DEARBORN — The Yemeni Student Association of Henry Ford
Community College held a seminar entitled ‘The Peaceful Revolution in Yemen’ on
Thursday of last week including live webcasts from various parts of the country
and the country’s capital city, Saa’na, where protesters have continued to
demand the exit of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Saleh was expected to step down but has thus far refused to
sign a pact mediated by the Gulf Cooperation Council, causing more protesters
to pour into the streets and continued deadly violence against them.

At the event, Yemeni American activist of New York, Ibrahim
Qatabi, said that the protesters will continue despite harsh conditions and
violence in the country by the Saleh regime.

“There’s no going back in this peaceful
revolution,” he said. “I don’t think anyone will go home regardless
of what will happen, people now know more about (Saleh’s) dirty games and
propaganda, and they understand how the tribal system has been used to divide
people…I think we should have hope, remain positive, and continue to aim for
a true democracy.”

While the focus of the event was against the Saleh regime as
were a majority of the attendees, a group in the back in favor of the Saleh
regime also made their presence felt. Both sides have had numerous rallies in
the Dearborn and Hamtramck areas in recent weeks since the protests began in
their home country.

One student said that he believed Saleh is a good president
and that the people of the country need to work harder to make a better life
for themselves. He said that Saleh has opened more schools and given people
more opportunities to succeed.

Another student agreed saying that “the problem in
Yemen is the people” and not Saleh. She added that the widespread practice
of chewing the psychedelic plant qat, a stimulating plant that has been
classified as a drug by the World Health Organization, is among the best
examples that the people need to change their outlook to improve the country.
She also said she didn’t believe that ousting Saleh would make a big
difference.

Adel Mozip of the YSA said that Egypt’s successful
revolution is a model for the Yemeni people, however, saying that the economy
has been growing since the people did away with ex-president Hosni Mubarak’s
cronyism. Similar charges have often been leveled against Saleh, who has been
the president of Yemen (or North Yemen) for over 30 years.

Sara Ishaq, a Yemeni British filmmaker, also spoke live from
San’aa.

She echoed sentiments that the revolution shows no signs of
slowing down and is being powered by the youth and also that women are now
taking center stage in the squares.

“When I first came here, there were few women in the
squares, however we’re now seeing enthusiasm among women, they have the
opportunity to finally speak for themselves and have a voice,” she said.

“Women have been pitching tents and there has been some
criticism against them by the president, but the crowds get bigger and bigger
every day.”

She also said that a big part of the army that claimed to
protect protesters is led by the half brother of Saleh as has been reported and
said that the army is not providing the needed protection for protesters it
promised in large part because of his leadership.

Other speakers inlcuded Monair Almaweri, a Yemeni American
journalist from Washington, D.C., Abdulkader Alguneid, a Yemeni activist in
Taiz, and student activist Ammar Abbas.

Anti-Saleh demonstrators also protested in Hamtramck yet
again on Sunday, May 1 as they continued to hope that Saleh relents to the
wishes of protesters and steps down as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, those in favor of Saleh from metro Detroit
visited Washington, D.C. on Friday, April 29 to hold a demonstration of their
own in the U.S. capital as the situation in Yemen continues to escalate and the
president’s fate hangs in the balance.