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Tens of thousands demonstrate for ouster of Yemen'
Tens of thousands demonstrate for ouster of Yemen's president
The protests led by opposition members and youth activists are a significant expansion of the regional unrest sparked by the Tunisian uprising.
By Jeffrey Fleishman
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
January 27, 2011, 5:37 a.m.
Reporting from Cairo — The unrest in the Middle East spread to impoverished Yemen on Thursday as tens of thousands of protesters angry over unemployment and political oppression marched through the capital against President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Instability in Yemen is a major concern for Washington, which has been working with Saleh's government to defeat an entrenched Al Qaeda network that claimed responsibility for last year's attempted bombings of planes over U.S. airspace. Officials fear anarchy in the country would give militants a strategic base in the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa.
Saleh, whose widely corrupt government has ruled Yemen for 32 years, has been unable to stem unemployment and improve education, healthcare and sanitation in the region's poorest nation. Anger has been steadily growing against him, especially from young activists and tribal leaders. He also faces an intensifying secessionist movement in the south.
"We will not accept anything less than the president leaving," independent parliamentarian Ahmed Hashid told the Associated Press.
Some protesters joked that Ali should "go the way" of Tunisian President Zine el Abidine ben Ali, who fled his country after weeks of mounting protests.
"I helped the students in organizing sit-ins after the Tunisian revolt," Tawakul Karman, an activist recently released from jail after organizing demonstrations, told The Times. "There have been daily protests in Sana. I was arrested for a day because of the demonstrations and let out yesterday. The student protests will for sure continue."
The protests took place on a day of rival rallies between opposition parties and government loyalists. Yemeni journalist Nasser Arrabyee reported on his website:
"No violence or riot cases were noticed, but security measures were exceptional in the city as anti-riot forces were deployed in almost all the places close to the rallies," he said. "However, these rallies are not new, not strange. Both sides have been holding similar rallies over the last two weeks in the provinces outside Sana."
[email protected]
Alexandra Sandels in the Times' bureau in Beirut contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2011, Los Angeles Times -
Re: Tens of thousands demonstrate for ouster of Yemen'
"Tonight, let us be clear: The United States of America stands with the people of <span style="text-decoration: line-through"> </span> Egypt, and supports the democratic aspirations of all people," Obama said.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Click to reveal.. <input type="button" class="form-button" value="Show me!" onclick="toggle_spoiler(this, 'Yikes, my eyes!', 'Show me!')" /></div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div style="display: none;">while writing the aid cheque for $1.3B yearly </div></div></div>Comment
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Nobel laureate joins deadly Egypt protests
Nobel laureate joins deadly Egypt protests
Updated 15 minutes ago
Mohamed ElBaradei arrived back in the country to join demonstrators trying to oust president Hosni Mubarak.
Six people have died in the protests, which, inspired by the groundbreaking Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia, have sent shockwaves across the region and prompted the US to prod its long-time ally on democratic reforms.
And members of the pro-democracy youth group, April 6 Movement, said they would continue to defy a ban on demonstrations and called for mass demonstrations after Friday's Muslim prayers.
In a sign that open defiance against authoritarian rulers is spreading, police also clashed with protesters in the Arabian Peninsula state of Yemen and Gabon in West Africa.
Egyptian police in the city of Suez fired rubber bullets, water cannon and tear gas at hundreds of demonstrators, calling for an end to Mr Mubarak's 30-year rule.
Protesters threw rocks and petrol bombs at police lines.
In Ismailia, hundreds of protesters clashed with police, who dispersed the crowds with tear gas.
Like in many other countries in the region, protesters in Egypt complain about surging prices, unemployment and the authorities' reliance on heavy-handed security to keep dissenting voices quiet.
Mr ElBaradei, a campaigner for reform in Egypt who won the peace prize for his earlier work as head of the UN nuclear agency, says it is time for Mr Mubarak to step aside.
"He has served the country for 30 years and it is about time for him to retire," he said.
"Tomorrow is going to be, I think, a major demonstration all over Egypt and I will be there with them."
His arrival could spur protesters who have no figurehead, although many activists resent his absences in recent months.
Egyptians torched a police post in Suez early on Thursday in response to the killing of three demonstrators earlier in the week.
"Our government is a dictatorship. A total dictatorship," said Mohamed Fahim, a 29-year-old glass factory worker, as he stood near the charred skeleton of a car.
"It's our right to choose our government ourselves. We have been living 29 years, my whole life, without being able to choose a president."
On Wednesday evening, people in Suez had tried to burn down a government building, another police post and a local office of Egypt's ruling party before police stopped them.
The government has said it intervened there against what it called "vandalism".
One policeman has been killed in Cairo in the anti-government protests, unprecedented during Mr Mubarak's rule of a state that is a key US ally.
Egypt's main stock index suffered the second-biggest one-day fall in its history on Thursday and the prices of two London-listed stocks focused on Egypt also tumbled.
Hundreds arrested
Interior minister Habib al-Adli, whose resignation is being demanded by the protesters, has dismissed the demonstrations.
"Egypt's system is not marginal or frail. We are a big state, with an administration with popular support," he said.
"The millions will decide the future of this nation, not demonstrations even if numbered in the thousands.
"Our country is stable and not shaken by such actions."
Witnesses say demonstrators have been dragged away, beaten and shoved into police vans.
The Interior Ministry said on Wednesday that 500 people had been arrested. An independent coalition of lawyers said at least 1,200 were detained.
Washington, which views Mr Mubarak as a vital ally and bulwark of Middle Eastern peace, has called for calm and urged Egypt to make reforms to meet the protesters' demands.
It fears Islamic radicals could exploit continuing anger.
An Islamist insurgency challenged Mr Mubarak in the 1990s and was crushed by his vast security apparatus.
But this is the first time since taking office in 1981 that he has faced such widespread protests from Egypt's large, youthful population.
<span style="font-weight: bold">A presidential election is due in September. Egyptians assume Mr Mubarak, 82, plans either to remain in control or hand power to his son Gamal, 47</span>.
Father and son both deny Gamal is being groomed for the job.Comment
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Re: is Egypt, the M.E's Berlin Wall moment?????
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: evanovitch</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> </div></div>I would have thought Tunisia was the Berlin Wall moment for "Arab" countries.
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Re: is Egypt, the M.E's Berlin Wall moment?????
well, if u argue from the thought dat Tunisia was a one -off, the continued ripple effect with the current escalation in Egypt wich has in the past been able to contain any such protests, well u can see how u can say they might turn out to be the Berlin Gate....an memba who has supported Egypt's despotic rule of its people all these decades
wat u tink?Comment
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rioting continues unabated as the US and Israel
watch an wait...being two allies of the establishment in Egypt one has to wonder if the US will allow was will be to be, if Egypt falls....since wast it would mean for Israel has always been of primary concern
but then from the recent leaks one has to wonder if Israel really wants compromise r peace in the Miggle EastComment
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Friday war of wrath in Egypt
protesters r being set upon by police in uniform and plain clothes....tear gas abounds
molitov cocktails now being used by protesters as they start to match the tactics being used by the police
Egypt's opposition leader has been places under house arrest
wich side will the US support....they say they want a changed ME but since Egypt is the only supposed ally of Israel in the region , <span style="font-weight: bold">will the US come down on the side of right r might</span>?
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curfew now imposed in Egypt
as the Friday of wrath continuesComment
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Mubarak's wife and son , wid 97 pieces of luggage
The wife of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and their son Gamal, considered the successor to his father as president, <span style="font-weight: bold">have fled to London </span>with 97 suitcases after unprecedented massive protests in Egypt, an Arab website reported. Egyptian officials denied the claim.
The plane also reportedly carried Gamal's daughter, the Akhbar Arab website reported. It also said a Twitter account was blocked to prevent a social network campaign to urge the ousting of Mubarak, who is over 80 and is reportedly is suffering from cancer.
Dozens of Twitter messages have been sent saying that Mubarak’s wife Suzanne was identified at Heathrow Airport in London, where she and her son and granddaughter arrived in a private jet.
In Egypt, calm has returned to the streets but authorities have arrested hundreds of protesters. Three people – two of them demonstrators — were killed in Tuesday’s rallies that spread throughout the country.
(IsraelNationalNews.Comment
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Hillary speaks now on Egypt
the President is silent....mmmmmmm
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Re: Tens of thousands demonstrate for ouster of Yemen'
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SueSumba</div><div class="ubbcode-body">"Tonight, let us be clear: The United States of America stands with the people of <span style="text-decoration: line-through"> </span> Egypt, and supports the democratic aspirations of all people," Obama said.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Click to reveal.. <input type="button" class="form-button" value="Show me!" onclick="toggle_spoiler(this, 'Yikes, my eyes!', 'Show me!')" /></div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div style="display: none;">while writing the aid cheque for $1.3B yearly </div></div></div>
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look like di wife n son have most of dat 1.3b in di 100 suitcases dem reach London widComment
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Mubarak holds firm wile promising to fire govt
but the problem is him not the government members who he appoints....the army has always been his bakative being dat he is old army himself...so the police have stood down n the army is on the street but not stopping the people....
this is going to get really good before the end comesComment
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Re: Tens of thousands demonstrate for ouster of Ye
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SueSumba</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
while writing the aid cheque for $1.3B yearly
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As long as Egypt maintains a pro-US, Israel-friendly government, the money will continue.
It will be interested to find out who is behind these protests. Maybe the US has had enough of Mubarak.Comment
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Re: Tens of thousands demonstrate for ouster of Ye
Derek,
It has been longstanding U.S foreign policy to back any dictator as bad as they are for as long as possible (until they are on board the plane that they flee the country in) as long as they follow the dictates of the State Department.
Mubarak is critical to U.S interests..
IMO
If he goes the Muslim Brotherhood and other POPULAR anti-Israel pro-Palestinean groups like Hamas and Hezbollah will rise to power in Egypt .
The Israeli -Egyptian deal will be over.
The Gaza border will be opened and aid will flow from non-traitors in the Arab world to the Palestineans.
Israel will be at open war with the Arab world and the United States will be dragged into it on the side of the Israelis.
IMOComment
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