Many expected bloodshed when the revolution first started in Yemen, since it is known to be the second most armed nation in the world, yet it amazingly turned out to be the least violent this so-called Arab Spring. Despite the regime's violence, protesters refrained from using their weapons and marched peacefully demanding their rights. They faced security forces excessive violence with bare chests. A year has passed since the revolution started yet Yemenis disagree on the exact day, as I pointed in my blog post:

Yemen's revolution is undoubtedly the longest in the Arab Spring, yet Yemenis disagree on which day it started. Some say it started on February 3rd, when a group of activists protested in front of Sanaa University, some say February 11th, when the first sit-in tents were erected in Taiz, and others say February 20th when the first martyrs were killed in Aden and Taiz. Yet, Yemen's revolution has been mostly associated with February 11th, the downfall of Egypt's Mubarak.

This video posted by SupportYemen on YouTube shows a group of activists expressing their hopes and highlighting the demands of the revolution:

Hundreds were killed and thousands were injured, yet those responsible for their killings were granted immunity as per the power transition deal, brokered by the Gulf Cooperation Council and fully supported by the United States and the United Nations.

Protesters in Taiz lit the the flame on the eve of the revolution, on February 10th, in Freedom Square, marking the beginning of the celebrations with chants and fireworks as shown in this video posted by taizpress:

Yemen's Revolution impressed the world with it's massive and powerful marches. Iona Craig, a freelance journalist who was been mostly in Yemen since the revolution started, tweeted a link in which she posted a selection of powerful images she had captured throughout the year, including some of the marches.

@ionacraig: Today marks one year since daily protests began in #Yemen. A selection of pictures I took from Feb. 2011 to Feb. 2012: bit.ly/wk1TTT

This video posted by KareemoS on May 21, shows the massive crowds rallying against Saleh and his regime, chanting “the people want to overthrow the regime” - a demand that has yet to be realized.

Huge celebrations were held in Taiz on February 11th, on the occasion the first anniversary of Yemen's revolution. taizpress posts the following video on YouTube showing part of the celebrations:

Yemeni activist Baraa Shiban sums up the events in Yemen over the past year in his post in Comments MiddleEast. He concludes by saying:

The last days of December witnessed a parallel revolution that paralysed many governmental sectors and led to the resignation of some senior officials. It’s worth mentioning that the employee’s strikes are still continuing as the country forges its own mini revolutions, attempting to purge the remnants of Saleh's regime, and foremost, the last scraps of tyranny in Yemen.

Meanwhile, Yemen faces many challenges. A year of revolt has resulted in the loss of many lives, created an economic and humanitarian crisis due to a shortage in water, electricity and other supplies. Reflecting back on what has been achieved so far, a unity government has been established between the existing ruling party, the GPC (General People's Congress) and the “opposition” JMP (Joint Meeting Party). Saleh, and his regime, whom the people had been revolting against for months, were given an immunity by the international community. Saleh travelled to the US and will be returning to Yemen to cast his vote for his Vice President for the past 18 years, whom he had selected to be his successor and was approved by the GCC as the consensus candidate in the “one man election” taking place on February 21st.
This is one of the posters used for the election campaign, seen on various parts of Sanaa, which speaks for itself, posted by one of the most followed groups in Facebook, (Ar) “We are all Taiz“, with a caption asking for readers comments.

After 34 years of ruling Yemen, Saleh is finally stepping down as president on election day, February 21st, yet his son, nephews and brothers still control the military apparatus, and his regime is very much intact. The independent youth who have been protesting for over a year are back to square one, still in the squares, weak and fragmented, yet still holding on to the hope of building a new Yemen, based on freedom, democracy, justice and social equality.

“Supportyemen posted this video which sends out this strong message:

“Some take basic human rights for granted, but for us, Yemenis, they are aspirations. We march for better education, better healthcare, freedom of speech, real democracy, for justice, and for dignity!

As I admitted in my post:

Sadly, Yemen has openly become an international protectorate, with regional and international players determining it's future rather than it's own people.

Having said that, I hope very much that the power of the people wins over the people in power.

This post is part of our special coverage Yemen Protests 2011.

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Yemen's Vice President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was unanimously nominated by parliament as the only presidential candidate for Yemen's February 21 elections, has kicked off his campaign. Ironically, its motto is ‘Together to Build the New Yemen' when many Yemenis were excluded from the US/United Nations-backed power transition deal brokered by neighboring Gulf countries.

Those who welcomed the election believe that voting is a step in the right direction for Yemen, to start a “new page” and “avoid getting into war”, albeit under the same regime and using a line that was overused throughout the year of revolution in Yemen.

Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi's campaign poster

The election supporters want Hadi to gain more than 4 million votes because that's what outgoing President Saleh got in the previous election, believing that would give Hadi “more legitimacy”, although he would be president regardless of the vote as per the the GCC brokered deal implementation mechanism, since he was already handed the executive powers.

Tom Finn, a freelance journalist based in Yemen, tweeted:

@tomfinn2: Though there's only 1 candidate most Yemenis I know are pretty positive about the elections, lots of talk of ‘turning a new page'.

He then added:

@gregorydjohnsen @adammbaron A large majority won't vote but I still think there'll be a bigger turn-out than expected..

He estimated the vote turnout to be as low as 15 per cent.

This video which is part of a series posted by YeElection on behalf of the Supreme Committee for Election and Referendum to promote the electoral campaign indicates that every voter has one vote and encourages people to cast their vote, yet it fails to mention that there is also only ONE candidate.

Many neitzens have questioned the point of the election, and thought it ought to be called an appointment or selection instead - since he is the vice president anyway and it is natural for him to rule during the transitional period. They also have argued that there was no need to waste funds on the election campaign and monitors, which are pointless since the result is known beforehand.

Whether Hadi gets one vote or five million, it will not change the outcome, especially when the necessary funds could have been allocated for the relief of other more pressing issues in Yemen. They could have gone to organizations which combat hunger in Yemen and some even suggested that part of of it could have gone to the families of the martyrs and treating the injured.

Facebook pages in Arabic and English were set up by activists to reject and boycott the elections.

Journalist Brian Whitaker tweeted:

@Brian_Whit: An “election” that allows only one candidate is not a real election bit.ly/AflZtW #yemen

He points in his blog:

The “election” itself is illegal and invalid because the Yemeni constitution states very clearly that there must be more than one candidate. Even Saleh accepted that principle in two previous presidential elections (while of course ensuring that opposition candidates never stood a chance of winning).

Here are some of tweets over this very controversial subject.

@The_Wadi tweeted an article that represented both views:

What do Yemenis think of the election? “We'll vote to avoid war.” “Why are there elections if there's no competition?” bit.ly/w2r1PC

@ginnyUK, associate fellow at Chatham House, who runs Yemen Forum, tweeted a genuine concern that many have:

lack of detailed planning for post-Feb 21 military restructuring, national dialogue, constitutional reform gives pause for thought #Yemen

Yemeni @SummerNasser added:

I guess it's up to citizen journalists to write up on the 'selection' (election) in #Yemen..

And Gregory Johnsen, a PHD candidate in Near Eastern studies and close observer of Yemen, tweeted:

@Gregorydjohnsen: Yemen's one-man presidential campaign brought to you by the US and the GCC.

He replied to a tweet teasingly:

Early polls suggest Hadi the favorite RT @Yemen411 Countdown for elections in #Yemen: 15 days & 18 Hours

And replying why there weren't other candidates, he responded:

@abuaardvark Others couldn't get parliamentary support to get on ballot - GCC deal has Hadi taking over, begs the question: why an election?

Adam Baron, @adammbaron, a freelance journalist currently in Yemen, noted:

@abuaardvark @gregorydjohnsen id say b/c elex mean sharia dostooria [translation: constitutional legitamcy], but a 1 man election is actually in violation of #Yemen's constitution

And Iona Craig, @ionacraig, the Times correspondent in Yemen mockingly tweeted:

Remind me. What's the point in having an election campaign when you're the sole candidate and there's no minimum turnout requirement?

@alruwaishan added:

You can argue a lot of things, but one man running against himself being an election is not one of them. #Yemen's “election” is ridiculous.

@al_masani replied:

@alruwaishan when ali saleh was prez AT LEAST he had a candidate running against him. things went from bad to worse 1 candidate? #yemen

@Brian_Whit wondered if Saleh was planning a comeback:

Could Saleh do Putin's trick? RT @ginnyUK: who will replace Hadi as VP when Hadi becomes president? #Yemen

And @SummerNasser concluded with a very likely scenario which many Yemeni would definitely reject:

Let me just give you all a heads up. Hadi will be in place, then in the future Ahmed (Saleh's son) will take over. Mark my words. #BFEY #Yemen

Many Yemenis believe that taking part in this election is pointless since the election results are pre-determined, as was the imposed GCC deal and the immunity it granted Saleh. They doubt that it will bring about any real change in Yemen in the foreseeable future with Hadi, another military man replacing Saleh, and thus that there is no prospect of the civil state which the revolution demanded, especially with Saleh's family still controlling the military apparatus and his regime still intact.

And as @abubakrabdullah points in his post in the Guardian's live blog:

Either way, an end to clashes and the provision of regular electricity, gas and water are more eagerly anticipated in Yemen than an election right now.

This post is part of our special coverage Yemen Protests 2011.

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Yemenis in New York threw a shoe in the direction of outgoing Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, whom they say should be standing before the International Criminal Court (ICC) and not staying at Manhattan's Luxury Ritz-Carlton Hotel. The shoe did not hit Saleh but sent home the message that Yemenis are angry he is getting pampered instead of facing justice for his crimes against the Yemeni people.

On Thursday February 2, 2012, a press conference was organized in front of the Ritz Carlton, where Yemenis and Yemeni Americans standing on the sidewalk opposite the hotel expressed their anger by waving placards with slogans saying “democracies should not host dictators,” as well as photographs of people who were killed in Yemen's year-long revolution.

Amel Ahmed @iiamelii, a NYC-based freelance writer, law student and member of the Yemeni American Coalition for Change speaking to Democracy Now (video starts at “10:45) said:

Dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh is staying at this hotel, so we came out to protest the fact that our government would allow him into this country to begin with. We don’t feel that he should be here in the United States of America. We think it sends the wrong message to the Middle East, if you’re saying that you support democracy in the Middle East, and you’re anti-extremism in the Middle East, then you shouldn’t be supporting dictators. You should be supporting people on the ground who are calling for a democracy. I mean, for years, we’ve criticized the Muslim world, for turning to extremism and not sharing the same democratic values, meanwhile we have an entire generation that’s rising up and demanding democracy, and meanwhile, you’re hosting a dictator in a five-star hotel. The message is conflicting, and there should be a consistent message coming from the White House.”

Another protester rally was staged on Sunday (Feb 5), when Saleh himself exited the Ritz Carlton, confirming his debatable stay at the hotel. Protesters shouted at him, “O'Afash (an offensive name given to Saleh by Yemenis) you will be prosecuted for killing innocent people,” when Saleh provokingly waved at them and blew kisses at them as shown in this video (posted by: ahmedfathinyc) prompting a shoe to be hurled at him from a protester. Another tried to cross the police barricade but was arrested.

@SummerNasser, who was at the protest, tweeted:

@SummerNasser: SALEH CAME OUT OF THE RITZ, throwing kisses at us. one protester tried to run across the street to go after him. He got arrested!!!!!

@SummerNasser: The chants that we said were: “ICC not NYC” ; “Shame On Ritz for hosting criminals” ; Obama must choose a side, Human rights or genocide”

@SummerNasser: I can't believe I saw the man that killed thousands of my people back home. No words to describe what I was feeling. No words..

She tweeted a photograph of a sign another fellow activist, Ahlam Said, was carrying:

@SummerNasser: @AhlamS's sign for the rally today. pic.twitter.com/elI9JIU7

A sign Ahlam Said was carrying in the protest in front of the Ritz Carlton Hotel in New York

@AhlamS, an online organizer and daughter of Yemeni immigrants, tweeted:

While Yemenis at Guantanamo bay r being tortured w/out a trial, Saleh is livin it up at the ritz carlton. THE RITZ! #yemen

@AhlamS added:

video of #Saleh n NY waving & throwing kisses at the #Yemeni protestors. Medical treatment my @$$. He looks fine 2 me ht.ly/8Tb7e

She finally added:

@monaeltahawy picture of us with the shoe that was few feet frm hitting #Yemen's brutal dictator #Saleh ow.ly/i/rHHG

@SamWaddah expressed what the majority of Yemenis felt:

@SummerNasser @AhlamS Proud of you guys! Saleh has faced humiliation today like never before!

@wsaqaf tweeted with irony:

Protester who threw #Saleh with shoe in #NYC got arrested by police yet when Saleh threw bombs at his people, he was rewarded!

A statement issued by the Yemeni American Coalition for Change, the organizers of the rally said:

[We] are outraged and disgusted with our government's decision to grant the dictator temporary haven and diplomatic immunity….We demand with a unified voice that that these hotel chains respond to what the international community has classified as the work of war criminals.

Yemenis, especially the Yemeni-American community living in the US have been protesting against Saleh's visit to the US, which was under the pretext of seeking medical treatment. Many believe Saleh is in the US for a treat rather than a medical treatment. When the Obama administration decided in December to permit Saleh to visit the country, an official said that NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital would be providing his treatment, but the hospital has not confirmed that report.

Update: If the purpose of the visit to the US was really medical @GregoryDJohnsen suggested:

This all could have been avoided http://nyti.ms/zjvMjA Instead of bringing Salih to the US, could have brought US doctors to Salih in Saudi

This post is part of our special coverage Yemen Protests 2011.

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Five times after delaying discussion on a controversial immunity law, parliament endorsed the law granting outgoing Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh total immunity from legal and judicial prosecution yesterday. The law grants Saleh complete immunity for any crimes committed during his rule, including the killing of protesters since the beginning of the popular uprising against his regime in February.

The law prior to it's amended version had also given complete immunity to everyone who served Saleh's governments throughout his rule, yet it was changed on Thursday to grant them immunity only on “politically motivated” criminal acts, thus not covering corruption charges.

Veteran activist @alguneid tweeted:

#Breaking by phone from inside parliament #Sanaa Atmosphere is so emotional. Pro and anti- Saleh MPs are so happy to get rid of Saleh #Yemen

@alguneid added:

#Breaking by phone from inside parliament #Sanaa many MPs, cried, includin PM. It's over. Saleh finished,legally& constitutionally. #Yemen

Yemeni blogger @Afrahnasser tweeted:

#Yemen's PM crying at the parliament ; requesting to grant immunity for #Saleh youtu.be/P4xNls91pRc

The video of the PM crying was posted by KareemoS and sparked different reactions:

Journalist and eyewitness @mohammedalqadhi tweeted his reaction:

I have felt i wanted to cry loudly as I saw the prime minister weeping at the parliament in appeal to take Yemen off its dilemma!

@ichamza sarcastically tweeted:

u need a bill to pass in this political scene? no need for reason or logic or any of this shit! just cry in front of Parliament! #Yemen #Waa

Yemeni Journalist and Winner of International Press Freedom Award 2011 @KhaledHammadi tweeted:

#Yemen PM #Basundowa crys in parliament asking MPs to pass immunity law draft as a tool to avoid crisis

He added:

@KhalidHammadi: #Yemen parliament approves nomination of vice-president Abdu Raboo Hadi as sole presidential candidate 4 all parties at next Feb21 election

Freelance journalist @ionacraig, who is currently in Yemen, added:

Parliament agreed today to pass amended immunity law. Just needs final sign off from VP Hadi to become law. #Yemen

She pointed the crimes that Saleh is not immune from:

@ionacraig: Immunity does NOT include UN classified: Crimes against humanity, genocide, war crimes, gross violations of human rights & sexual violence.

Journalist Jane Novak criticized the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) plan in her blog Armies of Liberation :

Its astounding that the GCC plan legitimizes the parliament, whose terms expired in 2009, to grant immunity to Saleh but doesn’t require those who have immunity to retire. The uncontested election is a waste of time and money as the international community undermined the concept of Yemenis right to self determination by ignoring their demands entirely. Its a veneer of democracy on a totally undemocratic process. The GCC plan also empowers the existing political parties and elites to a level beyond their credibility with the public.

I also tweeted my disappointment:

@NoonArabia: How can a new era for #Yemen start with impunity?! I and many Yemenis are disappointed, so are the families of the martyrs.

@Amal_Nasser replied:

@NoonArabia new era for saleh but not for yemen. the country is not through with the misery #Saleh caused !

And @HatemRushdi replied referring to the case of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak:

Is it better or worse than the mockery of a trial we are having here? I am not too sure, maybe best to move on, maybe not

@abdullaht pragmatically tweeted:

Today Yemeni parliament approved complete immunity law for Saleh, a dark day in history of justice, but time to move on and fix country!

And as @SummerNasser wisely tweeted:

Saleh has left w/out punishment, but I'm not worried at all- b/c he's going to get his punishment from God. Whether on this earth or after.

Malcom X said “I'm for truth, no matter who tells it. I'm for justice, no matter who it is for or against.”

We have witnessed the fate of the Arab Spring despots who have fallen. Tunisia's Zine Al Abedeen Ben Ali made a swift escape to Saudi Arabia, Libyan Muammar Gaddafi faced a despicable death, Mubarak is facing a farce of a trial and Saleh today got the best deal ever given to a dictator with blood on his hands - impunity.

Yemenis have been marching in millions for months rejecting the immunity law, offered to Saleh and his regime by the GCC deal, which was eventually passed by parliament with disregard to international law and popular demand. The passing of this law was undoubtedly a black day for justice which brought an end to Saleh's 33 years of rule, however a new page whether we agree or disagree of how it was written, has been turned in Yemen's history.

This post is part of our special coverage Yemen Protests 2011.

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Middle East North Africa:

Yemen: The Amazing Life March Arrives in Sanaa
From Yemen we have the amazing story of the historic 264km Life March, which is the longest since Mahatma Gandhi's 390km long  Salt March in 1930. During the Life March, villages and towns came together to give food and drink to the thousands of people who marched for four days straight through winding mountain passes protesting the immunity that outgoing President Saleh asked for himself and his aides and family for the killing of protesters in the Yemen uprisings.

However, the march didn't seem to sway the newly formed cabinet members who approved the bill: it will now go on to parliament for it to become a law.
Yemen: Saleh Gets Away With Murder…He Gets Immunity

It is those martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the rest of Yemen to live a life of freedom and democracy, whom Yemenis feel they must never be forgotten nor should their blood go in vain.

This next video is a silent remembrance for those who died during the peaceful uprising:

Some online activists are also promoting an online campaign against a stimulating herb chewed by many Yemeni men and women for hours on end, sometimes daily. The campaign is for a day without using the leafy green plant, Qat:
Yemen: January 12, a Day Without Qat

As blogger @Afrahnasser, proposed on Twitter:

An average citizen in Yemen wastes 8 hrs in searching money for qat, another 8 hrs in chewing qat & the rest 8 hrs in sleeping @NoonArabia

The idea of the campaign is to turn those hours spent on qat into active endeavors which build up Yemen.

Sub-Saharan Africa:

Ethiopia: Swedish Journalists Found Guilty of Terrorism Charges
Swedish journalists Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson crossed from Somalia to Ethiopia illegally which caused the Ethiopian authorities to detain and put them on trial for supporting terrorist activities and crossing illegally into the territory, although the defense claims that they were performing their duty as journalists to report both sides of the conflict. This next video was used as evidence during the trial, where the journalists are seen planning their journey as journalists

Western Europe:

Spain: Fighting for the Right to a Home

Families who got into debt to buy a home and ended without jobs or income to pay for them are being helped by an organization aiming to stop families from being evicted and to give them temporary homes in foreclosed and empty houses when they aren't able to stop the banks.  The video on this post shows their success in avoiding an eviction and keeping a man and his 13 year old son off the streets.

Eastern and Central Europe:

Hungary: Memories of Barvalipe Roma Pride Summer Camp
Growing up Roma in Europe can make children feel stigmatized and rejected by their peers, causing them to hide their origins and feel ashamed of their heritage. The Barvalipe Roma Pride Summer Camp aimed to give Roma youth a chance to discover their roots by learning the language, history and cuisine of the Roma people.

East Asia:

Hong Kong: Protest Against Luxury Brand to Defend Local Identity
A luxury brand which doesn't allow for photographs to be taken of its store is not news, but when they stated that the rule only applied for local residents of Hong Kong and not tourists from Mainland China, the people of Hong Kong made their anger known through a flashmob outside the store.

Latin America:

Chile: Wildfire in Torres del Paine Shocks Netizens
The wildfire in one of Chile's top touristic spots, National Park Torres del Paine had netizens blogging and tweeting about the fire, both as experienced by those inside the park at the time of the evacuation and recorded it on video as well as from concerned people following the news and updates.

Central America: LibreBus Project Presents its Documentary
The documentary follows the activists who climbed on board a bus driving through 5 different Central American countries to spread the message of free software, the defense of freedom of speech and content sharing.

Colombia: Salsa Song Criticizes Bus Rapid Transport System
Public transportation makes it easier for people to get from one location to another without having to use their own vehicle, however, when that public transportation system is overcrowded, it can become a torture instead of a relief. The salsa song (with translated captions) shows what it is like for people to use the popular Transmilenio System in the capital city of Bogota.

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Qat is a green leafy plant containing an amphetamine-like stimulant, classified by the World Health Organization as a drug of abuse. It is chewed by the majority of Yemeni men and women for hours, almost daily. Sadly sometimes even children chew it. It is an addictive social habit and a rather expensive one considering that 45 per cent of the population live below the poverty line.

As I point out in my blog:

Qat has become an epidemic in every Yemeni household and has detrimental effects on Yemen's agriculture, economy, health and society. Massive time and resources are wasted to chewing this cursed plant, paralyzing Yemenis to think or work towards building Yemen.

This video posted on YouTube by FeatureStoryNews1 shows the role of Qat in Yemeni lives and it's damaging impact:

The revolution of change which has been raging for 11 months against the 33 year political rule of Ali Abdullah Saleh and his regime, spreading to fight corruption in the governmental and public institutions, has now also spread to society in an attempt to fight Qat.

A social media campaign on Facebook and on Twitter, which was started by Hind Aleryani, a Yemeni activist who lives in Lebanon, aims to make January 12, 2012, a day without Qat in Yemen. The initiative was widely welcomed worldwide and in Yemen by many Yemenis on Twitter and Facebook, who joined and promoted the campaign, including Noble Peace Prize Laureate and Yemen's leading activist, Tawakkol Karman who used the campaign logo as her personal profile photo on Facebook and tweeted a link to her Facebook page supporting the campaign.

@Dilmunite posted a well written and researched article about Qat on Bikya Misr.

The campaign was immediately endorsed by Yemeni activists, bloggers, journalists, other Yemeni Facebook pages, including this Facebook page called “Yemen without Qat,” [ar] which had been set up since June calling for an end to Qat consumption. Yemeni TV news channel Suhail, online news source Almasdaronline, as well many in Yemen, including the youth in Freedom Square in Taiz and Change Square in Sanaa, also supported the campaign.

Activist SadekMaktary, who is based in Taiz, and one of the campaign organizers, along with Ammar Mojalli, uploaded on his YouTube channel a video he made documenting people's testimonies in support of the campaign:

This photo taken and posted on Facebook by Jalal al-Samei shows the youth in Change Square carrying posters printed and distributed by CCYRC (Coordinating Council of the Youth Revolution of Change), who also endorsed the campaign:

Youth in Sanaa's change square endorse the #NoQatJan12 campaign

@brrhom, who lives in Sanaa, noticed the willingness for people to change after the revolution and tweeted saying:

Yemenis willingly incredibly interact with #NoQatJan12 campaign. Indeed, everything changed since the revolution started

And this is a Storify collection I made of Twitter reactions to Qat and to the event.

Journalist @nelsherif wrote describing some of the activities planned for today:

Yemenis organize “a day without khat” to fight corruption “>http://bit.ly/w6rPEb #in #noqatjan12 #yemen

@WigdanGuneid, who lives in the US, designed the logo of the campaign:

This is her poster, which reads [ar]: “I am a Yemeni, who wants change and will not chew Qat on January 12″:

#NoQatJan12 campaign logo

Her proud father and prominent activist @alguneid tweeted:

Our arts album by @WigdanGuneid 4 #NoQat12Jan is building up p.twimg.com/Aicpf56CAAAmdq… p.twimg.com/AiWelVVCMAAHmn…

@FozYaya designed another poster which he tweeted:

#NOQatJan12 pic.twitter.com/zYM5CbOX

This is his poster:

Say No to Qat by Fawzi Yahya

@FozYaya also made a video which he posted on his YouTube channel showing how Yemenis were capable of change and calling on them to stop chewing for one day, the 12th of January:

@ameerah1yemenia, who lives in the US, tweeted her support:

#SupportYemen #NoQatJan12 #No2Corruption #Yemen

Doctor and activist @ichamza sarcastically tweeted:

Dont chew qat for one day! the mouth & Throat cancers can wait! #Yemen #NoQatJan12

He added:

I dont think Qat is the worst issue in #Yemen! but believe it is not making anything any better! & wastes resources #NoQat12Jan

@Afrahnasser, Yemen's leading blogger, currently residing in Sweden tweeted how time was wasted by Qat:

An average citizen in Yemen wastes 8 hrs in searching money for qat, another 8 hrs in chewing qat & the rest 8 hrs in sleeping @NoonArabia

She pointed also how it is a hindrance to development:

People of #Yemen have the greatest potential to become one of the most developed countries but qat is 1 of the obstacles :( #NoQatJan12

@Samwaddah, an activist living in Canada, also made a video which he posted on his YouTube channel highlighting a very dangerous issue, the habit of Qat being passed to children, which many parents in Yemen seemingly ignore or are unaware of. This is the video:

The campaign was a collaborative effort of many people tapping on keyboards, behind screens, on who deeply care about Yemen's well being, transcending to people in the streets of Yemen who made it a reality. It is also one amongst many steps in a challenging mission to eliminate Qat in Yemen.

As @Ghanem_M tweeted:

#noqatjan12 campaign is a first step to cure a nation from a bad addiction #yemen

@ArabsUnited, who lives in the UK, added:

#NoQatJan12 is about educating & opening the road to eliminating a destructive habit which is also a waste of resources - Slowly but surely..

And @SummerNasser a young Yemeni activist based in the US, noted:

We must find an alternative in #Yemen for those who chew and/or sell the plant. This campaign is to basically “test the water” #NoQatJan12

Ultimately, it is the people in Yemen and what they choose to day on this day, and onwards, which will determine the success of this campaign.

And as I concluded in my blog:

Hopefully the determined people of Yemen, the second most armed nation in the world, who amazed everyone with their peaceful Revolution, went on foot on an amazingly long 264 km Life March, and who are currently widely uprising against corruption, will make the right choices and take the gradual and necessary steps to eliminate this epidemic form Yemeni society.

George Bernard Shaw said “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”

This post is part of our special coverage Yemen Protests 2011.

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With now more than 500 volunteer authors and translators, Global Voices is a unique global media network that keeps track of current events via social media conversation. Global Voices in French [fr] is one of the 20-plus sites of the Lingua translation project, and one of the most read Global Voices Lingua websites.

Since early 2007, when the French site launched, nearly 200 volunteers [fr] have translated or continue to translate articles and posts from various languages into French, every day. Our “family” lives on every continent: Francophonia is truly worldwide!

Global Voices French logo

In 2011, French-speaking translators carried out the challenging task of covering the many historic revolutions and uprisings throughout the world for the Francophone world by translating hundreds of blogsposts (with our co-editor, our Suzanne Lehn, on the front line!).

But, like our friends the Spanish translators at Global Voices in Spanish [es], when we asked volunteers what translations struck them most in 2011, “The Arab Spring” was not their automatic response. (Global Voices has been following and translating bloggers from the Arab world since 2004.)

Our translators' picks for 2011 demonstrate how much they approve of the Global Voices philosophy: shining light on countries, places, people, ignored by traditional media (for now, at least).

From left to right, upper row: Samantha, Abdoulaye, Fabienne, Ange, Lou. Lower row: François-Xavier, Noële, Gaël, Thalia, Stéphanie. Greetings and thanks to everyone involved!

Abdoulaye Bah, a Guinean United Nations retiree living in Rome, naturally pays particular attention to Africa:

I really liked translating the post about the mayoral opposition win in Mozambique. That victory teaches how it's possible to win elections in an African country, without fraud by those in power and without spending large sums of money.

Noële Belluard-Blondel, a professional translator living in France, was the first to refuse to choose only one translation:

My last translation in 2011 made me daydream…. ‘USA: Has NASA Discovered a Life-Friendly Planet?‘ I love astronomy, and space travel fascinates me. These are today's exploratory expeditions, and we're only at the beginning. I find that fascinating, gripping! I must say two other subjects struck me: ‘Bangladesh: A Bold Protest Against Dowry.' The courage of some women makes you wonder. It made me wonder. And China: ‘Do You Have Memories From Before You Were Kidnapped?‘ In this case, I was moved by the life of these women. A disturbing topic, deeply moving.

Fabienne Der Hagopian, who lives in Normandy, makes it a principle to translate what she most likes to read:

There is a lively diversity in our tastes and interests, which means that almost all the posts published in Global Voices in English get translated into French. In 2011, the posts that most struck me were those concerning the women of Yemen and their courage, such as this one on revolutionary women. It's sad that the traditional media don't talk about this more. It reminds me of [French singer] Daniel Balavoine's song, ‘Revolucion.'

Teacher Ange Pambou's pick illustrates the diversity of topics covered by Global Voices:

For 2011, my favorites are: the blogpost about the “Bidun” in Koweit (I was unaware of both the term and the phenomenon), another on homosexuality in Ghana (which, in addition to demonstrating the difficulties of being homosexual in Africa, deconstructs rather methodically the arguments generally advanced against homosexuality), the letter by a young Chinese woman to the Norwegian killer after the massacres in Norway, the gripping testimony of a “nuclear gypsy” in the wake of the Fukushima disaster, a post about the prohibition of water fights in Tehran last summer, and finally, — without a doubt, my favorite among favorites — an astonishing post about the daily life of a blind person who happens also to be a film critic.

Stéphanie Camus, who runs an e-commerce site, takes the time to “listen to the world” by translating:

I think it was my translation of the anniversary of the Sabra and Chatila massacre that had the greatest impact on me. I had just watched the film, ‘Waltz with Bashir.' The full meaning of “We must never forget,” becomes clear when one observes such an event, I find. It's the account of a horrific episode in a long war that symbolises, in my view, the horror and absurdity of all armed conflicts, whatever form it takes…

Lou F., currently studying in the United Kingdom, is a fan of world languages and met interesting people while translating:

In 2011, I loved translating the profile of Julie Kertesz, because she is one of those people one would like to come across more often: passionate, active, and above all, very human. I also really liked the article on the Welsh-language blogosphere. Global Voices allows us to discover voices from throughout the world, and I think it's great that regional languages are now joining the international choir!

Samy Boutayeb, our specialist on net freedom and the free software culture, refuses to choose:

As far as I'm concerned, it's impossible to make a choice, because I loved not only reading but also translating *all* the posts I translated.

Tahlia Rahme, who works for the Global Road Safety Partnership with the International Federation of the Red Cross in Beirut, Lebanon, is addicted to our short “updates”:

Once I got started translating those, I found it difficult to stop. This year I tried to translate every update about the Middle East. I considered it my duty somehow to familiarize the rest of the world, especially the French-speaking world, with the Middle East and its news, and above all to help change its image and the prejudices attached to it.

François-Xavier Ada Afana is a young, enthusiastic translator from Cameroon who is studying in Cyprus:

The post I most enjoyed reading and translating, by far, was the one about Independence Day in Tanzania: A good overview of the situation in the country.

Gaël Brassac lives in South-East France but will soon move to Japan, and opted to go with a “Top 3″ format:

1. ‘Global: Bloggers Take Issue With Anti-Niqaab Punditry,' because this article is a model of sort to expose ethnocentric self-righteousness, feminist extremism, and religious intolerance. 2. ‘China: Reflecting on 100 Years Since the Xinhai Revolution,' because I love history and China, so putting the two together could only please me! 3. ‘Mozambique: Behind the Detention of MC Azagaia,' because this is the kind of articles that makes me love Global Voices, covering countries never talked about in the traditional media.

Samantha Deman began translating for Global Voices while she was living in Singapore and offers a nice panoramic view of her years with Global Voices.

I choose my very first translation, published in 2008: ‘Humanitarian Crisis in South Philippines,' simply because it represents the beginning of my adventure with Global Voices. I like the idea of being able to inform others about what's happening in the remotest, often forgotten locales, thus helping weave ties between people living in the four corners of the world.

This post is part of our special coverage 2011 on Global Voices.

Written by Claire Ulrich · Translated by Marvin Vann · View original post [fr] · comments (0)
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The Yemeni Cabinet endorsed on December 8, 2011, a draft law which grants legal immunity to outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh based on the GCC agreement, despite nationwide protests demanding Saleh's trial for the killing of protesters. The immunity clause granting him, his aides and family immunity, was the condition which Saleh made in order to sign the GCC initiative.

The newly formed unity government cabinet approved the bill, which will now be passed to parliament for approval in order for it to be a law. Netizens have reacted online:

@Yemen411 tweeted:

#GCCDeal proposed immunity law was approved today by the #Yemen #YUG cabinet. #Yemeni parliament will vote on the law most likely this week

@YemenUpdates added:

Four ministers- two females - refused to vote the immunity law for #Saleh approved by the cabinet today in #Sanaa. #Yemen

One of the female ministers who refused to vote was Minster of Human Rights, Hooria Mashhoor, who tweeted:

@Hooria_Mashhoor: I am not involved in any immunity for those who violated human rights # Yemen

The streets of Yemen have been boiling with marches for the past 11 months, demanding that Saleh face trial for his role in the killing of hundreds of Yemenis since the revolution started in February 2011.

@SummerNasser tweeted a video of one of those marches, just a day earlier in Taiz posted on YouTube by FreeDomTaiz:

Female march in #Taiz to denounce immunity for Saleh, granted by the the GCC deal. youtube.com/watch?v=8fRdrx… #Yemen #yf

@Dilmunite asked:

Ok, let me get this right… “Yemeni government grants immunity to #Saleh”. What government exactly is that? #Yemen

And @Yemen4Change pointed out that the government was executing part of the deal:

@Dilmunite under the GCC deal, #Saleh has immunity from prosecution, so the unity gov is just restating what's in the #GCC deal #Yemen

@LibyanDictator sarcastically noted:

Wtf?? Immunity for Saleh AAANND everyone who worked with him during his reign? Well done Saudi.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Friday urged decision-makers in Yemen to respect the prohibition in international law against amnesties for gross human rights violations.

@RealistChannel wrote:

Navi Pillay should address the #UNSC about #Saleh’s immunity, not #Yemen’s “unity” gov. ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pa…

Pillay's statement was as follows:

I have been closely following the events in Yemen, particularly the very contentious debate about an amnesty law to be presented to Parliament shortly,” the High Commissioner said. “International law and the UN policy are clear on the matter: amnesties are not permissible if they prevent the prosecution of individuals who may be criminally responsible for international crimes including war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and gross violations of human rights.
[…]
“Victims have the right to justice, to the truth, to remedy and reparation – these are rights that are well-established internationally,” she said. “Any adopted legislation would also need to respect the principle of equality before the law – meaning that there should be no discrimination between individuals who are pro-Government or in opposition and no distinction based on family connections. Every individual who commits a crime is accountable and should not be allowed to escape justice.

@crazyyafi tweeted what Saleh obviously was trying to get away with:

If you asking for immunity over & over, that means you're a criminal who wants to get away with his crimes. #Saleh #Yemen

Coincidentally an emotional video was recently released by SupportYemen as a silent remembrance of the hundreds of lives lost in Yemen's peaceful uprising against Saleh's regime:

It is those martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the rest of Yemen to live a life of freedom and democracy, whom Yemenis feel they must never be forgotten nor should their blood go in vain.

@AfrahNasser tweeted her disappointment:

Imagine! you met one of the martyrs from #Yemen's uprising, how could you explain to him the immunity for #Saleh ?! #NoImmunityToSaleh

Hundreds of Yemenis rallied in the streets across Yemen against the immunity that was approved by the cabinet.

However @Alruwaishan tweeted what he thought would be the solution for Yemen:

Doesn't look like immunity will help with #Saleh situation though. Clear only his death will solve that dilemma for #Yemen.

This post is part of our special coverage Yemen Protests 2011.

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Since Mohamed Bouazizi, a young Tunisian fruit vendor set himself on fire in the small city of Sidi Bouzid on December 2010, a wave of unprecedented popular protests is sweeping the Arab world. The region has seen unprecedented events that no one could ever imagine witnessing in a lifetime.

Three Arab dictators have been toppled, some others forced to engage in reforms, while in other places the confrontation is proving to be painful and bloody.

In any case, 2011 is likely to remain engraved in the history of the Arab world as the year when people started raising against their oppressive regimes.

As we bid farewell to 2011 and look ahead to 2012, we asked our authors to share with you pictures that in their eyes have marked the past year in their respective countries. The following selection represents their choices.

Tunisia

Photo by Talel Nacer, used with permission

On January, 14, 2011 thousands of protesters gathered near the Interior Ministry building in Tunis calling for the fall of the regime of dictator Zeine El Abidine Ben Ali. Later on the same day, Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia.

Afef Abroughi

Syria

Author unkown

A powerful message from “the occupied city of Kafar Nabel”, Syria.

Leila Nachawati

Lebanon

Photo by Krikorian. Used with permission

Even though Lebanon has not witnessed a revolution in 2011, the Land of the Cedars was highly affected by the developpements and turmoil in the area. But for Lebanese it's the high cost of living that is haunting them the most. Following each wage increase by the government and even before the plan is approved by parliament, prices soar tremendously.

Thalia Rahme

Palestine

Photo by Jillian C. York, used under a CC license (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Palestine: “Marching United Towards Freedom”

Jillian C. York

Yemen

Copyright Shohdi Al-Sofi, used with permission

The peaceful massive marches of Yemen which never stopped throughout the year are a testimony of Yemenis' steadfast and resilience and prove ultimately, like the billboard reads, that “victory is to the people”.

Noon Arabia

Bahrain

Picture posted on Twitter by @almakna

The above photograph, shared by @almakna on Twitter, shows the number of areas reportedly tear gassed by the Bahrain authorities in one night. On that particular day, I myself choked on the tear gas, spending the night and the following day sick and closely followed tweets and complaints by Twitter users from across the country.

Amira Al Hussaini

Picture posted on Twitter by @SanabisVoice

This photograph, from the Sanabis Voice, shows empty teargas canisters, collected from a small area, in one day. Such photographs are found in abundance online, shared by netizens on social networking sites, and tell a story that has been recurring for 11 months - a story not much of the world cares about.

Amira Al Hussaini

Egypt

Picture by rouelshimi, used under CC license (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

January 25, the first wave of protesters go to Tahrir square. It's the dawn of the revolution.

Tarek Amr

Morocco

Copyright Amine Hachimoto. Used with permission.

The little girl looking up at this Moroccan Superman pausing in front of the parliament seems to be wondering if he can fly. Maybe he's an ultra-nationalist trying to make a point? Or maybe he's a supporter of the pro-reforms group February 20? It doesn't really matter. Because behind this amazing photo by Amine Hachimoto lies a new reality in Morocco: 2011 is the year when the street has become the theater of nonviolent political expression. Something that is likely to continue in the years to come.

Hisham Almiraat

This post is part of our special coverage:

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Over the past few weeks, Yemen's revolution spread from the streets to institutions across the country, calling for an end to corruption in the governmental and public sectors.

@SupportYemen tweeted a link to the Washington Post article entitled ‘Strikes spread across Yemen as government employees rally against corruption':

Yemen's Revolution of Change spreads from the squares to the institutions to fight corruption. #Yemen #SupportYemen fb.me/11GwFAZIR

The article points out:

The strikes are following a pattern. Workers lock the gates to an institution, and then they storm the offices of their supervisors, demanding their replacement with bosses who are not tainted with corruption allegations. So far the scenario has played out in 18 state agencies.

@iiamelii tweets the same article published by the New York Times under a different title:

In #Yemen, Anti-Corruption Strikers Demand Dismissal of Managers: nyti.ms/vzVuh8

This video, posted by kashmim, shows soldiers striking and preventing police chief Mohammed al-Qawsi, a relative of outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh, from entering the main police headquarters, chanting “leave, leave” and carrying a poster saying “we are the soldiers of the people, not the soldiers of al-Qawsi”:

More “revolutionary” acts follow. @Yemen411 tweets in disbelief:

FIRST TIME EVER, like EVERRR: #Yemen Military Weekly paper 26 Sept. accuses “On Print” its editor with corruption

In this video, posted by karot439, the people of al-Baydha march to demand the dismissal of their corrupt governor:

The most followed news page of the Yemeni revolution on Facebook @NewsOfYemeniRev tweets:

NYR | Uprising Against Corruption |Strikes are spreading to the banking sector in Yemen that witnesses the first… fb.me/1iEYwEb2v

@ArabsUnite writes about the spread of the strikes to the academic sector:

#Sanaa UNI Students protested at University campus demanding dismissal of the University's president for corruption: youtu.be/je884esy8p0

And NYR provides links to videos of student protests in Taiz, Dhamar and Sanaa on Facebook:

NYR | Uprising Against Corruption | Students protests in a number of schools and cities in Yemen demanding the dismissal of the corrupted in the Ministry of Education as well as school principles.

Taiz |
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usPj9gRWYX4&feature=youtu.be

Dhamar |
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVkIAEshMLI
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVkIAEshMLI

Sana'a |
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHxPcPVvZlc
#Yemen #yf *2

@abubakrabdullah shares the link to his well written piece in Aljazeera English about the parallel revolution:

My piece for @AJEnglish on the anti-corruption strikes & protests in #Yemen aljazeera.com/indepth/opinio…

Brian Whitaker writes about Yemen's ‘Parallel Revolution‘ in his blog:

Even if Yemen's political transition leaves a lot to be desired, a general clean-up at the administrative level – which is what the Parallel Revolution is seeking – could make a huge difference to the way the country is run.

While I also wrote a post about the parallel revolution on my blog here. I note:

The “parallel revolution” demanded the immediate dismissal of “the untouchables”, the corrupt officials who unlawfully exerted their authority, embezzled and terrorized their subordinates. Some of the institutions affected so far include, the National Airlines “Yemenia”, the State TV in Sanaa and Aden, the Police Headquarters, the Military Economic Institution, the Armed Forces Moral Guidance Department, the Agriculture and Irrigation office, the Coast Guard, the Naval Academy, the Traffic Police, Sanaa University, the Yemen Bank of Reconstruction and Development, the Thawrah Hospital in Taiz, the Central Organization of Control and Audit in both Aden and Taiz, and the Finance Office in Taiz.

The revolution in Yemen, through admirable passive resistance methods, is gradually bringing about the change desired to the most armed nation in the world and the poorest country in the Arab world, proving that Yemeni determination and perseverance is what will hopefully turn the slogan “the people want to topple the regime” into a reality.

This post is part of our special coverage Yemen Protests 2011.

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Yemen's Revolution is the longest ongoing revolution of the Arab Spring. It started with a protest on February 3, 2011, and has been ongoing ever since. Here are the posts covering the main events that happened in Yemen throughout this year and the videos that tell the story of Yemen's struggle for freedom, democracy and justice.

February 2011

03 Feb - Yemen: Thousands Protest on Day of Rage

One of the first pictures to emerge online of protesters in Sanaa. Photo Credit: @al3ini on Twitter.

11 Feb - Yemen: Protests Continue Away from International Media Eyes
19 Feb - Yemen: Another Life Claimed on Eighth Day of Protests
22 Feb - Yemen: Bullets, Screams and Sirens (Video)

The video that follows, uploaded on YouTube by EBNShams, shows the mayhem and chaos as ‘thugs' attack the protesters at the Sanaa University square on the night of February 22. You can hear gunshots clearly in the background. The protesters are also heard chanting: “The People Want to Overthrow the Regime” - which has been the rallying call of protesters against despots reigning across the Arab world during this so-called Arab Spring.

22 Feb - Yemen: Walking the Walk, One More Protester Dies
24 Feb - Yemen: At the Boiling Point? (Video)
25 Feb - Yemen: “Our blood is not cheap” (Videos)

March 2011

01 Mar - Yemen: Thousands Protest on Day of Wrath
04 Mar - Yemen: More Protesters Killed as Political Plans Multiply (Videos)

The next video, uploaded by SuperSouthyemen, shows a protester tearing up a huge poster of Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, as protesters on the ground cheer him on:

07 Mar - Yemen: Protesters Vulnerable to Violent Attacks
09 Mar - Yemen: Did Government Use Nerve Gas on Protesters? (Videos)
19 Mar - Yemen: Friday Massacre in Sanaa
21 Mar - Yemen: Game Over for Ali Abdullah Saleh?
25 Mar - Yemen: Crowds Call for Saleh to Step Down in Sanaa

April 2011

05 Apr - Yemen: Crackdown on Protestors Continues
22 Apr - Yemen: Millions Protest on Last Chance Friday

This video, uploaded by alymene1, shows protesters during the Friday Prayers sermon in the capital Sanaa, on what was called Last Chance Friday.

Like their counterparts across the Arab world, Yemeni protesters had a different name for each Friday of protest in their country.

May 2011

29 May - Taiz Massacre.

On this day, security forces attacked protesters and burnt sit-in tents in Taiz's Freedom Square, killing 15 people, including four women and three children. Fifty others were injured in the attack.

June 2011

03 Jun - Yemen: Confusion in Sanaa Amid Conflicting News on Saleh

August 2011

09 Aug - Yemen: Pressing Humanitarian Needs and Deteriorating Economic Situation

September 2011

18 Sept - Yemen to the Rest of the World: Silence Kills!

A young female protester is seen in this video, uploaded on YouTube by FiredoglakeTV, appealing to the world community to stand by the side of the Yemeni people, who are determined to overthrow the regime:

18 Sept - Yemen: A Massacre Streamed Live Online
24 Sept - Yemen: Bloodbath in Sanaa as Saleh Returns

This video, uploaded on YouTube by 1119801, shows thousands of protesters waving their shoes as they protested Saleh's return. Their chant [ar] was:

October 2011

02 Oct - Yemen: Friday of Victory for Syria and Yemen
07 Oct - Yemen: Celebrating the Bravery of Revolutionary Women

The following video features the message of a female protester to the world, urging the world to stand besides Yemeni youth and people to build a democratic Yemen:

07 Oct - Yemen: Celebrating Tawakkol Karman

This video, posted by belaquood on March 5, shows Karman, rallying crowds at rallies in Sanaa.

11 Oct - Yemen: Saleh Stepping Down? Unlikely!
17 Oct - Yemen: Azizah Abdo, Yemen's First Female Martyr
26 Oct - Yemen: Yemeni Women Burn their Veils

This video, uploaded on YouTube by YouthYemeni, shows women burning their veils on 60th Street, the epicentre of protests in Sanaa, in protest against the killing of women during the Yemeni revolution. The burning of the veils by the women in the tribal tradition is a plea for help. Yemen is a tribal society and the killing of women is a big shame in Yemen and in Islam in general, so this was a clear and loud message by the Yemeni women for their tribes and the world at large to intervene to stop the killing of protesters.

November 2011

11 Nov - Yemen: Taiz is Bleeding while the UN Envoy is in Sanaa
22 Nov - Yemen: Will Saleh Sign the GCC Deal that the Youth Oppose?
25 Nov - Yemen: Mixed Reactions as Saleh Finally Signs GCC Deal

December 2011

04 Dec - Yemen: Taiz is Bleeding
24 Dec - Yemen: The Amazing Life March Arrives in Sanaa

Yemeni protesters culminated the year with a grand march from Taiz to Sanaa, covering all the 264km separating the two cities by foot. This video, by moathdamar, shows the first leg of the march, which stopped at Damar on December 22:

31 Dec - Should the US Grant Saleh a Visa?

Yemen's massive peaceful marches have been a symbol of Yemeni steadfast and resilience. The life march from Taiz to Sanaa was the lifeline from the heart of Yemen's revolution, Taiz, swelling with the flow of revolutionary zeal on it's route to the heart of Change Square in Sanaa. Although it was met by violence by the security forces, resulting in 13 deaths, it nevertheless pumped life back into the revolution. While the politicians talked the talk, the Yemeni people walked the walk by striking, demonstrating and spreading the revolution from the squares to the government, military and public sectors, demanding the resignations and accountability of corrupt heads.

Yemen's revolution of change is a struggle that will only end when it reaches what it set for - freedom, democracy and justice. So brace yourself for more posts in 2012 to continue the story of Yemen's struggle.

This post is part of our special coverage Yemen Protests 2011.

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A recent buzz among tweeps following Yemen news has been the issue of Honorary President Ali Abdullah Saleh's plans to travel to the US. In a Press conference, Saleh declared that he is fine and doesn't need any medical treatment, he plans to travel to the US to be away from Yemen during the elections. (An election with one presidential nominee, since the parliament with 80 members present only decided to close presidential nominations and recommended Vice President Abdu Rabo Mansour Hadi as the only candidate!) When asked asked later on, in the same Press conference, by a reporter why he would be going to the US, he replied that he would be going for medical tests and possibly undergo some surgery.

Just as confusing as his remarks was also the confusion regarding whether he was granted a visa to the US or not. @gregorydjohnsen tweeted:

NY Times editorial board says give Salih a visa nyti.ms/tmSE1M Washington Post says no visa wapo.st/sa8ep0 #Yemen

The US State Department's official account on Twitter clarified that the request was still being reviewed:
@StateDept:

Despite contrary reports, US is still considering Pres. #Saleh's request to enter US for sole purpose of seeking medical treatment. #Yemen

A US presidential official said that Yemen's president Saleh could be granted entry to US but only for “legitimate medical treatment”. And many US editorials were justifying the reasons and perhaps paving the way for the State Department granting him access to the US, while a few highlighted how this could damage the US' image.

@alruwaishan tweeted the Atlantic's point of view:

Why Obama Shouldn't Let #Yemen's President Come to the U.S. - The Atlantic bit.ly/uwJlRt #Saleh via @AddThis

The article notes:

Saleh's presence in the United States would be perceived as confirmation that he is America's man, and was remaining so no matter how much he had been rejected by his own countrymen. The United States would thus share in whatever opprobrium or hatred was directed at the former strongman. Any suspicion that Saleh was continuing to manipulate events in Yemen from afar would be accompanied by the belief that the United States was intentionally letting him do so. These perceptions would foster the image of the United States being on the wrong side of the popular tide that is the Arab Spring.

@WomanfromYemen, a Yemeni/American activist living in Yemen, tweeted her objection to Saleh's visit:

its hard for me to say im against any person receiving medical treatment even if it's a dictator, but (1/2) #yemen

For #saleh it appears not necessarily about medical treatment (that he can get anywhere else) but to save face & flex muscles (2/2) #yemen

@YemenPeaceNews tweeted:

Height of irony: US officials admit to being duped by Saleh on AQAP intel, and at the same time they're validating his visa request. 1/2

What Atlantic and NYT miss: moving Saleh to US as a free man, w Ahmad Ali and other kids still in #Yemen , would NOT improve situation. 2/2

Many Yemenis say the US doesn't care about democracy in Yemen and that it stands firmly behind the brutal regime and Saleh and that all the State Department statements stating otherwise are mere rhetoric.

@Snemyllas, a supporter of Yemen's revolution from the Netherlands, tweeted what many Yemeni strongly felt:

@Yemen4Change @weddady @JNovak_Yemen It shows #US doesn't give a damn about Yemenis, that's what counts. The ICC should be his destiny.

@Yemen4Change, a Yemeni/American living in the US, tweeted:

@Snemyllas The #US is trying to repaint its image n the MiddleEast & granting #Saleh visa is step backward 4 the #US @weddady @JNovak_Yemen

@SummerNasser, a Yemeni/American activist living in the US who also rejects the visit, tweeted news reports on what could be the consequences of the visit:

U.S. decision on #Yemen risks worsening violence edition.cnn.com/2011/12/27/wor…

Yemeni-Americans or Yemenis living in the United States who have been brutalized by the Yemeni regime are in the process of filing a civil suit against Saleh said @alruwaishan:

Group Seeks to Bring Lawsuit Against #Yemen’s President When He Visits #USA for Medical Treatment undispatch.com/group-seeks-to… #Saleh

Mauritanian activist Naser @weddady says it all in his tweets:

Let's put it this way: Saleh is the last guest the US needs, lawsuit-prone, walking security risk, and a moral nightmare. #NoVisaForAli

A final question worth answering, had Mubarak, Gaddafi, or Bashar Al Assad requested a visa during the turmoil and killings going on in Egypt, Libya or Syria, would the White House have considered letting them visit the US, even if under medical grounds? I am sure the answer would be NO! Why is it any different when in comes to Saleh or Yemen?!

This post is part of our special coverage Yemen Protests 2011.

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Yemen's revolutionaries are not deterred nor did they give up on their demands despite the signing of the strongly rejected Gulf Cooperation Council's initiative proposed in April and finally signed by Saleh on November 23rd, providing a so called mechanism for him to “relinquish” power. They went out on a 264km march on foot from the city of Taiz in the south to the capital Sanaa in the north to send a message to the world, the UN, US, the GCC and Saleh that they reject the newly formed unity government and are determined to demand that Saleh, who was granted immunity from prosecution for his involvement in an 11-month crackdown on protesters demanding democracy, gets punished for his crimes.

@marimehdi tweets how the martyrs are never forgotten:

#LifeMarch #Taiz2Sanaa ppl r marchin on a distance of 260km 4 tell da world they can't forget their martyrs as #GCCdeal & Saleh wants #Yemen

James Gurdan points in his blog The Trench the protesters' view:

“These GCC states are not at all competent to deal with popular requests for liberty and freedom, not to mention democratic government, because they themselves are mostly despotic regimes,” observed Yemen’s Coordinating Council of the Youth Revolution of Change (CCYRC). “They themselves would never welcome such requests from their own people, let alone be ready to accommodate such demands by people in neighboring states.”

The Life March continues to Sanaa. Photo credit: The Life March Blog

The march includes men, women and even a few handicapped, reportedly seems to have started with 700 men and 18 women. It left Taiz on foot on December 20th and passed by many villages and towns. Along the way, the marchers were greeted by fireworks and cheered by chants, welcomed and offered shelter and food and joined in each city by protesters on their way to Sanaa, swelling their numbers.

@Abe_Alansy proudly tweets:

Very proud of my people, Yemeni People are showing the world powerful examples of peaceful struggle. #Yemen #LifeMarch #SupportYemen

@wsaqaf adds:

Life March of 260km+ from #Taiz to #Sanaa a reminder of resilience & perseverance of #Yemen people. Proud of being a #Yemeni!

This video posted by Almobdieen shows the march as it left the city of Taiz on the 20th of December.

@crazyyafai tweets:

#Lifemarch left #Taiz knowing many dangerous routes & terrain land & undeveloped roads ahead of them but freedom couldn't stop them. #Yemen

This next video posted by Almobdieen shows the difficult terrain from Taiz to Ibb:

The procession also includes a kitchen and medical unit. However, generous banquets of breakfasts, lunches and dinners were offered in each city they stopped in, as shown in this video, also posted by Almobdieen:

The impressive march and powerful chants on the outskirts of the city of Dhamar, half way en route to Sanaa from Taiz, shows the resilience and power of the people. This feeling is captured in this video posted by moathdamar:

The people of Yemen proved to be people of resilience and steadfastness and keep impressing the world with their civil peaceful resistance in their struggle for freedom, democracy and building a new Yemen.

An impressed and hopeful @Dilmunite tweeted:

You people will have trouble believing it… but #Yemen might be one of the star surprises of this year, against all odds. #LifeMarch

As impressive as the march has been yet there has been a disappointing and evident lack of media coverage to the historic 264km Life March, which is the longest since Mahatma Gandhi's Salt March in 1930 which was 390km long.

@Yemen4Change wonders:

How come #LifeMarch is NOT being covered the way it should? #Yemen

..while @wsaqaf tweets in dismay:

Shameful Arab & Intl #media blackout of the ‘Life March' of #Yemen protestors crossing 260km+ walking from #Taiz to #Sanaa

Blake Hounshell @blakehounshell Managing editor of Foreign Policy magazine tweets:

Tens of thousands of Yemenis marched peacefully from Taiz to Sanaa — 260 kilometers — and got zero coverage. #LifeMarch

Yemeni are heroically writing their own history and are making sure that the world gets to see it while it is written despite the mainstream media blackout throughout the revolution, with the use of social media, such as blogs, Facebook, YouTube, Storify and, of course, Twitter.

@NasserMaweri tweets:

Let's all participate in the #LifeMarch by covering every event in it..No media coverage so let's keep #LifeMarch alive on #Twitter. #Yemen

@NajlaMo posted on her blog an update of the first three days of Life March here.

And @NotUntilHeFalls blogged also about the March of Life here.

@Abe_Alansy uses Storify to curate the story. The link is available here.

And finally, this is my Storify version of the march: The Amazing March of Life #Lifemarch.

Adel Mozip @shabadel set up an interactive map and website to follow the Life March:

A page documenting and following #LifeMarch in REAL-TIME & Interactive @Google Map bit.ly/LifeMarch or lifemarch.supportyemen.org !!

After four days of walking a route full of steep mountain paths and difficult curves, a usually dangerous drive by car, the march of tens od thousands finally reached Sanaa today, December 24th. (video posted by: FreeDomTaiz)

The protesters were greeted with chants from the people of the capital and with security forces' heavy tear gas and live bullets who tried to disperse and stall their procession from reaching Change square. A number of deaths, the first victim a woman shot in the head, and some serious injuries were reported and the numbers keept increasing reaching 13 deaths by the end of the day.

@NajlaMo tweeted:

So far 2 killed and several wounded, some are trapped and some are kidnapped. #LifeMarch #Yemen

@wsaqaf wonders until when will the world turn a blind eye on Yemen:

At least 2 protesters in #Yemen's #LifeMarch killed today by Saleh forces & world remains silent

The march pumped life into Yemen's ongoing revolution and gave many Yemeni lots of hope and pride. It is a fine example of passive resistance and of Yemeni resilience and steadfastness.

This post is part of our special coverage Yemen Protests 2011.

Written by Noon Arabia · comments (7)
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Human rights activist Moncef Marzouki, 66, has been elected as Tunisia's new interim president today. The opposition figure, who has been imprisoned and exiled under the regime of former President Zeine El Abidine Ben Ali, will stay in power until the new constitution of the country is drafted, and legislative and presidential elections are held.

His appointment drew reactions from Tunisian netizens, who were divided between critics and supporters. Elsewhere in the Arab world, Marzouki's appointment, which was followed by a moving acceptance speech, was noted by netizens, who cheered on Tunisia's progress towards democracy, wishing the same for their countries.

Inaugural address of Mr. Marzouki, the new president of the Republic of Tunisia. Image by hamideddine Bouali, copyright Demotix (13/12/11).

Tunisia was the launching pad of an Arab revolution which started in the town of Sidi Bouzid when unemployed Mohammed Bouazizi set himself ablaze on December 17. Since that day, millions of Arabs across the region took to the streets of their cities, towns and villages, calling for democracy, equality, human rights and political, economic and legislative reforms.

Here is a snap shot of reactions from Arab netizens from Twitter.

Yemeni Noon Arabia dreams:

@NoonArabia: I wish one day in Yemen we get to feel proud of the person who “we” choose to be our leader, as the Tunisians are today. #Yemen #Tunisia

Fellow Yemeni Abubakr Al Shamahi provides a link to Marzouki's speech at the Tunisian parliament and shares another dream:

@abubakrabdullah: Amazing - Marzouki's speech at the Tunisian parliament today - I hope to see something similar in Yemen one day..

During his swearing in ceremony, Marzouki cried when he mentioned the martyrs during Tunisia's revolution.

Journalist Andrew Hammond reports:

@Hammonda1: #Tunisia president Marzouki chokes up at mention of the revolution's martyrs; cites ongoing struggle of Palestinians, Syrians and Yemenis.

On this, Egyptian Menna Alaa comments [ar]:

The chant is part of the Tunisian national anthem. A translation of the full anthem is available here.

Egyptocracy agrees:

@Egyptocracy: Amazing speech by Al Monsef Al #Marzouki. Congratulations #Tunisia. You give us hope. #Egypt

And Egyptian Abdelrahman Ayyash laments:

@3yyash: Tunisia made a revolution, they are the genuine and we are the copy .. Ours sucks! #envy #Tunisia #Egypt #Jan25

Marzouki's blog is available at www.moncefmarzouki.com and he tweets at @Moncef_Marzouki.

This post is part of our special coverage Tunisia Revolution 2011.

Written by Amira Al Hussaini · comments (0)
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