Al-Sahwa [Archives:2008/1144/Press Review]
Thursday, April 3
Top Stories
– Al-Dhale' JMP condemns city lockdown, attacks on innocent citizens
– JMP leaders hold sit-in in protest against political detentions
– Dozens killed and others injured in renewed clashes between army and Houthis in Haidan district
– Parliament plans a meeting for discussing Al-Dhale' events
– Aden University staff protest against government for not cashing high living cost allowances
– Al-Dhale' JMP: South Yemen's issues can be resolved by law and equal citizenship not by force
“South Yemen's issues can only be resolved by law and equal citizenship, not by force or arbitrary practices,” the weekly quoted JMP leaders from Al-Dhale governorate as saying. The JMP member parties strongly denounced the way the government authorities attack citizens and fire live ammunition at them, leaving many of them injured, some seriously.
The opposition parties also condemned the massive arrest campaigns, which the authority waged against 'leaders of political dynamics' and citizens, demanding that the security agencies must release detained opposition leaders and stop their unconstitutional and illegal crackdown of innocent citizens. They accused police of fomenting violence and looting private property.
According to the weekly, local sources in Al-Dhale affirmed that security forces arrested the head of the Retired Army Association, Abdu Al-Maatri and a number of former army officers, believed to be leading the demonstrations in the South. It quoted eyewitnesses as saying that security forces are still searching for a number of top former leaders.
The paper continued that Yemeni security authorities arrested on Tuesday 5 men out of 18 wanted by police on charges of provoking rioting and chaos. The other men are captured later on, according to Al-Dhale governor Abdullah Al-Haddi. Local sources said that tanks deployed on streets of Al-Dhala'a, pointing out that clashes broke out between security forces and disaffected youths over unfulfilled promises to reinstate them in the army. Riot police dispersed protesters in several southern cities, fired in the air and used tears gas.
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[archive-e:1144-v:18-y:2008-d:2008-04-07-p:press]
