Gulf | Yemen
Authorities use force to disperse opposition rally in Yemeni capital
Yemeni security forces on Thursday dispersed thousands of opposition members and supporters demonstrating in the capital against preparations for parliamentary elections next April.
- By Nasser Arrabyee, Correspondent
- Published: 23:27 November 27, 2008
- Protesters flee as police fire shots in the air during a protest in Sana'a on Thursday. Thousands of opposition supporters took to the streets to protest against forthcoming parliamentary elections.
- Image Credit: Reuters
Sana'a: Yemeni security forces on Thursday dispersed thousands of opposition members and supporters demonstrating in the capital against preparations for parliamentary elections next April.
The security authorities used water canons, batons, tear gas, and live bullets to disperse the protesters attempting to hold their rally in Al Tahreer Square in the city centre.
Some activists and journalists were beaten by security forces who were deployed across the city from early in the morning.
"Today, the journalists were harassed and intimidated as much as the harassment and intimidation they faced during the whole year," said Saeed Thabet, deputy chairman of the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate.
Although the opposition requested prior permission to hold the demonstration in Al Tahreer Square, the Ministry of Interior said that the venue was not suitable because of "the heavy traffic".
"We also wanted to avoid any possible violent acts that may inflict damage on the banks and the commercial places in Al Tahreer Square," the Ministry of Interior said in a statement.
The Ministry had decided to allow the rally to take place in a stadium on the outskirts of the city, but the rally organisers insisted on meeting in Al Tahreer.
On the same day, Sana'a city also witnessed other rallies organised by the ruling party and its supporters in about ten different places.
The ruling party said those rallies were held to celebrate the 41st anniversary of Independence Day and also celebrated the completion of the first stage of preparations for the parliamentary elections next April. The opposition, in turn, insisted they would never participate in such elections unless the ruling party recanted all "unconstitutional and illegal" steps it has been taking.
The ruling party used its majority in the parliament on August 18, to form a committee to run the elections, despite the refusal of the opposition to take part.
Meanwhile, three people were killed and four wounded yesterday when a bomb ripped through a minibus at a central bus station in Sana'a, a police official said.
"A bomb exploded on a minibus, killing three people and wounding four among the passengers," the official said requesting anonymity.
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