MEDIA REACTION -- VIOLENCE IN SAADA,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 003600 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA, NEA/ARP, NEA/PD, NEA/RA, DS/OP/NEA AND S/CT CENTCOM FOR POLAD NEA/PPD FOR AFERNANDEZ THE WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KDEM KMPI PGOV PHUM PREL YM SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION -- VIOLENCE IN SAADA, ASSASSINATION SUSPECTS ON TRIAL, ETC. REFTEL A: SANAA 3572 REFTEL B: SANAA 3548 REFTEL C: SANAA 3534 REFTEL D: SANAA 3532 Following paragraphs cover December 15-27: ¶1. AL-HOUTHI: The eruption of new violence in the Sa'ada region has been a primary topic of press coverage in recent weeks. After two weeks of relative quiet, RayNews.net (website of liberal opposition Rabita Party) reported on December 21 that armed clashes once again broke out between government and Al-Houthi forces. On December 24, independent daily Al-Ayyam reported that clashes erupted at Sa'ada's central prison between guards and inmates (many detained during previous Al- Houthi uprisings) protesting their detention conditions. On December 26, Zaidi (Shi'a) opposition weekly Al-Shura reported that seven inmates were killed in the confrontations with the prison guards, and another fifty injured. Also on December 26, Al-Ayyam and Al-Shura reported on renewed clashes, particularly in the Bani Moa'dad area of Sa'ada, including an Al-Houthi ambush of a security patrol that left four troops injured. On December 27, after stray fire killed two civilian women (including, according to NewsYemen.net, the wife of the Mufti of Sa'ada),Al-Sahwa reported that Sa'ada area sheikhs and government officials convened a meeting to discuss how best to suppress the renewed violence. ¶2. ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT TRIAL: Government, opposition and independent outlets all have given considerable coverage to the trial of two men accused of attempting to assassinate Ambassador Krajeski one year ago. On December 19, official government daily Al-Thawra, independent daily Al- Ayyam, and opposition Islah Party weekly Al-Sahwa all reported that one of the defendants admitted at trial to possessing a rifle and two hand grenades at the time of the attack. On December 26, Al-Sahwa described angry exchanges between the two defense lawyers when counsel for one defendant moved for dismissal of the charges by reason of mental defect and charged the other defendant with exploiting his mental state. [Note: Media outlets consistently have mischaracterized the assassination attempt as targeting former Ambassador Hull. End note.] ¶3. PRESS FREEDOM: Following on a new round of press harassment incidents (covered in reftel B and most recently including telephone threats by a government official to the managing editor of weekly newspaper Annas, reported on December 26 by Al-Sahwa and NewsYemen.net),the Yemeni Journalists' Syndicate resoundingly has rejected the draft press law proposed by the government. On December 23, NewsYemen.net reported that the YJS rejection of the draft law was unanimous. The Yemen Observer followed on December 26 with a report quoting the YJS as saying that if enacted, the law would restrict press freedom. Also on December 26, RayNews.net reported further that journalists of the YJS have demanded an outright abolition of the Information Ministry. ¶4. WAPO ARTICLES: Several local outlets gave prominent coverage to the recent series on Yemen published in the Washington Post by reporter David Finkel. Among these, Al-Wasat published a large- point headline on December 21 quoting President Saleh that "all Americans are liars," as Finkel reported Saleh saying to a group of tribal sheikhs. ¶5. SOMALI PROTESTS: After two months of protest by a large group of Somalis congregating outside the UNHCR office in Sanaa, RayNews.net reported on December 18 that two Somalis were killed and several others injured when people moved in to break up the protest. Other media sources reported up to eight Somali protestors and four police officers injured during the scuffle. On December 21, post issued a press release denying a rumor among the Somali protestors that the US intended to resettle 70,000 Somali refugees in the US. NewsYemen, Al-Sahwa, and Al-Shura all published details of the press release. ¶6. AUSTRIAN HOSTAGES: 26 September, NewsYemen.net, and Al-Sahwa gave prominent coverage to the kidnapping and quick release of two Austrian tourists on December 23-24. The tourists reportedly were taken hostages by Ma'rib area tribesmen demanding the release of a kinsman in government detention, but were released unharmed and unconditionally after negotiations conducted by area tribal sheikhs. ¶7. JOINT MEETING PARTY INITIATIVE: Government attacks continue unabated against the recent JMP reform initiative. Al-Sahwa reported on December 26 that Shura Council Chairman Abdul Aziz Abdul Ghani blasted the initiative in an interview with Egyptian daily Al-Ahram as an attempt to subvert the government's own reform process. ¶8. GPC CONFERENCE: Events surrounding the General People's Congress seventh party conference have been described in detail in reftels A-D, as has the press placement of CDA's interview with Al- Ayyam. Opposition media outlets have criticized sharply events at the GPC conference. On December 17, RayNews.net spotlighted President Saleh's call for the opposition Joint Meeting Party to take its reform initiative directly to the public, noting the tacit implication that the GPC will not engage in dialogue with the JMP over its proposals. Also on December 17, NewsYemen.net noted that Saleh charged those who accuse his government of corruption of "being themselves corrupt." On December 18, Al-Wahdawi (affiliated with the opposition Nasserite Party) described GPC delegates storming out of the conference in protest over the lack of internal party democracy, specifically in the appointment of Prime Minister Abdulqader Bajammal as GPC Secretary General. KRAJESKI