Police fire on Yemeni protesters
Source: Agencies |
April 4, 2011, Monday
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DOZENS of Yemeni protesters were wounded yesterday when police used live rounds, tear gas and batons to try to break up demonstrations against President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who called for an end to weeks of unrest.
Protests inspired by uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia have brought Saleh's rule to the verge of collapse. But the president yesterday called for an end to the violence, signalling he has no intention of resigning soon.
"We call on the opposition coalition to end the crisis by ending sit-ins, blocking roads and assassinations, and they should end the state of rebellion in some military units," Saleh told visiting supporters from Taiz province.
"We are ready to discuss transferring power, but in a peaceful and constitutional framework," he added to chants of "No concessions after today!".
His ruling party also said it had not received a proposed transition plan from opposition parties that envisages Saleh handing power to a vice president while steps are taken towards creating a national unity government and calling new elections. "We haven't got it yet," an official said.
The United States has talked openly of its concern about who might succeed Saleh, a man it views as an ally who has helped to contain al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, a Yemen-based wing of the militant group.
Opposition groups stepped up action against Saleh in Aden, seat of a separatist movement by southerners who say the 1994 unification of South Yemen with Saleh's north has left them marginalized.
Much of the city was deserted in a second day of civil disobedience as businesses stopped work. Opposition groups have also called on people to stop paying taxes and utility bills.
Thousands have camped out around Sanaa University since early February, but in the past two weeks Saleh has begun mobilizing thousands of his own supporters on the streets.
Saleh, in power for 32 years, has said that he would be prepared to step down within a year after parliamentary and presidential elections and that an abrupt exit would cause chaos. On Saturday, he thanked thousands of supporters gathered near the presidential palace for backing the constitution.
Under the opposition plan, the army and security forces would be restructured by a vice-president acting as temporary president, the coalition said on Saturday. Wide discussions could then be held on constitutional changes, a unity government and new polls.
Protests inspired by uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia have brought Saleh's rule to the verge of collapse. But the president yesterday called for an end to the violence, signalling he has no intention of resigning soon.
"We call on the opposition coalition to end the crisis by ending sit-ins, blocking roads and assassinations, and they should end the state of rebellion in some military units," Saleh told visiting supporters from Taiz province.
"We are ready to discuss transferring power, but in a peaceful and constitutional framework," he added to chants of "No concessions after today!".
His ruling party also said it had not received a proposed transition plan from opposition parties that envisages Saleh handing power to a vice president while steps are taken towards creating a national unity government and calling new elections. "We haven't got it yet," an official said.
The United States has talked openly of its concern about who might succeed Saleh, a man it views as an ally who has helped to contain al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, a Yemen-based wing of the militant group.
Opposition groups stepped up action against Saleh in Aden, seat of a separatist movement by southerners who say the 1994 unification of South Yemen with Saleh's north has left them marginalized.
Much of the city was deserted in a second day of civil disobedience as businesses stopped work. Opposition groups have also called on people to stop paying taxes and utility bills.
Thousands have camped out around Sanaa University since early February, but in the past two weeks Saleh has begun mobilizing thousands of his own supporters on the streets.
Saleh, in power for 32 years, has said that he would be prepared to step down within a year after parliamentary and presidential elections and that an abrupt exit would cause chaos. On Saturday, he thanked thousands of supporters gathered near the presidential palace for backing the constitution.
Under the opposition plan, the army and security forces would be restructured by a vice-president acting as temporary president, the coalition said on Saturday. Wide discussions could then be held on constitutional changes, a unity government and new polls.
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