Wise Words of A Yemeni Statesman to the President and Protesters

By Hassan Al-Haifi
16 May 2011

As a follow up to the Breaking News report on the assault on Tarek Mohsin Al-Aini (http://yemencommonsense.blogspot.com/2011/05/son-of-former-prime-minister-mohsin-al.html), in addition to Tarek's active role as a protesting youth in Tagheer Square, tent and following of other youth protesters, it can be easily seen why the following could have also been a strong reason for the unjustified assault on Tarek Al-Aini (and his wife):

An open Letter by H. E. Mohsin Al-Aini, former Prime Minister of Yemen (Yemen Arab Republic – prior to unification of Yemen) several times, Foreign Minister and Ambassador of Yemen to FDR (Germany), the United States etc., directed to the current President of Yemen, Ali Abdullah Saleh dd. 5 April 2011 (Source Almasdar Online (http://www.almasdaronline.com/index.php?page=news&article-section=1&news_id=18239):
"I (hereby) implore President Ali Abdullah Saleh to abdicate immediately, and without any restrictions or conditions. How can the President rest comfortably for even one night in the Presdiential Palace, with scores of Yemeni people who have fell as martyrs and hundreds as injured respectively?
On more than one occasion, the President has expressed his willingness to abdicate and his desire to give up (the Presidency), so what is it then that prevents him from achieving his desire and the realization of the people's wish?
Your Excellency, abdicate, not just for the thousands of "youth for a change" in the different squares of protest. Or for the parties of the Joint Meeting Parties Coalition, but even also for the hundreds of thousands of Yemenis who have come to Sana'a to support you and stand by your side. They all – supporters and protesters – deserve to be spared the conflict, bloodshed and the entry into a civil war. And for what reason?
Yemen is more dear than all (Official) positions, tenacity and self-pride.
Does not the President care for the unity of Yemen … and the Yemeni people, and for Yemen's stability, security and development.
The persistence of the President to continue threatens the unity of Yemen … and exposes to conditions that do no honor to anyone.
So let us elevate ourselves, and prove once again our patriotism … our love for Yemen and we will indeed never be sorry."
Mr. Al-Aini, in the same open letter, then turns to the protesting factions:
"As for you, the Youth of Change, the parties of the JMP, Brigadier General Ali Mohsin and his comrades in the military, the brothers of the Southern Movement, the political arena of the South, and the North, and the Sheiks and tribes of Yemen, have you agreed on the leadership for the transitional phase? (A leadership) that will insure security and peace in an atmosphere of reconciliation, cooperation, tolerance and brotherhood?
Do you a (clear) picture of the New Yemen you aspire to build? On its relations with neighboring states and the world around us?
Have you opened up to all the national power factions and trends, so as not to exclude anyone … whether they are Zeidi or Shaf'ei, Hashemite or Qahatani, and military or tribal.
May God be with you and with Yemen.
Mohsin Al-Aini"