Without conceding any political ground, Yemeni authorities on Friday used live ammunition to quell a massive pro-democracy protest, while neighbouring Saudi Arabia, hoping to pre-empt calls for change, has pledged billions of dollars into schemes for the benefit of its youth.
Police opened fire when a huge crowd assembled at a square after Friday prayers in Sana'a was about to begin a protest march. At least 46 people were killed and hundreds have been injured in an incident which Hakim Almasmari, the editor of local newspaper, described as a “bloodbath.” Eyewitnesses said security forces on rooftops of buildings near Sana'a University were wearing masks and shot directly at protesters for more than 20 minutes.
With the dead and the injured flooding in, doctors treated patients inside a mosque, which had been temporarily turned into a makeshift hospital.
Al Jazeera reported that live ammunition was mostly used, and many protesters were shot in the head and neck. The pro-democracy campaigners calling for an end to the 32-year-old regime of President Abdullah Saleh are also protesting across other cities, including Taiz, Ibb, Hodeidah, Aden, and Amran.
Saudi King's offer
As small protests begin to sprout in the oil rich eastern province of Saudi Arabia, the monarch, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, on Friday, announced a hefty economic package, to benefit the country's youth. After a brief speech, state television announced a 3,000 riyals ($800) minimum wage package for state employees. Around 250 billion riyals ($66.7 billion) would be spent on 500,000 housing units and 16 billion riyals ($4.3 bilion) on new medical facilities. The King also ordered more jobs in the security forces, decided to strengthen the religious police, and urged the media to respect the views of Sunni clerics.
