Yemen: repression and economic crisis fuel uprising

Security injures several hundred in Sana « a, tens in Hodeida and Dhamar
By Abdullah al-Qubati and Mohammad Jameel, for Yemenat

» Sana « a- At least 88 injured Monday in Hodeida city when security forces in civil uniform opened fire on thousands of protestors who condemned yesterdays attack on sit-in participators and confirmed an immediate leave of president and his relatives.

» Separately, a massive student rally marched Monday in Taiz in which thousands of students participated condemning yesterday « s repressing of protests of Sanaa and Dhamar chanting slogan of ousting, in which hundreds were injured.

» In the mean time, a new political coalition called Aladala and Albina (justice and development) was declared here in Sanaa that includes a number of ministers and leaderships who resigned from the ruling party.

The coalition consists of two leaderships resigned from the ruling party public committee. They are Mohamed Abu luhoom, head of the general people congress foreign relations department and Yahya Mohamed Alshami, head of department of inspection. Among members of the coalition are the ministers resigned from the acting government , including ministers of human rights, transport, a number of members of parliament and diplomatic figures who have already resigned in protest against acts of violence committed on civilians and to support the revolution, as close to 140 protestors were killed and more than 6000 injured.

At least one was killed and hundreds were injured, some of them badly, yesterday evening as a result of firing live bullets , gas bombs over a peaceful rally to topple the regime.

« The rallys front was attacked by the central security forces, republican guards and gunmen in civil uniform at Algeria St. who violently used live bullets, gas bombs and stones on the rally that was intended to go to the Alrawaishan round coming back to Altagheer squire.

» Groups of gunmen were seen firing from tops of houses next to that of the republican guards « leader; the presidents son, while imposing a blockade over the long rally by republican guards and central security forces.

They also interrupted ambulances reaching the scene about an hour and preventing taking injuries to a nearby hospital with some of them left bleeding. Dozens of injuries were brought to the Altagheer squire by motorcycles, some of them unconscious, with nervous breakdown as aresult of nerve affect ting gas.

From another part, 14 were injured in fire opening by security forces and thugs on a similar rally held yesterday in Dhamar city.

Economic crisis

» A group of local people have been interrupting main streets since a week in cities of Sanaa and Taiz, in protests against cooking gas containers absence and selling what in available threefold original price, however, the local authority careless position aroused citizens anger.

« Worth mentioned is that cooking gas has been disappeared for a month while a suffocated situation is being experienced by all citizens who receive such containers only through districts social figures loyal to ruling party as a trick to gather people for pro-Saleh demonstrations. Yemen has witnessed price hikes recently in foodstuff and a decrease in commercial and tourist activities, with YR exchange rate fall about 20% against US dollar since start of protests two months ago.