blackmail Arab and foreign countries to get more assistance. He said that al-Qaeda in Yemen is only 10 percent of what was reported by official media.

In his speech to almost one million anti-regime protesters in Change Square outside Sana’a University on “Friday of Steadiness”, al-Hittar assured Arab and foreign countries that Yemen will be able to put end to terrorism after the popular revolution succeeds and President Saleh stands down. He also said that Yemen will remain an active partner of the international community in counterterrorism in accordance with Yemen’s constitution, law and international legislation.

Al-Hittar urged Gulf countries to support the popular revolution and could confirm that Yemen will respect relationships with Gulf countries.

Now he says hes staying until 2013!

A clear overview of the whole picture from: Walid al Saqqaf.

Update: al Qirby denies the Reuters report, saying it was an inaccurate quote. The blame game now settles on the GPC That’s why Saleh reversed his decision not to run in 2006, the GPC begged him to be their candidate as there was no one else in the entire party with the capacity to run Yemen. Imagine how much better off Yemen would be now if Saleh had kept his word, but I guess you cant think like that, Saleh never keeps his word. I really hope he doesn’t set fire to Yemen on the way out. The longer this takes, the more nervous its making me.

SANAA (Reuters) – A deal on a peaceful transition of power in Yemen could come as early as Saturday and would be based on an offer by President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down by year-end, Foreign Minister Abubakr al-Qirbi said…”I hope it will be today, before tomorrow,” Qirbi, who is serving as caretaker foreign minister, told Reuters in an interview, adding that the time frame of a transfer of power by Saleh could be negotiated.

Saleh, who oversaw the 1990 unification of north and south Yemen and emerged victorious from a civil war four years later, told tribes in Sanaa on Saturday that he would “work to avoid bloodshed using all possible means.”

He said on Friday he was ready to relinquish power to forestall more bloodshed but only to what he called “safe hands” after weeks of street demonstrations demanding his departure. (Read on …)

A truly insightful analysis by Dr. Abdullah al faqih.

Update: National Security forces break into al Jazeera offices in Sanaa and steal equipment, a possible foreshadowing of dire events to follow. Minister of Water and Environment Abdulrahman Al-Iryani wrote a letter apologizing to the protesters. If the entire government resigns and joins the protesters, then the protests didn’t drive the elite out of power. CNN: Ali Mohsen negotiating with Saleh for a transition by the end of the year. This is just more maneuvering to keep the powerful in power, they are going out the front door and in the back. Ali Mohsen has to go on the same plane as Saleh

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and a top military general are discussing a deal for a peaceful transition of power that would allow Saleh to stay in place for the rest of the year, a Yemeni official and senior U.S. official said Monday. The discussions come amid cracks in support for Saleh’s 32-year rule after weeks of anti-government protests.

Three top generals declared their support for the protests Monday, including Maj. Gen. Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar, the man now discussing the deal with Saleh. Al-Ahmar, who belongs to an important tribe whose backing is significant for Saleh, also said he will order his troops to protect civilians demonstrating against the president….

According to the Yemeni official who confirmed the talks between Saleh and the general, the president has officially accepted five points demanded by the opposition and is now waiting for a response from the opposition and the generals who defected.

The five points are that Saleh step down by the end of the year; that Yemenis be allowed to protest without fear of violence; that a committee be formed to investigate attacks against protesters; that families of all protesters killed or wounded be compensated by the state; and that the government implement constitutional and electoral reforms, including the removal of Saleh’s family members from the armed services.

Update: Mass resignations continue from all levels of government. Yemen TV is showing old videos of crowds chanting for Saleh as live, but they were shot during the day while it is night time in Yemen now.

The former GPC members (the ruling GPC party has apparently dissolved after mass resignations) are forming a new coalition to come in through the back door. So far no violence but they like to do these things in the middle of the night. (Read on …)

Update: the former regime officials are becoming desperate to re-write the past and cast themselves as the lone beacon of integrity in a sea of corruption. Its amazing the way the long time officials and associates of a mass murderer and criminal are now disassociating themselves once the tide turned against the regime. Hopefully they will all stand trial for their complicity in the crimes of the Saleh regime.

Saleh fired his government ministers and asked them to continue to work as the wave of protests grows against him. Saleh has reshuffled the cabinet several times over the years, usually it is a way to divert blame and/or undercut reformers. This time he may be firing them before they all resign. After the slaughter in Sanaa Friday, Faisel abu Rais, who resigned from parliament in 2007, resigned as Yemen’s ambassador to Lebanon. Human Rights Minster Huda al Ban resigned, and (**** I’m being nice. Don’t test me.) Clerics urged the military not to fire on protesters. “Dr. Hassan Salami, Shura Council member resigned from the membership of the Standing Committee of the ruling National Congress Party to protest the lack of respect for the Constitution and the law, and the appalling violation of human rights including the massacre of peaceful protestors long before the University of Sana’a.” Sadiq al Ahmar head of the Hashid demanded Saleh resign but Saleh retains significant support from his tribe.

Saleh remains delusional, says to nation that the protesters are a small percentage of Yemenis, only he can rule and the JMP has bad intentions. The state announced 19 snipers had been arrested. To the European ambassadors, he said he is committed to democratic values. Anyone who believes anything Saleh says is delusional as well.

The Central Security Forces withdrew from al Tagheer Sqyare in Sanaa, and General Ali Mohsen al Ahmar’s 1st Armored Brigade took over duties around the protesters in Sanaa/ There have been no incidents yet.

US policy on the middle east as outlined by William J. Burns, Under Secretary for Political Affairs in a statement before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on March 17 doesn’t mention Yemen at all.

There was a mass funeral march today in Sanaa, although many of the fatalities will be buried in their hometowns: Taiz, Arhab and Amran. Several injuries were reported after protests yesterday in Makallah.

ah a handy summary:

Sahwa Net- Yemen U.N. envoy Abdullah Alsaidi and the Minister of Human Rights Huda Alban have declared his resignation in protest over violence against peaceful protestors in Sana’a on Friday. (Read on …)

Does Saleh think he can dialog with the nation the way he dialoged with al Qaeda? Al Hittar, who was head of the Ministry of Endowments, had previously engaged in Koranic dialog with al Qaeda to show them the error of their ways. The process was described as a charade by several former prisoners. Judge al Hittar extracted promises from 341 al Qaeda operatives to remain loyal to Saleh in exchange for their release from jail. Many turned to external jihad, some re-integrated with society and some became productive members of AQAP. The program was discontinued in 2005 after complaints from the US that graduates of the program were turning up in Iraq. So in Saleh’s deformed brain, this was the best man to convince the protest leaders to dialog. However, the JMP are not the protest leaders. BTW, the ministry of endowments has a lot of corruption, selling state land very cheep to elite, as well as its own private prison. Update: al Hittar says he resigned in protest of the civilian deaths and others in Ibb resigned from the GPC.

This is a brilliant comment from a Yemeni friend: “Despite regime’s repression (or perhaps because of it) protests are witnessing, day by day, increasing growth and momentum in numbers and kind and expanding from urban to rural areas. It is going to be a long process during which the ancient regime’s informal institutions are deconstructed and a new system evolves from grassroots to formal institutions.”

Saleh falling back on standard practices, deports four western journos, had stopped issuing journalistic visas weeks ago.

More lunacy: EU urges dialog

Marib governor Ahmed al Zaidi stabbed in neck outside govt building : BBC. Attack came after al Zaidi led an assault by pro-govt thus on anti-regime protesters which injured 35 al Sahwa

Small Wars Journal 5 page pdf re Saleh, AQAP and US: urges no US direct military involvement but extending government throughout nation. (A process that will only, can only, work once Saleh is gone, I might add.)

The Bakil tribe join the protests, a very big development, al Sahwa Chief of the Bakeel Ameen Al-Aokaime reached Monday the entrance of Sana’a University where hundreds of thousands of protestors demonstrate, insisting that he and his followers would not leave until the fall of Yemen’s regime. (Sheikh’s name often spelled Okaime or like that, is in Marib I believe.)

Yemen GONGO (gov’t NGO or clone) Women’s Union says unrest due to conspiracy against state, stooge site: Hour News

Yemeni Ambassador to Switzerland Abdullah al Noaman resigns his post to join the protesters, the first ambassador I believe. We’ve had judges, military men and telecasters resign but this is first ambassador etc.

Parliament confirms bullets not rubber bullets used in Aden. I would think the bullet wounds would have been enough. Nine killed, 30 wounded al Sahwa

47 killed in last four weeks of protests, News Yemen, including 31 in Aden and 6 among other provinces, a much more accurate count than 9.

SANAA, Yemen — Yemen’s president has fired a government minister for failing to persuade an expanding protest movement to end its monthlong challenge to his 32-year rule over one of the most impoverished and volatile corners of the Arab world. (Read on …)