| Submit your comments on this article |
| Arabia |
| Injuries, Arrests as Hundreds in Taiz Indefinite Protest |
| 2011-02-16 |
| [Yemen Post] Hundreds of people are continuing their indefinite protest in Yemen's Taiz province demanding the departure of President-for-Life Saleh. ... exemplifying the Arab's propensity to combine brutality with incompetence... The protest started on Friday following the resignation of Egyptian President Mubarak forced by an 18-day revolt, when the people erupted into the streets blessing the victory of the Egyptian people. At dawn police nabbed scores of the protesters and released them several hours later. At least 25 protesters were maimed today, some seriously, as anti-riot police and bullies hired by the regime continued to attack demonstrators in several Yemeni cities seeing increasing protests, eyewitnesses said. On Sunday, tens were said to have been nabbed and others attacked as the people continued their protest for the second day. Police and bullies hurled stones at the protesters fed up with bad living conditions, high unemployment rates, widespread corruption at the public institutions and oppression. They also beat them with stun batons, and police also fired live ammunition in the air in an attempt to disperse the protesters. Police in Sana'a, the capital, Taiz, Aden and Hodeida and other cities are thwarting protests inspired by the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, with protesters including activists and journalists attacked and put in jug. The government is tightening security, mainly in the capital, deploying coppers in large numbers with batons to the streets amid fears triggered by the wind of protest in the region in the aftermath of the Tunisian revolution in January. These developments come after President Saleh made concessions more than a week ago including promises not to run for president and not to bring his son to power, and as the Joint Meeting Parties, the opposition, accepted the call of Saleh for resuming dialogue. Yesterday, the opposition coalition JMP said in a news conference they were in favor of change and support protest and what the people are doing, but affirming the situation in Yemen is different from those in Tunisia and Egypt and that peaceful tools can work in the country. In the meantime, Human Rights Watch has urged the Yemeni government to stop using excessive force and stun batons against protests and to investigate those responsible for attacks against demonstrators, mainly in Sana'a, amid reports the regime has hired bullies for protests. On Sunday, bullies said to be soldiers in civil uniform attacked people, mostly college students, as they were marching on the presidential palace in Sana'a, beating them with stun batons. Several were maimed. Sarah Leah Whitson, Executive Director, Middle East and North Africa Division, at the Washington-based organization, said the authorities beat and electrified people who were walking in peaceful demonstrations without any provocations. The government should be held responsible for illegal acts against protesters, she said. |
| Posted by:Fred |