YEMEN-SECURITY/PRO-HADI RALLY Yemenis demonstrate to demand president's return

Record ID: 214997

  • Title: YEMEN-SECURITY/PRO-HADI RALLY Yemenis demonstrate to demand president's return
  • Date: 22nd February 2015
  • Summary: SANAA, YEMEN (FILE - SEPTEMBER 23, 2014) (REUTERS) PEOPLE AND SECURITY AT GATE OF PRESIDENTIAL PALACE YEMENI FLAG AND POSTER OF YEMENI PRESIDENT ABD-RABBU MANSOUR HADI
  • Embargoed: 9th March 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Yemen
  • Country: Yemen
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA4NOCNSG3AOIAP1MYWDANGTLMX
  • Story Text: Yemen's President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's bid to resume his duties as head of state was met with a demonstration of support on Sunday (February 22).
    Hundreds of protestors chanting slogans and holding pictures of the president took to the streets to show their support for Hadi and the rejection of Shi'ite Muslim Houthi group's control of the capital, Sanaa.
    "We took to the street today to support the constitutional legitimacy of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, and we reject the military control of Sanaa," protester Hatim Anis said.
    Hadi convened governors of several southern provinces and military commanders on Sunday (February 22) at the presidential retreat in the economic hub of Aden, which is outside the control of the Houthis, in a meeting which was broadcast on the city's local television channel.
    It was his first public engagement since he fled house arrest by the Houthi group at the Presidential Palace last month.
    He resigned but the Yemeni parliament had never convened to approve the resignation for it to go into effect as stipulated by Yemeni laws.
    On Saturday (February 21) Hadi appeared to rescind his resignation after he escaped from Sanaa, saying in a statement he was still president.
    Sources at the meeting said Hadi re-affirmed his commitment to a 2011 Gulf-sponsored power transfer deal that allowed his predecessor, veteran Yemeni strongman Ali Abdullah Saleh, to step down following months of Arab Spring protests.
    He also slammed the Houthi group, which seized Sanaa in September and completed its takeover of the government last month.
    "What is going on is a struggle for authority of the first order and not due to concern for the interests of the people," one source quoted Hadi as telling the meeting.
    He also called for the release of Prime Minister Khaled Bahah and other government officials, who have also been kept under house arrest, and demanded they be allowed to resume their duties.
    The Houthis have said their takeover was intended to save the country from corruption and from being splintered by a draft constitution that calls for devolving power to local governments.
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