Yemeni MPs resign to protest gov't crack down

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/166767.html

Seven members of Yemen parliament from the ruling people's Congress Party have resigned in response to the heavy crackdown on anti-government protests.

Abdulaziz Jubari, Member of Parliament stated that they are going to form an independent bloc that will fulfill their national duty.

Last week, two other members of parliament stepped down in protest against the government's heavy-handed tactics in quelling protests.

Meanwhile, thousands of protesters converged on a square in front of the Sana'a University and called on President Ali Abdullah Saleh to resign for the third consecutive day.

Supporters of the President attacked the square overnight, killing at least two protesters and injuring some twenty others.

Elsewhere in Aden, at least 12 protesters have been killed and around 75 injured following a wave of unrest that started two weeks ago.

President Saleh has been in power since 1978. Saleh says he plans to step down after national elections in 2013, but that has failed to satisfy the demonstrators.

This, as many Yemenis are fed up with corruption within the government and high unemployment.

Anti-government sentiments are running high, while many observers believe that the ruling party and the opposition are poles apart now, so the prospects for sincere negotiations look dimmer than ever.