23 INJURED IN OPPOSITION DEMONSTRATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 001929


FOR NEA/ARP:AMACDONALD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL YM
SUBJECT: 23 INJURED IN OPPOSITION DEMONSTRATIONS

REF: SANAA 1830

Classified By: Ambassador Stephen A. Seche for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

Summary
--------------


1. (C) Demonstrations organized by Yemen's political
opposition in Sana'a on November 27, and the ROYG reaction to
them, turned violent, resulting in the injury of 23 people.
The ROYG reportedly assaulted reporters covering the
demonstrations and some accuse ROYG forces of firing on
demonstrators. Unless the impasse between the ruling party
and the opposition over the coming Parliamentary elections is
resolved, this kind of violence is likely to recur. End
Summary.

Demonstrations Turn Violent
--------------


2. (U) Demonstrations organized by the opposition Joint
Meeting Parties (JMP) turned violent on November 27. Press
reports indicate that 23 people, including two policemen,
were injured in clashes between protesters and riot police.
The protests, which are being called the "November Uprising,"
were intended by the organizers to protest what they
characterize as fraud in the voter registration lists for the
April 2009 Parliamentary elections. Opposition press
reported that police officers assaulted journalists
attempting to cover the event.


3. (C) RSO sources monitoring Tahrir Square, where the
largest confrontation took place, reported that security
forces fired into the air to disperse the protesters. They
also reported seeing protesters who were bloodied during the
confrontations. Secretary General Abdulwahab al-Anisi of JMP
member party Islah told POL/E Chief on November 29 that a
group of police in another area fired on the protesters,
hitting them in the abdomen and thighs. (Note: Embassy
security sources have not corroborated this story. End
note.) Anisi said that the protesters had been instructed to
avoid any violence or confrontations with security forces.
He added that security forces in general appeared to want to
avoid violence as well. He said that a single commander was
responsible for ordering his troops to fire on the protesters
and added that the JMP has reported the name of the commander
to ROYG authorities.

Journalists Assaulted
--------------


4. (C) Among the reporters attacked by security forces were
Said Thabit, Secretary General of the Yemen Journalists Forum
(YJF),and Sana'a-based al-Ayyam correspondent Abdulfetah
Khaider. Thabit told the Embassy on November 30 that he was
beaten with a cattle prod by uniformed police officers until
ROYG personnel in civilian dress intervened and told the
police officers who he was. Thabit speculated that if he was
not the leader of the YJF he would have received a much worse
beating (as he claims he saw other journalists receive).
When he asked the police why they assaulted him, they
responded that they had been instructed to beat journalists.


5. (C) Aden-based Al-Ayyam General Manager Basha Bashraheel
told POL/E Chief on November 30 that Khaider was detained by
uniformed police and then transferred to a civilian vehicle
that transported him to an area away from the demonstrations,
where he was severely beaten. Bashraheel also confirmed a
story, reported to Pol/E Chief by Anisi, that Khaider,s
captors attempted to break his fingers by placing his hand on
a table and hitting his fingers with stones.

Protests to Continue
--------------


6. (C) Security contacts of post's Force Protection
Detachment (FPD) have warned that protests are likely to
continue in the capital, particularly in Tahrir Square. On
November 30 police fired into the air to disperse a crowd in
Aden. Bashraheel noted, however, that the security force
response to the demonstration was more controlled than has
been the case in Aden in the past and speculated that
security forces are trying to avoid violent confrontations.

Comment
--------------


7. (C) The President and the GPC want to see the
Parliamentary elections go forward on time with JMP
participation (reftel). The longer the JMP continues its
boycott, however, the more likely ROYG tempers are to flare.
The ROYG is no stranger to strong-arm responses to
demonstrations and harassment of journalists. If the JMP
continues to refuse to participate in the elections
preparation process and organizes additional public
demonstrations accusing the government of fraud, the events
of November 27 are likely to be repeated. End Comment.


SECHE