Saleh holding Yemen to ransom

We must all believe that change has become inevitable. We are witnessing social and political transition brought about by youth who raised slogans for change through their faith and sincerity.

Take Yemen's case. President Ali Abdullah Saleh has two options: either start a dialogue through the formation of committees comprising young protesters and opposition parties or let a prolonged civil war impede the change the young people are aspiring for.

The political situation is at a critical stage. Major General Ali Mohsin Al Ahmar's tribe, the most influential of Yemen's tribes, supports the protesters, who also have the backing of the Al Houthis.

To make matters worse for Saleh, top military commanders have voiced support for the protesters. These developments give the Yemeni youth tribal and military power — the real power to build Yemen's future.

Yemen is at a crucial crossroads. Do the young activists, lawyers and intellectuals possess the level of awareness needed to chart Yemen's future and cope with the risks entailed in bringing down the government without setting the foundations for a new regime?

Yemen faces many political and economic problems, which may lead the military forces and opposition parties to take over and form a new government without consulting the youth.

Will vested interests seek to hijack the protests given the opposition and tribal factions? What about those seeking a peaceful solution through dialogue?

The Yemeni regime has fought an unprecedented six wars with the Al Houthis. The social and economic problems and political tensions in the southern provinces have diminished the government's power. Do the protesters have the ability to control the country in the present circumstances?

The protesters assert that the Saleh regime was hampering law and order by resolving criminal and political issues through tribalism. The violence unleashed by the government on entire villages just to capture one or two Al Qaida members has also fuelled anger.

Are there any concerns among protesters that throughout Yemen's history revolutions ended with groups from the revolutionaries themselves assuming power? Is this an elite revolution on the lines of a military coup or can we expect peaceful change and a smooth transition of power through Saleh's conviction?

Stalemate

What will happen in Yemen if the protesters and the Saleh government continue to remain intransigent? If the President does not make the real changes demanded by the protesters, Yemen could descend into the abyss of civil war.

According to the protesters, the only solution to this problem is the president's departure.

There is agreement among all Yemenis that there must be change. The difference lies in how to make this change. Civil society in Yemen is very weak; the majority is a tribal and rural community. The youth forms a modern power which the government is ignoring.

Most Yemenis do not want violence. There are more than seven million Yemenis living below the poverty line. Can't the president realise that 33 years in power is more than enough for him instead of insisting on staying put for the remaining two years?

Responsibility

Saleh should bear full responsibility for the outcome of the social, economic and political crisis Yemen is facing today because he is the one who had the judicial, legislative and security powers to effect change.

The Yemeni government must understand that the need for change has become necessary and urgent. It must start the change by dismissing Saleh's relatives from senior leadership positions in the army, security and executive institutions.

People are tired of the government using old mechanisms of change. A recent example is the president sacking the security head of Aden after the recent protests and immediately appointing the same individual as the security head of Taiz. The president clearly does not understand the changes people want.

The onus is on the authorities and the society as a whole.

Have the local councils that represent community been authorised with power or is the lack of formal authority prompting many members of local councils to resign?

The government should respect the rights of people to peacefully protests and perform its duty to maintain security. There is a breakdown of law and order in most of Yemen's provinces beginning with the Yemeni capital Sana'a right through to the port town of Aden.

The death toll in the protests is rising every day as is the number of wounded. There are increasing arrests of activists and students all over Yemen.

The Yemen leadership should take real and effective measures to deal with the crisis positively. There are two ways to treat a disease: Provide temporary pain relief or diagnose it correctly and prescribe proper medication.

In Yemen's case, the pain has turned into agony in the street.

The bloodshed caused by snipers on rooftops last Friday only made things worse by shooting unarmed protesters in the head and chest. They failed to realise that their actions actually contributed towards increasing the pulse of the revolution.

In the end, they have shot only at themselves.