15 Comments

1. Ron Wrght:

Roger,

I too am a Don quixote. We need a marketing plan and a few techies willing to pitch in.

See Plan:

The Plan – [in development]

Stay tuned at Regime Change Iran, The Committee for the Protection of Bloggers, and the Arabic Language Blogging Tool Project at the Spirit of America (all linked in this link)

Mar 4, 2005 - 8:14 am 2. Huan:

From Armies of Liberation

In Sunni majority Yemen, many Shiites live in the largely ungoverned tribal region. They are heavily armed and anti-US and anti-Israel. A few months ago, there was a limited rebellion against the Yemeni government.

The government brutally put it down. In addition to sending troops, President Saleh bombed his own country for many days. Official estimates are 400 civilians were killed. Rumors are several thousands of civilians were killed. There was a widespread popular outcry in Yemen about these tactics.

When a group of people resort to violence against their government, then they should be prepared for a violent reaction from the government. Once accepting such terms to enact political change, they should expect an escalation of violence until one side has had enough or has vanquished their opponent.

Note that the revolution in Gdansk, Rumania, Georgia, Ukhraine, and Lebannon were of peaceful protest.

The government’s response may have been overly harsh, but when playing with guns, definitive violence as an attempt to resolve the crisis is the typical response.

While not advocating suppression of dissident voices, a journalist advocating armed rebellion, or passively endorsing such through advocation of a non-response from the government, is guilty of sedition.

Mar 4, 2005 - 8:39 am 3. Duke:

Roger, why not bring freedom to Hollywood instead of to those slugs in Bumfuckistan?

Idea #1: all scripts are submitted anonymously. This is done by assigning numbers to them.

#2. All casting is open casting.

#3. Rotate both script “readers” and casting directors.

#4. Make everyone sign a sworn document that they are not Jewish.

Call me when you need me.

Mar 4, 2005 - 1:08 pm 4. Terrye:

Huan:

It seems to me the government over reacted just a tad here.

Mar 4, 2005 - 1:48 pm 5. Jane:

Thanks for the link Roger.

Huan, At my site is a letter from al-Khaiwani he recently wrote to me while in pirson. I also have posted all sorts of links the the Amnesty Interantional appeal page, the World Association of Newspaper Editors protest letter and last weeks State Dept report assessing his case. He was jailed for publishing an oped that expressed the popular opinion that the government was being brutal in putting down the rebellion. There as been an unprecedented crackdown on the press in Yemen in the last few months. If you have a chance, please take a look for yourself and consider signing the petion.

Mar 4, 2005 - 3:24 pm 6. Huan:

I only commented on the fact that the Yemeni shiites should not have started a contest of violence they cannot hope to win. And the government response was predictable, not necessarily justifiable. From Amnesty International:

He was arrested in connection with his alleged support of the late Hussain Badr al-Din al-Huthi, a cleric from the Zaidi community. Hundreds of people were killed during clashes between the security forces and followers of the cleric which took place between June and September 2004. Hussain al-Huthiís followers were detained for shouting anti-US and anti-Israeli slogans after Friday prayers, following the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. Tensions escalated to armed clashes with the security forces. On 10 September 2004, government officials announced the death of Hussain al-Huthi.

No one should be punished for expressing his opinion. And certainly due process should be respected. But was he advocating violence? Had he been a cleric in a Madrass we would all say arrest him. But since he is a journalist he should get a free pass?

How is he different from the jailing of Abu Bakar Baasyir in Indonesia?

I whole heartedly support a people’s peaceful measure for democracy. I also support a winnable war to establish democracy. I question the use and advocation of violence “infitada” style as a political means.

Jane, i wish your petition well. I am just concerned about possible manipulation. Arafat played many in the west very well once.

Mar 4, 2005 - 5:31 pm 7. Jane:

Huan, I understand your concern and thanks for taking the time to look into his case. It’s important to recall the terminology of the charge against him “supporting the rebellion” originated with the government. He’s also charged with insulting the president.

From the State Dept report on Human rights released last week: “On September 5, the Government closed the As-Shura newspaper for six months. The editor, Abdulkarim Al-Khaiwani, received a 1-year prison sentence for publishing articles critical of the President’s handling of the Al-Houthi rebellion, succession, and other criticisms of the Government. Despite repeated calls by several local parties, syndicates, NGOs and international groups, the Government refused to release Al-Khaiwani. Furthermore, the Government summoned and questioned seven other writers from the same paper. They were informed that they were also subject to possible prosecution. There was no appeal action by year’s end.” He is also listed by name in the denial of fair trail section.

He was arrested for expressing his opinion and due process was not respected.These facts are indesputable.

I don’t believe he was advocating violence but rather was objecting to it. He published opeds critical of the goverment’s tactics in supressing the uprising, as well as criticising the lack of meaningful direct elections.

The State Dept reports details extensively that the press there has been under seige since

September: journos arrested, interogated, assaulted, opposition and independent papers shut down. It seems clear to me in watching events unfold over the past months that the government is regressing away from its democratic path and moving toward a more entrenched dictatorship. And this guy, as one of its most vocal critics, is paying the price. I’m just curious, did you read his letter?

He’s not an Islamist. The Islamists are allied with the government. I think he may be a socialist but I’m not sure.

The petition only states that we support a free press in Yemen and this guy should finally have his appeal date. I understand if you’re not comfortable in signing it, but I obviously believe that he is a dissident that deserves the support of the West. Its tricky to know whats really happening in a country so remote but I have been watching it daily for noths and I have no doubts that this guy is a political prisoner.

Mar 4, 2005 - 6:38 pm 8. Jane:

One last thing, the socialists are the mortal enemies of the Islamists because they advocate for a secular government.

Mar 4, 2005 - 6:48 pm 9. Huan:

Jane

The yemeni government is secular, not islamist. Yemen is a republic inching its way forward toward reforms and democracy.

sure they still have a way to go but they have been doing this since unification in 90. this has not made the secular government popular with the islamists. working with the US in its anti-terror war, whether arresting the perpetrators of the Cole bombing or intelligence cooperation against al qaeda.

yes, he should get due process but beyond that, i am not ready to give him a pass.

Mar 5, 2005 - 5:21 am 10. Jane:

Huan, I appreciate your courtesy and patience. Let’s put aside the issue of this one guy as I also respect your skepticism.

Following the development of Yemen for the last three years I was initially quite impressed with the pro-democracy statements coming from government officials like the ones you quote. One of my earliest tips off that this rhetoric might be window dressing was when President Saleh gave a beautiful speech during a democracy conference in Sana’a in which he called democracy “the rescue ship for all regimes.” But the Yemeni journalists and human rights organizations were barred from attending the conference.

As you are most likely aware, the gradualist model of democratic reform in the Middle East shows that regimes tend to go so far and then become frozen into a liberalized autocracy. Until a few years ago, Yemen was noted as one of the few notable exceptions along with Bahrain and Jordan. I had great hopes for Yemen and respect for its indigenous democracy movement hungry for progress and reform. The notable backslide in the last year is thus all the more disappointing.

Yemen’s ranking has slid down on the Freedom House free/not free index. From my correspondence with FH, I’m under the impression that this years report due out in May will demonstrate an even lower score. Yemen did not qualify for the Millennium Challenge Account open to those reforming nations demonstrating “good governance” and progress toward democracy. It was a candidate for the less demanding Millennium Challenge Threshold account, which basically says show us any reform and we’ll give you money. But there was no forward progress at all in many basic areas except for economic reforms and they were not accepted into the program. There have been some appointments of women to high ranking positions, but in a country where 75% of women are illiterate, it’s not a major move toward enfranchisement.

As far as their assistance in the WOT, it is grudging and under pressure, in part because Saleh maintains a political alliance with the Islamist party. There was no progress at all on the Cole bombing investigation until the US threatened to invade in 2002. (I was rather surprised by that but it’s in the 2003 freedom House Report.) There has been constant US pressure to bring justice to the perpetrators and now five years later, the results are late and less than satisfying.

The president of Yemen is also the chief of the judiciary. The parliament is half appointed and half elected. It has not yet imitated any legislation but normally rubber stamps the president’s laws. To their credit, the parliament has blocked a few pieces of legislation. Yemen does have a 2000 member Children’s Parliament to educate children in the process of democracy.

The ten journalists arrested and the many assaulted, the four newspapers shut, and the editor mysteriously murdered, all were categorized as independent or opposition media. The press in Yemen was recently perhaps the freest in the heavily censored ME. Now it is among the least free.

As our valuable ally in the WOT and a country theoretically democratizing, Saleh talks the talk of democracy to the international community but rarely walks the walk at home. He shouldn’t be given a pass, to use your term, especially when the crackdown on the press since September is so glaring. I hope some real reforms are instituted to empower Yemenis in their own political system, as I believe terrorism arises not from economic poverty but political poverty. Its apparent that you agree with me in the hope for a democratic Yemen, but I am just much more disillusioned than you.

Mar 5, 2005 - 11:46 am 11. Jane:

One last thing, the consitution of Yemen is based on Sharia.

Mar 5, 2005 - 12:01 pm 12. Huan:

Jane

i share your skepticism that the graduated democracy model will ever develop a functional democracy. that is why i am a proponent of the war in iraq to jolt the region into meaningful reform. And yes their participation in the WOT is partially coerced and partially out of self (survival) interests. Yet at the same time they are moving along, official line or otherwise. Evolutionary changes are better than revolutionary ones unless there is widespread popular support via peaceful measures.

What does not help though are armed insurrection or bias and perhaps zealous criticism. It did not work for France and Germany prior to Operation Iraqi Freedom and it will not work for autocratic regimes. It only gives them excuses for crackdowns. Cajoles, guilt, shame, and subtle rebutes imo are better means, in conjunction with external pressure. But external pressure again only work when it is in their (the government’s) best interests to do so.

No, they should not be given a pass, just as we should not give Saudi Arabia or Egypt a pass, and have not. But the worse thing for democracy is the threat of insurrection that cannot succeed. It didn’t work for the South either.

my thoughts on this can be summarized as follows.

1. never bring a knife to a gun fight

2. never corner your opponent without giving him an avenue of “escape”

3. constructive criticism work better, especially when criticism could cost you your life.

Mar 5, 2005 - 2:23 pm 13. Jane:

Huan, We’re really rather in agreement ideologically I think. I agree that the tribal uprising in the nether regions of Yemen was doomed to failure and counter-productive. I prefer the regime continue along its reforming path. I also agree that shame may be a good tactic to encourage continued reform. That’s the point of the petition. The clear and well documented retreat from freedom of speech deserves a resounding “no way” from the American people, if only to show we noticed. With kind regards, Jane

PS if your interested, I have a photo of the appeal trial up now.

Mar 6, 2005 - 4:51 am 14. Jane:

One last thing, I am hoping that this may have a positive effect in the war of ideas, as while the Yemeni government is somewhat pro-American, the population is much less so. This guy is supported strongly by the labor unions, the lawyers, importantly every journalist, and other intelligencia and middle class people. I have made it clear that I am a pro-American American and that I support President Bush and democracy in the Middle East. As we in the blogosphere are the only ones in the world standing up behind this guy, it may engender some good will towards the US. The comments that people wrote on the petition are quite inspirational and I’m sure the hard copy will circulate widely after its dispatched (because I’m going to send a copy to the person who sent me the pictures.)

Mar 6, 2005 - 5:23 am 15. Jane:

He’s free. Thank you Roger.

Mar 23, 2005 - 9:12 am

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