Yemenis are back on the streets demanding their country's wealth – and holding those who squander it accountable.
Under the slogan “The People Reclaim Their Wealth” Yemen's revolutionary youth joined Yemen's Revolution Electronic Coordination [1] (YREC) to demand the cancellation of what they describe as “unfair” liquefied natural gas (LNG) sales agreements, bleeding the country's resources.
According to on-going agreements, the former regime cheaply sold Yemen's LNG to France's Total and Korean Kogas, costing Yemen more than US$ 4 billion dollars in losses annually. Protesters claimed that LNG is sold below market price to those companies, following corrupt deals. They say that while Yemen sells its gas for US$ 2, the current market price for the gas is US$ 10.
Protesters also demanded compensation for the damage caused by the previous agreement and compelled the government to restore Yemen’s share in the production of LNG. According to the deal, Yemen keeps 22% of its LNG. The rest goes to benefit foreign companies, most notably Total's share of 39%.
On Thursday (February 6, 2014), the marches and rallies were staged across the capital Sana’a and in the western city of Hodeidah.
[2]Protesters in the capital Sanaa marching and holding signs condemning Yemen's LNG sales agreement.
(video uploaded by presstv [3])
[4]The slogan on the sign held in Hodeida's march reads “the people want to recover their wealth…the people want to recover their gas…the people want to recover their assets”
In Hodeidah, the rally started from the city’s Change Square, roaming a number of streets to mobilize citizens and make them aware of the corruption behind the deal.
[5]Protesters in Hodeida holding signs demanding president Hadi to review Yemen's LNG deal
The campaign was adopted by the YREC [6] two years ago under the slogan ” The People Reclaim Their Wealth [7] ” to demand the restoration of Yemen's wealth and assets, to fight against corruption and to bring the corrupt signatories of such agreements to justice.
The campaign was widely accepted among Yemenis who are suffering from the severe economic conditions that the country is undergoing which has led the deterioration in their living conditions and decline into further poverty and unemployment levels.