March in Hodeidah backs up President Saleh’s initiative

HODEIDAH, March 16 (Saba) – Tens of thousands of people gathered on Wednesday in a march in Hodeidah governorate backing up the initiative announced by President Ali Abdullah Saleh in the General National Conference held in Sana’a last Thursday.Led by the leadership of the local authority, some parties’ branches, civil society organizations, clerics and sheikhs, the march’s participants lifted the Yemeni flag, President Saleh’s photos and boards, read their support for the President’s initiative.They called on the political powers for adopt a peaceful dialogue to end the current crisis and maintain the nation’s unity and security.The participants affirmed the importance of all to take the national responsibility and not to involve the country into chaos and sedition among citizens of the one homeland.The participants issued a statement, in which they confirmed their support to the President Saleh’s initiative and their rejection of calls for dissension.They stressed their commitment to the democratic approach, as a mean of peaceful transfer of power through elections.They refused all kinds of valiant, sabotage and chaotic acts as well as confiscating the rights of the protesters of independent youths and to respond their legal and legislative demands in accordance to the constitution and law.The participants called upon all wise people in power and opposition, scholars, sheikhs and youth to take part in a serious and fruitful dialogue under the constitution and the law.It is noteworthy that President Saleh’s new initiative includes forming a committee from Parliament and Shura Councils and political powers to prepare a new constitution based on the separation of powers to be brought to vote by the end of 2011.Moreover, the initiative includes transferring government power to an elected parliamentary system by the end 2011, shifting the local authority to full-power local ruling, establishing Yemeni regions on the grounds of economic and geographical criteria and prepare a new election law includes proportional representation in addition to forming a new government of national unity.The president called on the parliament to convene to prepare and approve the election law, ordering the government to meet with the demands of all the youth demonstrators.HA/AF