Thursday, October 27, 2011

Yemeni Women Burn their Veils

Yemeni women burnt their veils and head scarves today as a sign of protest to condemn the regime's brutality and violence, which has killed around 25 people overnight in Sanaa and Taiz and has been targeting women lately. The protest was not in anyway related to women's rights or against the Islamic veil as some people misunderstood, it was an outcry for help, specifically targeting the regime.
@SupportYemen tweets:
Yemeni women burnt their veils in protest to the regimes violence and crimes, especially the targeting of women… fb.me/AdNY5LTS
The following video, posted by EyesSemitic on YouTube, shows the women gathered at the protest in Sana'a's 60th street where they burned their veils:
Yemeni women sent out a powerful statement and plea to tribes and the international community to put an end to the regimes' violence (video posted by ainnews1):
@Dory_Eryani tweeted the core of their message, distributed in a leaflet:
“Here we burn our makrama [honour] in front of the world to witness the bloody massacres carried out by the tyrant Saleh,” #Yemen #burningveils
The burning of the veils by the women in the tribal tradition is a plea for help. Yemen is a tribal society and the killing of women is a big shame in Yemen and in Islam in general, so this was a clear and loud message by the Yemeni women for their tribes and the world at large to intervene to stop the killing of protesters.
Women burnt veils today during protests. The burning of the veils are to symbolize that they are calling for tribes to help them. #Yemen #yf
Female at veil burning: “Tribes must undrstnd they won't be respected by Yemeni women if they stay quiet while their women..attacked” #Yemen
Albeit living in a conservative society, women of Yemen have exhibited exemplary bravery and leadership skills in the current revolution, which made all Yemenis proud, as tweeted by @Mo_Alsharafi:
The Yemeni women are really heroines. thanks for all #Yemen's Women Revolutionaries.
This post was first published in Global Voices on October, 26th, 2011

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

ادعم اليمن - ادعم الثوره السلميه



  لقد غردت عبر التويتر ،  كتبت مدونات و مقالات، ونشرت على الصفحات والمجموعات المختلفة في الفيسبوك ،  احث الناس على مساندة اليمن SupportYemen#. 
الآن اريد ان اخبركم                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
لماذا أنا أؤيد اليمن.                                                                                                             


                                                                                                                                                              اليمن بلدي ، وطني ، أرض أجدادي ، وحيث يكمن قلبي. أنا أؤيد اليمن وادعم الثورة لأن اليمن كانت تعيش في الفقر والمرض والأمية لعدة سنوات. حان الوقت للتغيير. اليمن تحتاج إلى ان تعلوا بعد 33 عاما من الحكم الفاسد والتخلف. اليمنيين لهم الحق بأن يعيشوا حياة كريمة. لديهم الحق في المدارس المناسبة ، والتعليم السليم والمعلمين الاكفاء ،  لهم الحق في المرافق الصحية المناسبة والأدوية والخدمات. لديهم الحق في التعبير عن آرائهم وعدم الخوف  من المضايقات والاعتقالات والتعذيب نتيجة لذلك. لديهم الحق بأن يشعروا بالأمان في بلدهم و أن يعلموا ان الجيش موجود للدفاع عنهم وحمايتهم ، عوضاً عن الدفاع عن الأسرة الحاكمة واستهداف و قتلهم هم. لديهم الحق في العدالة ، ونظام قضائي مستقل. لهم الحق في الانتخاب واختيار من يحكمهم ، ولهم الحق أن يعرفوا أن موارد اليمن والمساعدات المالية تنتقل عبر القنوات المناسبة للتنمية وليس الـي الحسابات المصرفية لأفراد الأسرة الحاكمة والنظام الفاسد. اليمنيون لهم الحق في العيش في سلام وأمان والتمتع بالخدمات الأساسية  دون انقطاعها، مثل المياه والكهرباء والوقود.
اليمن يواجه أزمة اقتصادية وإنسانية خطيره وازمة للاجئين ، و الحاله تتدهور كلما طال أمد الثورة بسبب تحدي صالح  و رفضه التخلي عن السلطة. النظام  الوحشي الحالي  يجب إزالته فورا لوقف إراقة الدماء ومعاناة الكثير من اليمنيين.أنا أعيش في الخارج ، واحظى بحياة طيبة  وآمنة واتمتع بخدمات كثيرة ، وأريد  لجميع رجال ونساء بلدي الاستمتاع  بحياة مريحة وآمنة ايضاً.  قلبي يتلوع الماً لليمن والأوضاع  المعيشيه للشعب ، التي تفاقمت منذ ما يقرب من 9 أشهر، اي 
منذ بدأت الثورة. لقد أزهقت أرواح كثيرة واخرى لا تزال تواجه الخطر بسبب استمرار العنف والمعاناة الإنسانية ، ورغم هذا كله لا يزال النضال السلمي مستمراً.
أريد لبلدي ان تكون آمنة لتنهظ وتزدهر. اليمن بلد جميل واليمنيون يتمتعون بإمكانيات كبيرة ويستحقون حياة أفضل. هناك العديد من الأسباب تجعلني ادعم اليمن ، كانت هذه مجرد اسباب قليلة منها.


انضم إلينا لإحداث هذا التغيير من خلال دعم اليمن.
زر صفحة الفيسبوك :   SupportYemen#
تابع حسابنا في تويتر : @SupportYemen
زر موقعنا على الانترنت : www.supportyemen.org (قريبا)
تبرع ل: YemenPeaceProject
اقراء : Yemenbloggers
استمع إلى : VoicesfromYemen، وهنا صوتي :  6 -- @Noonarabia
 انشر حملة فيديو SupportYemen# و أي ملفات فيديو يوتيوب ذات صلة باليمن او بالثوره كهذا Yemen the mother of all revolutions
استخدام واحدة من صور #SupportYemen لملفك الشخصي.
تابع أخبار اليمن ، للحصول على تحديثات مستمرة وموثوقة  زرهذه الصفحة في الفيسبوك : عين اليمن
وقع على العريضة : يجب عرض صالح للمساءله  الكتابة عن اليمن في والصحف و الدونات ، و صفحتك في الفيسبوك  و التويتر
متابعة الأحداث في بلدكم من خلال صفحة الفيسبوك # SupportYemen والانضمام إلى الاحتجاجات.
الكتابة إلى واضعي السياسات في بلدكم لدعم اليمن وفرض عقوبات ضد الرئيس صالح و الضغط من أجل الديمقراطيةوالحرية في اليمن.
اقرأ هذه المدونه التي نشرتها زميله ناشطه،  Simple Steps to Support Yemen from Abroad 
الجرائم الفضيعه وسفك الدماء في اليمن يجب ان تقف ونحن بحاجة إلى دعم المجتمع الدولي ودعمك انت
سلام

Sunday, October 23, 2011

#SupportYemen - This is Why I Do


I have been tweeting, blogging, posting on different pages and groups on facebook urging people to #SupportYemen. Now I want to tell you why I support Yemen.
Yemen is my country, my homeland, the land of my ancestors and where my heart belongs. I support it and support the revolution because Yemen has been living in poverty, sickness and illiteracy for years. It is time for CHANGE. Yemen needs to rise after 33 years of corrupt rule and underdevelopment. Yemeni have the right to live a dignified life. They have the right to proper education, proper schools and teachers, proper health facilities, medicine and services. They have the right to express their opinions and not fear harassment, arrests and torture as a result. They have the right to feel safe in their country knowing that the army is there to defend and protect them, rather than defending the ruling family and killing them. They have the right to justice and an independent judiciary system. They have the right to elect and choose who to govern them and to know that Yemen's resources and financial aid is going to the proper channels for it's development and not to the bank accounts of the ruling family and corrupt regime members. Yemeni have the right to live in peace and safety and enjoy basic uninterrupted services, such as electricity, water and fuel.
Yemen is facing a grave economic, humanitarian and refugee crisis which is deteriorating as the revolution is prolonged due to Saleh's defiance to relinquish power. The current brutal regime needs to be removed immediately to stop the bloodshed and suffering of many Yemenis.
I live abroad and am blessed to have a good safe life and enjoy many services, and I want all my country men and women to live a comfortable and safe life too. My heart goes out to Yemen and the conditions the people have been living in, which just got aggravated since the revolution started, almost 9 months ago. So many lives have been lost and many are still facing continuos danger due to the ongoing violence and humanitarian hardship, yet the peaceful struggle continues.
I want my country to be safe so it can flourish and prosper. Yemen is a beautiful country and Yemenis have great potential and deserve a better life. There are many reasons why I support yemen, these were just a few.

Join us make that change by supporting Yemen.
Visit our Facebook page: #SupportYemen
Follow our twitter account: @SupportYemen
Visit our website: www.supportyemen.org (coming soon)
Volunteer to support our campaign, download and fill out this form
Donate to: YemenPeaceProject
Read: Yemenbloggers
Listen to: VoicesfromYemen, here is my voice: No 6 - @Noonarabia
Share the #SuppotYemen Video Campaign and any youtube videos related to Yemen and it's revolution such as this powerful one: Yemen: The Mother of All Revolutions
Use one of the #SupportYemen photos as your profile.
Follow Yemen's news, for reliable and constant updates visit this Facebook page: News of the Yemeni Revolution
Sign the petition: Saleh must be held Accountable
Write about Yemen in your newspapers, blogs, facebook profiles and tweets.
Follow events in your country through the #SupportYemen facebook page and join the protests.
Write to the policy makers in your country to support Yemen and impose sanctions against president Saleh. Lobby for Yemen's democracy and freedom.
Read this blog posting by a fellow activist for Simple Ways to Support Yemen from Abroad

The atrocities and blood shed in Yemen need to stop and we need the International Community's support and your support.

Peace 

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Support Yemen's Struggle for Democracy and Freedom


The people of Yemen have spoken and chose peace, therefore the international community has to firmly support Yemen inorder for the bloodshed and violence to stop. 






 "We have the dream, and we have the ability...we will not stop here, we will build our country," Karman said. "We tell Saudi that they should stand with the Yemeni people. And anyone who doesn't stand with our people, they are the losers. We know what it means to be free, and we will achieve it." Of today's vote at the United Nations, Karman said, "The international community has to create pressure on Saleh. ... "Dictatorships are going down and are done. There are a lot of scenarios for the end of those dictators...like running away like Ben Ali did. Or to be held accountable and prosecuted just like Mubarak, or maybe getting killed like Gaddafi. In Yemen, we will have our own scenario. We will not go in the direction of violence. And I ask the international community not to let Yemen go in that direction."

Diaries of an Online Activist


The Arab spring and the revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Libya, Syria and Bahrain turned me from a spectator into an activist. As I was following news of the Tunisian's uprising which turned into a revolution and spread to the rest of the Arab world, my Arabism, patriotism and zeal grew which got me hooked to the TV and laptop for endless hours, following events,  engaging in debates and expressing my views. My days suddenly turned into nights and I wouldn't realize it till the first rays of sun crept on me announcing the arrival of a new day.


I became an online activist, initially overtaken by the Egyptian revolution when I started my activism on Facebook. As the revolution in Yemen started to evolve and was filling the news along with the Libyan one, I shifted from the Egyptian revolution, since Mubarak was ousted and besides there were so many other hundreds of thousands covering it, and I started focusing instead on the rest of the Arab revolutions, but mainly Yemen's and hence I shifted from Facebook to twitter, which I felt was more dynamic and powerful.


Twitter transfered me to many places at once. I felt I was in Tahrir in Cairo, in Benghazi in Libya, in Change square is Sanaa, in Hama in Syria and in Manama in Bahrain. Just by following a certain timeline I heard the chants and the explosions and I felt the pain of the wounded and the loss of the martyrs.


I was actually apprehensive at first and worried when Yemen's revolution started. Yemen has the highest gun per capita ratio after the US and I thought it will turn into a blood bath from day one, but was pleasantly surprised, and so was the rest of the world. It turned into the most peaceful revolution of the Arab Spring due to the protesters commitment to peace, despite the regimes violence and killings. I never imagined the revolution would drag this long, nor for the suffering to be this severe. I pray for a peaceful resolve soon, although I doubt it will be a peaceful one, nor soon. 


I was taught to stand for what is right and fight for what I believe in and was fortunate enough to travel the world and have a good education. I hope all the people in Yemen will soon enjoy this right. Therefore I used all my knowledge and skills to speak out and advocate for the freedom and democracy of my country, and so did many other Yemeni activists in Yemen and abroad. We joined our efforts and collaborated to support Yemen and the revolution and together we will persevere, despite anyone or anything. 


Before the Arab Spring started I was a wife and a mother of four (one is in heaven) and that was my main job. I suddenly became a full time online activist, an addicted twitter and a blogger besides all my other duties. I can't wait for all this chaos and violence to end, for everyone to enjoy safety and stability, to move on and start rebuilding. We all want and need peace and stability in our lives and soon.

I salute all online activists and stand in awe for the freedom fighters who suffered and struggled, advocating for change in their country, I pray for the ones who were in the front lines and paid the price with their lives, blood, sweat and tears. May God bless all the revolutionaries in the Arab spring and beyond and have mercy on those who sacrificed their lives for all of us to live a better life. We will win and we owe it to them to make our countries better.

Peace

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Azizah Abdo Othman, Yemen's First Female Martyr


Violence by the regime continued against peaceful protesters in Yemen. Saturday's pro-democracy march in Sanaa resulted in 12 killed and several injured. Yesterday (October 16) another march in Sanaa and one in Taiz were attacked resulting in 14 protesters killed. A breakdown of those killed was tweeted by Khaled Hammadi:
@KhaledHammadi: Death toll in #Yemen reaches to 14: six protesters in #Sanaa, 7 soldiers of army support revolution in Sanaa & 1 woman-protester in #Taiz
The news of a woman killed in Taiz was breaking news on Twitter, since she happened to be the first woman killed while marching peacefully for her country's freedom.
@alguneid: #Breaking #Breaking by phone #Taiz #Woman Martyr, now in Wadi Madam. Shot by 12.7 big gun, by Saleh Thugs, while in demo #Yemen #Breaking
@alguneid: #Taiz 1Martyr #Woman , 4Wounded, by Saleh henchmen. Wadi al-Madam, Old Town, #Yemen
@JamjoomCNN: Atiaf Alwazir says, “the fear now is that today’s..sniper attack against one woman who was killed in Taiz–it really is an escalation” #Yemen
@alguneid: Martyr #Woman of #Taiz Azizah Othman Al-Mohageri is the 1st martyr who is activist and shot dead by Saleh henchmen, while in a demo.
@YusraAlAGraphic video of Azezah Abdo Othman, sniper shot in her head in #Taiz today http://youtu.be/E9vtnjSAJ3w #yemen #yf [WARNING: This graphic video was posted by FreeDomTaiz showing Taiz's first female martyr, Aziza killed by a sniper who shot her in the head]
Although many women have been injured and killed before in shelling and bombardments by Saleh forces on residential areas in Taiz, yet the whole of Yemen was moved and enraged by the news of a woman killed by a sniper while marching. Taiz went out in protest that same afternoon.
@YusraAlA: Escalation march in #Taiz today http://youtu.be/cDbMYqaIJE8 condemning #Saleh's crimes against protesters #yemen #yf
(Video posted by: ahmed201120121994)
@alguneid: Magnificent #Taiz #Women are Now big in Nos. Demo., in Wadi Al-Madam where Martyr Azizah was shot dead by Saleh thugs #Yemen
@alguneid: Sad,angry #Taiz #Women,who lost Martyr Azizah,just returned to freedom Sq., unusually late&under rain.They stood,where she was killed #Yemen
@alguneid:
#AI #HRW #UN #HCHR Do you want a better proof that Saleh henchmen shoot at peaceful protesters? #Taiz #Yemen Video http://bit.ly/nsElPF
This video was posted by BassemTaiz shows a sniper shooting directly at protesters at close range:
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh said upon his return to Yemen from Saudi Arabia, where he was being treated for three months for wounds and burns he sustained in an attack on the presidential palace in June, that he was carrying a dove of peace and an olive branch. Yet since his arrival more than 100 people have been killed.
No body is safe in Yemen, even the women are not spared from Saleh's forces, snipers and thugs who kill peaceful protesters with cold blood. Azizah Othman might be the first woman killed in the revolution, but many fear she might not be the last.
* This post was first published in Global Voices on October 17th, 2011

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Saleh Stepping Down? Unlikely!


After months of protests against his 33-year rule, Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh said in a speech on Saturday, October 8, in front of the House of Representatives and Shura (consultative) Council aired on state television, that he will step down in the next few days. He said “I reject power and I will continue to reject it, and I will be leaving power in the coming days.”
Many however, saw it a as new maneuvering, a step anticipating the report of United Nations' envoy to Yemen, Mr Jamal Ben Omar, who will hand it to the UN Security Council on Tuesday.
A Carlos Lattuf cartoon
A Carlos Lattuf cartoon
Saleh has said he will step down and sign the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative more than once, the latter of which as a matter of fact many Yemeni reject. He has lost credibility, and not just among Yemenis.
A very popular video conveying what many Yemeni think of Saleh, was posted back in May, tweeted after his speech by a freelance journalist based in Sanaa @adammbaron:
in light of recent speeches, its probably worth resurrecting this gem… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klxvHEKzqQM #katyperry #saleh #yemen
Here are more reactions from Twitter.
@samwaddah: In his speech, #Saleh sounded stupid, liar, hypocrite, ignorant & deceptive. In other words, he was just being himself! #Yemen #SalehBlaBla
@Yemen4Change: I honestly don't even know what the “next coming days” means anymore! #Saleh #Yemen
@KhaledHammadi, a Yemeni journalist, tweeted about the speech:
#Yemen protesters never pay attention to pres #Saleh speech, who pledge to leave power within days, cz they believe it is just new maneuver
And @SummerNasser said:
FYI: #Saleh promised he would “step down” three times before yesterdays speech. Once a liar always a liar. #Yemen #Supportyemen
Egyptian journalist @RawyaRageh added:
It's surreal how many times Ali Abdullah #Saleh has promised to step down. Seriously. #Yemen
Many netizens said that Saleh's speech and the specific choice of words saying that he “will be leaving power in the coming days” was a pathetic attempt to steal the limelight and media coverage that Yemen's Noble Peace Prize Laureate Tawakkol Karman was rightfully enjoying.
@Dima_Khatib a well known journalist and big supporter of the Arab Spring and Yemen tweeted:
When a dictator gets jealous from a 32-year-old courageous honourable mother-of-3 revolutionary… Expect anything ! #YallaSaleh #YEMEN
@tota770 tweeted:
I don't believe #Saleh, he is a liar, he just want to get attention because he felt jealous yesterday from #Tawakul who won #Nobel price :P
Ms Karman's reaction to his speech which reflected what protesters felt was tweeted by @NasserMaweri:
#TawakulKarman : I want to tell #Saleh, this revolution is winning and will win, Yemen will always be free like it always have. #Yemen
* This post was first published in Global Voices on October 11th, 2011.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Saleh Stepping Down? Highly Unlikely!


After months of protests against his 33-year rule, Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh said in a speech on Saturday, October 8, in front of the House of Representatives and Shura (consultative) Council aired on state television, that he will step down in the next few days. He said “I reject power and I will continue to reject it, and I will be leaving power in the coming days.”
Many however, saw it a as new maneuvering, a step anticipating the report of United Nations' envoy to Yemen, Mr Jamal Ben Omar, who will hand it to the UN Security Council on Tuesday.
A Carlos Lattuf cartoon
A Carlos Lattuf cartoon
Saleh has said he will step down and sign the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative more than once, the latter of which as a matter of fact many Yemeni reject. He has lost credibility, and not just among Yemenis.
A very popular video conveying what many Yemeni think of Saleh, was posted back in May, tweeted after his speech by a freelance journalist based in Sanaa @adammbaron:
in light of recent speeches, its probably worth resurrecting this gem… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klxvHEKzqQM #katyperry #saleh #yemen
Here are more reactions from Twitter.
@samwaddah: In his speech, #Saleh sounded stupid, liar, hypocrite, ignorant & deceptive. In other words, he was just being himself! #Yemen #SalehBlaBla
@Yemen4Change: I honestly don't even know what the “next coming days” means anymore! #Saleh #Yemen
@KhaledHammadi, a Yemeni journalist, tweeted about the speech:
#Yemen protesters never pay attention to pres #Saleh speech, who pledge to leave power within days, cz they believe it is just new maneuver
And @SummerNasser said:
FYI: #Saleh promised he would “step down” three times before yesterdays speech. Once a liar always a liar. #Yemen #Supportyemen
Egyptian journalist @RawyaRageh added:
It's surreal how many times Ali Abdullah #Saleh has promised to step down. Seriously. #Yemen
Many netizens said that Saleh's speech and the specific choice of words saying that he “will be leaving power in the coming days” was a pathetic attempt to steal the limelight and media coverage that Yemen's Noble Peace Prize Laureate Tawakkol Karman was rightfully enjoying.
@Dima_Khatib a well known journalist and big supporter of the Arab Spring and Yemen tweeted:
When a dictator gets jealous from a 32-year-old courageous honourable mother-of-3 revolutionary… Expect anything ! #YallaSaleh #YEMEN
@tota770 tweeted:
I don't believe #Saleh, he is a liar, he just want to get attention because he felt jealous yesterday from #Tawakul who won #Nobel price :P
Ms Karman's reaction to his speech which reflected what protesters felt was tweeted by @NasserMaweri:
#TawakulKarman : I want to tell #Saleh, this revolution is winning and will win, Yemen will always be free like it always have. #Yemen

This post was published in Global Voices as part of a special coverage Yemen Protests 2011.