Yemenis say US envoy must leave

Press TV

Yemenis have called on the US ambassador to Yemen to leave Sana’a over his remarks about the recent popular march from the southern city of Taizz to the capital.

Demonstrators took to the streets in Sana’a on Sunday after a group of former lawmakers issued a statement calling on Gerald Feierstein to “apologize to the people of Taizz in particular, and the people of Yemen in general.”

Tens of thousands of anti-regime protesters arrived in the capital at the end of their “March for Life” from Taizz, located 322 kilometers (200 miles) from Sana’a, on Saturday.

The “March for Life” protesters called on Saleh and his allies to face criminal charges for their role in the killing of anti-regime protesters during the uprising since late January.

Feierstein said in a press conference in Sana’a on Saturday that the march was “non-peaceful,” adding that it sought to “generate chaos and provoke a violent response by the security forces,” according to state media.

Forces loyal to Yemeni dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh killed 13 people during clashes with anti-regime demonstrators in Sana’a after the arrival of the “March for Life.”

“Members of the parliament strongly condemn the US ambassador’s irresponsible statements, which was one of the main reasons that encouraged the regime to attack the peaceful march,” the lawmakers said in their statement.

In March, the lawmakers resigned from the General People’s Congress party headed by Saleh and joined the popular uprising.

Saleh transferred power to Vice President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi on November 23 under a deal brokered by the (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council.

Following the deadly incident in Sana’a on Saturday, the Yemeni dictator said that he would leave Yemen for the United States “in the coming days,” claiming that the purpose of the trip would be to “get out of sight and the media to calm the atmosphere for the unity government to hold the presidential election.”

Hadi issued a decree on December 7, establishing a national unity government headed by Mohammed Basindwa, who was appointed as interim prime minister on November 27.

Hadi has announced February 21, 2012 as the date for a presidential election in the country, which will be the first in Yemen since 2006.

Advertisement