Issue 18- May 4th thru May
10th 1998, Vol VIII
By: Adel Muqbil
AL-WAHDAWI: Sanaa weekly, 28-4-98.
(Nasserite Unionist Party)
Main Headline:
1- Ministry of Interior identifies 150 suspects - including
tribal sheikhs and army and police officers - connected to kidnapping incidents.
The list of names was submitted to parliament.
2- Three died and several people injured when police broke up
a peaceful demonstration in Mukallah. A number of opposition figures are
under arrest.
3- Leader of a major fundamentalist Islamic group, Sheikh Moqbil Al-Wadi':
"Democracy is a sacrilege and the constitution is not worth an onion."
He also attacked journalists in a speech at his stronghold in Saada.
4- Senior military officers affirm granting the US access to
Yemeni ports and other facilities.
Article Summary:
Another Algeria in Yemen?
By Mohammed Al-Sabri
The Yemeni Congregation for Reform (Islah) was quick in strongly condemning
the bomb explosion that occurred immediately following the Friday prayers
in a Sanaa mosque. This incident, the 6th during April, is the most dangerous
of its kind as it raises many frightening questions.
The struggle over the control of mosques is not something new. The
state uses some Islamic groups against other more extremists cliques. Thus
mosques have become a vital part in politics. After unification, political
conditions dictated that the Islamists should form a political party, despite
that being against their principles - Islam does not condone the polarization
of the nation into different parties. The political struggle then became
fiercer as the religious cover fell off. Following the demise of the Socialist
party, different Islamist group found themselves fighting each other of
fighting the government.
AL-THAWRI: Sanaa weekly, 30-4-98.
(Yemeni Socialist Party - YSP)
Main Headline:
1- Campaign of arrests follows the break up of the Mukallah
demonstration. Video film taken by the opposition of the demonstration
refutes the government's allegations that some demonstrators started shooting
at the police!
2- 35th round of YSP Central Committee is successfully concluded.
3- Three issues must be resolved before a true national reconciliation:
eradicating the consequences of the civil war, general amnesty, and returning
all confiscated property.
Article Summary:
Oppression of Democracy - editorial
The ruling authority could have made the 27 April a true day for democracy
by giving permission to the Mukallah demonstration. Organizing peaceful
demonstrations is a constitutional and legal right. The authorities have
committed a crime against human rights when its troops fired at the demonstrators
and used tear gas. They did not stop at that. A massive campaign of detentions
followed.
There is no doubt that break up of that demonstration was no incident,
but done through prior design. No investigation was carried out by the
authorities to find the cause of the outrage. The organized arrests indicate
that a list was previously made of the people to be detained.
This crime is a new stab to the nation and to democracy.
AL-TAREEQ: Aden weekly, 28-4-98.
(Independent)
Main Headline:
1- The situation is very tense in Mukallah following the break
of a demonstration by the police. The Opposition Coordination committee
calls for donations for the victims' families.
2- IPR report: Corruption, rapid population growth and unemployment
threaten Yemen's future.
3- Large delegation of investors and businessmen from Dubai
visits Yemen.
4- Tribal sources in Shabwa warn against further deterioration
in security due to ingrained blood feuds.
Article Summary:
Clinics of Death
The so-called specialized hospitals have mushroomed during the last
few years in Aden and other parts of Yemen. 'Major and minor surgeries
- all diseases cured,' is what the announce. Statistics show that many
patients operated on by doctors in these clinics suffer many complications.
They end up going to public hospitals to correct what the private hospitals
have done.
Does the Ministry of Health monitor the work of such private hospitals
and clinics? What are the conditions for granting people licenses to open
private hospitals?
AL-SAHWA: Sanaa weekly, 30-4-98.
[Yemeni Congregation for Reform (Islah)]
Main Headline:
1- Islah condemns mosque explosion calls for the swift tracking
and arrest of the culprits.
2- Islah leader, Sheikh Al-Ahmer: "The people chose democracy as
a system for their life and future."
3- Contrary to what the government wanted, parliament annuls
stamp-tax law which levies taxes on banking and insurance transactions.
4- Control and Audit Organization uncovers numerous irregularities
at the Water and Sanitation Establishment.
5- 250 petroleum engineering graduates stage a sit-in protesting
not being employed by the Ministry of Petroleum
Article Summary:
Hidden Pressure to Cover Up
Attempts are being made to restrict the indictment in the embezzlement
case at the Yemeni Oil Company in Aden to the prime suspect - the company's
accountant. A number of suspects, except four, were released following
the retrieval of YR 27 million of the missing YR 177 million.
Influential people are trying to cover up the involvement of senior
executive in the company.
This embezzlement case was discovered months ago when one of the suspects,
while drunk, spent a huge amount of money in an Aden night club. He lit
his cigarette with a 500-riyal note.
AL-JAMAHEER: Sanaa weekly, 3-4-98.
(Arab Ba'ath Socialist Party)
Main Headline:
1- Organizers of Mukallah demonstration exploited a constitutional
right for secessionist issues.
2- After being refused entry into Saudi Arabia, a number of
Yemeni farmers communicated their grievances to the Saudi prince of Jeezan
(Saudi region bordering Yemen). The ban on Yemeni produce from entering
Saudi Arabia was started before Hajj, and is still in force.
3- The Mufti of Yemen expresses the illegality of encroaching
on the Khozaima cemetery for whatever purpose, including constructing a
flyover road.
4- A female drug smuggler from Kuwait was released in return
for $20,000. She was caught at the beginning of March with a quantity of
drugs at Sanaa airport.
Article Summary:
Reporter Assaulted
A reporter working for Al-Balagh newspaper was assaulted by policemen
while covering the exhumation of dead bodies at the Khozaima cemetery.
The place is being cleared for the construction of the "Friendship Bridge"
by the Chinese Road and Bridge company. Police confiscated the photographs
taken by the reporter and threatened him with physical harm.
Strong protestations have been expressed by the families of the dead
against the intended clearing of this very old cemetery.
26 SEPTEMBER: Sanaa weekly, 30-4-98.
(Yemen Armed Forces)
Main Headline:
1- Extensive local and Arab interest is expressed in the interview
with the President by the Jazeera satellite TV channel.
2- The President accepts the resignation of prime minister Faraj
Bin Ghanim, and assigns Foreign Minister Al-Iryani to be acting premier
until a new government is formed.
3- Ministry of Interior demands new and stricter legislations
to deal with kidnappers of foreign people.
4- Parliament commissions its Human Rights and Liberties Committee
to investigate the Mukallah incident.
Article Summary:
Public Anger in Hadhramaut
People in Hadhramaut have expressed their outrage at the subversive
behavior of the leaders of some opposition parties. Prominent figures in
the governorate have called for putting the leaders of the Socialist party
to trial for their role in inciting people to violence.
A security source in Hadhramaut pointed out that the Hadhramaut authorities
gave their initial permission to the demonstration to go ahead. But some
political parties started distributing leaflets asking people to protest
against the "rigged elections of 1997, which were a declaration of war
against the southern part of Yemen." The governorate's authority then
tried in a very civil manner to dissuade the organizers from going ahead
with their planned demonstration.
During the demonstration, senior Socialist party official, Hassan Ba-Awm
fired several shots from his pistol that were accompanied by other shots
fired from the nearby Socialist part offices. Some people then attacked
and fired at the police and security forces, which were trying to stop
the demonstrators.
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