President Saleh calls on opposition to leave

President Ali Abdullah Saleh has called on all opposition to leave Yemen as others did after the September 1962 and October 1963 revolutions as well as the 1994 war.

 In a speech this week, the president described the opposition as a minority not exceeding five percent of the Yemeni population. He said that the rest stood with stability, security and against sedition.

“It is not fair that a minority should practice extortion against the other 95% who long for security and stability… If the majority is with stability, unity and development and only five percent are disturbing the country, who should leave?” asked the president.

President Saleh said that the opposition should depart instead of demanding, through the media and satellite TV channels, that others should depart. His speech followed public demonstrations on Friday in his support.

The president and his ruling General People’s Congress party regarded this as a public poll showing support for the president.
 Bakil tribesman also traveled to Sana’a on Monday to demand that President Saleh not offer any more concessions to the opposition. One of the tribe’s sheikhs said that he and more than 40,000 of his tribesman were ready to fight in defense of national unity.

President Saleh said that his opposition were “distressed and the mercenaries who betrayed the revolution, the republic, democracy and unity should quit”. He said that he also held the opposition coalition Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) accountable for the bloody March 18 shootings that claimed at least 52 anti-government protester lives in Sana’a. He also blamed the opposition for bloodshed elsewhere in Yemen. 

  “Those  who want to cease power through a coup are allied forces comprising al-Qaeda, the Houthis, separatists, the JMP and all other malevolent forces who want to topple the political system. The fall of the system means the fall of unity,” he added.  Mohammed Qahtan, a spokesperson for the JMP, in response to President Saleh’s statement that they should leave said that the current political regime was taking its last breaths.

 He said that the president would leave office in days to come. Qahtan said that they would escalate peaceful protests and all other options. The JMP considered that the president’s position in power posed great risks to Yemen, international interests and the security and stability of the region. Qahtan called on the international community to stand on the side of the demands of the millions of anti-government protests in the so-called Change Square outside Sana’a University.

He said that the  JMP linked their political efforts to those of the young protesters in various governorates. He also said that the JMP was part of the national movement that wanted to get rid of the current regime. He said that they would accomplish this through peaceful means, stressing that their peaceful revolution will grow.

He said that young people would this week start forming committees to take over power in various governorates. They would also march to other governorates. Mohamed Abdel Salam, the Houthi spokesperson, also confirmed that the continuation of President Saleh and his regime›s rule was a threat to the country›s unity, security and stability. He stressed that Yemenis would be better, safer, more united and harmonious after his departure.

Related Content

•  Yemen new president elected, what next?
•   British Baroness Emma Nicholson escapes assassination attempt in South Yemen
•  Brennan: President Saleh has been supportive of Yemen political transition
•  Yemen's sole presidential candidate pledges to eradicating al-Qaeda
•   Yemen president’s advisor reveals possible nominees for President-elect’s deputy
•   Yemen elections will be held regardless of security situations, says SCER
•  Al-Qaeda leader killed in central Yemen, militants seek revenge
•   Saleh back to Yemen soon to observe elections, media advisor concerns over opposition stance
•  Leader, Yemen opposition involved in March 18 shooting incident
•  Yemen conducts non-competitive but necessary and historic elections