Yemen braces for 'day of rage' protests

Yemeni activist Tawakul Karman (center) along with other demonstrators during an anti-government protest in the capital Sana'a

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/163364.html

Yemen is bracing for its “day of rage,” with massive protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh, despite his pledge not to seek another term.

About one million protesters are expected to rally in the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, on Thursday.

So far, more than 20,000 Yemenis have taken to the streets of Sana'a, Reuters reported.

On Wednesday, the opposition groups welcomed Saleh's decision not to run for the next term, but said that they would not call off a planned rally in the capital on Thursday, dubbed a "day of rage."

"We consider this initiative positive, and we await the next concrete steps. As for our plan for a rally tomorrow, the plan stands and it will be organized and orderly," said Mohammed al-Saadi, the undersecretary of the Islamic Islah Party.

Massive anti-government demonstrations broke out in Yemen after the president proposed a constitutional amendment in January that could make Saleh the president of Yemen for life.

After days of anti-government demonstrations across the country, Saleh finally said on Wednesday that he would not seek to extend his presidency when his current term expires in 2013. He also pledged that he would not pass on power to his son.

The protests follow the recent revolutionary protests in Egypt and Tunisia, and other anti-government protests in Arab countries.

At least 147 people were killed and 510 injured during the Tunisian 'Jasmine Revolution' that unseated former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali last month, according to the United Nations.

Thousands of Tunisian protesters have kept up their daily rallies calling for old regime politicians to be swept from power and for the abolition of Ben Ali's Constitutional Democratic Rally Party.

In Egypt, revolutionary protests have continued across the crisis-hit country since January 25, demanding that President Hosni Mubarak step down.

A report by the UN says at least 300 people have so far been killed and thousands more injured during the revolution protests.

In Jordan, protesters, inspired by the recent Arab-world uprisings, have been criticizing the government for its failure to carry out necessary political and economic reforms.