Continuing turmoil in Yemen

Submitted by Matthew on 16 March, 2011 - 3:47

Last weekend, in Yemen’s capital Sana’a, police attacked opposition demonstrators with gas and live rounds, killing several and bringing the total number of deaths during the recent round of protests to more than 30.

Islamists seem to be increasingly visible in the previously non-party and mainly secular opposition movement in the capital. A radical cleric — once an ally of the president — Abdul Majid al-Zindani, has joined the protests. He is calling for an Islamic caliphate.

Elsewhere in Yemen various currents, with differing programmes, contend with the weak central government.

In the south a secessionist movement is strong; in the north the state and a Shia sect have a long-running conflict that often breaks out into open war.

Yemen’s president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, in power for 32 years, is increasingly isolated and desperate.

A well-used tactic is to blame Jews and the West for interfering in Yemen’s affairs. On 1 March Saleh told an audience at Sana’a university, “There is an operations room in Tel Aviv that aims to destabilise the Arab world,” adding, “It is all controlled by the White House.” Saleh failed to remind the audience that he received $300m of American aid last year.

Ten members of parliament from the ruling party have resigned. Some key tribal leaders have announced their support for the anti-Saleh movement. On 28 February the opposition coalition rejected the president’s offer of a unity government and chose to join the protests instead.

However, if Saleh does resign it is not clear that what comes after will be better.

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