SANAA – Opposition leaders in Yemen on Wednesday vowed to go ahead with anti-government protests on Thursday – billed as a “day of rage” – despite a pledge by President Ali Abdullah Saleh not to extend his rule.
“Thursday’s demonstration will continue as scheduled,” said Mohammed Kahtan, a member of the Islamist Al-Islah (Reform) party in the Yemeni consultative council.
Mohammed al-Sabri, a leader in the Common Forum, a parliamentary opposition alliance, added, “We will look into the president’s speech, although his announcements came late.”
But Sabri added that Saleh’s call “to halt demonstrations is unacceptable,” as he too confirmed that the opposition would go ahead with a nationwide “day of rage”.
Saleh, head of state since 1978, appealed earlier Wednesday for a halt to protests demanding his resignation, as he announced that he would freeze constitutional
changes that would have enabled him to be president for life.
