Citizens Speak Out - 01 Apr 2011

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• published: 30 Jun 2011
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Citizens Speak Out. As people across the world gather to call for improved living conditions for themselves and their families, along with political reforms that would bring greater respect for human rights and other social freedoms, their voices can be heard in countries such as Bahrain, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Egypt, Honduras, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Syria and Yemen. Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh made a fresh offer to protesters that he would remain in office until new elections but would meanwhile transition presidential powers to a caretaker government. However, protesters returned to the streets on Wednesday, March 30 calling for him to step down immediately. In the United Kingdom, where 500,000 people marched last Saturday in protest of austerity measures, the chief inspector of constabulary Sir Denis O'Connor added his concern, saying that the police forces face a big challenge through the proposed cuts, which will likely reduce the ability of front line personnel to protect citizens and uphold the law. In the face of extensive questioning from the Kuwaiti Parliament over recent incidents of international diplomacy, the nation's entire Cabinet resigned on Thursday, saying that the Emir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah may select a new government that he feels is suitable to the public interest. PressTV reports that Bahraini security forces have expanded their repression of the protesters by going into villages surrounding the capital and using live ammunition, resulting in the death of 15-year-old Sayed Ahmed Wednesday. In response to the government's deployment of foreign troops to stop the protestors, the Iranian Parliament on Thursday called for Saudi Arabia to remove her forces from Bahrain to avoid further complications and encourage restored tranquility to the region. In Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), forces loyal to Alassane Ouattara, recognized internationally as the legitimate winner of the November 2010 elections, overtook the administrative capital of Yamoussoukro Wednesday. The UN Security Council also unanimously voted in more sanctions against incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo, while calling for him to step down. On Thursday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ordered the Supreme Judicial Council to form a committee to probe the deaths of both civilians and military personnel in the Daraa and Latakia protesters' turmoil. He also announced the creation of a legal committee that has been given until April 25 to study and draft legislation that preserves national security while it considers lifting the country's 48-year-old emergency law. Following reports on Wednesday that Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa had defected to the United Kingdom, it was reported Thursday that Ali Abdessalam Treki, recently appointed as the new Libyan UN envoy, has also fled to Egypt, stating it is the right of the nation to live in freedom and democracy. Meanwhile, British Prime Minister David Cameron and Foreign Secretary William Hague encouraged others with close ties to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi to defect, as Libya's Deputy UN Ambassador Ibrahim Dabbashi stated that he expected more senior officials in the Libyan government to leave soon, explaining that many were finding it challenging due to tight government security in Libya. Joining the coalition to help in addressing Libya's troubles is the United Arab Emirates, as Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke about the type of help being offered, saying that his country is opposed to arming the revolutionaries with weapons. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen also affirmed that the NATO-led coalition's role is to protect the Libyan people, not arm them. Meanwhile, a new satellite television channel, Ahrar TV, is being set up by pro-democracy Libyan journalists with the help of the Qatari government. Human Rights Watch reported meanwhile that Libyan forces have planted land mines on the outskirts of Ajdabiya, which were discovered when a utility truck drove over and detonated two, although fortunately there were no injuries.