Students protest increase in bus fares [Archives:2008/1124/Front Page]

Amira Al-Shariff
For Yemen Times
A demonstration that started with a few university students and grew to include over a hundred protestors took place at the New Sana'a University roundabout on Sunday, Jan. 27.

The students, who gathered at around 12:30 pm, protested against the sudden bus fare increase from 20 Yemeni Riyals to 50. Although the increase has been attributed to a rumoured increase in fuel prices, the actual price of fuel has not yet increased.

“Every time there is a price increase, life becomes unbearable; how do you expect us to commute to the university now that the prices have more than doubled?” said one angry student.

The spontaneous rally dispersed after one hour due to interventions of security forces, alerted to the traffic jam caused by the student protest.

Some of the bus drivers denied any alleged increase. Ahmed Hashim, a bus driver, explained that the fuel price for 20 liters of gas was 1,200 YR yesterday and is the same amount today. As to why some bus drivers have been demanding 50 YR instead of the standard 20 YR, he said he did not know.

However, some commuters have already begun paying the new fares. Sarah Wolff, an American student in Yemen, says she has been paying the increased fare for the last week. “Everyone else in the bus paid the same price, so I assumed it is the standard price now,” she said.

Official newspapers earlier this month contradicted rumors of fuel price hikes, stating that there is no real increase. In fact, a petrol station in Khawlan Street that tried to close down temporary in order to increase fuel demands and prices was forced open by police who were patrolling such stations. “The police checked the tanks of the station to see if it was true that the station was empty. When they found that it had fuel they forced its manager to reopen the station to customers and sell at the standard price,” said Khalid Al-Badani a resident of the area.

However, the price of gas cylinders used for cooking has increased almost 30% since the beginning of the year. The increase happened during a shortage in natural gas supply in Yemen. Citizens predicted fuel prices would subsequently increase.
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