|
Saleh rejects GCC proposal
[Arab News] Yemeni President President-for-Life Ali Abdullah Saleh... Saleh initially took power as a strongman of North Yemen in 1977, when disco was in flower, after serving as a lieutenant colonel in the army. He had been part of the conspiracy that bumped off his predecessor, Ibrahim al-Hamdi, in the usual tiresome military coup, and he has maintained power by keeping Yemen's many tribes fighting with each other, rather than uniting to string him up. ... on Friday rejected a GCC proposal that he step down within 30 days from the date of his acceptance of the deal. Speaking at a rally of his supporters, Saleh said he would accept the GCC proposal only if it is within Yemen's constitutional framework. Under the constitution, Saleh's term as president ends in 2013. He also denounced the opposition. "We strongly reject all plots against freedom, democracy and political pluralism. They (the opposition) want to grab power via coups." he said. "You have to remain firm before the renegade and cowardly elements. We will confront (their) challenge with challenge." Saleh said he is determined not to fire the first bullet. "We will not cause bloodshed. We will confront them with all means without causing bloodshed." The official media put the number of Saleh's supporters, who gathered near the presidential palace on the "Friday of Reconciliation," to over 100,000. In an apparent attempt to parade their huge turnout and mount pressure on Saleh's regime, the youth-led street protesters moved their protests' epicenter to Al-Sitteen Street in the capital where thousands of people converged Friday. The crowd rejected any initiative that grants Saleh and his family immunity, and called for his immediate and unconditioned departure. The pro-democracy protesters said that the narrow streets at Taghyir Square could not show their real strength. The rally was escorted by soldiers loyal to Gen. Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmer, who has defected to the cause of the opposition. In the city of Taiz, anti-Saleh protesters staged a huge demonstration and rolled their eyes, jumped up and down, and hollered poorly rhymed slogans real loud against Saleh's regime and rejected any compromise. Similar protests were organized in cities of Mukalla, Ibb and Maren. In a separate development, at least 11 soldiers were killed Friday when beturbanned goons raided a military checkpoint in the province of Mareb, a stronghold of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, a local journalist told Arab News. Posted by: Fred 2011-04-23 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=321011 |