“We came for change,” Bin Shamlan said [Archives:2006/980/Front Page]

Glyn Goffin in Taiz
& Nashwan Dammaj in Ibb
TAIZ, Sept. 10 ) With the election campaign heating up, Taiz gets to see the two leading candidates back-to-back.

Making his impression on Taiz on Sunday was Faisal Bin Shamlan with a ten minute speech in the heart of the city, but his election promises won't have much time to settle in people's minds before President Ali Abdullah Saleh counters the JMP candidate's speech on Monday.

The JMP rally was an exercise in democracy with roughly 15,000 supporters braving the sun and crowds to hear Bin Shamlan openly attack the president with his message of wishing to clear out corruption.

“It's time for a change in the country and the corruption is blocking the country from moving forward,” said Bin Shamlan, before his throngs of supporters.

The JMP candidate brought on a chorus of cheers as he chanted for more schools, more hospitals and more roads.

Many in the crowd came to listen to the JMP candidate out of interest and to see democracy in action.

“I came to support my freedom, I came to support democracy in Yemen and not to support the candidate, but just support myself and my freedom,” said Tiaz pharmacist Dharim Nahgabi. “Democracy in Yemen is working in spite of the activities by the government, but the desire of the population has the right to choose our own candidate.”

For those who attending the rally the ideals of democracy were clearly evident, but not everyone was able to contribute.

According to some reports roads surrounding Taiz were closed and many people were not allowed to enter the city and some were denied entrance into the city center.

There were reports of people being targeted for having Bin Shamlan posters on their cars.

For Jamal Mohammed Abdul he knew he needed to get to the rally and nothing would stop him.

“The president's party forced people to come to this rally because of starvation,” said the Taiz resident. “We need change to get rid of the cancer in this country.”

It's the idea of change that has Yemeni's talking in Taiz, but it's a new idea for a country with the same leadership for the past 28 years.

With end of the Bin Shamlan rally many look forward to seeing what Saleh can deliver under his “New Yemen, Better Future” campaign slogan.

Azid Ahmoud Mohammed walked away from the Bin Shamlan rally excited about Yemen's future.

“I think this election will bring change and we will improve our country in the near future and it will happen with either leader,” said Mohammed, saying that he planed to attend both the Bin Shamlan and Saleh rallies before making up his voting mind.

Bin Shamlan in Ibb

In Ibb, addressing tens of thousands of supporters from numerous districts coming to support peaceful change, Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) presidential candidate Faisal Bin Shamlan declared at a Saturday rally in Ibb, “We came for change!

I hope you will assess the current situation. You have many qualified individuals in this governorate who can't find work, which forces them to migrate to other countries.”

He continued, “What has the regime done for us? What has the regime done for millions of Yemeni expatriates scattered in numerous countries worldwide?”

Bin Shamlan indicated that YR 54 billion of the state's 2005 general budget was allocated for projects in various governorates, but was spent on projects other than those planned. Moreover, only YR 31 billion of the allocation was spent on substitute projects.”

Supporters jointly confirmed that Sept. 20 marks a turning point for change and improving Yemeni citizens' living standards.

Dr. Mansour Al-Zindani spoke on behalf of the JMP, declaring, “We want a new Yemen free from poverty, starvation, corruption and fraud.”

Noting that Ibb is the original home of revolution and as the Yemeni Revolution also broke out in September, Al-Zindani ascertained that a revolution against corruption and wasting of public wealth will erupt this month.

Commenting on the situation of women, Bushra Al-Shaddadi, Yemeni Socialist Party (YSP) Secretary and head of its Women's Sector, remarked that Yemeni women nationwide continue experiencing real problems and challenges.

“Despite the establishment of many federations like the Yemeni Women's Union to address women's issues, the ruling party's policies have emptied such federations of democracy and women's representation,” she remarked, “Yemenis – both men and women – should come together to back change and eradicate corruption.”

Clashes and confrontations erupted between JMP and ruling party supporters outside Ibb's Al-Kibsi Stadium where Bin Shamlan's rally was being held, with both sides exchanging insults and tearing candidates' pictures. Witnesses said such behavior is immoral and doesn't reflect the conduct of the ruling General People's Congress (GPC).

According to eyewitnesses, security forces at checkpoints along roads leading into Ibb city searched citizens coming from numerous districts to support Bin Shamlan in an unprecedented way, aiming to heap scorn upon them and hold them up. Gunshots erupted at a checkpoint near Kihza area and both Bin Shamlan's pictures and the JMP's election symbols were torn.
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