Gunfire

This is my 'return' post after what has been a week-long bout with a mysterious flu-like illness which would swing from chills to fever to me being perfectly fine. Here's hoping I'm done with the infection side of the immersion process.

I suppose I should get to the more interesting details first. Early this morning, my roommate and I were awoken to the sound of a large number of AK-47 rounds being fired. It was off in the distance, and Yemenis have shot off fireworks before that sound like gunfire, so we both went to sleep and didn't think anything of it. It was, however, gunfire this time, as government forces stormed the 'protest' at the university and opened fire with machine guns and an as yet unknown gas that attacks the nervous system. Essentially, the army surprised people sleeping in tents who were expecting last night to be peaceful just like the previous ones. What compelled the government to brazenly attack peaceful protesters more engaged in a sit-in than a protest is beyond everyone's comprehension right now. What is clear, however, is the situation just became a lot more tense and both sides seem to have taken their resolve to a new level. After a gas attack a few days earlier in which 80 were injured, this new attack claimed at least 1 life to date and injured upwards of 300. Reports of live pictures streaming onto Al Jazeera of people walking through Tagheer Square (Change Square, ground zero of the anti-government protest at Sana'a University) and fainting due to the gas are rife. Ambulances were blocked for a few hours as what small cadre of doctors who were on the site were left to dealt with massive amount of casualties.

This recent attack follows a statement by Counterterrorism Advisor John Brennan that the opposition needs to open up an avenue of serious dialogue with the government as both sides have responsibility to maintain stability. How the protesters caused this attack is beyond understanding, so it will be interesting to see what new statements, if any, come from Washington. Once again, the American government has a fine path to tread between supporting a strong-armed 'ally' and not forsaking its moral compass. With the words of John Brennan stinging in the ears of many Yemenis this morning, they are increasingly becoming entrenched and isolated. How willing they are to engage in a peaceful protest, or forcefully repel any coming attacks by the government remains to be seen. Furthermore, I don't expect the tribes loyal to the protesters will merely stand by and allow these attacks to keep happening. What role they take, and how threatening they become, could become a major flashpoint in the coming weeks. The number of pro-government 'supporters' in Tahrir Square, paid by the government, has increased dramatically the past few days, indicating the government is not going to let up. What is slightly infuriating is walking through Tahrir and literally seeing staged protests. Cameras are put in front of a group of roughly 100 men, and a few people stand behind the cameras to orchestrate the mock protest. This is then shown or discussed in the various news outlets of the world, giving readers the sense that the pro-Saleh supporters are just as numerous and resolute as the anti ones. This couldn't be further from the truth, and is either lazy or blatantly inaccurate reporting by whoever is covering what goes on there. I never see reporters in Tahrir, so it remains a mystery to me who keeps spreading this message.

Right now at the college, we are starting a week-long between-session break of no classes, our equivalent of Spring Break perhaps. It will be interesting to watch how much stronger and tense this protest movement gets, as it has become larger and larger as the weeks have gone by. It is yet to stall; in contrast, each new attack brings more protesters. Yesterday, there were reportedly in excess of 100,000 people in Sana'a, nearly doubling any previous protest. What this latest attack will do to motivate the Sana'anis is unknown, but if previous events are indicators, they aren't done yet.