Benjamin Petit

Leaders of the Yemeni Uprising

2012

Askar Zuel

Army spokesman, leader of the militaries that protect Change Square.

Askar Zuel left former president Saleh’s side to join the revolution.

“I joined the uprising after the Bloody Day (Dignity Friday) of March 18th, 2011. I support the agreement made in Saudi Arabia that allowed us to get rid of Saleh. I support the new president Hadi. When Saleh was president, he secretly used Al-Qaida in order to get international support.”

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Askar Zuel

Army spokesman, leader of the militaries that protect Change Square.

Askar Zuel left former president Saleh’s side to join the revolution.

“I joined the uprising after the Bloody Day (Dignity Friday) of March 18th, 2011. I support the agreement made in Saudi Arabia that allowed us to get rid of Saleh. I support the new president Hadi. When Saleh was president, he secretly used Al-Qaida in order to get international support.”

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Khaled Said Al-Anesi

Lawyer. Member of Human Rights organization. Ex-member of the islamist party Al-Islah.

Khaled Al-Anesi is one of the first organizer of the uprising alongside Tawakoll Karman. He closed his law firm and quit his job as a Human Right activist in order to set up the revolution. With Tawakoll Karman, he started the sitting in Change Square in a tent in front of Sana’a university.

“There’s no longer any opposition parties in Yemen. Oppositions parties made a huge mistake to accept the Gulf Initiative (GCC) in Saudi Arabia that provided immunity to Saleh and gave him the opportunity to keep his allies in power. Saleh was so weak and the opposition parties acted in an even weaker way. We need to regroup and organize ourself to fight corruption and build up new institutions in Yemen.”

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Khaled Said Al-Anesi

Lawyer. Member of Human Rights organization. Ex-member of the islamist party Al-Islah.

Khaled Al-Anesi is one of the first organizer of the uprising alongside Tawakoll Karman. He closed his law firm and quit his job as a Human Right activist in order to set up the revolution. With Tawakoll Karman, he started the sitting in Change Square in a tent in front of Sana’a university.

“There’s no longer any opposition parties in Yemen. Oppositions parties made a huge mistake to accept the Gulf Initiative (GCC) in Saudi Arabia that provided immunity to Saleh and gave him the opportunity to keep his allies in power. Saleh was so weak and the opposition parties acted in an even weaker way. We need to regroup and organize ourself to fight corruption and build up new institutions in Yemen.”

Mohammed Al-Adroee

Singer

Mohammed Al-Adroee wrote the main revolutionary songs to encourage the people to demonstrate. He installed speakers on the road of the demonstrations for people not to be afraid by gunfires.

“Some people kept dancing at the frontline of the demonstrations even during gunfires from Saleh’s forces to show their determination”

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Mohammed Al-Adroee

Singer

Mohammed Al-Adroee wrote the main revolutionary songs to encourage the people to demonstrate. He installed speakers on the road of the demonstrations for people not to be afraid by gunfires.

“Some people kept dancing at the frontline of the demonstrations even during gunfires from Saleh’s forces to show their determination”

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Mohammed Al-Asal

Spokesperson of the islamist party Al-Islah.

Since March 2011, Mohammed Al-Asal speaks on a regular basis on the main stage of Change Square and gives the revolution news. He informs about the next demonstrations and the political situation.

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Mohammed Al-Asal

Spokesperson of the islamist party Al-Islah.

Since March 2011, Mohammed Al-Asal speaks on a regular basis on the main stage of Change Square and gives the revolution news. He informs about the next demonstrations and the political situation.

Etap and Duaa Al-Mundi

Their father, Mohammed Taha Al-Mundi, 25, is a revolution martyr who was killed during Bloody Day, on March 18, 2011, when former president Saleh’s forces killed 52 people during pacifist demonstrations in Sana’a. Etap has become a strong figure of the Yemeni uprising when she got interviewed by Al-Jazeera on March 24, 2011 and said live on broadcast before starting to cry:

“Ali Abdullah Saleh you have to leave, you killed my daddy!”

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Etap and Duaa Al-Mundi

Their father, Mohammed Taha Al-Mundi, 25, is a revolution martyr who was killed during Bloody Day, on March 18, 2011, when former president Saleh’s forces killed 52 people during pacifist demonstrations in Sana’a. Etap has become a strong figure of the Yemeni uprising when she got interviewed by Al-Jazeera on March 24, 2011 and said live on broadcast before starting to cry:

“Ali Abdullah Saleh you have to leave, you killed my daddy!”

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Mizar Al-Gunied

Student. Member of socialist party Al-Eshtraki/Al-Moshtrak.

Mizar Al-Gunied produced a newspaper to encourage youth to imitate the Tunisian revolution early 2011. He was one of the first students to demonstrate on January 16th, 2011. He took part to the meetings with Tawakoll Karman that led to conduct the uprising in the name of an educated youth and not in any political party’s one. He was tortured by former president Saleh’s forces who used electric shock on his back and beat him up with a stick. He’s against the agreement (GCC) made in Saudi Arabia that gave immunity to Saleh, that’s why he didn’t vote at the last elections that were not democratic according to him.

“The uprising needed to be led by educated youth to be legitimate. Peaceful revolution is the only way to build a new Yemen.”

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Mizar Al-Gunied

Student. Member of socialist party Al-Eshtraki/Al-Moshtrak.

Mizar Al-Gunied produced a newspaper to encourage youth to imitate the Tunisian revolution early 2011. He was one of the first students to demonstrate on January 16th, 2011. He took part to the meetings with Tawakoll Karman that led to conduct the uprising in the name of an educated youth and not in any political party’s one. He was tortured by former president Saleh’s forces who used electric shock on his back and beat him up with a stick. He’s against the agreement (GCC) made in Saudi Arabia that gave immunity to Saleh, that’s why he didn’t vote at the last elections that were not democratic according to him.

“The uprising needed to be led by educated youth to be legitimate. Peaceful revolution is the only way to build a new Yemen.”

Abdullah Ben Jallal

Sheikh – tribe chief – from Marib. Human Rights activist. No political affiliation.

On January 15, 2011, Abdullah Ben Jallal went with Tawakoll Karman and Khaled Al-Anesi to the Tunisian embassy to celebrate Ben Ali’s fall. They declared that Yemeni president Ali Adbullah Saleh should quit power. Mr. Ben Jallal got beaten up by Saleh’s forces which was broadcast on TV. As a reaction, 200 members of his tribe joined him in Sana’a to fight back. He convinced them to protest peacefully.

“I left my traditional clothes and wear the civil suit to show that I want to protest in peace. I won’t leave Change Square until all the goals of the revolution are reached.”

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Abdullah Ben Jallal

Sheikh – tribe chief – from Marib. Human Rights activist. No political affiliation.

On January 15, 2011, Abdullah Ben Jallal went with Tawakoll Karman and Khaled Al-Anesi to the Tunisian embassy to celebrate Ben Ali’s fall. They declared that Yemeni president Ali Adbullah Saleh should quit power. Mr. Ben Jallal got beaten up by Saleh’s forces which was broadcast on TV. As a reaction, 200 members of his tribe joined him in Sana’a to fight back. He convinced them to protest peacefully.

“I left my traditional clothes and wear the civil suit to show that I want to protest in peace. I won’t leave Change Square until all the goals of the revolution are reached.”

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Tawakoll Karman

Co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize 2011. Member of the islamist party Al-Islah.

Tawakoll Karman is the initiator of the popular and peaceful Yemeni uprising.

“We support the new president Abd Rabo Mansour Hadi and encourage him to build new institutions and get rid of the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh family members that are still in charge of the army. Saleh and his family must leave the country or face trial. We wish to build a new Yemen washed from all corruption.”

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Tawakoll Karman

Co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize 2011. Member of the islamist party Al-Islah.

Tawakoll Karman is the initiator of the popular and peaceful Yemeni uprising.

“We support the new president Abd Rabo Mansour Hadi and encourage him to build new institutions and get rid of the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh family members that are still in charge of the army. Saleh and his family must leave the country or face trial. We wish to build a new Yemen washed from all corruption.”

Waleed Al-Amari

Student. Member of the islamist party Al-Islah.

Waleed Al-Amari joined the revolution early February 2011. He’s now part of the media committee of Change Square.

“My daughter was kidnapped by the former president Saleh’s forces who asked me to quit my position. I answered that even if they would chop my daughter in pieces, my determination wouldn’t change.”

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Waleed Al-Amari

Student. Member of the islamist party Al-Islah.

Waleed Al-Amari joined the revolution early February 2011. He’s now part of the media committee of Change Square.

“My daughter was kidnapped by the former president Saleh’s forces who asked me to quit my position. I answered that even if they would chop my daughter in pieces, my determination wouldn’t change.”

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Sameh Al-Wajih

Worker in a fruit company. Member of the socialist party Al-Eshtraki/Al-Moshtrak.

Sameh Al-Wajih graduated as a student in 2006 and was part of the first fifteen people to demonstrate on January 16th, 2011. They were fifty on January 18th and five hundred on the 21st after Tawakoll Karman got arrested by ex-president Saleh’s forces. He was in charge of organizing the demonstrations with Mizar Al-Gunied and got captured 24 hours during which he was beaten up. He started the sitting in Change Square on February 20th, 2011. When Tawakoll Kamran was arrested, he organized two demonstrations with Khaled Said Al-Anesi, Ahmed Saif Hashed Hashem and Mizar Al-Gunied. “We will need at least two years to build a new Yemen”

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Sameh Al-Wajih

Worker in a fruit company. Member of the socialist party Al-Eshtraki/Al-Moshtrak.

Sameh Al-Wajih graduated as a student in 2006 and was part of the first fifteen people to demonstrate on January 16th, 2011. They were fifty on January 18th and five hundred on the 21st after Tawakoll Karman got arrested by ex-president Saleh’s forces. He was in charge of organizing the demonstrations with Mizar Al-Gunied and got captured 24 hours during which he was beaten up. He started the sitting in Change Square on February 20th, 2011. When Tawakoll Kamran was arrested, he organized two demonstrations with Khaled Said Al-Anesi, Ahmed Saif Hashed Hashem and Mizar Al-Gunied. “We will need at least two years to build a new Yemen”

Ahmed Saif Hashed Hashem

Judge. Member of the Yemeni Chamber. Independent politically.

With Tawakoll Karman, Ahmed Saif Hashed Hasem was one of the first to protest on January 16th, 2011. He owns the online newspaper Yemenat created in 2008, and Independence (Al-Mostrashar) created in 2007. Both publications were forbidden during three years by the former president Saleh. Mr.  Saif Hashed Hashem supported financially the uprising with his own funds by organizing meetings in his place, by providing computers, tracts, photography coverage and press support to the revolution.

“In which democracy do you have only one candidate that is allowed to run for presidency? In South Yemen, only 4% of the population voted according to independent observers, where the actual government declared 58% of participation. Dark days are ahead of us.”

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Ahmed Saif Hashed Hashem

Judge. Member of the Yemeni Chamber. Independent politically.

With Tawakoll Karman, Ahmed Saif Hashed Hasem was one of the first to protest on January 16th, 2011. He owns the online newspaper Yemenat created in 2008, and Independence (Al-Mostrashar) created in 2007. Both publications were forbidden during three years by the former president Saleh. Mr.  Saif Hashed Hashem supported financially the uprising with his own funds by organizing meetings in his place, by providing computers, tracts, photography coverage and press support to the revolution.

“In which democracy do you have only one candidate that is allowed to run for presidency? In South Yemen, only 4% of the population voted according to independent observers, where the actual government declared 58% of participation. Dark days are ahead of us.”

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Hani Al-Joneed

Student. Member of the socialist party Al-Eshtraki/Al-Moshtrak.

Hani Al-Joneed was part of the first students to demonstrate from January 16th, 2011. He photographed the demonstrations for the publications Al-Nidaa, Yemenat, and for Ahmed Saif Hashed Hashem’s personal blog. On January 15th, he went to the Tunisian embassy to celebrate Ben Ali’s fall. Everyday with half a dozen people, he organized the demonstrations either at Ahmed Saif Hashed Hashed’s place, Tawakoll Karman’s or Khaled Said Al-Anesi’s office.

“Instead of spending that much money into organizing elections, the Chamber should have directly nominated the new president Abd Al-Rab Mansur Al-Hadi since he was the only one allowed to run. Hadi was part of the people we were demonstrating against. Nothing will change during those two transition years since Hadi kept all the leaders from Saleh’s regime.”

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Hani Al-Joneed

Student. Member of the socialist party Al-Eshtraki/Al-Moshtrak.

Hani Al-Joneed was part of the first students to demonstrate from January 16th, 2011. He photographed the demonstrations for the publications Al-Nidaa, Yemenat, and for Ahmed Saif Hashed Hashem’s personal blog. On January 15th, he went to the Tunisian embassy to celebrate Ben Ali’s fall. Everyday with half a dozen people, he organized the demonstrations either at Ahmed Saif Hashed Hashed’s place, Tawakoll Karman’s or Khaled Said Al-Anesi’s office.

“Instead of spending that much money into organizing elections, the Chamber should have directly nominated the new president Abd Al-Rab Mansur Al-Hadi since he was the only one allowed to run. Hadi was part of the people we were demonstrating against. Nothing will change during those two transition years since Hadi kept all the leaders from Saleh’s regime.”

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