National Yemen Issue 35 by National Yemen Newspaper

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The Facts As They Are

Hadramawt Witnesses Mass Rallies

Religious Scholars Weigh in on Unrest

"Friends of Yemen" to Convene Amid Unrest

SUNDAY , Mar 6 , 2011 I ISSUE 35 PRICE : YER 30 WWW . NAT IONALYEMEN. COM

When Does the War in Sa’ada End?

UK Warns Citizens of Unrest, US Follows Suit By NY Staff The British Embassy in Sana’a on Saturday issued a sternly-worded warning on the situation in Yemen, warning against all but essential travel to the country, and recommending that its nationals currently here leave. On Sunday, the American Embassy issued its own warning, which was more brief but just as harsh. The British statement, was transmitted as follows: In light of the increasing violence in Yemen, we advise against all travel to Yemen. We recommend that all British nationals in country without a pressing need to remain should leave by the commercial options currently available. You should also be aware of the threat of terrorism, kidnapping and tribal violence. British nationals should remain in regular contact with the British Embassy in Sana'a. Political demonstrations are continuing across Yemen,

including in Sana’a, Aden, Hadramawt and Taiz. Security forces and plain clothes policemen have been deployed and there are reports of clashes between demonstrators and the use of violence to disperse crowds. There have been reports of a number of deaths during demonstrations in Aden , Taiz and Sana’a. Further protests are expected and violence is likely. If you choose to remain in Yemen, you should avoid demonstrations and be particularly vigilant in public places. If in any doubt, remain indoors. There is a high threat from terrorism in Yemen and specific methods of attack are evolving and increasing in sophistication. British Embassy vehicles in Sana'a were attacked on the mornings of 26 April and 6 October 2010 and an incident on the evening of Wednesday Continued on Page (4)

Businessman to Defect from Ruling Party By NY Staff A prominent politician and business man, Nabil al-Khamiri, declared his withdrawal from the ruling GPC party in protest against the attacks and practices undertaken by some GPC members against the protestors. Ali Al-Imrani, an MP from al-Baida province, and Fathi Tawfiq Abdulrahim, head of the finance committee of the Yemeni parliament, also resigned from the GPC on Saturday. This brings the number of

Nabil Al-Khamiri Continued on Page (4)

The Way Out of the Crisis is President Saleh’s Departure By Saddam Alashmory Yemeni opposition parties and scholars proposed to the president what they described as the way out of crisis, asking for his departure by the end of 2011, according to a spokesman of the parliament opposition. Spokesman Mohammed al-Sabri said in a JMP statement said that the opposition held a meeting with a delegation of Yemeni Islamic scholars where they agreed on

a proposal to be submitted to the president stating his departure. He also clarified that the resolution resides in five main points among them, “the president determines a set of plans expediting the transfer of authority with no inheritance for a duration doesn’t exceed the end of this year,” smooth Continued on Page (3)

Thousands of pro-Saleh demonstrators converge on Tahrir Square for Friday prayers

Houthi-Tribal Clashes Continue for Fourth Month By Abdullah Alsalimi Confrontations continue between armed Houthi supporters and tribal elements loyal to Sheikh Uthman mujalli, a member of parliament, in the Rahban area several kilometers away from Sa’ada city. The hostilities have been ongoing for around four months. Much mediation by tribal leaders and officials failed to reach to any settlement of the conflict which resulted in the death and injury of many people. The last tribal mediation were led by members parliament Sheikh Fayiz al-Awjari and Saleh al-Wajman, who took part in earlier mediations between Houthis and the authority to end the fourth round of the war. While Shiekh al-Awjari refused to give any statement on the mediation and its resolution to National Yemen, he confirmed that it is still continuing and accused media of causing strife and discord.

Huthi Accuses Authority In his speech to NY, Mohammed Abdulsalam, spokesman of the huthi press ofﬁce denied that the group is aware of the last mediation headed by al-Awjari and al-Wajman, but at the same time he said that it is possible that there might be some mediations carried now, yet he anticipated the results would resemble previous, unsatisfying ones. Abdulsalam also held the authorities responsible for what he called “The siege imposed on the Houthi partisans in Rehban”. He claimed that in this time, attacks on their supporters were ceaseless, and he conﬁrmed that authority is waging the war on them whether by mortar shells from the surrounding military sites targeting the Houthis or by providing anti-Houthi local tribes with weapons and gear. Abdulsalam discussed the possibility of ending the confrontations between the parties.

He said that the way to reach to a final compromise to solve the conflict is by lifting the siege on Rahban’s people. He admitted that there are losses of lives among their supporters in Rahban, yet he denied having any figures. Despite the Houthi office’s unwill-

ingness to present any numbers, as they had done in recent years, sources close to Uthman Mujalli reported the death of ten to fifteen armed Houthis from Al Abdeen and Gharaz tribes for the past three months since the outbreak of fighting – a figure which does Continued on Page (9)

Three People Killed, Six Wounded in Radfan By Abdulmalik Alassar / Radfan According to sources in Al-Habilain to Yemen National newspaper that three people were killed and other six wounded in clashes on Tuesday afternoon between Al-Hirak's gunmen and the eastern military sector in Al-Habilain, Lahj governorate. The same sources reported

that those killed people by military shot in these confrontations are the citizen Colonel Haidar Haitham Hassan, the former director of Radfan security while he was in the in his car going to the market. Another citizen named Saleh Yahya was killed and two other

citizens were moderately wounded in the leg. The sources conﬁrmed that a soldier was killed and four others injured in the eastern sector. A military vehicle were also burned. Light, medium and heavy weapons were used in the clashes

which lasted about four hours. The sources pointed out that the situation is still tense between the army and armed men. It was noted thousands of armed men were converging in the mountains bordering the city in case of any clashes with the army.

Sunday, Mar. 6, 2011 Issue 35

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National Yemen

National Yemen Saleh Passes Through Hard Times

The political scene of modern Arab revolutions against their leaders has given Yemen an ambiguous image which promises to address the 33 years of President Saleh in power sooner or later. Yemen’s leadership, as in many other Arab countries cannot believe its rule will come to a bad end, in light of the loyalty, guidance and wisdom in supposedly their countries from darkness to the current prosperity, as they repeatedly assert in their speeches to the public. President Saleh is striving nowadays to protect his legacy and dignity, and to complete his term in office according to the law. His opposition counterparts do not want that, they want Saleh to have the same fate of the other Arab leaders. The regional trends are gradually building against the wishes of Saleh. His ignorance of the public demands for fighting corruption among the majority of the government’s military and civil society is not helping his situation. A fantastical version of events is likely being offered to him as analysis by his inner circle – again this is no help in

arriving at a well-informed conclusion to the current crisis. Assisting sheikhs, friends, and family members to undertake key positions in the government made them greedy enough to commit the grand larceny which ignited the revolution we see today. The al-Ahmar family was involved in every aspect of the life of the country and they remain decision-makers and partners in business with the government and with some other private business. Today they are the main enemies of the state and the most resistant to any proposed reforms. The president has been left alone to fight all kinds of corruption, to preserve the unity of Yemen, to fight for his remaining period in office, for the constitutional amendments, and for the preservation of the rule of law. It seems that this has been speedily forgotten by many on the street, who believe he should pay the price for monopolizing power. The President should ask his ministers, governors and the staff in office, why the priority for creating jobs has come only now, and why they don’t come clean on their rampant corruption? Why does he not direct and supervise reforms himself? He should not trust those around him anymore. Is Yemen’s man of 33 years going to have bad end? Will the President counter the Yemeni proverb “O friend if you fall down, people will not have mercy you,” or will he bow to the pressure and leave before the end of his term?

Continued From Page (1) transition of power based on the president’s declared commitments of no inheritance, nor re-election in 2013. The resolution also included “the continuation of the demonstrations, sit-ins as well as the investigations on the murderers committed all around directorates in the last period. The opposing components and scholars also demanded the president to announce these initiatives to the nation and all the political opponents to determine acceptance or rejection. Yet the president confirmed many times his refusal to relinquish power until 2013, adding that exchange of power will be through the ballot boxes. A source from the Islah party confirmed that Yemeni religious scholars led by Abdulmajeed Alzindani met the opposition parties on Tuesday where they discussed procedures of peaceful transition of power within a year. This came after the president’s

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Sunday, Mar. 6, 2011 Issue 35

Noah Browning Deputy Editor

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Hadramawt Witnesses Mass Rallies

“Go out! Go out! O colonialism, revolution, revolution,” “O

south” and “people want to liberate the south.”

These slogans were echoed by thousands today in Hadhramawt province in the so-called Al-Aseer Day. The marches were launched in Al-Mukalla, Gail Bawazir and Amad in Wadi Hadhramawt. The protesters waved ﬂags of the former Southern State and pictures of Southern President Ali Salem Al-Beidh. No confrontations with the security forces occurred during the rallies which were organized by the peaceful Hirak Council to liberate the South Governorates in Hadhramaut In Mukalla after the end of the march which started from the “tent of freedom” until the Omar Mosque.

Then a rally was held and Sheikh Ahmed Mohammed Ba Mualim delivered a speech in which he stressed the need to “continue the liberation movement for the sake of the martyrs’ who were killed during the last years in peaceful marches by the occupation authorities with bullets, and they are still facing our marches with bullets.” Ba Mualim said, “the people of Hadramawt should prepare themselves to receive the nation and conduct its affairs, and the period of occupation is over.” Many political activists delivered speeches during the rally and they emphasized the need to maintain the movement for liberation and independence.

British scholarships for Yemeni Potential Leaders The British Chevening scholarship programme has been running for over 26 years and in that time has provide more than 30,000 Scholarships at Higher Education Institutions in the UK for postgraduate students or researchers from countries around the world. Chevening scholarships are prestigious awards which create positive change in the lives of individuals and societies. The programme, funded by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Ofﬁce, aims to support capable individuals to pursue a career that will take them to a position of leadership within their own country. In Yemen, the Chevening programme has been making a signiﬁcant impact on the personal and professional development of Yemeni scholars since it began in 1983 and there

are over 130 Yemeni Alumni so far. Miss Rana Jarhum, who studied MA Comparative and International Social Policy at the University of York, says: ‘Before applying to the Chevening scholarship I knew a few people who were Alumni. They were brilliant people making signiﬁcant contributions to the Yemeni society. I decided to take a chance and apply. It was a tough competition, but luckily I got it. When I received the phone call, I was thrilled and felt privileged. I geared up for a year in the UK and embarked on the journey. It was an amazing experience on both the academic level and the personal level. I learned, travelled and connected with friends from all overthe world through my University and through the Chevening student community. It was an

Cleaners in Abyan Protest By Shukri Hussein / Abyan

meeting with the scholars on Monday where he submitted a proposal consisting of eight points including “abolition of the controversial constitutional amendments and the call for elections ,as well as forming a government of national unity in return for withdrawal of the demonstrations from the streets.” Still, many opposition leaders declared their refusal to form a government of national unity. In the same context, president Saleh made a phone call to the American officials on Wednesday to express his regret for the statements he made on the previous day. The white house reported that Saleh had spoken to John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism on the misunderstanding related to Saleh’s statement in which he accused Israel and the U.S of being involved in the activities that would undermine stability in Arab world.

Fakhri Hassan Al-Arashi Publisher & Chief Editor

LOCAL

Today morning, cleaners in Abyan have closed off the main road front of the government complex to protest against that the government’s treatment of them, which they say differs from the condition of their colleagues in other provinces, and to demand their salaries, which have reportedly been in arrears for several months. They laid down stones and wood as obstacles and stopped cars from reaching the ofﬁce and prevented vehicles from moving for a period exceeding three

hours. They called for employment and the receipt of ﬁve thousands riyals which the President ordered to disburse according to earlier pledges. Also they demanded to return to a normal work schedule as well as to disbursement of money needed to cover health risks. It has been reported to National Yemen that Mr. Ahmed Nasser Jerfush, the deputy governor, has met the protesters and promised to implement all their demands.

invaluable experience that took my life journey to exciting horizons’ Mousa Al-Nuseiri, the Head of Information and Analysis at the Ministry of Planning and International Co-operation, has ﬁnished his MSc in Information Management at Manchester University. He says: ‘When I won the scholarship, I felt blessed. I did my major and enjoyed every moment in the UK. I visited spectacular places like LLandudno and York. Thanks to the high-standard of education and the multicultural environment, my educational objectives were met and my

intercultural skills improved a lot, and I am now able to do my work effectively and efﬁciently’. Britain has now opened the doors for Yemeni women and men to apply for Chevening Scholarships to study a full-time, one year Masters in one of the internationally leading universities in the UK in the academic year 2011/2012. This year the British Embassy and the British Council will be focussing on candidates planning to undertake study related to economic and social development; e.g. programme and budget management, health management, etc

GPC in al-Dalea to Side with Protests

By Saleh Almansoub / Al Dalea Local sources conﬁrmed that Mohammed al-Owdi Director of vocational and industrial Institute, Sheikh Shayif Naji Sinan one of al-Owd sheikhs in Qotoba as well as Sheikh Ibrahim Fattahi, services committee chairman in Qotoba, have submitted their resignation from GPC in al-Dalea directorate and joined the people in the demonstration. Mohammed Al-Asaadi Editorial Consultant

Fuad Al-Qadhi Business Editor

Shukri Hussein Abyan Correspondent

Jihan Anwar Staff Journalist

NY sources learned from close resources that the ruling party had paid lots of money to Qotoba in order to mobilize a support rally in favor of President Saleh on Sunday. Sources also mentioned that the amount exceeded YR 10 million and was submitted to a constituency 300 representatives to distribute among the largest number of supporters.

Naila Bamehriz Translator & Coordinator

The Facts As They Are

Mohammed Abdalaleem Shabwah Correspondent e-mail: info@nationalyemen.com website:www.nationalyemen.com address:al-qiada st.

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Will Carter Anatoly Kurmanaev Bushra Al-shareef Managing Editor Int’l Journalist Intern Translator

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Sunday, Mar. 6, 2011 Issue 35

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SOCIAL

National Yemen

Religious Scholars Weigh in on Unrest By / Saddam Alashmory Last Monday, hundreds of thousands rallied in cities across Yemen against the government of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, in the largest of the protests of the past month, including one addressed by an influential firebrand cleric, a former ally of Saleh, whom the U.S. has linked to al-Qaida. "Go on until you achieve your demands," Sheik Abdul-Majid al-Zindani told tens of thousands of demonstrators in the capital of Sanaa. A former U.S. ambassador to Yemen called al-Zindani's decision to turn against President Ali Abdullah Saleh a major setback for the president. International media reported that Zindani, whose word carries considerable weight in Yemen, was guarded by his private security force of 10 men carrying AK-47 assault rifles. “An Islamic state is coming,” he told the crowd, adding that Saleh “came to power by force, and stayed in power by force, and the only way to get rid of him is through the force of the people.” Just the previous day, Yemeni religious scholars asserted that peaceful change in Yemen can only occur through elections. Sheikh Abdul Majeed al-Zindani, Chairman of Al-Iman University, said that Yemen has a constitution and the President has sworn to

preserve the security and stability of the country. Despite of an initiative approved by the religious scholars one week ago, Al-Zindani said that the opposition parties didn’t reply for the initiative between Saleh and Yemeni religious scholars. In a move aimed by the Yemeni opposition to gain time and continue to encourage its supporters in the street, the opposition insists that it

will remain committed to the street as a solution and is committed to people demands to end Saleh regime. Sheikh al-Zindani declared that religious scholars have concluded, after a lengthy meeting with the president last week, to an eight-point plan. These include withdrawal of the proposed changes to the electoral law from the parliament, withdrawing the constitutional procedures that had

Continued From Page (1) 15 December targeted Western nationals in Sana’a. We believe that terrorists continue to threaten further attacks including in Sana’a, Aden and other urban areas. No part of Yemen should be considered immune from violence and the potential exists throughout the country for hostile acts. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including against western and British interests, such as residential compounds, military and oil facilities, and transport and aviation interests. All British nationals should maintain a heightened level of vigilance and keep a

low profile at all times, observing the strictest of security measures and avoid any unnecessary travel. If you choose to remain in Yemen, you should also consider making your own security arrangements for the duration of your stay and maintain contact with the British Embassy. In particular we advise all British nationals to avoid high profile venues such as international hotels and other places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers, such as landmarks and places where large crowds gather, embassies, government ministries and military establishments.

The US department of state quickly followed the UK’s example, producing the following warning: The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the high security threat level in Yemen due to terrorist activities and civil unrest. The Department urges U.S. citizens not to travel to Yemen. U.S. citizens currently in Yemen should consider departing Yemen. The Department of State has authorized the voluntary departure from Yemen of the family members of U.S. Embassy staff and non-essential personnel. This replaces the Travel Warning for Yemen issued October 15, 2010.

Continued From Page (1) resigned ruling party MPs to 13 since the wave of protests against Ali Abdullah Saleh's rule began. Sam Yahya Al-Ahmar, the deputy culture minister, Hashid Abdullah al-Ahmar, the deputy minister for youth and sports have also quit the ruling party. Al-Ahmar resignation comes a week after his brother Hussein Abdullah Al-Ahmar had left the party. Al-Khamiri condemned the acts of thuggery against the peaceful protests and the young protestors of Sana’a University, citing that freedom of assembly is guaranteed by the law and constitution. He also called all business men in the country to determine their position on the

attacks undertaken against university students and professors which he described as “vulgar”. Al-Khamiri is the Deputy President of the Supreme Council for Youth of the GPC and is considered an activist in

the GPC as well as the founder and a sponsor of various organizations and civil society bodies. He was also going to nominate himself for the eleventh constituency in Sana’a in the planned 2011 elections.

been proposed by the president, forming a supervised committee to supervise elections, forming a national government to oversee free and fair elections, bring corrupt officials to justice, releasing detainees who have not been proven guilty, forming a committee to mediate the current political stalemate. The body would consist of five judges, two of whom are

chosen by the president, two of them are chosen by the opposition party, and the fifth by the religious scholars to resolve the dispute of the political conflict between Yemen's ruling and the opposition. He referred to the request of the President to lift the sit-in, but Al-Zindani said it cannot be done because the Constitution guarantees the right to freely express opinions. The president extended to

religious scholars the responsibility for mediating the current dispute in case the opposition continued to adhere to the street. He said that the leadership of the opposition is aware of the consequences if the situation were to become violent. He said the meeting of religious scholars should not finish until a solution to the situation that the country is going through is found.

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Sunday, Mar. 6, 2011 Issue 35

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"Friends of Yemen" to Convene Amid Unrest

By Fernando R. Carvajal As events continue to develop daily around the Arab World, Western and GCC governments prepare for the upcoming Friends of Yemen meeting to be held on 22-23 March in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh. This meeting aims to follow-up on recommendations from the last meeting in New York held on 24 September 2010. The gathering of European, US, Jordanian and GCC ministers was originally to be held on 1 March but was rescheduled due to a number of preparatory meetings cancelled in February, including a vital meeting between Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh and US President Barak Obama in Washington., DC. This meeting could not

come at a worse time. Not only is Yemen engulfed by protests nationwide, inspired by the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia and al-Thawra as-Shab in Egypt, but its neighbors around the Arabian Peninsula, members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), are themselves experiencing a number of demonstrations targeting the regimes. The Friends of Yemen is a group of interested governments from Western Europe, the Arabian Peninsula, including the USA, formed during the one day Yemen Conference in London on 28 January 2010. This meeting was convened by Britain’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown following the Christmas Day attempt on an US airliner over Detroit (MI)

by the Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab, associated with al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), and believed to have had contact with US born cleric Anwar al-Awalqi during his stay in Sana’a while studying Arabic. While the group continues to propose democratic reform in Yemen and promised to coordinate increased development aid for Yemen, its primary concern is stability in the country and containment of AQAP. Security concerns dominate the agenda since January 2010 with the aim to target existing threats to Western interests, within Yemen and respective national territories. Although it has only been les than a year and half since

the first meeting in London, many analysts believe the process within the group of Friends of Yemen has been doomed to fail from the start. The main reason for such pessimistic views rises from both the structure of committees and conflicting interests among regional neighbors and Western governments. Until now, Western governments have focused on demanding democratic reform by Yemen in areas such as civilian command of armed forces, the judiciary and the electoral process. Some observers mentioned that work on such issues has been stalled by Arab partners who are not interested in such priorities since at the end it will affect their own societies who will demand such reform in the Gulf countries as a consequence of GCC participation in the group. Arab governments have failed to meet their own commitments toward Yemen by failing to participate in committee meetings or simply sending very junior diplomats unfamiliar with the topics on the agenda. The upcoming meeting in Riyadh is not only vital for Yemen under the current circumstances, where it will have the opportunity to express the importance of aid needed to meet current economic needs and increasing budgetary deficits, but it is also a much needed opportunity for the UK to salvage their initiatives to engage a strategically vital country. The group will have

its hands full as it aims to tackle political, social and armed sources of instability in Yemen. As the group meets in Riyadh it is clear that major interest to continue work on previous recommendations will primarily lay in hands of Western governments, with regional states preoccupied with their own internal challenges. Yemen’s government will attend the meeting with higher expectations than any other single government or block. Yemen’s priority is to gain further access to the nearly US$5 billion pledged at a similar meeting in 2006 following the second democratic presidential elections that granted Ali Abdullah Saleh a second seven year term. In addition, Yemen will request quicker access to the newly established US Fund, US$150 million (to be disbursed over ﬁve years), for which the US has requested increased regional contribution. The only consistent source of aid to

Yemen so far has been direct military aid from the US and UK, which stands at nearly US$150 million per year from each government. Western governments continue to question Yemen’s commitment to democratic reform, and current developments since President Saleh’s speech in parliament on 2 February, where he promised there would be no re-election on 2013, no handing of power to his son Ahmad, and withdrawal of pending constitutional amendments, have not yet convinced Europe and the US of implementation of recommended democratic reform. As internal politics remain in constant ﬂux, with many ruling party members resigning and the opposition providing no ﬁrm position on the National Dialogue process, Western governments will face a number of unanswered questions and increasingly unpredictable events as they gather in Riyadh within two weeks.

Sunday, Mar. 6, 2011 Issue 35

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National Yemen

Human Rights Watch Condemns Disappearance of Opposition Leaders At Least Eight Southern Activists Detained and Missing Snatching and hiding political opposition leaders, including from a hospital, is hardly compatible with the government's claim to protect rights. When the security forces "disappear" opponents of the government they are enforcing not the law, but the political will of the ruler. By Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch At least eight people including a southern opposition leader have been "disappeared" after Yemeni security forces detained them in Aden in February 2011, Human Rights Watch said today. Security forces detained five prominent members of the Southern Movement on the night of February 26. Security forces had previously detained a Southern Movement leader, Hassan Baoum, taking him from his hospital bed, along with his son, Fawaz, who brought him to the hospital, on February 20. Baoum chairs the Supreme Council of the Southern Movement, a main organizer of protests in Aden and surrounding areas since 2007 by southerners seeking independence or increased autonomy for the south, which was a separate republic before it was united with the north in 1990. Security forces also detained a Southern Movement activist during a protest on February 11. The whereabouts of all eight detainees remain unknown, relatives told Human Rights Watch. "Snatching and hiding political opposition leaders, including from a hospital, is hardly compatible with the government's claim to protect rights," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "When the security forces ‘disappear' opponents of the government they are enforcing not the law, but the political will of the ruler." Central Security forces, a unit whose overall commander is President Ali Abdullah Saleh's nephew, Yahya Saleh, raided the apartment of an engineer, Ali bin Ali Shukri, at about 5:30 p.m. on February 26 and arrested him and four of his guests: doctors Abd al-Khaliq Salah Abd al-Qawi and Yahya Shayif al-Sunaibi; college professor ‘Aidarus Muhsin al-Yahari; and Qasim ‘Askar Jubran, a former ambassador to Mauritania of the previously independent southern Yemeni state. Shukri's family told Human Rights Watch that they saw officials from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) outside beginning at about 4:20 p.m. As soon as the guests arrived, said Shukri's son, Amr, about 40 uniformed Central Security members arrived in five four-wheel drives and surrounded the house. About five of them broke into the apartment. He said that the security forces did not identify

themselves or give any reason for the arrests, and just took the five men out and put them into the cars. Since then, Amr said, he has not been able to get any information about his father's whereabouts. He told Human Rights Watch: "As soon as they took them away, we went to al-Qahira police station and were told that the detainees were taken to the CID. At CID, they confirmed they had them, but said we could not see them until Sunday afternoon. “We came the next day, it was Sunday, and I brought breakfast for my father, but they said he was no longer there. CID said they were transferred to the General Security Department, I went there, and they said they were at the CID! When I went back to CID, they said they were in al-Mansura jail. In the jail the officials said nobody had been brought to them." The families of Abd al-Qawi, al-Sunaibi, and al-Yahari told Human Rights Watch that they had no information about the fates or whereabouts of their relatives. Abd al-Qawi and al-Yahari called their relatives the night of their arrest to say the five detainees were in the CID. Since then, however, they have not answered their cell phones, and the relatives' efforts to establish their whereabouts have proven futile. Abd al-Qawi's father said that when he visited the CID on February 27, the officials there first said his son had been taken to Aden's al-Mansura jail, then

‘‘

told the father to inquire with the General Security Department. Officials there denied any knowledge of his whereabouts. Abd al-Qawi's brother then went back to the CID and was told that Abd al-Qawi was on a list of detainees to be transferred to Sanaa. Abd al-Qawi's brother said that during the afternoon of February 27 he received information from an acquaintance at Aden airport that all five detainees and another three men had been escorted to a military airplane that was destined for Sanaa. However the families have received no official confirmation of the detainees' location, the reasons for their arrest, or any charges against them. Shukri's son told Human Rights Watch he was extremely concerned about the health of his father, who suffers from diabetes and liver disease and needs to take medication regularly. In the February 20 episode, police took Hassan Baoum and his son Fawaz from the al-Naqib hospital in Aden, where Hassan Baoum was receiving treatment. Another of Baoum's sons told Human Rights Watch that his 75-yearold father, who suffers from diabetes and a heart condition, had been admitted to the hospital the night before. He said that other patients in the ward told him that in the morning a group of masked, uniformed security forces entered the ward and took the two men away without explanation, and did not identify

Yemen has not yet ratiﬁed the 2006 UN International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance

Amr Shukri holds the picture of his father, Ali bin Ali Shukri, whom Yemeni security forces "disappeared" on February 26, 2011. themselves or present any papers. The hospital staff and patients confirmed this account to Human Rights Watch. Baoum's son said that for the first two days, the family had no information about the men's whereabouts. Then, a southern Yemeni whom the family knew and who worked with the local security forces unofficially told him that the detainees had been transferred to the Political Security prison in Sanaa. The son said he was concerned for his father's health and well-being, because he served almost a year in that prison and was kept underground, with no contact with the outside world, and no medical assistance. Baoum's son said that he could not travel to Sanaa himself, fearing persecution, but tried to get confirmation from the Political Security prison through the International Committee of the Red Cross. The family has received no official confirmation of Hassan and Fawaz Baoum's fate or whereabouts. Baoum has been detained three previous times since 2007, most recently from November 2010 to January 2011. The Southern Movement has been protesting what its supporters view as discrimination by President Saleh's government against southern Yemenis. Since February, it has joined with protesters in Sanaa, the capital, and other cities north of Aden in calling for Saleh to resign. The eighth missing detainee is 40-year-old Nasir Ali Muhammad al-Qadhi, a Southern Movement activist. His brother told Human Rights Watch that on February

11 al-Qadhi was participating in an extremely peaceful protest in Aden when a group of security officers in civilian clothes provoked a fight. The brother said witnesses to the fight told him that the security forces broke al-Qadhi's wrist, and that other protesters took him to a hospital. Witnesses from the hospital told the brother that as soon as doctors started putting a bandage on al-Qadhi's hand, uniformed policemen arrived in a four-wheel-drive and arrested him. His brother said: "I went to al-Mansura police station, and the officers there told me that my brother had a big problem, and they would discipline him first but would let me see him tomorrow. When I came the next day they told me they had transferred him to the Political Security offices in al-Mansura. “I went there and brought some clothes and food for Nasir. They told me to come back tomorrow. When I came they said they had transferred him to Political Security office in Fath, in [Aden's] Tuwahi district. “I kept going there, and they kept telling me to come tomorrow, but they took the food that I brought for him. I stopped going there, and when I called them last midnight [February 25], they told me they did not have him. At this point, I don't know where he is and whether he is alive or dead." "Those who ordered and carried out the disappearances of these ill and injured people are putting their lives at risk and should be held accountable for any harm their prisoners suffer," Whitson said. The actual number of people detained during or in relation to

the protests in Aden is likely to be much higher than has been conﬁrmed so far. Representatives of the National Solidarity Council, a national institution providing a meeting space for tribes and intellectuals under the paramount Shaikh Husain Abdullah al-Ahmar, told Human Rights Watch that they believe 35 protesters are being held by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in Aden and about two dozen more in Aden's Shaikh ‘Uthman police station, its Central Security jail, and Political Security jail. Human Rights Watch could not independently verify this information. Under international law, a government's refusal to acknowledge the detention of an individual or the person's whereabouts following detention or arrest by state forces is an enforced disappearance. Yemen has not yet ratiﬁed the 2006 UN International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. In a previous report on Yemen published in 2008, Disappearances and Arbitrary Arrests in the Context of Yemen's War with Huthi Rebels, Human Rights Watch found that Political Security emerged as the most likely government body responsible for enforced disappearances. Many of those "disappeared" in Yemen have eventually been released or their whereabouts reported. But the families of some people forcibly disappeared did not know whether their relatives were alive, who their captors were, or their whereabouts, for months after their detention.

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SPECIAL

Sunday, Mar. 6, 2011 Issue 35

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Human Rights Watch Condemns Thuggery Against Protestors State Officials Facilitate Attacks Outside Capital The world is watching largely peaceful protests in Sanaa, but Yemeni officials are at best standing by or at worst helping gangs assault demonstrators in places far from the public eye. Governments in the region and beyond claiming to support democratic reform and accountability should urge President Saleh to halt these thuggish attacks now. By Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch Yemeni officials and security forces have facilitated attacks by armed gangs on peaceful anti-government protesters in places away from the capital of Sanaa, or stood by while such attacks occurred, Human Rights Watch said today. Pro-government gangs injured more than 30 protesters in two such attacks on March 2 and 3, 2011. In al-Baida’, a city in central Yemen, large groups of armed men opened fire on demonstrators seeking the resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, injuring at least five people on March 3, witnesses told Human Rights Watch. Some community leaders alleged that local officials had recruited the attackers. In the western port city of al-Hudaida, witnesses said security forces stood by as assailants attacked anti-Saleh protesters with daggers and stones during prayer time on March 2, injuring more than two dozen people. “The world is watching largely peaceful protests in Sanaa, but Yemeni officials are at best standing by or at worst helping gangs assault demonstrators in places far from the public eye,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “Governments in the region and beyond claiming to support democratic reform and accountability should urge President Saleh to halt these thuggish attacks now.” On February 23 Saleh promised that security forces would allow peaceful demonstrations and thwart any attacks on protestors. Since then, protests in the capital have been largely peaceful and generally open to journalists. In al-Baida’ on March 3, men armed with weapons, including assault rifles, opened fire on a crowd of thousands of protestors, three people at the scene told Human Rights Watch. The protesters have been holding peaceful demonstrations over the past two weeks at the Children of Revolutionaries Square (Meydan Abna al-Thuwar), the witnesses said. Many of the armed men waved posters of Saleh, according to a human rights activist and a journalist who witnessed the attack. Many gunmen were riding in or on top of vehicles, including four vans, a military jeep, and five cars with government license plates, said Fahd al-Tawil, a journalist with Marib Press news service who filmed and photographed the attack from a rooftop. Some of the gunmen fired from nearby

rooftops, al-Tawil told Human Rights Watch. The anti-government protesters, who did not have weapons, joined arms and formed a line to block the armed men when they first converged on the square, the witnesses said. “As soon as they reached us we took our shoes off and held them in the air,” anti-government protester Husain al-Hu’airi told Human Rights Watch. “The pro-government protesters started throwing shoes and stones and bottles of water at us, and we did the same. Then they started shooting at us.” The anti-Saleh protesters had been staging a sit-in at the park since February 17. Al-Tawil, the Marib Press journalist, told Human Rights Watch that as the gunmen began shooting, protesters shouted, “It’s peaceful, it’s peaceful,” and “Leave, leave.” At least four of the five injured were treated at local hospitals for bullet wounds, including a 12-year-old boy who was shot in the hand, two of the witnesses said. Al-Tawil said he saw one of the anti-Saleh protesters hit by a bullet. Ali ‘Atush, a local human rights activist, said he heard around one hundred shots fired and collected casings from Kalashnikov rounds at the scene. The armed men came from a football stadium about three kilometers away, where several thousand people had rallied in support of Saleh earlier in the day, the witnesses said. Al-Tawil, who was at the pro-government gathering in the stadium, said al-Baida’ community leaders there told him that thousands of men had come from outlying areas because the al-Baida’ governor’s office and local ruling party officials had paid 200,000 Yemeni Riyals (US$950) to each district contributing men. Al-Tawil said that at the end of the rally he heard al-Baida’ Governor Muhammad Nasir al‘Amri order the community leaders to encourage their followers at the rally to march on the demonstrators, but that some of the community leaders had refused. Local pro-government protesters at the rally who opposed the attacks later told the anti-government protestors that the al-Baida’ authorities had “paid them money and food” to join the fray, al-Hu’airi, one anti-Saleh protester, said. In al-Hudaida, four witnesses told Human Rights Watch that scores of security officials watched as gangs of

Photos courtesy of Fahid al-Tawil/Marib Press

Gunmen bearing a poster of Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh ride into an anti-government protest on March 3 in al-Baida', one of several areas where attacks on demonstrators continued in recent days despite the president’s promises that security forces would prevent violence.

A gunman at an anti-government protest on March 3 in al-Baida', one of several areas where attacks on demonstrators continued in recent days despite the president’s promises that security forces would prevent violence.

men attacked anti-Saleh protesters with daggers, sticks, and fireworks on March 2 while some demonstrators were performing their midday prayer. The attack in People’s Park (al-Sha’b) wounded between 25 and 30 people, many with cuts, head injuries, or broken noses, they said. “They threw stones and lit fireworks and threw them at us. They chased us and beat us with their fists,” said Basim alJin’ani, a journalist for alhoudeidah.net and the independent newspaper Al-Masdar, who witnessed the attack. “Dozens of General Security officers watched the whole thing

and did nothing.” When the anti-Saleh protesters then began chasing the attackers, some assailants fled into the governor’s building, which faces the park, al-Jin’ani said. Security officials stopped the attack after four leading protestors met with the governor and pressed him to order General Security to intervene, said Mustafa al-Ibrahim, an anti-Saleh protester, and Abd al-Hafif al-Hutami, a local activist and journalist with Al-Sahwa newspaper and Suhail TV. Al-Hutami said he saw some security officials retreat into the

governor’s building just before the attack. He said the city’s director of General Security told him that his men had not intervened because they did not want to be accused of involvement in the attack and to protect the governor’s building. The pro-government assailants had congregated at the nearby al-Muhafad park in recent days and had attacked the protesters at the square at least twice previously, three witnesses said. “The ofﬁcials who organized these attacks or stood by and did nothing have as much blood on their hands as the assailants with guns and daggers,” Stork said.

“Yemeni authorities need to publicly order a halt to these attacks, conduct immediate and impartial investigations, and hold those responsible to account.” In addition to the attacks documented by Human Rights Watch, Yemeni soldiers opened ﬁre on protesters in the northern town of Harf Sufyan on March 4, killing at least two and wounding seven, according to international and Yemeni news reports. The reports said protesters had been throwing rocks at a military post. Human Rights Watch was unable to immediately conﬁrm the information.

Sunday, Mar. 6, 2011 Issue 35

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REPORT

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When Does the War in Sa’ada End? Hostilities now revolve around Houthi rebels and local tribes six rounds of war has decimated the traditional understandings and agreements in the area, and has apparently left the area hopelessly at war with itself. In the middle of last year, "the tribal alliance of Sa’ada citizens" was declared under leadership of Sheikh Yahia Mugeet, who belongs to a prominent tribal family to which different tribes of Khawlan, Bani Amer, and Sa’ada traditionally looked toward for leadership. Tribal disappointment

By Abdullah Alsalimi After a year of armistice in the North of Yemen, the sixth round of the armed confrontations between the state and the Houthi rebels appears to be stable. This, at least, is the de jure status of the hostilities. In fact, war has still generally continued in many parts of Sa’ada and its neighboring governorates, even though its aspect has notably changed. A few kilometers to the south of Sa’ada city, military vehicles and machines have been stationed in an attempt to separate the parties to conflict last month. One of these sides is, of course, the Houthis themselves, who have remained relatively far from the city. Their adversaries are while the Al Abdeen tribs, headed by the Sheikh and member of parliament Othman Mujali, who are deployed quite close to the capital city. Over the past two months, many tribal nobles and military commanders have failed to successfully mediate a solution to the crisis between the two parties. In another ongoing standoff, fighting intensified between armed Houthi fighters and Sheikh Mujali tribesmen in the Bir Yaqub area south of Sa’ada. Four mortar missiles were loosed upon a public market in Sheikh Mujali last month. Another four missiles landed near the financial office and the Central Bank of Yemen’s Sa’ada branch. Local sources in Sa’ada said the missiles were launched from the Mahdha area, west of governorate center and just outside the base of the central security. The same sources reported that Houthi rebels launched missiles at military targets associated with their tribal adversaries in the area, but missed and hit populated civilian areas.

last six wars in the North. Since the peace agreement in February of last year, however, the equation has been changed by the announcement of an official cessation of hostilities. Now, Qatar supposedly mediates between the Houthi group and the state. A Qatari delegation visits Yemen’s North from time to time to supervise the implementation of the peace. Despite the apparent desire by the two parities to build mutual confidence and execute the terms of their convention, in the last months, the tribal elements have appeared to be in essentially open war with the Houthis. The Local Council General Secretary in Sa’ada, Mohammed Idha Al-Imad, minimized the danger the clashes between the Houthis and the tribes could have on the peace process. He dismissed reports that the fighting had left many killed, wounded and homeless by as mere "obstacles" facing the full implementation of the peace in the governorate.

Equation of Force Rewritten

Al-Imad was eager to describe what was happening as products of mistakes and wrong-doing perpetrated by the Houthis. He added, "Six years of war revealed without

The state, though supported by the armed local tribes, was the main actor challenging the sway of the Houthis during the

‘‘

clashes involving the tribes was only natural, considering the assistance the latter furnished the state in the recent wars

any doubt those behind the current difficulties, and what must be done to solve most of them for the long-term.” He noted that residual clashes involving the tribes was only natural, considering the assistance the latter furnished the state in the recent wars, and the misgivings the Houthis must still harbor for their local foes, despite the peace agreement. While the Local Council General Secretary expressed that the Local Authority is ambitious to solve the remaining problems between the tribes and Houthis, he was afraid of the possibility of a long-term escalation between the two parties. In light of the prevalence of custom, and general economic and political isolation of Sa’ada governorate, tribal vendettas spanning decades, even before the state’s war with the Houthis, has complicated the reconciliation process. Tribal revenge heavily overlays the tribal-Houthi hostilities, as the customary

laws of an essentially ungoverned areas dictates the seeking of satisfaction for lost kinsmen, and appears to override the diplomatic understandings agreed upon through Qatar’s agency.

‘‘ Tribal revenge heavily overlays the tribalHouthi hostilities

Despite the fact that tribes opposed to the Houthis share many ties of geography and kinship with their enemies, the

Speaking of the organization, Yahia Mugeet said its establishment came as a reaction to what he called "the state’s disavowal of the tribal people who supported the state in its war against Houthi.” Mugeet accused the Houthi group of blatant aggression and attempting to assassinate him two months ago in Bab al-Salam in Sana'a – an attack which he survived, while Sheikh Sadam Hussien Rawkan, one leaders from Hidan accompanying him, was been killed. The official spokesman of the Houthis, Mohammed Abdulsalam has denied the complicity of his group in the violence against Sheikh Mugeet and his entourage. He said that the clashes took place among tribes and Houthis strictly in Sa’ada, and that the events in Sanaa had no connection to it. Sheikh Yahia Mugeet said that the state delivered the tribal people to the Houthis’ wrath. He stated that the security forces and army soldiers have passed through Houthi checkpoints without being obstructed in any way. But some tribesmen, especially those who are known to have participated with the state in the recent wars, are arrested by Houthi gunmen while passing through these checkpoints. The state likely desired to affect the ceasefire agreement

in Sa’ada over all other considerations, and its relationship with its Northern tribal allies was likely a distant priority. The state’s policy has certainly called for extreme care in handling the Houthitribal conflict, as it wishes to stand an equal distance between the two parties. This has caused the tribespeople formerly affiliated with the state great anguish, as they believe patronage from the government is the just reward of their loyalty. There are many examples that the state, through prominent military commanders, has undertaken efforts to reconcile between disgruntled tribes and the Houthis. Deputy minister of interior, Mohammed Fadhel Al-Qawsi, led a mediation effort two months ago resulting in a fleeting peace between the Houthis and the Al Abdeen tribe, which is led by Sheikh Othman Mujali. The armistice was to last for at least four months, but it broke down after only one. But the Peace Congress General Secretary said of the aggrieved tribes’, “the must understand the state’s necessary nonalignment of the State in this situation. “The State is the umbrella of all and it is the responsible to them without discrimination. The state is in a state of peace with the Houthis, and it is eager not to take part in any breach which will lead to the collapse of the peace efforts.” “Hence, the State is not disappointing the tribes with whom they were allied in their war with the Houthis.” Al-Qawsi continued, “as long as the state is in a peace agreement, it is necessary for those who sided with the state in these hostilities to do the same.” However, whether the state is officially at peace with the North or not, it does not change the reality that the war has not yet come to an end in Sa’ada.

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POLITICS

Sunday, Mar. 6, 2011 Issue 35

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Yemeni Opposition Rejects Formal Dialogue Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh rejected a plan for his resignation that the opposition said would lead to a peaceful transition to democracy. The plan is a “blatant overthrow of democracy and constitutional legitimacy,” the official Saba news service cited an unidentified official at the presidential office as saying. The country’s reference is the constitution and “deviating” from it “poses grave risks,” it said. Yemen’s opposition coalition gave Saleh a plan outlining a smooth transfer of power based on a statement by the president that he will not seek an extension or transfer power to his son, Mohammed al-Sabri, a spokesman for the coalition, reported on 3 March. The plan would see Saleh out of office before his term ends in 2013. Meanwhile, the Yemeni opposition parties have rejected forming a national government and confirmed their commitment to the fall of the regime. According to a spokesman for the JMP Mohammed Al-Qobati, the call to form a government came in stoppage time and he said that the president should step down instead of painkillers that have become obsolete. He called upon the President to stop the murderers scattered throughout the provinces. On Monday, government sources said that Yemeni Presi-

dent Ali Abdullah Saleh is ready to form a unity government with the opposition within hours if the opposition provided names to fill the ministerial portfolios. This call came after the president made a series of meetings with religious leaders in order to promote a plan to form a coalition and national government aiming at ending the disturbances and

protests taking place in Yemen. However, the Yemeni opposition said it would not join a unity government on what appears and appears to be relying on its strength in street. An official statement from the opposition affirmed that they will remain committed to the people demands to end Saleh’s regime. Protest and strikes continued

Street Protests Incur Heavy Economic Losses

to demand the departure of the Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh on the eastern side of Sana'a University. A “day of rage” proceed on Tuesday in all governorates of the Republic protesting against the massacre of peaceful protestors in Aden. The JMPs had called all its cadres and members and supporters to participate actively in the “Day of Rage”

in solidarity with the martyrs of Aden which will take place on Tuesday. According to the JMP’s statement and it comes in light of the military siege imposed through armored vehicles on Aden city for more than a week and the unprecedented intentional division the city to the islands and isolating neighborhoods from each other. The security presence

produced a palpable sense of tension and exacerbated the situation with congested in the city open to all possibilities. Ther General People’s Congress, the ruling party in Yemen, and its allies criticized the call of JMP for a “day of rage” on Tuesday. The GPC had levied full responsibility on the JMP for whatever violence or negative results arose out of the “day of rage.” The National Democratic Alliance parties called once again the JMP to arbitrate with mind and reason and keep in mind the higher interest of homeland above all other interests and to return to the table of dialogue as the best way to solve problems in order to preserve the spirit of brotherhood, tolerance, and preserve the achievements of Yemeni unity. An official source at the General People's Congress and National Alliance parties relayed his desire that the JMP should “wisely recognize that our country in all circumstances cannot bear reckless obstruction that causes extensive damage to the citizens and their lives and public property. The National Coalition parties confirmed once again that freedom, democracy and development in Yemen will continue to be guarded vigilantly by the Yemeni people’s awareness as well as by the army and security forces.

Continued From Page (1) not include those injured. A source close to sheikh al-Awjari mentioned that the authorities, through various military leaders, are providing sheikh Mujalli and his tribe with

all kinds of weapons to confront the Houthis, who also remain well-armed. These confrontations between Houthis and Mujalli tribes seem to be taking place as if settling

accounts. Mujalli stood with authority especially after the second war, and the current events cannot be separated from the context of tribal revenge more speciﬁcally.

Declare Yemen membership acceptance in the Extractive Industries Transparency global Initiative in Paris By NY Staff Yemen has achieved compliance with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), the global standard for improved transparency in the oil, gas and mining sectors. By NY Staff The situation that still taking place in the Arab political arena represented in popular protests, and revolution which toppled the regimes of Zine El Abidine and Hosni Mubarak and set that has put the Gaddafi regime on the brink of collapse, is deeply affecting Yemen. In addition, the street protests in our country and other Arab countries have negatively impacted economic activity and development prospects, as elsewhere in the region. The Real estate and investment Sectors are some of the activities affected most adversely by the events. Most Arab and international real estate companies

have large investment activities in Libya, Egypt and Tunis. They have suffered significant financial losses running into millions dollars. These astronomical losses seem to be accelerating faster than the events themselves. At the same time, the current unrest and disturbances occurring in most of the provinces of Yemen, as in the economic capital of Aden, as well as in Mukalla and Sana'a has affected the real estate investment sector in Yemen, especially as these cities are the center of the real estate market in Yemen and the largest Real estate investments of local and Gulf companies are concentrated there.

The real estate investments have significant financial losses because of declining sales. According to the familiar, unstable events in Aden has rocked the pillars of most real estate companies operating in Aden, such as as Hamdani, Al-Awael, Joker and others. The loss of economic activity to those companies are very large and will increase with the increase of protests. Company owners ascribed the causes of those losses to the fear of losing their customers and the inability to pay monthly installments on residential apartments which have been slated for construction.

The EITI Board designated Yemen as ‘EITI Compliant’ at their meeting in Paris (EITI) on March, 2nd, 2011 to be the first country in the Middle East gaining this title. The Yemeni delegation represented in minister of Petroleum and Minerals Amir Alaidarus and Yemeni members of (EITI) board participated in the conference. This initiative came under the auspices of president Saleh, who announced first At the London donors’ conference November, 2006 said Alaidarus. He also added that this initiative enhances the transparency principle which would expand the investment base in Yemen Mohammed Moqbel, Yemen transparency board chairman pointed that this step

is counted a major event in the Yemeni history and is taken Yemen into the modern countries line that are pursuing transparency in order to expand investment and sustainable economic development. Moqbel also added, for Yemen to join this initiative confirms Yemen’s orientation in adopting transparency as Elements of wise governance and credibility in the payments and receipts of revenue for the extractive industries sector Yemen has launched last November the first disclose report on the extractive industries for the years “2005-20062007” which includes oil revenues and all data on the amounts paid by oil production companies working in Yemen

to the government as well as the government revenues for the years 2005-2007 Yemen has also achieved a candidate membership in the initiative in 2007 and worked on completing all conditions to achieve the compliance with the support of World Bank and global (EITI). (EITI) board includes a union of Governments, and all companies and civil society organizations and focuses on improving the public management system in countries of natural resources through broadly consistent and workable approach to the disclosure and accountability of payments and revenues of governments in the oil, gas and mining sectors

Sunday, Mar. 6, 2011 Issue 35

SPORTS

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National Yemen

Yemen Qualiﬁes for the Asian Tennis Championship By: Ebrahim Al-Sharif ebrahim.alsharif@gmail.com Sri Lanka, Feb. 21-27 – Six Yemeni Tennis Players won the Junior Davis Cup of boys’ World Junior Tennis Asia/Oceania tennis tournament’s pre-Qualifying round. Thirteen best countries in tennis game in Asia were participating, including Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, the UAE, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Bhutan, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Syria, Hong Kong, and Yemen. Winning this championship was a breakthrough for the tennis sport of Yemen and its players qualiﬁed along with Syria, which took the second place, and Indonesia, which took the third place and all will participate in the second phase as the best representatives of the Asia continent in the World Tennis Cup for the Davis Cup, in Malaysia in May. This championship was organized by the International Tennis Federation and was held at the SLTA Hard Courts in Sri Lanka. There were 200 tennis players in two categories, under 14-years old and between 14 and 16-years old. Yemen’s six players hailed from several different provinces, including Sana’a, Aden, and Taiz. It included two captains who are Zohair Moshgee and Sultan Al-Masmari and the other

Ghassan exhibited exemplary playing skills in many of the matches he participated in and won by a large margin, recording a new Yemeni record after participating and winning

ment. The small team’s captain has not yet reached his twentieth year, but Sultan led the team successfully to win this championship, while the captain Zohair expects his best players to only improve their game in the coming years and develop their distinctive skills.

‘‘

tennis sport of Yemen and its players qualiﬁed along with Syria

Yemeni tennis heroes are Ghassan Al-Anysi, Samir AbdulGhafoor, and Omro Mohammed in the under 14 category and Hussein AbdulRazag, Ghamdan Ali, and AbdulAziz Khalid in 14-16 category.

the last two West Asia championships in the last two years and now will be entering the Asia Championship. Also, the rest of the team’s performance gave the winning magic touches to win the tourna-

Winners were received at the Sana’a International Airport by Moaamar Al-Iryani, ﬁrst undersecretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports; Undersecretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Abdullah Bahyan; president of the Yemen Tennis and Squash Federation, Mohammed Rizk Al-Sormi; general director of the federations and courts in the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Abdullah Al-Dahbali; the secretarygeneral of the tennis Federation, Nabil Mahdi, in addition to many tennis fans. Abdullah Bahyan, the Under-

secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, conveyed his warm regards to all players and praised them for their achievements and he communicated his hopes of getting the cup championship in Malaysia, too. He added that the Ministry of Youth and Sports will do its best to honor the players for their achievements in adapting to their programs, camps, and overseas

participations. He also called on the Tennis Federation leaders to do their best as well to develop the game and take more care by the heroes’ skills. Zohair Moshgee, the tennis captain, gave a speech at the reception by the leaders of the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the tennis fans at the airport. In it, he praised the role of the administration of the Tennis

Federation in developing the game, led by Moahmmed Al-Sormi. Also, he encouraged the ministry to focus on supporting the winners. He also thanked Nabil Mahdi for providing the right atmosphere to achieve this victory. For more information about the Yemen Tennis and Squash Federation logo on to www.yementf.co.cc

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