Saturday, March 31, 2012

Yemenis stage fresh anti-regime protests in Taizz

Yemeni anti-regime peaceful protesters have once again poured into the streets in the southern city of Taizz, calling for the fulfillment of their revolution’s goals. Demonstrators held rallies and chanted slogans demanding an end to the corruption and the expulsion of deposed dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh’s family members and loyalists from key positions in the interim government. Yemeni protesters further highlighted that there has been no improvement in the country and their legitimate demands have not been met. According to the Yemeni Youth Revolution movement this is partly due to Saleh and his inner circle’s intervention while the interim government is also comprised of people who are not fit for their jobs. Saleh, who ruled Yemen for 33 years, stepped down in February under a US-backed power transfer deal in return for immunity. His deputy, UK-trained field marshal Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi, replaced him on February 25 following a single-candidate presidential election backed by the United States and Saudi Arabia. Hadi will serve for an interim two-year period as stipulated by the power transfer deal which granted Saleh and his closest allies immunity from prosecution. Saleh's eldest son Ahmed now commands the elite Republican Guard, his nephew Yehya heads the central security services and another nephew, Tariq, controls the Presidential Guard. Saleh's General People's Congress (GPC) party also has17 ministers in the new 34-member cabinet.

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