Yemeni revolutionaries presently endeavor to regain the revolutionary activities in Change and Freedom Squares after a considerable stalemate following the signing of the Gulf Initiative power transfer deal in February of last year.

This year, Sana’a’s Change Square appears different in terms of the activities held.

Yasser Aqil, a revolutionary in the square, said 2012 activities are fewer in comparison with 2011, when the revolution was at its peak. The reason, he said, is the Gulf Initiative that resulted in political reconciliation.

“The square is not revolutionary anymore,” Aqil said. “It is just a venue of meetings, political disputes and stick fights now and then. I have been living near the square; I have found no interesting activities.”

Jalal Al-Hadad, a pro-revolution youth, said he did not know what is taking place in the square; he knows nothing about revolutionary activities.

Many youth have complained about the current situation in Yemen, saying the revolution has not yet achieved its objective.

Omar Al-Omaisi, an activist from Hajja, said youth in the squares complain political parties marginalize them; they are left helpless in Change Square in particular after political parties signed the Gulf Initiative.

He said the square’s protestors are resentful about the present situation in Yemen, especially wounded revolutionaries, indicating that the youth who sparked the revolution came up with no advantage.

“The pro-regime supporters are scoffing at the revolutionaries because their objectives are not accomplished in addition to being marginalized by the parties.”  


 The dignity Iftar

On Sunday, some young revolutionaries attempted to restore the revolutionary activities. They held a group Iftar, called the Dignity Iftar, at Al-Zubairi Street as part of activities that the independent youth declared in Change Square.

Prior to sunset, youth flocked to Al-Zubairi Street with food for the Iftar. A group of young people distributed the Iftar meals to bystanders.

Mohammed Al-Mukbili, a leading revolutionary and activist, said this activity is to renew the pledge to the revolution martyrs who sacrificed themselves for the sake of the nation after 33 years of repression and humiliation for Yemen and Yemenis.

Under the same pretext, young revolutionaries in Taiz governorate staged a demonstration called Al-Raiwas (the Reverse), which refers to the revolution’s loss of momentum.  Complaints about poor government services and common insecurity were also made during the demonstration.


Protesters departing Change Square

Many observers agree that the activities of the revolution are not vibrant as they were in 2011. Furthermore, the number of the youth found in squares across the country is decreasing.

Addualbasit Al-Shaja, a journalist often found in Sana’a’s Change Square, said this Ramadan is unlike last year’s, when the square was rife with activities.

“Many protesters left for their homes so as to alleviate the suffering of residents living in the vicinity of the Change Square, to end the traffic jam and to acknowledge the calls of the Military Committee in charge of restoring security and stability,” Al-Shaja said.

He said that during Ramadan last year, the revolution was at the pinnacle of its strength; the regime was at the apex of its criminality in many Yemeni cities.

Al-Shaja said that though the revolutionary activities decrease in Ramadan, they have not stopped, and some protesters spend daytime in the square enjoying religious seminars. Some protestors educate themselves and invest time through training courses in language, computer, development, law, first aid and drawing, according to Al-Shaja.