Yemenis stage massive anti-US rallies

Saturday, 18 June 2011 10:23

Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters have once again taken to the streets across Yemen to protests against US interference in their country. Following Friday prayers, demonstrators rallied in the northern Yemeni city of Sa'ada, home to the Shia Houthis, who have long been at odds with Sana'a for discrimination against the country's Shia minority, a Press TV report said. The protesters chanted “No to any American domination,” and “No to any foreign domination” during the massive rally, the report added. Several other Yemeni cities including Taizz, Ibb and the capital Sana'a, also witnessed huge demonstrations on the same day, with anti-government protesters calling for the formation of an interim ruling council. Protesters across the Middle East nation also renewed their call for the quick trial of Ali Abdullah Saleh and his regime members on charges of killing hundreds of protesters. Saleh currently remains in Saudi Arabia, where he is allegedly being treated for burns he suffered to over 40% of his body, in an attack on the Yemeni presidential palace on June 3. According to a top Saudi official, speaking on condition of anonymity, Saleh is not expected to return to crisis-hit Yemen. This comes despite Yemeni government's claims that Saleh would be returning home within days. Opposition groups, however, believe that with Saleh's departure, his 33-year rule has come to an abrupt end. They are now calling for the formation of a transitional council, the dissolution of parliament and country's consultative council and the formation of a committee to draw up a new constitution and set dates for holding a referendum on the constitution and for elections. Yemeni Vice President Abdu Rabo Mansour Hadi, who is the acting president in the absence of Saleh, has so far resisted intensive local and international pressure to heed the demands of protesters to set up an interim ruling council.