As a result of rapacious policemen in Taiz:Ruthless murder [Archives:2003/672/Front Page]

Imad Al-Saqqaf
Taiz, Sept. 27_ Two people were killed and another was injured when a policeman working for to the local council at Annashama district, Taiz governorate opened fire on them on September, 25.
The two killed people, Alezi Mohammed Alwan, a banana peddler and Nabeel al-Bukari, a restaurant owner had brought a complaint before the local council explaining the unjust practices and daily threats by the by the policeman Abdullah al-Anesi.
Al-Anesi used to blackmail those peddlers and vendors and trade shop owners at the district center.
Al-Anesi used to collect taxes without even giving them official receipts. When Al-Ezzi and al-Bukari came out of the council's premises, the killer pointed his weapon directly and shot them dead.
Ahmed and Watheeq al-Bukari, brothers of the two killed people told the Yemen Times that they didn't know why they had been killed. “We hold the local council and the district's security responsible for the incident,” they said.
The killer used to work at the local council and also previously convicted of killing his wife.
On his part, the secretary general of the local council, Mr. Ebrahim Shukri has denied that he has decidedly or orally agreed with the convict. He also emphasized that he had objected his appointment.
As for the person who has employed him to collect taxes from peddlers, “The cleanliness and improvement fund has to be held accountable for making contract with him,” he remarked.
Locals at the area have expressed their resentment of the incident, because innocent people were killed. This has reminded them of the tyrannical and unjust rule of Imam and the colonizers.
This crime has created a sense of resentment and anger among the residents in Annashama district. They have expressed surprise at appointing people in an illegal way.
“A large amount of money used to be collected everyday and the local council receives YR. 10.000,” locals said.
Other incidents in Taiz City had occurred during the last few weeks. Among those incidents committed by municipality policemen are the chasing peddlers.
Two people were killed but the security body kept silent.
Those peddlers have no doubt fallen prey to the rapacious municipality employees who usually rob them of their little earnings. These afflicted individuals are the hapless victims of destiny. They could do nothing but to take up this activity, especially in such deplorable economic conditions they have no control over.
To make things worse, those supposed to help them are the very ones who suppress them.
The municipality body represented by its institutions should have planned out policies to relieve their suffering and improve their conditions not to do the otherwise.
Consequently, the number of those resorting to the streets adopting this activity has increased tremendously.
It is not an exaggeration that those in charge are able to help relieve these people suffering and protect them against these greedy employees who are deprived of any sense of humanity. For besides the fines arbitrarily imposed on them, they have to appease and bribe these employees every now and then.
The difficulties to find other job opportunities have made these people cling fast to this activity, as it is the only way to earn livelihood.
Many others are from different villages that are crushed by poverty. Under such conditions those peddlers tend to do any kind of job that makes them more vulnerable to abuse.
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