Yemen is faced with stark choices, as the opposition and supporters of the current president face off, warns Nasser Arrabyee Two things might happen in Yemen now : a war or peaceful revolution if the conflicting parties stay as they are now. President Ali Abdullah Saleh says he will leave power only when his current term ends in 2013 and he is sticking to an eight-point plan by the religious leaders who suggested a national unity government to prepare for elections. The opposition coalition which includes the Islamists, Socialists, and Nasserites, gave President Saleh only nine months at most to hold presidential elections in which he is not participating. The still-increasing opposition- backed protesters in the streets want Saleh to leave now without delay. Streets are not only for those frustrated young people and disgruntled tribesmen inspired by what's happening now in the Arab world, who believe that ousting Saleh will solve their problems. It is also attracting supporters of Saleh. Tents of sit-ins are increasing day by day for both pro- and anti-Saleh demonstrators. Tensions and fears of possible confrontation are on rise. It will be a miracle if the conflicting parties return to normal and restart dialogue and stop the revolution or the war. "Historically, Yemen has passed through even more difficult situations than now, and all of a sudden, the mortal enemies can become brothers and friends. No problem at all," said Hassan Al Hashidi, an activist who is participating in the anti-Saleh protests. Al-Hashidi could not say how that might happen, but he said, "a miracle, who knows?" President Saleh is expected to announce something different in the general national conference he is calling after failure in talks with the opposition. The conference is expected to be held next week although the opposition have not yet decided whether they will participate. After President Saleh rejected a five-point plan by the opposition which requires him to leave power by the end of this year, the Yemeni religious leaders said the opposition parties would be calling for a war if he does not agree on their eight-point plan which suggests forming a national unity government. In a statement read by the religious leader Mukbel Al-Kadhi, in a meeting held in Al-Saleh grand mosque on Friday, the religious leaders said the opposition would be calling for fitnah, meaning war, if he does not agree on this plan. The eight-point plan was offered to President Saleh on 28 February by Abdel-Majid Al-Zandani, the most influential cleric in the largest Islamist opposition party Islah, in the presence of all Yemeni clerics. The religious leaders said in their statement they did not receive any answer on their plan from the opposition parties though they waited for two days. According to the statement, l-Zandani was assigned by the religious leaders to offer the plan to the opposition coalition. The religious leaders said they were supposed to have an answer within two days at most. "After the two days passed, we met on Wednesday and unanimously approved the eight-point plan, and we agreed that whoever violates it is calling for fitnah," read the statement. Opposition parties renewed their support for the demonstrators in the streets who demand the ouster of President Saleh and condemned any violence against them. On Friday, the opposition parties criticised the religious leaders who issued such fatwas (religious decrees) saying it was only to please the regime. "They have to repent to Allah and ask him for forgiveness." The pro-and anti-regime factions call for mass demonstrations after Friday noon prayers, making use of the Friday worshippers to show their relative strength. At the anti-Saleh demonstrations near Sanaa University's "Change Square" as it has been dubbed by the protesters, worshippers could be heard praying to Allah to remove President Saleh while those in Tahrir Square, who support Saleh, could be heard praying to Allah to preserve him. The eight-point plan includes: an end to demonstrations and destruction of property; an end to provocative media campaigns in order to create a suitable environment for national dialogue; establishment of a mediation committee to end political disputes; the release of prisoners who have not been proven guilty; formation of a national unity government; anti-corruption investigations; cancellation of current election and referendum draft laws; and withdrawal of proposed constitutional amendments.
