The Following piece is written by a Yemeni-based journalist who writes for Foreign Policy Association, and due to serious security concerns, remains anonymous.
Following the resignations of several ministers and the Yemeni ambassador to the UN as a reaction to the deaths of a reported 52 civilians in the latest crackdown; the embattled President Ali Abdullah Saleh has decided to sack his entire cabinet.
This last attempt at regaining control over the nation comes amid the publication of a statement, demanding his immediate resignation from office by one of the most powerful and influential Yemeni tribe. Sheikh Sadeeq Al-Ahmar, who is the official leader of the Hasheed tribe and theoretically the tribal chief of the President as well, has broken his silence and condemned the regime’s actions. If earlier in the protests, his brother Hameed voiced his support to the anti-government demonstrators, he was only speaking on a personal level, and his opinion was not officially that of the Hasheed as a whole.
However, now that Sadeeq Al-Ahmar is adding his voice to the matter, things might turn sour for the President quite quickly.
Legitimacy
Several cleric leaders, amongst who, the notorious Al-Zindani, have co-signed the petition, declaring the actions of the regime immoral and illegal. In a country such as Yemen, where religion weighs heavily in people’s perception of politics, this clear dissociation of religious leaders and the regime is a further sign that a deeper wedge is occurring and that for now, the government has lost not only its political legitimacy but also its religious one.
Added to the resignation of 24 parliamentary, the President is seeing his decade’s long webs of support disintegrate before his very eyes. Many tribes have now joined the Hasheeds in their condemnation and refusal of the current regime by adding men power to the already growing momentum of protesters across the country.
The powerful tribe of Mareb has attacked some government positions in their part of the country, and in doing so damaged the electric power plant. As a result, Sana’a was plunged in the dark for part of the day. In Aden, Ibb, Hodeidah, Taiz and many more towns in Yemen, more protests are being organized in clear defiance to the recent Emergency Law declared by Ali Abdullah Saleh following the Friday clashes.
The President has lost almost all support but for his immediate family, who’s fate is directly linked to his.
Army Defections
The Generals in charge of the eastern and north western division have defected and are moving towards the University of Sana’a where the headquarters of the pro-democracy movement resides. They have officially sworn to protect the protesters. It is believed that the Half brother of the President and General of the north western division, Ali Mohsen is responding to death threats made by Ammar Abdullah Saleh, by supporting those who seek the end of the Saleh’s regime.
So far, Ali Abdullah Saleh had managed to maintain the cohesion of his army upon which he was drawing much of his power. This new wave of defection comes days after a protest was organized by over 200 men from within the Security Forces Headquarters in Sana’a against the President’s nephew, Yehia Abdullah Saleh. Although the demonstration was quickly broken down and the men arrested, it nevertheless shows the growing discontent in all sectors of the Yemeni society.
Some rumors are also circulating in the capital via SMS that Ammar Abdullah Saleh, also a nephew of the President, has been dismissed from his post as Head of Homeland Security.
Fluid Situation
Things are moving at a fast pace in the capital Sana’a and many are expecting an immediate resignation of the President. As it seems, the Army has joined the protesters and its tanks and armoured vehicles are now moving towards the protesters sits-in to create a screen of protection around them.
With many more resignations coming through of high rank diplomats and government officials Saleh is running out of option. If some are already talking about the army assuming the role of caretaker, all are agreeing that the President is on his way out.
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