The Following piece is written by a Yemeni-based journalist who writes for Foreign Policy Association (FPA) and, due to serious security concerns, remains anonymous.
Following in the footsteps of the southern Port city of Aden, Yemeni residents have decided to implement a campaign of civil disobedience. This latest step in the Revolution is aimed at further destabilizing President Saleh and force him to resign.
This action is taking place on the backdrop of the Opposition’s acceptance of the GCC proposal, which enounces the terms of Yemen’s transition of power.
According to our sources, about 18 cities are believed to be involved in the move. As of Wednesday, shops, schools and all government offices will be closed. The activists are planning to hold such actions at least twice weekly until the fulfillment of their demands.
Despite the many demonstrations and marches which took place across Yemen during the past 2 months, Saleh has used violent repressive methods in order to stay in power. However, over recent weeks some cracks have appeared in the foundation of his “power house” and many former allies have become his most virulent critics.
Even the US, which for decades had seen in Ali Abdullah Saleh a bulwark against terrorism, decided that it was time after all for him to step down.
Clashes in South Yemen
In Aden, anti-government protesters clashed with the Republican Guards as they were marching throughout town, marking the anniversary of the 1994 secessionist war with the North. One man was killed and dozen others wounded by live ammunitions. Witnesses on the scene reported the presence of tanks and armoured vehicles; they claimed that heavy artillery were used against the crowds.
In Taiz, which is the second largest Yemeni city and one of the stronghold of the pro-democracy activists, more demonstrations took place, denouncing the immunity given by the GCC to Ali Abdullah Saleh and his family.
Blood in Sana’a
Just as the Opposition announces that the power transition deal will be after all signed on Monday and not Wednesday as previously announced; tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of angered citizens took to the streets of the capital.
But this time they were not content to march in the back streets of the University or around non key governmental buildings, they headed straight to the Presidential Palace.
What can only be described as a Sea of people flooded 60 Street and reached TV Street which is only a few blocks away from the palace.
According to al-Suhail TV channel, snipers positioned on the roof of a nearby building started shooting indiscriminately at the crowd and the Republican guards moved in. The violent exchanges caused the death of 12 unarmed civilians, over 130 casualties and an extra 10 people said to be in critical condition.
Rumors are now circulating that Saleh had not planned for the Opposition to agree to the deal and that he was now trying to provoke his opponents into engaging in an open conflict, hoping to create the chaos he had warned his former allies about.
In any case, the signature of a deal seems under jeopardy as the Opposition is threatening to call off the Riyadh meeting if the light of the recent clashes.
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