US embassy cable - 05SANAA3438

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 003438 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA, NEA/ARP, NEA/PD, NEA/RA, DS/OP/NEA AND 
S/CT 
CENTCOM FOR POLAD 
NEA/PPD FOR AFERNANDEZ 
THE WHITE HOUSE PASS TO NSC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM, KMPI, PGOV, PHUM, PREL, YM 
SUBJECT:  MEDIA REACTION -- AL-HOUTHI CLASHES, DRAFT PRESS 
LAW, JMP REFORM INITIATIVE, ETC. 
 
Following paragraphs cover November 30-December 6 
 
1.  HOSTILITIES RESUME IN SA'ADA:  On November 30, all major 
opposition and independent outlets gave prominent coverage 
to the resumption of clashes between ROYG security forces 
and followers of the Al-Houthi rebel movement in the 
northern Sa'ada governorate.  Casualty estimates on the 
first day of fighting ranged widely:  Al-Shura.net (Zaidi- 
affiliated Popular Forces Union outlet) reported two rebels 
killed and four policemen injured; Al-Wahdawi.net (Nasserite 
Party site) reported three policemen killed; Al-Wasat 
(liberal privately-owned weekly; circulation:  5,000) 
reported eight policemen killed; and Akhbar Al-Yawm 
(independent daily, often sensationalist; circulation: 
3,000) reported five rebels killed.  [Note: Foreign media 
sources, in particular Agence France Presse, reported a 
higher casualty figure, printing on November 30 that the 
total casualties on the rebel side had reached sixteen.  End 
note.]  Al-Wasat added that the clashes were primarily in 
the Bait Zoqo area of Sa'ada. 
 
2.  On November 30, Al-Shura.net reported a threat by Yahya 
Badruddin Al-Houthi, son of rebel cleric Badruddin Al- 
Houthi, of attacks on foreign interests in Yemen to be 
"waged by ROYG forces but blamed on the Al-Houthi."  [Note: 
Yahya Al-Houthi is a Member of Parliament and nominally a 
member of the GPC.  He is currently in Sweden.  End note.] 
Al-Shura also reported Abdulmalik Al-Houthi, another son of 
Badruddin Al-Houthi, sent a message to President Saleh 
complaining about the failure of ROYG security forces to 
observe President Saleh's amnesty, issued during Ramadan, 
for Al-Houthi followers. 
 
3.   On December 3, Al-Sahwa (Islah party weekly; 
circulation:  25,000) reported security forces had 
surrounded the Al-Houthi rebels in the Sahar area of Sa'ada, 
and tallied the death toll at 18 as follows:  ten policeman, 
six rebels, and three civilians.  On December 4, the quasi- 
independent English language Yemen Observer weekly newspaper 
(circulation:  5,000) placed the scene of many of the 
clashes at Al-Khafji in Sa'ada.  Also on December 4, Al- 
Tagheer.net (private news site) reported Al-Houthi followers 
were regrouping on the Ham Mountain in Al-Jawf governorate. 
 
4.  HUNT OIL:  Al-Sahwa reported on December 4 that 
production operations at Block 18 have come to a halt 
following the transfer of control from Hunt Oil to the Safir 
Exploration & Production Company. 
 
5.  PRESS LAW:  Many outlets including the official Ministry 
of Defense weekly 26 September newspaper (circulation: 
40,000), Al-Sahwa, and the English-language Yemen Observer 
noted the beginning of the Shura (consultative) Council 
debate on the draft press law.  On November 30, 
NewsYemen.net (independent website) reported criticism of 
the draft law by members of the Yemen Journalists' 
Syndicate.  The syndicate members complained that amendments 
to the law have been "made in secret" and "without YJS 
input."  Al-Sahwa and Al-Tagheer.net reported on December 4 
meetings with visiting MEPI representative Jacquelyn 
Johnstone and PAO with YJS members and with other 
journalists at the Political Development Forum on the 
subject of press freedom. 
 
6.  WOMEN'S CONFERENCE -- QUOTA ANNOUNCED:  On December 4, 
Al-Sahwa reported PM Bajammal, speaking at the opening 
session of a Sana'a conference on Arab women's rights, 
publicly proposed a 15 percent quota for female political 
representation.  Al-Sahwa also noted DAS Gordon Gray's 
speech, in which he stated the USG is to train female judges 
from the region and has earmarked $27 million to improve 
conditions for women in Iraq. 
 
7.  JMP REFORM INITIATIVE:  On November 30, NewsYemen.net 
and the daily government Al-Thawra (circulation:  40,000) 
reported President Saleh "welcomed the recent Joint Meeting 
Party reform initiative."  That report stands out in 
contrast to the heated objections from his ruling GPC party 
and, in both the official and independent press, came in the 
midst heated criticism of the GPC's reaction by opposition 
outlets.  On December 1, columnist Zaid Al-Shami wrote in Al- 
Sahwa of the "hypocrisy of the GPC" in pressing the JMP to 
generate a reform proposal only "to reject it" once 
released.  On the same day, opinion pieces in Al-Thawri 
(Yemen Socialist Party weekly; circulation:  10,000), Al- 
Wasat, Al-Usbu', and May 22 all criticized the GPC's 
response to the JMP proposal. 
 
8.   Also on December 1, Iran's Arabic new channel, Al-Alam, 
broadcast a program entitled "What Is The Truth?" focused on 
the JMP reform initiative.  The program featured YSP member 
Ali Al-Sarari, journalist Abdulrazaq Farfur, Islah Party 
leader Mohammad Qahtan, and writer Abdulkareem Al-Wishali. 
Al-Sarari and Qahtan strongly supported the reform 
initiative, pointing to deterioration in press freedoms, 
difficult economic conditions, and rampant corruption as 
indicators of the need for reform.  Farfur, for his part, 
exhorted the Yemeni opposition to take stock of the positive 
reforms taken by the ROYG since 1995, and argued that 
journalists often abuse press freedom to libel President 
Saleh. 
 
9.  GENERAL WHITCOMB VISIT:  Al-Thawra reported on November 
30 General Charles Whitcomb of Central Command held a 
meeting with Interior Minister Al-Alimi on security 
cooperation.  Also on November 30, 26 September reported 
General Whitcomb met with Defense Minister Eleiwa on 
counterterrorism. 
 
KRAJESKI