Media Block out on Finance & Civil Service Ministers [Archives:2000/46/Front Page]

Mahboob Ali, Yemeni Journalists Syndicate president, criticized the government going back on its decision to set up journalists special cadre which the cabinet endorsed in the beginning of this year.
The cabinet decided not to include it in the budget of the state for the year 2001. In a press statement, Mr. Mahboob Ali told Yemen Times about forming a committee composing of all media establishments and under the supervision of the YJS. The committee had to contact concerned big shots in the government to re-consider that groundless decision, he added. He indicated that the committee would start following this issue up from today, Monday, calling all journalists to stick together to assert their legitimate rights that would help improve their living conditions.
He said: If all journalists including those working in government media and in independent and opposition newspapers have one firm stand, the syndicate is ready to escalate the issue and exercise pressure on the government to bow to our legitimate calls. Even if we have to stage demonstrations, all-out strikes leading to close down all daily government newspapers and TVs broadcasting stations.
In a courageous step of its kind, tens of journalists working in pro-governmental media establishments decided to impose sanctions on the activities of Finance and Civil Service Ministers. They emphasized that there would never be any coverage of any activities held in the two ministries or in any establishment affiliated with them. Nor would there be any news item for them, they confirmed. They also agreed that if a new item was to be published, they would put the two ministers pictures upside down on all the newspapers.
On the other hand, tens of Yemeni journalists staged a demonstration last Tuesday in front of the Cabinets building calling for executing the journalists cadre which required setting up an outstanding order for their employment improving their living conditions. They also submitted a letter to Dr. Abdulkarim al-Eryani, PM, urging him to endorse the journalist cadre and to carry out this from year 2001.
Journalists threatened that in case of no positive response, they would continue their demonstrations in front of the cabinet. If that did not work, they would stage an all-out strike.

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