Today is billed to be a big day in the protest scene of Sana'a and this morning I could hear the distant chants emminating from the anti-government camp out the front of Sana'a University. I personally am taking the day off to avoid traffic and possible security problems.
As I walk around my area of Sana'a the traffic is noticeably sparse and a few trucks full of pro-government protesters with their President colour portraits zoom past, both sides emboldened, not just to speak out, but to hurl obcenities to pedestrians. Which leaves me to ask, what will happen with all those colour portraits if the President goes. What a waste of materials. I could never understand a dictators need to plaster his face on every spare surface. Smells of narcicism. But it gives anti-government protesters more to deface and destroy.
And what about all the sons of fallen and falling dictators, do you think they'd be pissed with daddy, "Hey dad, you've ruined my future! Now I will never have the opportunity to see my face plastered all over the nation and suck the money of the people."
The Yemeni President spoke to his cronies, and this was aired on local and international news channels, and he said to them, if I go, you all go, look what happened in Tunis and Egypt, the people got rid of the whole system, so think about it and be careful. True, if the pin is pulled on Saleh, it hopefully would be pulled on his associates, and similarly if Saleh pulls the pin on corruption he will be pulling the pin on himself. It's lose lose for now and the protesters are gaining momentum, and as I saw them, I was suprised by their organisation and management. Small scale I know, but nothing in Yemen bares much of the signs of fluid organisation.
I am not participating or observing protests actively but as it is the biggest news in Yemen right now I would hate to ignore it so I'd like to recommend this Yemen blog for protest commentary. Yemen Peace Project
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