"Less than 10 percent of the nation’s roads are paved"
So when they get out in the streets....
"Jordanian king dismisses Cabinet; protests possible in Syria" by Ranya Kadri and Ethan Bronner, New York Times / February 2, 2011
AMMAN, Jordan — In Yemen, the government, fearing new protests, offered concessions to the opposition, which promised to call a demonstration every Thursday until March, when it will evaluate whether its demands have been met.
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"Autocratic Yemeni president vows not to seek new term" by Ahmed Al-Haj, Associated Press / February 3, 2011
SANA, Yemen — Yemen is the Arab world’s most impoverished nation and has become a haven for Al Qaeda militants. Saleh’s government is riddled with corruption, has little control outside the capital, and its main source of income — oil — could run dry in a decade.
Nearly half of Yemen’s population lives below the poverty line of $2 a day and does not have access to proper sanitation. Less than 10 percent of the nation’s roads are paved. Tens of thousands have been displaced from their homes by conflict. The country is wrestling with a lingering rebellion in the north and a secessionist movement in the south....
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"Government foes, supporters stage peaceful protests" by Laura Kasinof and Michael Slackman, New York Times / February 4, 2011
SANA, Yemen — Thousands of pro- and antigovernment demonstrators held peaceful protests in this impoverished capital yesterday, playing out themes that have rocked nations across the Arab world as autocratic leaders struggle to press back the demands of movements hungry for democracy,
Yemen’s tribal culture and its heavily armed population raised fears of violence as events here seemed to unfold at a consolidated pace, with all sides trying to draw lessons from popular uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.
But the events in the city appeared to end peacefully....
Nationwide, crowds of protesters turned to the streets in seven provinces, and while most were peaceful, one person was killed and seven were wounded in clashes between demonstrators and police in the southern port city of Aden.
Opposition protesters wore pink bandannas in Sana, a sign of what has become known as the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia....
When the agenda-pushing media starts putting colors to the revolutions is when I get suspicious.
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Related:
"The scenes of mass protests in Egypt have riveted the Arab world, and unrest has spread to other countries, most recently Yemen, where tens of thousands on Thursday called on their longtime president to step down....
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