Student demonstrators push in Yemen for a revolution Tunisia-style as pressure builds upon President Ali Saleh, 32 years into his rule, writes Nasser Arrabyee The political crisis in Yemen has worsened since the Tunisian uprising that led to the ouster of Zein Al-Abidine bin Ali earlier this month. Student protests erupted in the Yemeni capital Sanaa over the last two weeks in support of what has been called the Tunisian "Jasmine Revolution" and to demand the ouster of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The coalition of the main opposition parties, locally known as Joint Meeting Parties (JMP), were leading the protests after they reached a deadlock with Saleh's ruling People's General Congress (PGC) on political and electoral reforms. When the Tunisian-inspired protests intensified last week, the ruling PGC said in a new initiative it was ready to meet the demands of the opposition JMP for political and electoral reforms. The PGC wanted the JMP to participate in April's parliamentary elections, which the latter refused without genuine reform achieved. The most controversial reform is limiting presidential terms to two of five-year duration, instead of open and without limits as the PGC previously proposed. The opposition demands that a proportional representation system, rather than the current single constituency system, be used in elections. After more than one week of protests, including near clashes between two rival demonstrations at the gate of Sanaa University, President Saleh warned against violence saying, "Yemen is not Tunisia". He added: "Yemen is a country of freedom and democracy." President Saleh called on the JMP to enter a televised debate on the most controversial issues, like constitutional amendments and elections. "Come for a TV debate on my programmes and your programmes," President Saleh said. He said he would ask for a pardon from the people if he made mistakes or fell short of his duties during his 32 years in power. "Only God is perfect," he said. President Saleh blasted those who say he wants to pass the power to his son, saying he is against the hereditary rule. "Talking about hereditary rule is an impudent symphony. We are a republican and democratic system and we are against hereditary rule." On the latest constitutional amendment proposed by his party, which cancels the presidential term limits, President Saleh said he supports only two presidential terms, five years each. "It's only some MPs who suggested cancellation of the presidential term limits, but in my electoral programme -- which I'm responsible for -- it's only two terms, five years each," he said. President Saleh's current and last term ends in September 2013. Saleh also told military and security commanders to stop saying "With our soul and blood we protect Ali." "'With our soul and blood we protect Yemen'; this is what we should always say," Saleh said. Mohamed Al-Kubati, spokesman of the opposition JMP, commented on Saleh's call for a televised debate saying, "If debate will solve the problem, we are ready to do it, but what's needed now is not only debate -- what we want now is to restore the right of the people to freedom, dignity and liberation from corruption and tyranny." The independent political analyst, Ali Seif Hassan, chairman of the Political Development Forum, a local NGO, said he believes the two sides will find a solution. "No one has enough strength to achieve his own project alone, so both of them, I think, still want to reach a solution, reach a deal or compromise," Hassan said. On Monday, 24 January, the Yemeni authorities released, after two days in prison, a female activist who led the Tunisian-inspired student protests against President Saleh's regime. About 20 other activists and students were also released on the same day after they led demonstrations demanding the release of the woman activist Tawakul Karman. The authorities said the release of Karman came after her family pledged that their daughter would never again "violate the law and order". However, Ms Karman attended a big demonstration at the gate of the General Prosecutor's office in Sanaa immediately after she was released and said she would continue her peaceful struggle until the regime falls. "My release came because of your pressure, the pressure of the people and the protesters, and my family did not pledge to do anything," Karman told the masses. Karman, chairwoman of the Women Journalists Without Chains organisation, a local NGO, was arrested from her house at about 1am Sunday, immediately after she arrived from a meeting with the secretary general of the Islamist Party, Islah, Abdel-Wahab Al-Ansi. The Ministry of Interior said in a statement that Ms Karman was arrested on charges of organising unlicensed demonstrations and inciting violence and chaos. On Saturday, 22 January, one day before Ms Karman's arrest, hundreds of students loyal to President Saleh's party organised demonstrations supporting Saleh. Before being dispersed by the security forces, the two rival demonstrations, at the main gate of Sanaa University, almost clashed as angry demonstrators chanted slogans against each other. Students loyal to the opposition parties and led by Ms Karman were chanting "Oh, Ali, Ali, go, go, after your friend Bin Ali" in reference to deposed Tunisian President Zein Al-Abidine bin Ali, while the students loyal to Saleh were chanting "Ali or death, Ali or death," and "Oh youth, Oh youth, Islah is the terrorist." The chairman of Sanaa University's Students Union, Redhwan Al-Masodi, criticised Karman for using university students for political purposes. "The students of Sanaa University refuse being exploited for the interest of one individual or one party," Al-Masodi said. Sanaa University issued a statement saying it had nothing to do with the demonstrations. "Political forces with political purposes" were behind the demonstrations, the statement said. Minister of Interior Mutahar Rashad Al-Mesri said in a statement Sunday that Yemen is democratic and allows all kinds of demonstrations, "but in the framework" of the constitution and established law.
