People affected by Yemen sit-ins complain of attacks from protesters

The people affected by sit-ins in Sana’a University’s square said that they received deadly threats if they continued to hold protests against the presence of sit-ins in their neighborhood and streets.

A statement was issued by the permanent forum of the residents and merchants of the areas affected by the sit-ins saying that, “ in continuation to our peaceful struggle and in protest against the attacks that occurred against us on the bands of the misled youth of the parties sitting-in next to our houses at the western ring road and in other neighborhoods, on Friday May 25th 2012, as we were preparing for the 15th Friday prayer of  “leave our streets”, they tried to prevent us by force from peacefully expressing our sufferings.

They tried to foil our Friday prayer event, which we hold for demanding the reparation of the damages, the re-opening of the streets as well as the removal of the tents and barricades.” 

The statement went on saying that both the members of the permanent forum, and the residents, received several threats telling them that any future protests would be bloody and several necks would be broken.

The spokesperson for the people affected by sit-ins, Wadhah Hamran, affirmed that they would continue their protests despite the threats they are facing; holding the National Reconciliation Government fully accountable for the previous attacks as well as for any new attack that might happen in the future on the residents and on the members of the permanent forum.

 Hamran also held the Minister of Interior fully accountable for failing to provide protection to the residents of the areas affected by the sit-ins, while they were peacefully performing their Friday prayer, and expressing their suffering on the main ring road - Al-Zira’ street – despite their several requests for protection, and their offer of a weekly license through fax 331545, that he never took.


Hamran emphasized what came up in the permanent forum statement, and called President Hadi to provide full protection to the residents of the affected areas, and to prevent the youth, part of the sit-ins in front of their houses, from attacking them.

It’s important to note that the permanent forum which assembles the persons affected by the sit-ins, represents the residents of about 86 neighborhoods which contains 400,000 citizens who were harmed by the sit-ins in their areas. It also includes the merchants who have shops on the main University street and the other streets around the sit-ins areas.

The persons affected by the sit-ins have held several protesting events, as well as a weekly Friday prayer on al-Zira’ street, next to the sit-in square. Their last Friday was the 16th since they started.

 When holding their events, the persons affected by the sit-ins demand, the damages to be repaired, the streets to be re-opened and the tents and barricades to finally be removed in order to return to a normal life, as well as referring those who caused the damages to the judiciary.       

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