Learning to protest - BBC News

By Geneviève Bicknell
Sanaa, Yemen

Thousands of anti-government demonstrators in the Yemen have down - call you for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step and gave strokes and fatal shootings not despite arrests.

In a side street, in the shadow of a number of spreading trees a small group of men, women and children and the pasta, rice, and fish which have brought the visitors, watching his hands by the courts as a soldier.

Alia has campaigns for the release of her husband for over a year were

He is looking for something that should not be.

It is Tuesday morning - hour in the Yemen political security prison in the capital, Sana'a, Yemen visit.

The air is still - the songs of the demonstrators in the city to change place can be heard from here.

There is nothing for alia to do but wait. Her two young daughters shuffle blown their shoes in the dust of the desert, and follow her mother Abaya, the long black robe, most women wear here.

The smell of the fish and Spaghetti Bolognese starts down the road drive.

Alia is Waleed, her husband, here to visit, a year and a half ago was taken over by security forces.

In the afternoon during Waleed at work was, there was a power outage.

The beat on the door, when it came, echoed by the dark hallway.

Outside in the street, soldiers had surrounded the block.

Waleed's stuff were taken over. Waleed never came home.

Silent protests

For three months, alia, no trace of him didn't know where he was - who claimed authorities have no knowledge of his whereabouts, it was.

This was, as alia began their campaign. Surrounded by quotes from Yemen's Constitution, she made posters with Waleed's photo.

Together with her mother-in-law, she started weekly silent protests outside the offices of the security forces.

She went on marches, met other activists, and after three months, they finally admit the authorities that they were keeping Waleed.

The first time she saw him in the political prison was difficult. It was hard, they speak with her husband by two fences with a big gap between separated were.

Since they are used, visit to this form of the prison and the guards, who stand beside them ignore call on each other, listen to their conversation.

Waleed is accused, together with Iran and the support of a Shia Muslim movement, the a from war fighting against the Government in the North of Yemen.

The charge is based on the fact that one of the books from the Iran Shiite Bookstore in the capital and confessions, that Waleed made - to set up confessions had purchased, obtained the other claims of torture.

Waleed study expected, alia is becoming increasingly active.

Thousands of protesters against the Government taken to the streets

Once so shy, could be heard which, according to her family, not her, when she talked. She now address rallies and press interviews are.

The posters are available in the trunk of their car, ready for the next protest. Nothing seems to intimidate her.

Last year she was invited to attend a human rights Conference in Beirut, but could go on the plane. Instead, it was initiated in a back-office and had cancelled their passports.

Beaten by the security forces while one of the weekly protest only encouraged them further, and she says, smiling on me, her face now healed, that they continue their work as a human rights activist, even after the release of Waleed.

Her husband's imprisonment, alia's life has changed in many ways.

"I never more," she noted.

This opposition unyielding, is not dedicated probably what wanted to inspire President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

But it is in the streets and squares throughout Yemen, replicated demonstrators call for an end to his 32 years of rule.

As Waleed's sister, Mawadha, says: "my whole life I knew that President Saleh was bad, but I knew not to say something, but now, after Waleed of's arrest, we started to have more openness and say what we think."

"It gave us without fear talk made."

In the last weeks of Yemenis from all walks of life have begun to speak without fear, and most say President to go Saleh.

Club swinging sticks and knives he paid tried however, these protests - with tear gas, and snipers to suppress firing from rooftops, he successfully only with the increase in the number of demonstrators.

It is oppression, discover, can be counterproductive.

Outside the prison, the shade of trees such as overhead shrink the Sun moves. The midday call to prayer begins echo throughout the city, a call in an another merger until they become a rolling wave of sound.

The soldier ends finally check brought the food of other courts and their daughters.

It was a long wait, but eventually they may in the prison to visit Waleed.

But how long will the people of Yemen wait, whether President Saleh takes into account its demand to change?

How to listen: from our own correspondent

BBC Radio 4: Saturday, 1130. second weekly Edition on Thursdays, 1100 (only a few weeks)

BBC World Service: see under Program schedules

Download Podcast

Listen on iPlayer

History of history at the Programme website

View the original article here