US pressure causing loss of Yemeni citizens rights; Two al-Qaida suspects killed; tensions renew with Eritrea
Yemen-USA, Politics, 9/23/2002

The Yemeni police announced that two Yemenis accused of being members in al-Qaida organization were killed, and two police members were wounded on Saturday in a confrontation took place in Sanaa, while tension renewed between Yemen and Eritrea because of the "repeated provocation made by the Eritrean authorities against Yemeni fishermen" to the south of the Red Sea, according to Sanaa.

A spokesman for the Yemeni ministry of the interior first announced that four persons were wounded, two are al-Qaida suspected members and two police men, during a breaking in operation carried out by the security forces to a house where one wanted suspect had resorted.

According to witnesses, Yahya Muhammad Majli al-Marouf, better known as "Abu Seif," the owner of the house which was broken in and the main suspect sought by the police, was killed during the clashes.

The police said that another suspect whose identity was not disclosed was wounded and died at hospital because of his wounds.

Three suspects were arrested during the operation in al-Rawda quarters to the north of the Yemeni capital, including Seif Yahya Majli ( Abi Seif), Abed al-Thour. The identity of the third suspect was not identified.

Last week the Yemeni parliament established a committee to investigate alleged human rights violations by the Yemeni security forces in the framework of its campaign against Osama Bin laden supporters. The Amnesty International said that Yemen has arrested thousands of people including children with some of them at 12 year old and university teachers and journalists.

Member of the committee, parliament member Sultan al-Atwani said that the authorities hold 104 persons in a way that violates the law. He quoted a high ranking Yemeni security official saying that those persons continue to be arrested because of American pressure. He added that the committee asked the government to try the detainees or to release them.

This, however, coincided with a visit by the woman official responsible for the Arab peninsula division at the US Department of State to Sanaa in order to hold talks with the Yemeni officials. The US official will be also meeting with leaders of the political parties and organizations and civil society activists.

On the other hand, a Yemeni official spokesman said that "the Yemeni republic has embarked during the recent months to pursue the policy of self- control concerning the repeated provocation carried out by the Eritrean authorities against the Yemeni fishermen and the detention acts which targeted several Yemeni fishermen and confiscation of their boats." In a written statement, the spokesman said that his government "worked to deal with the differences between the two countries concerning the usual fishing practices calmly and through diplomatic channels and this is based on Yemen's care to maintain relations between the Yemeni and Eritrean peoples and this is based on its desire not to escalate matters and intensify conditions in the region." However, both Asmara and Sanaa have reached a solution concerning sovereignty over Hanish island in the Red Sea according to a decision issued by the International Court of Justice in the Hague. In 1995, the differences over the said islands developed into an armed conflict.

Previous Stories:
  Francs in Yemen discusses means of chasing al-Qaida suspects   (9/21/2002)
  US, Yemeni secret plan in search of al-Qaida members   (9/19/2002)
  Washington: al-Qaida organization is in Yemen   (9/13/2002)
  Yemen, Eritrea to announce decision on marine borders   (11/29/1999)
  Eritrean president concludes talks in Sanaa   (5/5/1999)

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