Armies of Liberation

al-Motamar

Almotamar.net - The Specialised Criminal Court on Tuesday fixed the date of one month from today for announcing the sentence against the persons accused of forming an armed gang for killing and sabotage and attacking security institutions (Sana’a 2nd Cell).

In the sitting of the court held Tuesday under chairmanship of Judge Muhsin Alwan, Head of the First Instance Court, the prosecution presented its final presentation and asked the severest sentence legally stipulated against the accused members of the gang.

The presentation mentioned that the defendants had participated in formation of an armed gang for killing, sabotage and attacking security and military institutions by using explosive charges in addition to putting poisons in camps water tanks.

The lawyer of the victims’ families, the killed Majors Abdulgfhani al-Maamari and Yahya Rawee, presented his final statement and requested the execution of the defendants. The defence body of defendant Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani presented also the closing defence and asked the court to acquit their client from charges against him.

At the end of the lawyers reading the closing statement the journalist Mohammed al-Maqaleh bust into noisy laughter and when the court asked him about the reason of his laughter he continued his laughing and ridicule of the trial saying it was a farce. The court decided sending hi to prosecution for interrogation due to his ridiculing the court and violation of the sitting as well as insulting the judiciary.

Ran out of comedians? al-Sahwa

April 13, 2008- Yemen’s security services have been following up a poet, Fuad al-Himiari, since two weeks on charges of sedition and inciting.

Al-Himiari had delivered a speech in a rally organized by the opposition party in Sana’a in which he slammed the government and the ruling party.

Last week, a well known comedic artist, Fahd al-Qarni was arrested on the same charges.

This is a very important survey.

Mareb Press

SANAA, Aid workers say children and adolescents in Saada Governorate, northern Yemen, have experienced high levels of psychological trauma as a result of prolonged fighting between government forces and a Shia rebel group.

Their assertion is based in part on the results of a UN Children’s Fund-funded survey carried out by the Medical Charitable Association (MCA), a local non-governmental organisation. The psycho-social assessment survey covered all 15 of Saada’s districts in August-October 2007.

Some 1,400 respondents were selected, 630 of whom were children and adolescents. Some 92.4 percent of the sampled children and adolescents had been exposed to armed conflict; 5.7 percent were evacuated temporarily from their villages during armed conflict; 44 percent were forced to hide to save their lives; 43.4 percent saw the destruction of their or their friends’ houses; 28 percent felt they were about to die during the conflict; 15 percent were injured; 13.8 percent had at least one family member killed; and 10 percent had one family member missing.

Mohammed al-Maqrami, technical coordinator of the Psychosocial Support Project, told IRIN that 53.2 percent of respondents ranked high on major depressive symptoms, and 49.2 percent on post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

“Saada locals, according to the findings, had high levels of PTSD symptoms - on a par with traumatised populations in post-conflict areas like Nepal, Palestine and Iran,” he said.

According to al-Maqrami, symptoms included depression, anxiety, behavioural and aggression problems, and physical symptoms (like nausea, headaches and tremors).

The Saada Governorate has only seven health facilities, and a population of some 700,000. There is no specialist facility for psychological cases.

Training

On 16 February MCA started a two-week training workshop in Saada city, targeting 70 local people. The trainees include health and education workers, civil society organisations, and community leaders. Mahfoud al-Kadam, an MCA information officer, said the trainees would learn how to deal with psychologically affected people, and also be given manuals.

Once trained, Al-Kadam said, trainees would be sent to the field to deal with traumatised people and also train locals on dealing with them.

According to MCA, delayed onset disorder cases or those with persistent psychological distress, despite receiving psychological first aid and group interventions locally, will need to be referred to regional and central teams for more specialised treatment.

source: IRIN

Ahmed Said Hasid is an editor, activist and Member of Yemeni Parliament. In a televised session, extremist members of Parliament labeled Mr. Hasid a “disbeliever”. He expects to be killed by militants as a result.

The Jawa Report published testimony Mr. Hashid collected from prisoners describing torture, near starvation, children jailed and illegal private prisons. Links below are to the witness testimony and my interview with Mr. Hashid. Hashid was also named the Yemen Times Person of the Year in recognition of his humanitarian work.

Yemeni Parliamentarians forwarded a lawsuit to the prosecutor demanding that Hasid’s parliamentary immunity be revoked so he can be prosecuted. They also demand that the newspaper that Mr. hasid founded, Al-Mustaqilah, be closed down. Yemen’s Parliament has taken no steps to rescue the children in jail, the victims of torture or persons illegally detained in tribal prisons.

In a telephone interview, Hashid told the Yemen Times, “I was considered a disbeliever due to some articles recently published in my newspaper, one of which reported a meeting with an insane person who said, ‘Allah was not fair to me.’ Another issue related to one of the ladies who inquired about a fatwa related to prayer and adultery.”

Prisons in Yemen: Torture by Acid and Electricity, Children Housed with Adults, Hostages, Political Prisoners, No Food for Some

Ahmed Saif Hashid: Yemen Times’ Person of the Year

Witness Testimony From the Dungeons of Yemeni Prisons

(Read on …)

HOOD

Hodeidah Hood team members: Decry the attack on the journalists in Hodeidah
Wednesday 06 February 2008 / Hood online

Hood team in Hodeidah governorate condemned the attack on the journalists who covered the protest of the workers in health sector yesterday. The doctors and the other employees demanded the government for better conditions.

The journalists were Mansour Abu Ali, the correspondent of Al-Ayyam newspaper, Mustfa Badr, al-Gumhuriah newspaper, and Mansoor al-Dubai’I, Saba News Agency. Soldiers of the governorate attacked the journalists by orders from Colonel Hassan al-Haij, the General Secretary of the Hodeidah local council.

Hodeidah Hood team members demanded an investigation for the attack and apologizing to the attacked journalists. In addition, people working in the health sector have every right to protest peacefully to take back their rights, said Hood members in Hodeidah.

This is the organziation headed by Tawwakol Karaman, who has been getting death threats by text message on her and her kids.

Al-SAhwa
December 1, 2007- Political Security has confiscated documents of the Journalists without Chains Organization
JWC said members of the Political Security confiscated on Saturday documents form the civil society exhibition held at Sheraton hotel, Sana’a.
She further explained that security members confiscated documents regarding press freedom in Yemen and refused to give it back.

YO:

The Yemeni Journalist Syndicate held a protest this week, to express solidarity with the journalist Zaid al-Ghabri of the Al-Jumhuria newspaper in Taiz, who was recently attacked in his home. The YSJ was also protesting the continuing oppression of all journalists. “This conference is to show solidarity with the oppressed journalists,” Sami Ghaleb, a member of YJS, said.

Seven members of the military police broke into al-Ghabri’s home and attacked him and his two sons, said Fikri Qasim, his colleague. The military police declined to hand over the attackers to the investigation, he said. Marwan Damaj, the General Secretary of the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate, said that what was most significant is that the perpetrators of attacks on journalists have not been identified or punished. Some 30 journalists from different newspapers attended the protest. But many journalists were disappointed with the low turnout.

“It is a weak activity, and it did not show much,” Balqis al-Lahabi said. Saif al-Washli, a freelance journalist in Sana’a, said that he has been kidnapped once, by unknown assailants. He spoke about the kidnapping for the first time at the protest, and said he has been threatened again. “The danger is lodged in the terrorist gangs that terrify the journalists,” he said. Al-Washali said that he was attacked because he criticized the tribal dominance over the government. “I am working in the media that belongs to the president, and my position is so sensitive, so I thought not to talk.”

Al-Washli said that he fears that his colleagues will not stand by him, which is why he has not spoken of his ordeal until now, he said. “See, out of a thousand journalists, the crowd that has come here for the protest is so few in number,” he said. He added that the weak stand of the YJS is another reason that he didn’t speak out earlier. “The syndicate contents itself with protests and condemning press releases,” he said, “whereas it has to press on the concerned authority to investigate and find out the criminals and protect the journalists.”

Ali al-Faqeeh, another journalist, said that during the protest, Abdul-Hadi Naji, a correspondent for Al-Ayyam in Aden, was still locked in the prison for financial problems, and he has since been accused of further crimes. Damaj said that the worst thing is that the journalists’ attackers are unknown. “The unknown identities of the attackers make it a difficult problem to face,” he said.

Furthermore, there is no single case in which the attackers’ identity was revealed by the police, he said. Mohamed al-Audaini, the head of the Yemeni Freedom center, said that he has been charged with murder. “I have no idea whom I am supposed to have killed,” he said. He feels these charges stem from a government plot against him. He thanked Nasr Taha Moustafa, the head of the syndicate, for his personal efforts to get him out of the jail. Some of the audience objected to the use of the word ‘personal’ for it is reducing the role played by the syndicate.

Yet he insisted on this, and said it is true. “Without his personal efforts, nothing would have been done for me,” he said. Abdul-Raheem Mohsen, a writer, said that there are many non-official organizations that work against journalists. He added that the syndicate is gathering the cream of the society, and they have to work together as a single unit to make these acts effective.

Few of the YJS’ top officials attended the protest. But Ghaleb said that their attendance isn’t important, because they are simply gathering in solidarity, and it is enough if just one person shows up from the syndicate.

AS

Politicians and lawyers expressed their fears after the escalation of preventing opposition members form travel abroad, interring other countries and inspecting them lawlessly.

They considered such violations as recession in rights and freedoms which include several fields, confirming that such procedures are deliberate abuses against all those who oppose the Yemeni regime.

The Yemeni politician, Dr. Abdullah Alfaqi ,the lawyers Abdulazis Alsmawi and Khalid Alanisi said that they fear if those abuses turn to a phenomenon which may exploit mutual ties between regimes to settle accounts with political opponents as happened for Sheikh Hossain Alahmer in Cairo Airport last month .

They demanded to try all involved people in such lawlessness, evoke the cause and consider it as a violation for the constitution.

The professor of the political sciences in Sana’a University, Dr. Alfaqi considered such practices as a dangerous precedent, demanding to question all involved people .

Alsmawi said that the Egyptian government should not have worked a police director for the Yemeni Government and should know that it is a sovereign state.

The security authorities prevented a number of political activists ; the journalist , Abdulkarim Alkhywni , the activist, Alil Aldailmi ,and the head of political sciences in Sana’a University, Mohammad Aldhahri and inspecting the parliamentarians Hamid Alahmer , Hossain Alahmer ,other journalists , politicians and students

SANA’A, Jan. 24 — An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman confirmed that his government is seriously discussing the issue of threats targeting the Jewish minority in Yemen, Yemeni Prime Minister Abdulqader Bajammal said Tuesday.

Bajammal added that his government rejects all threats against the Jewish minority by some Al-Salem sheikhs in Sa’ada. He stated in a Sana’a press conference attended by Jordan’s Prime Minister that the state is responsible for protecting its citizens in order to maintain the social peace.

He added that religious forgiveness in Yemen is a historic matter and dates back several years. “We don’t allow anyone to harm any of the Jewish citizens in Yemen. We strongly reject what happened to Jews in Sa’ada,” Bajammal noted, promising state protection for citizens, including the Jewish minority.

The nation’s official response came after the Israeli government last Monday expressed its concern about the peace and safety of Jews in Yemen following media reports that many Yemeni Jews fled their homes after facing murder threats by armed Islamic organizations.

(Read on …)

SANA’A, Dec. 20 — Four Yemeni journalists urged the United Nations to protect them from physical harm, hunting, assaults and harassments. They complained that their freedom of expression is restricted.

In a letter sent to U.N. Human Rights Council, a copy of which was published by Al-Tajamu’ weekly, journalists urged the UNHRC to intercede and take an international decision to protect them in conformity with international conventions and legitimacies.

“The State hunts us, abuses our rights and restrict our freedom of expressions,” the Yemeni journalists said in their letter. “We were subjected to abduction, forcible disappearance and illegal and unconstitutional arrests. We are deprived of our livelihood sources because we criticize corruption and the military regime that has been grasping power for 28 years.”

The four journalists called on their colleagues to support their request, which is backed and signed by the famous writer and human rights activist Abdurrahim Mohsin, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Al-Deyyar newspaper, Hamoud Al-Mahdhari, Editor-In-Chief of Al-Shoura Net, Abdulkarim Al-Khaiwani and the journalist Abdulqawi Al-Qubati.

Al-Khaiwani at the conference on press freedoms:

YO: Journalist Abdul-Kareem al-Khaiwani totally disagreed with the minister. “It is hard to even discuss press issues under this climate of constant oppression,” he said. Al-Khaiwani, who was imprisoned, but later pardoned by a presidential decree, gave examples of recent journalists who suffered oppression.

“Qaid al-Tairi was kidnapped, and the ministry of interior did not investigate that,” he said. “He was banned from traveling and was sent back from the airport.” He noted that the same thing had happened to him at the airport, though there was no judicial provision for the ban. Al-Khaiwani then suggested that legislation was only part of the problem. “What can the law say about the cloning of newspapers?” he said, referring to his newspaper being assembled by someone else under the same name.

“What about the case of Rahma Hojeirah and Hafiz al-Bokari, two journalists who have been badly slandered in one of the newspapers?” Motahar al-Masri, the deputy Minister of Interior, said that no actions were being undertaken, because no legislation warranted such actions. Both the deputies of the minister of the interior and the minister of information said that the current press legislation was not being applied, because it would restrain journalist’s freedom too greatly.

Well thats news to me, but leave it to Dunnigan, Strategy Page:

April 13, 2006: Why are other countries, like Yemen and Cambodia, coming to Indonesia to get their commandoes trained? In a word, reputation.

The Indonesian special forces, called Kopassus, is regarded as the best in the Pacific area. Founded in the early 1950s, their training methods came direct from the World War II British commandoes, via a Dutch soldier who served in the British commandoes, and retired from the Dutch army while in Indonesia. The Indonesians took to the tough training, and maintained those standards. Kopassus has mainly been used against separatist, rebel and terrorist groups within Indonesia. While Kopassus acquired Western military skills, they still retained Indonesian attitudes, which meant that they were pretty vicious with “internal enemies.” Lots of torture and mass killing. This gave Kopassus a bad reputation, but mostly from foreigners. Militarily, they are highly regarded, although American advisors have long tried to convince that a less violent approach to hostile civilians might work better.

Both Cambodia and Yemen share the bloody minded Indonesian attitude towards internal dissent. That might have had something to do with going to Kopassus for special operations training. Sort of a “they speak our language” thing?

Kopassus currently consists of a headquarters, two brigades of special forces (three battalions each), and an 800 man counter-terror unit. There is also a training center with 400-500 troops, and a company sized combat intelligence unit.

Translation

JMP Denounces the Attempt on the Life of Dr. Yasin Saeed Noaman

The Joint Meeting Parties ( Ahzab Alliqa’a Al- Mushtarak) of Opposition
Parties expresses its strong condemnation of the criminal threat targeting
YSP, its leaders and cadres, and declares its full solidarity with the YSP
and its General Secretary, Dr. Yasin Saeed Noaman.

Dr. Yasin Saeed Moaman

DECLARATION BY:
THE JOINT MEETING PARTIES (ALLIQA’A AL- MUSHTARAK)
OF OPPOSTION PARTIES

The Joint Assembly of Opposition Parties (JMP) in the Republic of Yemen
strongly condemns the threat and harassment against Dr. Yasin Saeed Noaman,
the Secretary General of the Yemeni Socialist Party last Sunday. Such act
cannot be attributed to spontaneous involuntary agitation, but came in the
context of a concerted smearing campaign by the official mass media and the
press of the ruling party, for weeks on end, against Dr. Yasin himself and
other JMP leaders.

The JMP leadership expresses its pride in Dr. Yasin , highly values his
patriotic political roles, and appreciates in general the responsible views
and attitudes adopted by him, which reflect his sound judgments and
penetrating vision; and considers that the use of slander and threats
against him only reflects political bankruptcy and the degree of immorality
and unethical behavior to which the perpetrators of such tactics have
descended. The abasement has led them to abort the way of dialogue and fair
dealings with the opposition and prompted them to resort to dirty tricks to
create crisis after crisis to cover up their bankruptcy and failure.

The JMP reaffirms its complete rejection of the use of methods of personal
libel and slander in political action, and condemnation of irresponsible
acts of incitement against opposition parties and leaders through official
media channels, mobilization of state apparatus and staff through hate and
propaganda speeches, victimization based on spreading of lies, dissemination
of false accusations, smearing the reputation, patriotism, and faith of
opposition figures, and distorting and falsifying facts on their attitudes
and conscience. This leads on a later stage to the use of political
assassination methods and the commitment of the most atrocious crimes
against political opponents. The assassination, three years ago, of the
martyr Jarallah Omar, the YSP vice-General Secretary, may his soul rest in
peace, was just one bitter fruit of this black propaganda and offensive
incitement.

The JMP, while strongly condemns this criminal attempt targeting the YSP,
its leaders and cadre, expresses its full solidarity with the YSP, and its
Secretary General Dr. Yasin Saeed Noaman, the prominent and respected
nationalist personality, whom the whole Yemeni People harbors love for and
appreciation to., Our parties see in him a source of pride as a political
leader endowed with prudence, rationality, competence, and credibility.

The JMP coalition of parties calls upon its local branches, organizations,
and offices to manifest this solidarity by upgrading its political
performance and action with the masses, to expose the objectives of
incitement, slander and threat campaigns against opposition leaders and
figures, and the motives which lurk behind the reproduction of crises to
disturb political climates on the advent of two crucial political events the
country is waiting for next September, the presidential and local elections.

May Allah Help Us All.

The Joint Meeting of Opposition Parties
11 April 2006

Yemeni Islah Congregation
Yemeni Socialist Party
Unionist Popular Nasserite Organization
Haq Party
Union of Yemeni Popular Forces

DECLARATION:

THE YEMENI SOCIALIST PARTY DENOUNCES AN ATTEMPT
ON THE LIFE OF ITS SECRETARY GENERAL

The General Secretariat of the Yemeni Socialist Party issued a statement
denouncing an attempt on the life of Dr. Yasin Saeed Noaman, the Secretary
General of the Yemeni Socialist Party, and the ex-speaker of the House of
Deputies (the Parliament).

The General Secretariat considers that the threat targeting the Secretary
General is in fact a manifestation of the impact of offensive official
propaganda against opposition parties and leaders, and a product of the
culture of exclusion, bigotry and victimization, adopted by such official
media and apparatus. Our country has lost some of its best politicians and
finest intellectuals as victims of such hate culture in the past.

The General Secretariat hold the Authorities responsible for protecting the
life of Dr. Yasin Saeed Noaman, reiterating the affirmation that the
attempt on such a national political symbol of the stature and standing of
Dr. Yasin is nothing less than an attempt targeting the political and social
stability of the country.

The General Secretariat reasserts its position that such practices of
exclusion and victimization of opposition politicians, and making
threatening signs on their lives will not deter our party or other political
activists from continuing the struggle in defense of people’s rights and
liberties, and for advocating democratic values.

The General Secretariat of the YSP, while denouncing this coward act, calls
upon all Party members, cadres, and supporters, as well as all political
forces and civil society organizations and activists to raise the degree of
awareness and vigilance, and face up to all dangerous attempts on the lives
of national political figures or any tempering around with the security and
stability of the country.

The General Secretariat of the Yemeni Socialist Party
10 April, 2006

The Yemeni Journalists Syndicate discussed preparations for the holding of a general assembly meeting of the syndicate to elect a new chairman. The former chair resigned due to health reasons. The syndicate’s next meeting will discuss final plans for the holding of the assembly and will set a date.
Concerning the demand of some to re-elect a new chamber, Sami Ghalib stated that the matter has already been decided by the group’s bylaws. “We respect the perspectives of our members, however, we must abide by what our bylaws say and that is to elect a new chairman.” He noted that there were internal instruments to which those wishing to reelect a new chamber could resort to.

The chamber summoned the editor in chief of Akhbar Al-Yom and accused its American correspondent, Arafat Midabish, of being an agent for the CIA.

This is the same guy who interviewed the Abyan Aden Islamic Army guy. And now they say he’s CIA,

Anonymous men opened fire on the residence of Tawfiq Al-Khamiri, secretary general of the hotels union and deputy prime minister for businessmen and investors as well as head of the administrative council for hotels and investment.
The security forces did not proffer any information to NewsYemen. Al-Khamiri however told NewsYemen that there have been no results from the investigation of last Wednesday’s attack. He refused to blame anyone in particular. “How can the government call for foreign investment constantly and they are unable to prevent such an attack like this. We are in the center of the capital for heaven’s sake!”
Al-Khamiri’s home sustained an attack last week.

News Yemen

More troops
More Salafi preachers
New random arrests
New Attack
Check-points remain

The amnesty is going swimmingly.

SA’ADA, April 9 — An Al-Houthi follower was killed and another two injured Friday evening when soldiers opened fire on their car as it was passing through a military checkpoint in the restive Sa’ada province.

According to Al-Shoura Net, soldiers at Al Mute’e military checkpoint fired at a car carrying eight passengers, killing one and injuring two. This is the first incident since official declaration that the Sa’ada fighting is over, followed by government reconciliation with Al-Houthi followers a few weeks ago.

Sources said the victim was an Al-Houthi follower and confirmed that those inside the car never returned fire on the soldiers.

Abdulmalik Al-Houthi mentioned that the incident violated reconciliation and general amnesty, while many area residents complained to the governor about arbitrary practices by soldiers at the checkpoint. Locals insisted that the checkpoint be removed, saying there is no justification for its presence, but their demand was unmet.

Al-Houthi holds authorities accountable for the incident, warning of renewed tension, particularly as it coincided with troop intensification. He confirmed that villagers witnessed 20 military vehicles transporting troops into the area.

Al-Houthi pointed out that many of his followers were arrested in the past few days as they returned home following general amnesty and official declaration that the war is over.

He stated that Al-Houthi followers released never exceeded 80, while the other hundreds of citizens authorities announced they released were captured randomly by security authorities, although they have no connection with Al-Houthi.

“The incident implies that the government is not serious enough to implement official declarations concerning general amnesty, releasing prisoners and stopping the hunt for Al-Houthi followers,” Al-Houthi said. He added that they informed Sa’ada’s governor and the mediation committee about such illegal practices. Authorities replaced former mosque preachers in Sa’ada with Salafi ones, which locals believe may renew the crisis.

Yemen Times

In the US, when one company wants to take ownership of another company, they go and buy a lot of shares until they have a majority ownership stake; in Yemen when someone wants to takeover a company, they send armed men to the location while persuading the local officials not to intervene. This also the proceedure to gain possession of land and houses.

IBB, April 9 — The National Company for Mineral Water in Al-Siani, Ibb was attacked by armed individuals in a military car. Dressed in civilian clothes, five men threatened employees with death and blowing up the factory unless they left and wrote a document confirming the factory’s seizure.

According to Yahya Al-Siani, general manager of the factory’s external relations, the armed men first threatened to kill the guards unless they opened the gates, insulting them and calling them swine. They then stormed the factory and attacked employee Yousef Abdulqadir, the factory’s chief accountant.

The attackers alleged that they were doing this because the factory was theirs, as their sheikh, Ali Hizam Al-Buslani, had bought it from businessman Tawfeek Abdurahim Mutahar. They said they were sent to close the factory for an indefinite time.

Factory administration reported the incident to Al-Siani security headquarters, which sent an armed military vehicle with some soldiers. According to factory workers, the soldiers took the five attackers and some of factory employees for questioning.

Al-Siani said all factory employees were interrogated; however, security questioned only three of the attackers, who seemed to have outside intervention. They left Al-Siani area within a few hours of questioning, affirming that they will return with their whole tribe to seize the factory.

Al-Siani confirmed that the region’s security commander, Col. Ali Abu Ghanim, seems to be plotting with the men, as they are from his area of ‘Arhab.’ According to Al-Siani, Ghanim released them on a written pledge to return Saturday, but they did not. Al-Siani added that a petition was submitted to the governor and the governorate security administration, which directed Ghanim to take necessary measures. However, according to Al-Siani, he did nothing.

The mineral water company was established two years ago under the name “Biladi” in a partnership between Salahadeen Group of companies with 75 percent of shares, Mutahar with four percent and the remaining 21 percent for local area residents. According to the factory’s public relations, it is not confirmed yet whether Mutahar sold his shares.

Yemen Times

This al-Hakimi had some “troubles” before this, I have to look it up.

SANA’A, April 9 — Journalist Abdulfatah Al-Hakimi remains in intensive care in an Aden hospital, his health deteriorating after his car was sprayed with an unknown gas. He became asphyxiated when he got into the vehicle and inhaled the gas, which affected his respiratory system. Thereafter, he suffered severe exhaustion and a drop in blood sugar. He was rushed to intensive care at an Aden hospital.

Press sources confirmed that eyewitnesses saw several unknown individuals spray a gas through the journalist’s car window and run away when some children came near.

Al-Hakimi is the former deputy chairperson of Aden’s October 14 establishment for journalism, press and publication. He was discharged by republican decree due to his writings about Sa’ada’s events more than a year ago. Al-Hakimi is famous for his daring criticism of the government and its departments.

In a separate incident, journalist Abdulsalam Jabir, secretary of Socialist Party mouthpiece Al-Thori newspaper, also was involved in a serious car accident last Saturday, April 8, on the road between Dhamar and Ma’abar as he headed to visit his family.

According to Al-Ishtiraki Net, the accident occurred when the Peugeot commuter car in which Jabir was traveling collided with a Cressida. Both drivers died and passengers were badly injured. Jabir received a badly fractured pelvis and bruises to his head, in addition to fractures on various parts of his body. He was taken to Sana’a Military Hospital.

Journalist Arafat Mudabish, a Sawa radio correspondent in Sana’a, resigned from the journalists syndicate in protest of its failure to defend him after some newspapers attacked him.

Journalist Marwan Damaj, journalists syndicate rights and freedoms secretary, criticized the phenomenon of several unnamed newspapers charging journalists and the press with treason and instigation, adding that the phenomenon has become a heavy burden upon the press and threatens to spoil journalism. He added that those in charge of such newspapers think they are doing a patriotic job. Damaj accused them of committing serious crimes against the country, adding that they attack journalists while fortifying themselves under official umbrellas.

These incidents occur at a time of crisis for the journalists syndicate following last month’s resignation of its head, Mahboob Ali. Journalist and parliamentary leaderships believe that the syndicate’s crisis is not an excuse to pass the new Press Law, which does not serve the press or its objectives, nor does it advocate journalists’ freedoms.

In addition, the Journalist and parliamentary leaderships consider the official campaign against the press an effort to divide them, emphasizing the necessity of syndicate unity. They demanded that syndicate leadership coordinate with the journalists to defeat the new law and develop the syndicate’s internal statute.

In another journalism-related incident, a report issued by the U.S. State Department’s Democracy and Human Rights office and submitted to Congress contains detailed information on challenges and progress in 15 Middle Eastern states, including Yemen.

The report mentioned that restrictions against press freedom are on the rise, declaring that harassments against Yemeni journalists “caused great damage to Yemen’s reputation, which used to be the free press stronghold in the Middle East.” The report also mentioned the Sa’ada incidents and confirmed the U.S. commitment to supporting democracy and respect for human rights among other issues.

from the Yemen Times

Update: no no no thats not right either. This I think is it: under the new wages law the teachers recieve less pay then they did under the old teachers law: (YT)

So the new wage law does not give raises, thats then the issue. From the Yemen Times:

Thousands of teachers and education workers staged a sit-in Tuesday in front of Parliament to protest against government’s false promises. The government issued a new wage and salary law, which they say is unfair since it puts down teachers and education workers.

Protesters raised banners and chanted slogans denouncing violations and attacks authorities launched on striking teachers. They described such acts irresponsible and illegal.

The sit-in was held two weeks after teachers and education workers went on strike and ceased working in schools and education offices nationwide. This led authorities to take tough and irresponsible measures such as firing some teachers and preventing them from resuming work. Authorities asked police to help hunt and arrest strikers.

Yemeni Teachers Syndicate (YTS) Secretary-General Ali Al-Rubaihi pointed out that the sit-in is a reaction to arbitrary procedures authorities implemented against teachers. “This is a massive violation of teachers’ rights ensured by law,” he said.

Al-Rubaihi noted that the second clause of Labor Law Article No. 48 states that penalties, including dismissal, must not be imposed on workers while striking. “Peaceful strike is one of the legal means for workers and their unions or syndicates to defend their rights and claim their legal demands if their issues are not resolved through negotiations,” he added.

26/3/2006 al Shawa

Parliament summons two ministers over teachers strike

Al-Sahwa.net - The parliament agreed on Sunday
to summon the ministers of civil service and education
for questioning next Wednesday over the strike that
teachers started last week protesting to drops in the
new strategy of wages.
MP Abdul-Karim Shaiban said that teachers in many
governorates face aggressive practices because they
asked for their rights guaranteed by law and
constitution.
MP for the Yemeni Socialist Party Mohammad al-Saqaf
Ba-alghaith wondered from the government ignorance for
teachers’ “legal requests” and keeping silent toward
the issue of teachers who seek improving their life
standards.
Ba-alghaith criticized the government attempt to use
secondary school graduates and university students to
fill the vacuum strikers left in schools. “Instead the
government has to find proper solutions,” said
Ba-alghaith.
MP Fuad Dehabah accused the government of breaching
the law of wages and salaries number 43 for the year
2005 and depriving teachers from their legal rights.
“The Parliament has to earnestly protect teachers and
to assign specialized committees to follow up the
government to achieve the wages and salaries
law,” Dehabah said.

This IRIN article makes it look like they just want a raise where as the al-Shawa articles makes it clear they are striking for the implementation of the salaries law.

Despite government warnings, local school teachers are planning to stage a nationwide strike on 3 April to demand higher salaries, according to Yemeni Teachers Union (YTU) Chairman Ahmed al-Rubahi.

“We’ve informed the government that we will go ahead with our decision to stage massive demonstrations in the capital and in other cities. We’re not breaking the law, but exercising our constitutional rights,” said al-Rubahi, adding that protests were scheduled to start on Tuesday in Sana’a.

“Unless the government fulfils our demands for higher pay, demonstrations will certainly be carried out.”

In a 25 March press statement, however, the interior ministry warned teachers against participating in planned protests.
“This is an infringement of law no. 29 of 2003, which stipulates that licenses must be granted for any protest,” the statement noted. “People calling for such a protest are to be held accountable for any riots or other lawless acts.”

The YTU initially called for the strike following a breakdown in talks with the government last week. “We’re demanding higher pay for the teaching staff and are protesting against the harassment we’ve faced to deter us from striking,” said al-Rubahi. He went on to complain of heavy-handed measures taken against dissatisfied schoolteachers, including arrests, dismissals and threats of salary suspensions.

“We’ve used all possible means, including wearing red badges and staging partial strikes to pressure the government to meet our demands,” he said.

Teachers are insisting on a 110-percent pay rise, including allowances. Currently, school teachers are paid the equivalent of between US $150 and US $200 a month. Assistant professors at universities are paid the equivalent of US $500 a month.

Al-Rubahi explained that the quality of education countrywide could be expected to deteriorate unless teachers’ demands were met. “The role of teachers in a society plagued with illiteracy and poverty is vital,” he said. “Unless they are paid well, they won’t be able to perform their jobs properly.”

According to government statistics, almost 50 percent of the population aged between 10 and 45 are illiterate. The number hovers at about 30 percent among men and exceeds 67 percent among women.

Minister of Civil Service Hamoud Khaled al-Sufi expressed disapproval of the planned strike. “Teachers should know that pay rises are governed by available resources and the overall economic structure of the state,” he said. With teachers representing half of the country’s civil service, he added, available resources were insufficient to increase salaries across the board.

More from al Sahwa: (3/23)

Teachers in many schools in Aden
continue their strike over the government delay to
increase their salaries according to wages strategy
and students protest detention of their teachers.

In Khor Maksar city, 85 percent of schools responded
to the general strike called for by the Yemeni
Teachers Syndicate and in other schools the percentage
ranging between 70% to 50%.

Students in Batheeb Secondary School made a sit-in on
Wednesday protesting the detention campaign against
teachers. They carried placards calling for justice
and releasing the school teachers whom security forces
detained Tuesday over the strike.

Security forces in Aden arrested on Tuesday four
teachers and released only one of them.
Al-Sahwa.net was informed that Aden prosecution sent a
letter to the central security office asking for
releasing all teachers as detention did not base on
legal evidence.

Lawyer of detained teachers Mohammad al-Amrawi said
security authorities have no legal justification to
practice such detentions.

“Strike is a guaranteed right that teachers used as a
legal choice to defend their financial rights based on
the law No.35 regarding the syndicates work,” said
al-Amrawi. “The Yemeni Teachers Syndicate arranged for
the strike according to law so there is no any reason
gives them the right to prevent the strike.”

The lawyer of YTS said the illegal practice was the
detention of teachers without legal justification,
describing the behavior of security forces as
“teachers rights violation”.

And of course if all else fails, call them Houthis, terrorists or seperatists, arrest them, beat them up and take away their jobs: al Sahwa (3/22)

Head of Yemeni Teachers Syndicate branch in Hodeidah
Abdul-Hafiz al-Hutami accused the security forces of
raiding al-Noor educational complex in an attempt to
replace the strikers with other teachers, but said
students refused the new teachers and threw them with
stones.

He said the education office in Shabwa impeded 14
schools directors and three teachers.
In Aden, the security forces arrested three teachers
Tuesday morning and brought them to the office of the
Political Security Organization for investigation over
provoking teachers to do strike.

Head of Yemeni Teachers Syndicate branch in Hodeidah
Abdul-Hafiz al-Hutami accused the security forces of
raiding al-Noor educational complex in an attempt to
replace the strikers with other teachers, but said
students refused the new teachers and threw them with
stones.

He told al-Sahwa.net the head of the education office
in Hodeidah and vice rector of Hodeidah University had
broken-in the Al-Hara’a Girls School and tried to
convince female teachers to break the strike, but said
the teachers refused and forced them to leave. …

It is said that teachers in Abyan and other
governorates received threats to be replaced or sent
to other places or dismissed if not give up strike.
Al-Sahwa.net got some detention and transmitting
letters against teachers in different governorates
over the strike.

Chairman of the Yemeni Teachers Syndicate confirmed in
a statement to journalists that teachers who achieved
the general strike were accused by security
authorities of terrorist acts and backing al-Houthi
rebellion and plotting to revolt against the regime.

The Yemeni Teachers Syndicate warned the government
days ago of strikes all over the country if the latter
“does not raise the salaries of teachers based on the
wages strategy”, but the government did not fulfill
its promises.

YT: “In a March 24 statement, teachers and educators syndicates confirmed continuation of an open comprehensive strike in all educational institutions until their demands are met. The Yemen Times received a copy of the statement, which holds the government responsible for all deterioration that has befallen the education process. They also confirmed that the strike involves 85 percent of the republic’s schools.

The syndicates denounced oppression and professional terrorism by some officials, going as far as detention. The statement said officials prevented some teachers from entering their schools and asked the help of armed vehicles to dodge striking teachers. The statement also accused officials of firing a large number of striking teachers, while deputies, headmasters and managers were replaced on the pretext that they were lenient in resisting striking teachers. The last such oppression mentioned was preventing strikers from signing attendance lists.”

By the way, I wonder how those negotiations with the al-Qaeda escapees are going…its been several weeks since President Ali Abdullah Saleh reported that he was in contact with the escapees and negotiating with them for their return.

From New Yemen:

Riyad Al-Ghili, imam of the Awqaf mosque is still imprisoned following a press statement made by him stating that he had informed security concerning the holes around his mosque prior to the escape of 23 convicts. Among those who fled are many indicted for their connection with Al-Qaeda. They escaped through tunnels from the prison that exited into the women’s restroom of the Awqaf mosque.
Al-Ghili was released three days after his imprisonment and before the escape of the prisoners. He told News Yemen that members of the security force invaded his home. He also confirmed that he was investigated by the public prosecutor’s office and not by security.
The lawyer Khaled Al-Ansi, executive director for the national organization for the defense of rights and freedoms stated that he considers Al-Ghili’s imprisonment a breach of human rights. He confirmed that his organization had spoken with the deputy general and head of the political security unit.
The relatives of Al-Ghili have criticized the AP and News Yemen for not covering his arrest.
Al-Ansi considers the imprisonment an aggression against society’s right to know information and opinions as well as the charges filed against his person especially since this is a private citizen and not a government employee.
He was arrested the night of Wednesday and taken from his home.
The lawyer Mohammed Naji Alawa demanded the public prosecutor’s office to take swift action in investigating the issue and to allow the defendant to speak for himself. He continued by saying he hopes the authorities deal with the issue in accordance to the constitution and laws of the land.
Mr. Alawa stated that Hud will implore the council to investigate the case with respect to the prisoners’ rights. He declared that the prisoners currently live in inhumane circumstances and are handcuffed. They are in solitary confinement and are not allowed visitors.
In Al-Ghili’s first statement after his release he said that he had informed the police of the tunnels after hearing sounds coming from them. However, the police declared this as imaginations only.

Update: Nope. Not released, any of them. Dangit. Only rumors that they may be released but no official statement. Well it would have been excellent news.

from News Yemen: She repeated her praise for release of Judge Luqman, Yahia al-Dilmy, and Muhammad Miftah.

That is very good. Luqman had been in jail for years already. Al-Dilmy was sentenced to death and Miftah to ten years.

Well thats a good idea, considering the journos are excluded, for the MP’s to go. Maybe finally we can have an independent (?) assessment of the humanitarian situation. From News Yemen:

The General People’s Congress’ (GPC) assistant secretary-general and head of the GPC parliamentary block, Sultan al-Barakani said that the MPs as members of a parliamentary delegation visiting Saada on Monday just want to get acquainted with the situation there….Yemen Observer newspaper website in Arabic has quoted al-Barakani as saying that the visit aims to be acquainted with the governorate and evaluate the security and developmental situation in it, adding that the visit will also include many of its districts, especially the remote ones that were scenes of military fighting between the government forces and the rebels. He has pointed out that the MPs will meet citizens and the local authorities to discuss with them the needs of the governorate and its problems and what could the parliament offer in this regard….

Abdulmalik al-Houthi said whom he described as his followers had ceased fire, indicating that they “are keen on the comprehensive peaceful solution and we use arms just for self-defense rather than achieving demands” He denied his signing of any agreement with the government, but said ceasefire was achieved by virtue of the good efforts and that he was feeling a positive official direction for solving the issue. Al-Shoura net has quoted him as saying that the dialogue is the ideal way to reach a solution sparing bloodshed and stopping daily losses. He added that there are some parties in the authority beneficiary from the war and they work for its continuation.

The residents sent out a pamphlet in April ‘05 that 65,000 residents had their homes destroyed, about 8000 homes presumably. I cant imagine that they’ve all been resettled or that things have improved in the last year. Its worrisome. So its good somebody is going in, considering its been closed off for the better part of two years. More on the new governor in the Yemen Times.

What this means, what is the deal, why anyone would escape just to surrender: I dont know. From the YObserver:

President Ali Abdullah Saleh confirmed that three Al-Qaeda inmates who were part of a group that managed to escape from a Yemeni jail earlier this month have given themselves up to the government…

“So far, three have given themselves up and we are in contact with the rest of them and they are for certain still inside the country,” president of Yemen told the paper.“They want to give themselves up and most of them have finished the majority of their sentence already.”

How odd, who accomplished what here? They finished most of their sentences, so…..

On the other hand, John Kerry will be happy to know that not everybody considers him a lilly- livered wimp…

On the other hand, the Yemeni authorities put last Wednesday on trial 17 men, including five Saudis, charged with planning attacks against US interests in the country on the orders of the leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi. The prosecutor said the defendants had planned to carry out “criminal attacks” to avenge the US Central Intelligence Agency’s killing of a top Al-Qaeda operative in 2002. He said they had travelled to Iraq and then returned to Yemen in 2004 to “carry out their mission on the directives of Abu Musab Al Zarqawi”. The defendants admitted to going to Iraq but denied planning any attacks in Yemen. “Our problem with the United States is in Iraq, not Yemen,” said the leader of the group, Ali Al-Sayyad Al-Harithi.

He said he had received explosive-making training in Iraq but that he had left after he said that John Kerry, the Democratic candidate in the 2004 US presidential election, had threatened Yemen. “I wanted to defend my country,” he added.

Somehow related, the US complains about Zindani and the FBI searches the offices of the Yemeni national airlines. From DEBKA:

The FBI seizes suspicious documents in raid of Yemen airline Yamaniya offices in Dearborn, Detroit:
The raid was carried out after Yemeni president Ali Abdallah Salah refused a White House request to arrest the prominent radical Sheikh Abdul Majid Zindani, head of the powerful Islamist al-Islah (Reform) party and Iman University of Sanaa, for inciting to terrorism. DEBKAfile’s counter-terror sources report that although the sheikh is on a UN list of terrorists, Salah included him in his official party to the Islamic Conference summit in Mecca last December. He is respected as a scholar in Saudi Arabia. The Yemeni president demanded US intelligence proofs of Zindani’s involvement in terrorism. Iman University is known as a breeding ground for radical Islamists. He has been recorded in a speech as accusing “Bush and the Jews” of conspiring to carry out the Sept. 11 attack in New York.

That great liberal icon Michael Moore also accuses Bush and the Jews of carrying out 9/11. Back on the planet earth, though, it was a little surprising when Zindani went to Mecca, but that was December, after Saleh’s visit in November.

Keeping with the good news theme, hope for an end to the Houthi rebellion. From the Yemen Observer:

Yeya Al-Shami, the new Governor of Saada, has said that the judiciary is preparing to release hundreds of the Houthi’s followers within the next few days, a media report said. The moves follow the successful talks made between the Mediation and Dialogue Committee with the Houthi followers, persuading them to stop attacks on official and government institutions in the northern Saada region. Al-Shami, the head of the committee, said that the committee was continuing its efforts to reach an end to the rebellion for the sake of national interest.

“The committee is on the way to root out the rebellion,” he said. Sheikhs, clerics, civil society organizations and local council officials all took part in the mediation talks. Steps would be taken to release those prisoners who are not found to be guilty, freed after mediation efforts by prominent social figures in response to orders by the President. A statement, signed by Abdul-Karim Al-Houthi confirmed his and his followers support for the law and state legitimacy.

There’s been a lot of deaths of soldiers, civilians and rebels.

Supervisors demoted for not belonging to the ruling party, from New Yemen:

The West Secretariat Court is to consider next week a lawsuit filed by 186 educational supervisors against the Ministry of Education and the Capital Secretariat after they had returned the to work as teachers.
Lawyer Ismael al-Dailami, who represents the 186 supervisors at the court told NewsYemen that the complaint was on Monday registered as administrative lawsuit, adding that arbitrary decisions taken by the ministry of education and the capital secretariat involved 472 education supervisors. The lawyer made it clear that those supervisors gained the title of supervisors according to the law and had met all conditions of the title and worked as field supervisors for one year under training on expense of the education ministry and some donor parties. Moreover they had worked for many years as teachers, some of them for 15 years, while they have been replaced by new teachers who have to work under training for one year.
Lawyer al-Dailami said those government establishments’ decisions have canceled previous ones and caused damage to rights the supervisors had acquired and affected them morally through returning them to lower degree. He emphasized those decisions do not serve the higher interest and are based on power abuse in implementation of partisan whims because these supervisors are not members of the ruling party.
It is worth mentioning that tens of education supervisors had last week staged a sit-in in front of the parliament building for the same cause.

Like the loyalty pledges

Much discussion lately has been centered on what limits a responsible media should place on itself. At the other end of the spectrum remains the burning issue of censorship, propaganda and governmental limitations on the flow of information to the public. For some years the reformist posture of the Yemeni regime of Ali Abdullah Saleh had credibility internationally because of the existence of a lively Yemeni press. One reason confidence in Saleh’s commitment to democratization has diminished is a prolonged and systematic assault on Yemeni journalists, as an informative press is the bedrock of a government run by the people.

International reaction to the government’s proposed amendments to Yemen’s Press and Publications Law has been unanimous in condemning the measure as a mechanism of heightened censorship and an infringement on the rights of the Yemeni public.

The Committee of Protect Journalists recently issued an alert outlining numerous and often violent attacks on Yemeni journalists. The CPJ noted that journalists have been stabbed, shot, bombed, arrested, kidnapped and threatened. Newspapers have been fined, closed, and cloned-ie, “establishing similarly titled and similar-looking newspapers to undercut them and confuse readers.” A transcript of a journalist’s tapped telephone conversation with his wife was circulated via email. According to CPJ research, “Witnesses and evidence point to involvement by government officials and suspected state agents in a number of brutal assaults.” In 2005, the violations averaged about one a week. The CPJ notes that the judiciary is also used as a means of retribution against journalists. The latest violation is the verdict against the opposition newspaper al-Thoury and its editor Khalid Solman, The paper, the editor, and several writers were found guilty of the crime of insulting the president.

One function of the media is to act as a watchdog on government, constructively reporting on its failures as well as successes. With increasing concentration of political power, military power, land ownership, and business ownership in much of the same hands, there are very powerful forces working against transparency in Yemen. As illegal and unjust practices multiplied, so have attacks on Yemen’s journalists. In the context of widespread corruption, hostile and powerful elite prefer to operate without public scrutiny.

The institutions that normally would provide a vehicle for the expression of the peoples’ voice are disabled in Yemen, often becoming an extension of regime power. Those in civil society with independence are undermined in a variety of ways. The NGO “Female Journalists Without Borders” was recently cloned by a government affiliated organization that began operating under the same name, forcing the authentic organization to rename itself “Women Journalists without Constraints.” Prominent civil leaders Hafez al-Bokari, head of the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate, and his wife, journalist Rahma Hujaira, were targeted by the official newspaper of the Yemen military, The 26 September, with false charges that they were agents of Denmark. In a letter to the Yemeni public prosecutor, the couple wrote, “Such fake information proves that this article is an attempt to use the anger spread in the Muslim world to attack us individually and to attack our institutions; Yemen Polling Center and Yemen Female Media Forum for that these institutions are concerned with democratic, social, and media reformation and development and they tackle general issues related to the society.”

Some traditional Yemeni social institutions have been distorted by corruption. Some sheiks place their loyalty with the ruling apparatus and work for its welfare as well as their own benefit, with the welfare of the people a distant concern. Sheila Carapico, a professor of Middle Eastern politics at the University of Richmond, recently said in an interview with The Christian Science Monitor that Yemen has used a range of tactics to erode the independence of the tribes. “One of the techniques the government uses to extend its reach is to coopt selected prominent sons of sheikhly families, who are almost always also military officers, into the regime,” Carapico stated.

Many members of Parliament are also from sheikly families. The anthology Building Democracy in Yemen, observes about the ruling party, The General Peoples Congress, “The dominant GPC has developed a policy of mixing tribal sheikhs with the political authorities. These traditional forces have come to dominate Parliament through the GPC, which in turn, because of loopholes in the current electoral system, continues to strengthen ties and to move, from one election to the next, towards a one party system.” The author concludes, “This reflects the dominance of a very small minority in society in terms of actual structure and authentic culture.” This elitism undercuts the equal access and equal rights necessary for democracy.

The inherited political power of some families has distorted the representative nature of the Parliament, which works against the health and welfare of the Yemeni people. The 2006 budget, which passed overwhelmingly, underfunded education, healthcare, electrical development, and water projects, and increased military spending to 37% of the national expenditures. Further, in a clear conflict of interest, many of those with governmental or military positions also have ownership stakes in numerous large businesses and have become some of Yemen’s largest land owners. As noted by Paul Dresch in The History of Modern Yemen, “the style of politics complained of by Southerners as a return to tribalism was complained of by others, within the North, as tribalism’s negation.” The reality he says is “day to day politics with networks of individuals who control both trade and real estate.”

Elections are often a way to express the people’s