Yemen Headed Toward Revolution

The more instability that arises from political exclusion and the lack of basic services, the more repressive the Yemeni government becomes, which leads to greater fustration and down that road is the revolution. My article:

Since Yemen's presidential election, the nation is experiencing several areas of instability. Crisis areas include the fourth recurrence of the Sa'ada war in North Yemen, popular protests in the former South Yemen, hostile tribal posturing, and the resurgence of terror attacks directed at the state. One causal factor common to all these conflicts is institutionalized inequality or state discrimination. This inequality is also the foundation of massive corruption that is destroying Yemen. With elitism so engrained and corruption so pervasive, structural reform is nearly impossible. One solution may be to dissolve the national mechanisms that function to perpetuate inequality and enable corruption, starting with Yemen's ruling party.

Read the rest at the Arab American News. The Yemeni regime seems to have a problem with free speech anywhere that it occurs. Maybe they'll call me a Zionist in the newspapers or block my website again. There is a new law pending in Yemen which criminalizes opinions:

SAN'A, Yemen (AP)--Critics of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh could receive up to 15 years in prison under a proposed law introduced by the government and sent to parliament on Sunday.

Under the draft law, 'agitators' could also face a death penalty if their anti-government incitement causes deaths during protests.

Yemeni newspapers said the draft law also imposes severe prison sentences on journalists, writers and rights advocates who 'incite' anti-government activities including protests. These acts, according to the draft law, undermine national security and are harmful to social peace.

Did I mention they kidnapped my friend al-Khaiwani the editor?

(IHT)A Yemeni opposition editor who was accused of backing the country's Shiite rebels and recently spent a month in jail, was found badly beaten and bruised on Monday, just hours after a Yemeni journalists union reported him kidnapped....

Later Monday from his hospital bed, al-Khawinay, 38, who also suffers from heart problems, told The Associated Press that one of the kidnappers was among officers who stormed his house in June and took him to prison.

He also said that his kidnappers discussed whether to cut or just break the hand he writes with, and opted for the latter.

I'm kinda irked about that. Oh and they think I'm a spy for the Pentagon. Seriously. Is that idiotic or what?

Posted by: JaneNovak at 04:20 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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