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Tribe abandons Yemen’s president
AP
Photo
A Yemeni girl reacts during the funeral procession of anti-government protestors killed in Friday's clashes with Yemeni security forces, in Sanaa,Yemen, Sunday, March 20, 2011. The U.S.-backed president of Yemen suffered a devastating political blow on Sunday when his own powerful tribe demanded his resignation, joining religious leaders, young people and the country's traditional opposition in calls for an end to his three decades in power.
Associated Press
SANAA, Yemen
The U.S.-backed president of Yemen suffered a devastating political blow Sunday when his own powerful tribe demanded his resignation, joining religious leaders, young people and the country’s traditional opposition in calls for an end to his three decades in power.
Massive crowds flooded cities and towns around the impoverished and volatile nation, screaming in grief and anger as they mourned dozens of protesters killed Friday when President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s security forces opened fire from rooftops on a demonstration in the capital.
Saleh appeared to be trying to hold on, firing his entire Cabinet ahead of what one government official said was a planned mass resignation, but making no mention of stepping down himself. Yemen’s ambassador to the United Nations and its human-rights minister had announced their resignations earlier in the day.
Experts said that Saleh, who has cooperated closely with U.S. military operations against his country’s branch of al-Qaida, had lost the support of every major power base in Yemen except the military.
Many said he would be forced to choose between stepping down and confronting demonstrators with even deadlier force.
“We’re talking a new set of dynamics that are driving the conflict into either the resignation of Saleh or a very serious clash between the two sides,” said Ibrahim Sharqieh, deputy director of the Brookings Doha Center.
Sharqieh said from Washington that it was far from clear what would replace Saleh if he goes. Options could include a military-run transitional government and an administration of traditional political opposition parties.