In Belated Inauguration, Ivory Coast’s President Urges Unity

Mr. Ouattara called for reconciliation and peace in a country that was once one of Africa’s richest but that has been devastated by years of unrest, political division and civil war.

“The time has arrived for Ivorians to come together,” Mr. Ouattara, a former economist and banker, said in a speech that did not deviate from his habitually austere manner. “Dear brothers and sisters, let’s celebrate peace. Like the great people we are, we are going to reunite. Yes, we are going to come together. Let us learn to live together again.”

The country is still reeling from a four-month armed standoff that killed as many as 3,000 people, according to officials and human rights groups, and that sent tens of thousands of refugees fleeing violence into neighboring lands. About 160,000 are still in exile in Liberia, according to the International Rescue Committee.

Sanctions imposed by the European Union, the United States and regional governments had crippled the economy as President Laurent Gbagbo, who decisively lost the presidential election in November, refused to give up office.

Life is slowly returning to a semblance of normalcy. Banks have reopened, the nation’s vital cocoa exports have resumed and civil servants have returned to their desks with two months’ back pay.

Mr. Ouattara must govern under the burden of multiple handicaps. The country is still split between his supporters and those of Mr. Gbagbo, who received 46 percent of the vote in the election; whole villages and cocoa farms in the west remain devastated; and Mr. Ouattara was installed largely by foreign forces.

Months of African diplomacy proved ineffectual in dislodging Mr. Gbagbo, and Mr. Ouattara’s fighters played a secondary role. Ultimately, it was the French missile attacks against Mr. Gbagbo’s heavy-weapons installations that led to his defeat.

France’s central role was recognized at the ceremony in Yamoussoukro when its president, Nicolas Sarkozy, in the audience, was the first head of state to be saluted by Mr. Ouattara, and received sustained applause. Yet much of the population, especially Mr. Gbagbo’s supporters, resent the former colonial master and consider Mr. Ouattara as France’s man.

About 20 heads of state attended the ceremony, including African leaders who have clung to office for decades and are themselves beneficiaries of disputed or fraudulent elections. The event took place in Yamoussoukro, the native village of Ivory Coast’s founding president, Félix Houphou?t-Boigny, and its official capital, although Abidjan is the main commercial city and center of government.

Mr. Gbagbo remains under house arrest in the northern town of Korhogo, where he has been interrogated by Ouattara officials with a view to possible prosecution, and about 200 members of his government are also to be questioned, according to officials.

Mr. Gbagbo’s wife, Simone, a powerful influence in his government, has been interrogated in a separate location.

Mr. Ouattara has promised a South African-style “dialogue, truth and reconciliation” commission to look into the conflict, and he has asked the International Criminal Court to investigate crimes committed “since Nov. 28,” the date of the election whose result Mr. Gbagbo refused to acknowledge.

Mr. Ouattara’s call for the investigation to include “all of Ivorian territory” reiterates his position that any atrocities committed by forces that eventually declared their loyalty to him, including a massacre in which hundreds died in Duékoué in the west, should also be punished. Nonetheless, according to Human Rights Watch, “the majority of abuses during the first three months were by forces under Gbagbo’s control” and “probably amounted to crimes against humanity.”

Indeed, the civilian population in Abidjan was repeatedly attacked, over the course of months, by uniformed men directly under Mr. Gbagbo’s control, in what appeared to be deliberate state policy. The killings of Gbagbo supporters that took place at the end of the conflict were carried out by ragtag forces that only belatedly swung to Mr. Ouattara.

Mr. Ouattara, a former prime minister and deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund, faces the immense task of rebuilding a country damaged by civil war, 10 years of what is widely acknowledged as the corrupt leadership of Mr. Gbagbo and fierce ethnic divisions. The new government filed suit in Swiss courts this month against Mr. Gbagbo and his entourage to recover tens of millions of dollars in assets.

It was less than three weeks ago that the last pro-Gbagbo mercenaries were finally rooted out of Abidjan, fleeing across the lagoons to the west and killing dozens as they went. United Nations investigators later discovered a mass grave containing some 68 bodies in the neighborhood where the Gbagbo forces had been entrenched.

View the original article here

New President Takes Power in Struggling Haiti

 

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Charismatic pop star-turned-president Michel Martelly took over Haiti on Saturday, promising to rebuild its earthquake-devastated capital, develop the long-neglected countryside and build a modern army.

The 50-year-old performer known to Haitians as "Sweet Micky" was swept to power in a March 20 presidential runoff by Haitians tired of past leaders who failed to provide even basic services, such as decent roads, water and electricity in the Western Hemisphere's poorest country.

Martelly was sworn in during a power outage in front of dozens of dignitaries including former U.S. President Bill Clinton, the U.N.'s special envoy to Haiti, and Edmond Mulet, head of the U.N. mission that has maintained order in Haiti since 2004. Also present was Desi Bouterse, the president of Suriname who is on trial for the 1982 executions of 15 political opponents.

Former Haiti President Rene Preval took off the presidential sash and put it on Martelly as they shook hands and embraced, but did not say anything to each other. Martelly's wife, Sophia, then came on stage and adjusted the sash as their four children joined them.

Martelly did not speak as he left Parliament for the National Palace, where was to deliver a speech.

Outside the gated Parliament, more than 1,000 Martelly supporters gathered.

"Today is a party for us, for the masses, because the country is destroyed," said Esaue Rene, a 28-year-old mechanic who has high hopes for Martelly. "I would like him to bring jobs so that people aren't sitting around in public plazas because they don't have anything else to do."

Martelly appealed to young voters like Rene because he is the antithesis of Preval, who is seen as aloof and uninspiring. Martelly is effusive and charming. He once joked that he'd dance naked atop the National Palace if he were elected president.

But the challenges Martelly faces in fulfilling his ambitious promises were clear Saturday. He was sworn in front of the country's collapsed National Palace and a shantytown filled with thousands of people displaced by last year's magnitude-7.0 earthquake that killed an estimated 230,000 people.

During his campaign, he promised to build houses in the capital; bring economic development to the countryside; provide universal education for children; develop agriculture; and replace the discredited armed forces with a modern army capable of responding to natural disasters. The previous discredited army was disbanded by ousted former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 1995.

Political observers say speeding up the multibillion-dollar reconstruction effort is paramount. That means Martelly's administration must make progress building houses for the more than 600,000 people still living in settlements; stem a cholera epidemic that threatens to spread during the rainy and hurricane seasons; and strengthen the judiciary. And a parliament controlled by political opponents from Preval's party could make passing bills difficult.

He must he do all this quickly.

"His administration will have to show progress fairly quickly in order to provide confidence to the population," said Mark Schneider, senior vice president of the International Crisis Group in Washington, D.C.

Martelly will lead a country still divided over the presidential election itself. He was initially excluded from the runoff in favor of a candidate backed by Preval, only to be restored after the international community challenged the results.

One sign of the division: Martelly's opponents have recently alleged that he holds dual Haitian-U.S. citizenship, which would disqualify him for the presidency. He denies the allegation.

In what some view as a reconciliation effort, Martelly has invited to the inauguration both Aristide and Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier, the former dictator who made a surprise return to Haiti in January. Neither of them attended the swearing-in ceremony.

Since Duvalier came back, the ex-despot has been charged with embezzlement and human rights abuses, and advocacy groups have criticized Martelly for inviting him.

"Martelly's facing the need to knit together a polarized country," Schneider said. "Haiti just went through an election which was riven by discord, disagreement, and unhappiness. And given the makeup of the parliament, he has the major task of forging a national government."

In the weeks since Haitian authorities declared him the winner, Martelly has toured the countryside to learn more about reconstruction projects, announced ways to finance free education, and formed a transition team, led by Duvalier's former social affairs minister, Daniel Supplice.

Martelly was well-known as an entertainer. But what kind of leader he makes, many in Haiti aren't sure.

"He's unpredictable," said Patrick Elie, a defense minister under Aristide and an adviser to Preval. "He's got teeth that can both smile and bite. He's shown that."

 

Ecuador Votes on Bid to Give More Control to President

Campaigning ahead of the vote further polarized the Andean country, which went through a decade of political instability before Mr. Correa was elected in 2006, emerging as the country’s strongest leader in decades while drawing criticism for his consolidation of power. Mr. Correa, a left-leaning economist, pushed for the referendum after he survived a chaotic police rebellion in Quito in September and his approval ratings climbed. He and his supporters described the revolt as a coup attempt.

That rebellion, during which Mr. Correa opened his shirt and dared police officers to kill him, accentuated tensions between the president and his critics, including some in the news media.

Mr. Correa has long had a tense relationship with Ecuador’s news media over criticism of his policies, which have aligned the country with leftist allies like Venezuela and overhauled its political institutions.

Included in the 10 measures of the referendum is a controversial proposal to create a state panel to regulate media content, a proposal that is heightening concern among many Ecuadorean journalists. “This is the concretion of a threat,” said Arturo Torres, head of the investigative unit of El Comercio, a daily newspaper in Quito. “Investigative journalism will suffer severe limitations due to its scrutiny of power.”

The president’s critics say other measures are intended to weaken Ecuador’s judiciary. They would allow citizens to be detained longer without charges being filed against them; the appointment of judges by a commission influenced by Correa supporters; and the creation of a so-called Transitional Judiciary Council, expected to be dominated by the president’s supporters, to speed certain judicial reforms.

“Correa is holding this referendum with the purpose of consolidating the powers of the executive branch,” said Fabián Corral, dean of the law department at San Francisco University in Quito. “Judicial reform is necessary, but dependence of judges upon the executive branch is not going to help.”

Some voters in Ecuador, however, said they were voting out of their admiration for Mr. Correa, an ally of Venezuela’s president, Hugo Chávez. Mr. Correa’s support is based at least in part on a nationalist focus that chafes at foreign interference.

Last month, Mr. Correa, 48, expelled the American ambassador, Heather M. Hodges, over comments made public in a diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks, in which she referred to high-level police corruption in Ecuador and possible knowledge of it by Mr. Correa.

“Correa is a great fighter,” said Oswaldo Pazmi?o, 64, a Quito resident who campaigned in favor of the proposed measures. “Nobody can stop him; he is the reincarnation of Eloy Alfaro,” he said, referring to an Ecuadorean leader in the early 20th century who is associated with antiestablishment rebellion.

Official results were not expected to be available on Saturday.

Media rights groups in Ecuador and abroad expressed concern over some ballot measures.

One would prohibit owners of media companies from having financial interests in other industries, presumably to prevent the formation of media conglomerates.

A measure similar to the media regulation efforts in Venezuela and Bolivia would create the oversight panel that would hold “communicators or broadcasters responsible” for messages considered violent, sexually explicit or discriminatory.

Mr. Correa has already clashed with some Ecuadorean journalists. He filed a lawsuit this year against El Universo, Ecuador’s top opposition newspaper, seeking criminal libel penalties of three years in prison each against an editorial writer at the newspaper and three members of its board of directors.

The lawsuit, which seeks as much as $80 million in fines from the individual defendants and El Universo’s parent company, was filed in response to a column that contended Mr. Correa ordered security forces to open “discretionary fire” at a hospital during the police revolt. Several people were killed as the rebellion unfolded and was put down.

Simon Romero reported from Caracas, and Irene Caselli from Quito, Ecuador.

View the original article here

President to Travel to Ground Zero to Honor Lives Lost

Mr. Obama, in his first visit as president to ground zero, plans to lay a wreath at a memorial to the nearly 3,000 victims of the 9/11 attacks. He will also meet privately with family members of the victims, firefighters and other rescue workers who died in the September 2001 attacks.

“He wants to meet with them and share with them this important and significant moment, a bittersweet moment,” the White House press secretary, Jay Carney, said on Wednesday.

It is a quiet coda to a week that began with a stunning announcement by Mr. Obama, just before midnight on Sunday, that a team of Navy Seals had stormed Bin Laden’s hiding place – a heavily-fortified compound in an affluent town not far from the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.

Mr. Obama invited former president George W. Bush to join him at ground zero, but Mr. Bush declined. A spokesman for the former president said he appreciated the invitation but wanted to stick to his policy of staying out of the public spotlight since he left office.

For Mr. Bush, ground zero was the site of one of the iconic moments of his presidency. Days after the World Trade Center towers collapsed, he traveled to the smoldering wreckage to thank the rescue workers, delivering his speech through a firefighter’s bullhorn.

The White House was quick to say it took no offense at Mr. Bush’s decision not to attend, saying that Mr. Bush was invited in the spirit of unity that Mr. Obama said he hoped would prevail in the wake of Bin Laden’s killing, just as it prevailed after the killings perpetrated by Bin Laden nearly a decade ago.

“We’ve made clear that this is a moment of unity for Americans and a moment to recall the unity that existed in this country in the wake of the attacks on 9/11,” Mr. Carney said.

Mr. Obama visited ground zero while a presidential candidate, but he has not been there since entering the White House. He does not plan a deliver a speech, a decision that White House officials said was calculated to avoid any appearance of exploiting the families of the victims for political gain.

“NYC is about honoring the victims and their families,” one senior administration official said.

On Friday, the president will go on the road again to Fort Campbell in Kentucky for a less somber occasion: to pay tribute to those who flew the Navy Seal team to Bin Laden’s compound deep inside Pakistan. The Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, which provided air transportation for the Navy assault team, is based at Fort Campbell.

 

Governor of Mississippi Won’t Run for President

In a telephone call to supporters, followed by a brief statement, Mr. Barbour said he lacked the “absolute fire in the belly,” that a candidacy would require. He apologized for flirting with a presidential bid over the last six months and then backing away, but said he had concluded that he was not ready to dedicate himself to the “all-consuming effort” a campaign would require.

“I cannot offer that with certainty,” he said, “and total certainty is required.”

The decision by Mr. Barbour, 63, provided the biggest shake-up yet of the 2012 presidential race. His departure adds another layer of uncertainty to the wide-open fight for the party’s nomination and set off a scramble among other candidates seeking to sign up his donors and supporters.

Throughout the spring, Mr. Barbour has been traveling to Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, testing his support among Republicans who cast the first votes. He recruited a team of operatives in those states, along with national campaign strategists, and rivals expected him to join the first Republican debate next week in South Carolina.

But his candidacy faced many challenges. As a lobbyist, for example, he represented tobacco companies, the pharmaceutical industry and several foreign governments. He sought to sell the experience as an advantage, telling audiences, “I saw the sausage factory up close,” but his aides braced for intense scrutiny.

Mr. Barbour founded the Washington lobbying firm now known as BGR in 1991 with Ed Rogers, a close friend who had worked with him in the Reagan White House. The next year, Lanny Griffith, who worked in the administration of President George Bush and also hailed from Mississippi, joined them. They formed the foundation of a powerhouse firm with close ties to the Republican establishment.

Mr. Barbour left the firm in 2004 when he became governor of Mississippi, but associates say he is a frequent visitor to the office when he is in Washington. Since his formal departure, reports have shown that he has continued to draw hundreds of thousands of dollars from a blind trust that held stock in the firm’s parent company.

His decision touched off a new round of speculation about Gov. Mitch Daniels of Indiana, a close friend who is also weighing the possibility of entering the Republican race. Mr. Daniels has said he intends to make a decision as early as next month. (Representative Ron Paul of Texas is set to announce on Tuesday that he is opening a presidential exploratory committee.)

It remained an open question where Mr. Barbour’s supporters would go — or if he would try to direct them to one candidate — but his decision could help other contenders, including those trying to emerge as the leading alternative to Mitt Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts. Tim Pawlenty, a former Minnesota governor, probably faces an easier time winning establishment support with Mr. Barbour out of the picture.

Newt Gingrich, a former speaker of the House from Georgia, is now expected to be the only Southerner in the race. That could help him in the South Carolina primary, which follows the opening contests in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Katon Dawson, a former chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party, said in an interview that he believed Mr. Gingrich would stand to gain the most from Mr. Barbour’s decision. But Mr. Dawson said that the contest remained remarkably unpredictable and that other potential candidates, like former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, needed to make their decisions soon.

There had been questions about Mr. Barbour’s health. He had back surgery last week, hoping to correct a condition that caused him noticeable pain. Last month, he said he had lost 20 pounds and intended to lose 20 more by the end of April.

But nine days ago, after speaking at a Republican county convention in South Carolina, Mr. Barbour grabbed a doughnut before heading for the door. He had not been seen doing that — in public, at least — in months.

Eric Lichtblau contributed reporting.

 

Yemeni President Agrees to Plan to Step Down

 VOA News ?April 23, 2011

Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh adjusts his glasses during a rally in Sana'a, April 22, 2011

Yemeni government officials say President Ali Abdullah Saleh has agreed to a proposal from Gulf Arab mediators that calls for him to transfer power and resign within 30 days.

Officials said Saturday that the government had informed the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) of President Saleh's acceptance of the plan, which calls for him to leave office after 30 years of rule.? In exchange, Mr. Saleh, his family and senior aides will be granted immunity from prosecution. ?

The plan also calls for President Saleh to transfer power to a deputy, who would then call presidential elections.? The plan also sought to form a unity government in which ruling party members would hold half the seats, 40 percent would be held by an opposition coalition, with the rest made up of unaffiliated parties.

GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif al-Zayani presented the plan to Mr. Saleh on Thursday, in a bid to end Yemen's anti-government unrest.

A coalition of seven opposition parties said they also accepted the deal but with reservations.? The opposition leaders refused to join the unity government while Mr. Saleh was still in office.

Meanwhile, many Yemenis across the country observed a general strike on Saturday to protest against President Saleh's rule.? Some gathered for peaceful protests. ?

U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Washington welcomes the proposal for ending the crisis and called for immediate dialogue by all sides on a transfer of power.

On Friday, thousands of opposition activists rallied across Yemen, where they repeated calls for President Saleh's immediate resignation.

On Saturday, President Saleh accused his opponents of trying to drag the country into civil war.? He also called former ruling party members who had resigned and joined the opposition "symbols of corruption."

He commented during a speech to armed forces academy students in Sana'a.

Some information for this report was provided by AP.

Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter
and discuss them on our Facebook page. 23-04-2011 Al (USA)

Did I hear that Saudi Arabia and othe Gulf states brokered a deal which allows Yemenis' President to step down and go with impunity? Did they mention "election"? Well, it is a mockery of democracy that Saudi Arabia and gulf states talk about elections and democrcy. They should conduct elections in their respective countries and forget about others. The are tyranical like President Saleh.

23-04-2011 Citizen (Cyber Space, W.W.W.)

The man agrees to PLAN to step down? I have never seen or heard such a statement, to plan to step down. The fact is he is transferring his money around. An individual from Swiss major bank told they have never been as busy as since the eruption of the Uprising in the Arab world. Some are withdrawing their money others are tranferring to smaller banks, while some are looking for more security to their money. President Saleh and his antourage are doing their level best to avoid getting caught.

24-04-2011 Al (USA)

For so long the western world has deluded the world in their drive for democracy for all. At the same time the west has allowed dictators from all corners of the world to steal and personalize resources of their improvished peoples and stashed those stolen wealths in western banks. Does the west have any moral standing or credibility? I doubt that the west's noise about democracy is really about democracy. It is all about Interest .

24-04-2011

Good decision Mr. Ali Abdullah Saleh......now you can prepare to leave Yemen for a comfortable exile in a warm and friendly country with your ill gotten gains! So what if your are years late? And as your legacy you leave political prisoners, dead bodies, broken families, chaos and a Al Qaida takeover! Congratulations!!

24-04-2011 Al (USA)

President Obama, there is need to be unequivocal about protests in Libya and Syria. Why you don't say anything daily protests in Saudi arabia and Bahrain. I don't understand why we hold Saudi Arabia in different standard. Saudi Arabia and bahrain have the most political prisoners in the middle east. Saudi Arabia does not have citizens but rather subjects of the king.

24-04-2011 Edwin Kaliku, PhD. FSI (USA / AFRICA)

AI (USA) You are very correct The west just has interest not exactly democrazy. The West give the poor countries just a little fro the interest they make from our money and call it AID or assistance. If only they can return our money, we do not need public aid or assistance from them.

24-04-2011 umsomi olomnyathi (zimbabwe)

yes it is an insult for saudi arabia to talk of democracy, it is like mugabe talking of democracy, it is double stabdards. mugabe, yemeni gadaffi should just leave power, period. at least some mps in zanu pf have seen sense and are now turning against the octagenerian. they should see sense, they are young and have a life, mugabe is gone and teurai is a better devil.

24-04-2011 sebale robert (uganda)

Mr Saleh deserves not only prosecution immunity but also approse for such a great leason he has offered to other notorious african presidents like Museveni of uganda and that of libya who wait to step down redicurously.

24-04-2011 Yamani (Yemen)

Where is the turn of Gulf Countries? it seems that plan is imposed by president Saleh not by them and it gives save exit for Saleh and his family as well as his allies, with no guarantee from Gulf countries if Saleh violates the plan. They are just mediators and U.S is a witness.

24-04-2011 culture

Tunis' fire is burning more and more fierce across Africa and the Middle East.Many of dictators cannot sit on their chairs firmly. more and more people ruled by dictatorship are awaking.

* Required By using this form you agree to the following: All comments will be reviewed before posting. Be aware - not all submissions will be posted. VOA has the right to use your comments worldwide in any VOA produced media. Terms & Conditions [All VOA blogs...]

Going Green
Watch Rebecca Ward's report on the BP?Gulf oil spill - one year later.

 

Opposition in Yemen Divided Over Offer From President

Mr. Saleh’s offer, which was mediated by his Arab neighbors, has accentuated the divisions within his opposition. The opposition coalition, known as the J.M.P., which includes seven political parties, said Sunday that it welcomed the initiative, but only if a national unity government was formed after Mr. Saleh stepped down, not immediately as the current proposal put together by the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes six member nations, calls for. The coalition parties do not want to be part of a government with Mr. Saleh.

The protesters are taking a harder line, and say that the J.M.P. is out of touch with the demands of what are known as the “independent” youth not affiliated with standing political parties. Leaders of some of the tens of thousands of street protesters — originally young people but now Yemenis from all segments of society who have set up permanent protests camps in cities throughout the country — said they suspected that Mr. Saleh could wiggle out of the deal at a later date, and try to extend his 33-year rule.

Many said they were inspired by the youthful protests in Tunisia and Egypt, which forced autocrats in those countries out relatively quickly and without conditions. They said they wanted a similar outcome here.

Ataif Alwazir, one organizer in Sana, said she and many others in the streets were against agreeing to Mr. Saleh’s offer.

“It’s just another game,” she said. “Let the J.M.P. do what they have to do politically, negotiate, and the youth will do what they have to do and stay in the streets.”

Ms. Alwazir said the idea of immunity for Mr. Saleh and his sons had divided many as well.

Protesters have repeatedly voiced their rejection of the offer of immunity for the president, though on Sunday there was some chatter via social networking Web sites arguing for a more pragmatic approach if it meant ushering Mr. Saleh to exit.

Other protesters feel that Mr. Saleh’s acceptance of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s proposal was typical of his political cunning and a move to put the opposition in a bad light and make it seem as if he were the one working to stop the country from falling into chaos.

“This initiative is for the sake of the regime,” said Tawfiq al-Shaoubi, a protest leader in the central city of Taiz, home to Yemen’s largest demonstration. “We will keep protesting,” he said. “This is regime must go so we can a build a new modern society in Yemen.”

In Sana, protesters who have camped out for weeks appeared to have no intention of moving and continued with their demonstrations on Sunday, chanting, “No negotiation, no dialogue — resign or flee,” according to Reuters.

In an interview with BBC Arabic television on Sunday, Mr. Saleh said he would not hand over power to what he termed “insurrectionists.”

“Who shall I hand it over to?” he told the BBC. “Those who are trying to make a coup? No. We will do it through ballot boxes and referendums. We’ll invite international observers to monitor. Any coup is rejected because we are committed to the constitutional legitimacy and don’t accept chaos.”

Mr. Saleh also said that Al Qaeda, which is known to have a presence in the country, had infiltrated protest camps. “Al Qaeda are moving inside the camps, and this is very dangerous,” he said. “Why is the West not looking at this destructive work and its dangerous implications for the future?”

His call to use the ballot box added to the distrust among his opponents. “The G.C.C. announced that he agrees to leave after 30 days, and he says he’s only leaving through the ballot box,” said Ms. Alwazir, the youth leader. “There’s not trust,” she said. “Especially since he’s contradicting himself right now.”

An independent Yemeni diplomat, who did not want to be identified, said that Mr. Saleh seemed confused and reluctant to step aside, but that he had drawn his own lessons from the experience of Egypt and knew he should take advantage of this offer of immunity. Mr. Saleh also fears that no immunity deal would be ironclad, the diplomat said.

He said that some in the opposition understood Yemen’s delicate state, with violence in outlying provinces increasing and the economy floundering, which is why they were willing to compromise slightly.

“Some J.M.P. leaders understand the current state of the Yemeni scene,” the diplomat said. “They realize that Yemen is on the brink of total collapse and might face a civil war.” But others, he said, chiefly Islamists from the Islah Party, want to keep pushing until they seize power, signaling a split not just between protesters and the formal political parties but also within the coalition itself.

 

Opposition in Yemen Divided Over Offer From President

Mr. Saleh’s offer, which was mediated by his Arab neighbors, has accentuated the divisions within his opposition. The opposition coalition, known as the J.M.P., which includes seven political parties, said Sunday that it welcomed the initiative, but only if a national unity government was formed after Mr. Saleh stepped down, not immediately as the current proposal put together by the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes six member nations, calls for. The coalition parties do not want to be part of a government with Mr. Saleh.

The protesters are taking a harder line, and say that the J.M.P. is out of touch with the demands of what are known as the “independent” youth not affiliated with standing political parties. Leaders of some of the tens of thousands of street protesters — originally young people but now Yemenis from all segments of society who have set up permanent protests camps in cities throughout the country — said they suspected that Mr. Saleh could wiggle out of the deal at a later date, and try to extend his 33-year rule.

Many said they were inspired by the youthful protests in Tunisia and Egypt, which forced autocrats in those countries out relatively quickly and without conditions. They said they wanted a similar outcome here.

Ataif Alwazir, one organizer in Sana, said she and many others in the streets were against agreeing to Mr. Saleh’s offer.

“It’s just another game,” she said. “Let the J.M.P. do what they have to do politically, negotiate, and the youth will do what they have to do and stay in the streets.”

Ms. Alwazir said the idea of immunity for Mr. Saleh and his sons had divided many as well.

Protesters have repeatedly voiced their rejection of the offer of immunity for the president, though on Sunday there was some chatter via social networking Web sites arguing for a more pragmatic approach if it meant ushering Mr. Saleh to exit.

Other protesters feel that Mr. Saleh’s acceptance of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s proposal was typical of his political cunning and a move to put the opposition in a bad light and make it seem as if he were the one working to stop the country from falling into chaos.

“This initiative is for the sake of the regime,” said Tawfiq al-Shaoubi, a protest leader in the central city of Taiz, home to Yemen’s largest demonstration. “We will keep protesting,” he said. “This is regime must go so we can a build a new modern society in Yemen.”

In Sana, protesters who have camped out for weeks appeared to have no intention of moving and continued with their demonstrations on Sunday, chanting, “No negotiation, no dialogue — resign or flee,” according to Reuters.

In an interview with BBC Arabic television on Sunday, Mr. Saleh said he would not hand over power to what he termed “insurrectionists.”

“Who shall I hand it over to?” he told the BBC. “Those who are trying to make a coup? No. We will do it through ballot boxes and referendums. We’ll invite international observers to monitor. Any coup is rejected because we are committed to the constitutional legitimacy and don’t accept chaos.”

Mr. Saleh also said that Al Qaeda, which is known to have a presence in the country, had infiltrated protest camps. “Al Qaeda are moving inside the camps, and this is very dangerous,” he said. “Why is the West not looking at this destructive work and its dangerous implications for the future?”

His call to use the ballot box added to the distrust among his opponents. “The G.C.C. announced that he agrees to leave after 30 days, and he says he’s only leaving through the ballot box,” said Ms. Alwazir, the youth leader. “There’s not trust,” she said. “Especially since he’s contradicting himself right now.”

An independent Yemeni diplomat, who did not want to be identified, said that Mr. Saleh seemed confused and reluctant to step aside, but that he had drawn his own lessons from the experience of Egypt and knew he should take advantage of this offer of immunity. Mr. Saleh also fears that no immunity deal would be ironclad, the diplomat said.

He said that some in the opposition understood Yemen’s delicate state, with violence in outlying provinces increasing and the economy floundering, which is why they were willing to compromise slightly.

“Some J.M.P. leaders understand the current state of the Yemeni scene,” the diplomat said. “They realize that Yemen is on the brink of total collapse and might face a civil war.” But others, he said, chiefly Islamists from the Islah Party, want to keep pushing until they seize power, signaling a split not just between protesters and the formal political parties but also within the coalition itself.

 

President of Yemen Offers to Resign for Immunity

  Police officers were confronted by a large crowd of antigovernment demonstrators in the Yemeni city of Taiz on Friday.

CAIRO — Yemen’s president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, agreed on Saturday to leave power after 32 years of autocratic rule, according to a top Yemeni official, but only if the opposition agrees to a list of conditions, including that he and his family be granted immunity.

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President Ali Abdullah Saleh at a pro-government rally in Sana on Saturday.

Opposition leaders said they were prepared to accept most of the terms of the deal, which both they and a Yemeni official said would establish a coalition government with members of the opposition and ruling party. The president would turn over authority to the current vice president 30 days after a formal agreement was signed.

But the opposition said it could not guarantee at least one of Mr. Saleh’s demands — that demonstrations be halted — and opposition members said they would quickly present a counteroffer to the president. The opposition said it had little influence with the tens of thousands of mainly young protesters who have been demanding Mr. Saleh’s departure.

Even if the opposition and the government agree to a deal, it is unclear if the demonstrators will go along, especially after pro-government snipers brutally crushed a protest on March 18, killing 52.

Mr. Saleh is a wily political survivor, and it was unclear whether his offer was a real attempt to calm the political turmoil and growing demonstrations that have rocked his country for weeks or a way to shift blame for a stalemate to the opposition. His offer follows days of unrelenting pressure — from Saudi Arabia and other neighboring states fearful of more instability in the region — for him to step aside.

A Yemeni official portrayed the deal as one devised by the Gulf Cooperation Council, a regional group dominated by Saudi Arabia. But a member of the council said it had presented only a framework for a political solution, not a plan with such specifics.

“The most important thing in the initiative to all parties, including Saleh himself, is for a smooth and peaceful transition of authority,” said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the delicacy of the negotiations. “Now the devil is in the details. This is up to them to decide, not up to us.”

Mr. Saleh has been an important ally of the United States in its efforts to stamp out Al Qaeda, which has an active branch in the country. The relationship became especially crucial to the United States after attempted terrorist attacks were linked to the Qaeda branch there. That included an attempt to bring down an airliner bound for the United States on Christmas Day 2009.

But in recent weeks, American officials began joining calls for Mr. Saleh to step down; they said the White House had determined that he would not make the changes necessary to bring stability to the country. American officials were also increasingly worried that the stalemate and continued violence there were allowing Qaeda members to become even more entrenched.

The State Department reacted somewhat cautiously Saturday. Acting Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner said officials had seen news reports about President Saleh’s apparent acceptance of an agreement with the opposition, which he said would be welcome. But he added that “The participation of all sides in this dialogue is urgently needed to reach a solution supported by the Yemeni people.” He also specified that the nation’s youth should be brought into the process.

“We will not speculate about the choices the Yemeni people will make or the results of their political dialogue,” Mr. Toner said. “It is ultimately for the people of Yemen to decide how their country is governed.”

Nasser Arrabyee contributed reporting from Sana, Yemen, and Thom Shanker from Washington..

 

President of Yemen Offers to Resign for Immunity

  Police officers were confronted by a large crowd of antigovernment demonstrators in the Yemeni city of Taiz on Friday.

CAIRO — Yemen’s president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, agreed on Saturday to leave power after 32 years of autocratic rule, according to a top Yemeni official, but only if the opposition agrees to a list of conditions, including that he and his family be granted immunity.

var _obj = new NYTMM.FadingSlideShow($("nytmm_embed947"),190,126,chameleonData); _obj.setPhotoData(chameleonData.photos); Video interviews with more than two dozen people under 30, from Libya to the West Bank, talking about their generation’s moment in history and prospects for the future.

President Ali Abdullah Saleh at a pro-government rally in Sana on Saturday.

Opposition leaders said they were prepared to accept most of the terms of the deal, which both they and a Yemeni official said would establish a coalition government with members of the opposition and ruling party. The president would turn over authority to the current vice president 30 days after a formal agreement was signed.

But the opposition said it could not guarantee at least one of Mr. Saleh’s demands — that demonstrations be halted — and opposition members said they would quickly present a counteroffer to the president. The opposition said it had little influence with the tens of thousands of mainly young protesters who have been demanding Mr. Saleh’s departure.

Even if the opposition and the government agree to a deal, it is unclear if the demonstrators will go along, especially after pro-government snipers brutally crushed a protest on March 18, killing 52.

Mr. Saleh is a wily political survivor, and it was unclear whether his offer was a real attempt to calm the political turmoil and growing demonstrations that have rocked his country for weeks or a way to shift blame for a stalemate to the opposition. His offer follows days of unrelenting pressure — from Saudi Arabia and other neighboring states fearful of more instability in the region — for him to step aside.

A Yemeni official portrayed the deal as one devised by the Gulf Cooperation Council, a regional group dominated by Saudi Arabia. But a member of the council said it had presented only a framework for a political solution, not a plan with such specifics.

“The most important thing in the initiative to all parties, including Saleh himself, is for a smooth and peaceful transition of authority,” said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the delicacy of the negotiations. “Now the devil is in the details. This is up to them to decide, not up to us.”

Mr. Saleh has been an important ally of the United States in its efforts to stamp out Al Qaeda, which has an active branch in the country. The relationship became especially crucial to the United States after attempted terrorist attacks were linked to the Qaeda branch there. That included an attempt to bring down an airliner bound for the United States on Christmas Day 2009.

But in recent weeks, American officials began joining calls for Mr. Saleh to step down; they said the White House had determined that he would not make the changes necessary to bring stability to the country. American officials were also increasingly worried that the stalemate and continued violence there were allowing Qaeda members to become even more entrenched.

The State Department reacted somewhat cautiously Saturday. Acting Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner said officials had seen news reports about President Saleh’s apparent acceptance of an agreement with the opposition, which he said would be welcome. But he added that “The participation of all sides in this dialogue is urgently needed to reach a solution supported by the Yemeni people.” He also specified that the nation’s youth should be brought into the process.

“We will not speculate about the choices the Yemeni people will make or the results of their political dialogue,” Mr. Toner said. “It is ultimately for the people of Yemen to decide how their country is governed.”

Nasser Arrabyee contributed reporting from Sana, Yemen, and Thom Shanker from Washington..

 

Nigeria’s President Wins Re-Election

DAKAR, Senegal — Amid violent protests from his main opponent’s supporters, President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria was re-elected after a weekend poll judged by analysts to be perhaps the country’s fairest ever.

Mr. Jonathan, a mild-mannered former vice president and zoologist who is an anomaly in Nigeria’s tough-guy political world, easily beat his main challenger, the former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission said late Monday.

While analysts applauded an election largely free of the fraud, ballot-stealing and violence that have plagued elections since the country’s return to democracy 12 years ago, the mostly clean vote on Saturday was clouded by what has happened since then.

Voting split along regional, religious and ethnic lines, with Mr. Jonathan scoring big totals in the largely Christian south and southwest, and Mr. Buhari leading in the Muslim north of Nigeria. Mr. Buhari, whose mid-1980s military government was noted for its stern repression of dissent, was refusing to accept the result Monday afternoon, and his supporters had taken to the streets in northern Nigerian cities to protest, setting alight tires and burning down buildings and houses linked to Mr. Jonathan’s governing People’s Democratic Party.

In Kano, thousands of youths carrying cutlasses, daggers and sticks marched through the streets, setting bonfires, tearing down P.D.P. billboards and burning the house of the former speaker of the lower house of the Nigerian Parliament. They shouted “Only Buhari!” as they marched toward the government’s central administration building. The streets of Kano, a city of over three million, were deserted Monday as schools, businesses and government offices shut down.

In Kaduna, there were numerous deaths, and mosques, churches and houses of P.D.P. members were burned down and a police station was attacked, said Shehu Sani, a leading Nigerian human-rights activist who lives there and whose organization has representatives all over the city. He said the electoral commission headquarters in Kaduna had also been burned down by a pro-Buhari mob.

“They are moving street by street, house by house, looking for ruling party members,” Mr. Sani said. “I am holed up in the house here. I can see the smoke, and I can hear the gunfire. There is a state of confusion everywhere.”

Even before the outbreak of violence on Monday, analysts had warned that Mr. Buhari’s campaign, unlike Mr. Jonathan’s, had not done enough to distance itself from the endemic violence that has plagued every Nigerian election since the return to democratic rule in 1999.

“He has been asked to condemn violence, and he has not,” a Western diplomat in Abuja, the capital, said of Mr. Buhari’s posture during the campaign. “He is saying, ‘We don’t trust the system; take the system in your own hands.’?”

A police spokesman in Kaduna, Aminu Lawan, said that a curfew had been instituted and that “we are on top of the situation.”

Mr. Sani said that more than 40 people had been killed in the city. Mr. Lawan declined to confirm any deaths, and the figure could not be independently verified.

The anger underlying Monday’s outburst in Kaduna was not a surprise to some veteran participants in the country’s political life. Nigeria’s grinding poverty and vast disparities in wealth regularly lead to these types of social breakdowns, they said.

“Nobody expected the election to be free, fair and peaceful, because the conditions for that don’t exist,” said Balarabe Musa, a former governor of Kaduna and a frequent critic of Nigeria’s ruling elite. “The condition whereby people can exercise their fundamental rights can’t exist where there is so much poverty, marginalization and the arrogance of power.”

Aminu Abubakar contributed reporting from Kano, Nigeria.

 

President Heads West to Sell His Deficit Plan

It is the first campaign-style tour for Mr. Obama since he emerged from the sidelines of the deficit debate last week with a speech calling for a mix of long-term spending cuts, tax increases and changes to entitlement-benefit programs.

With its emphasis on cutting the budget, the speech had elements to appease moderates and independents who have been drawn to the calls from freshman Republicans in Congress to rein in government spending. But at the same time, the address was a nod to the liberal wing in his party, with its progressive notes about the government’s responsibility to provide a safety net to its citizens.

The 44-minute speech seemed to win over at least some leading liberal figures — a big first step toward shoring up and energizing his party’s base at the outset of a re-election campaign that will inevitably require him to play to the middle and, potentially, draw renewed ire from the left.

“Undoubtedly, he rediscovered his voice,” said Robert B. Reich, the chancellor’s professor of public policy at the University of California, Berkeley. “Hopefully, this will be his campaign voice.”

The trip, with stops in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Reno, Nev., is also Mr. Obama’s first since the unofficial start of his re-election campaign in Chicago last week.

While he faces a fractured and late-starting field of Republican challengers, some political clouds hang over him, too.

In the latest Gallup tracking poll, Mr. Obama’s approval rating was 41 percent, tied with the lowest level of his presidency. Among Democrats, his approval was 77 percent, four percentage points below his average rating in 2011 and seven points below his average rating since he became president.

It is hard to say whether Mr. Obama’s deficit plan dampened his ratings, since the interviews were conducted on April 12 and 14, before and after the speech. But they clearly reflect worries about the economy and pessimism that the White House will find common ground with the Republicans.

Mr. Reich, who was labor secretary in the Clinton administration, said Mr. Obama’s pledge to defend health care and Social Security would resonate with older voters, who deserted the Democratic Party in the last midterm elections. Democrats, he said, will also respond to Mr. Obama’s vow to raise taxes for higher-income Americans when the Bush administration’s tax cuts finally expire in 2012.

“His language had a kind of ‘read my lips’ quality that will make it hard to retreat from,” Mr. Reich said. “The question remains whether he has closed the enthusiasm gap. I don’t think one speech will do it.”

Mr. Obama acknowledged as much on Thursday, speaking to 2,300 young supporters at Navy Pier in Chicago.

“I know there are times where some of you have felt frustrated because we’ve had to compromise with the Republicans on some issues,” he said. “There have been times people are frustrated because we didn’t get everything done in the first two years. There have been times where I felt the same way you do.”

But Mr. Obama implored the crowd not to lose heart, declaring that the vision of America he laid out in his fiscal speech — one in which “we are connected to one another; that I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sister’s keeper” — would animate his campaign and drive the debate in the 2012 election.

If Mr. Obama sticks to that message, it will cheer other Democratic constituencies, not least the labor movement. Unions were dismayed by the budget deal the White House struck with House Republicans in December to extend the Bush tax cuts, even though it also extended unemployment insurance.

But union officials said Mr. Obama won them back last week. “The rhetoric of the speech was fabulous,” said Thea Lee, the chief economist of the A.F.L.-C.I.O. “It was a strong speech; it was a principled speech.”

Ms. Lee said there was still uncertainty about parts of Mr. Obama’s plan, notably how it would affect taxes. The White House said it could generate $1 trillion in savings from “tax expenditures” — closing loopholes on deductions for charitable donations, interest payments on home mortgages and the like.

For frustrated Democrats, perhaps the only thing better than Mr. Obama’s feisty speech last week about cutting the deficit were the even feistier remarks he made about the Republicans the next evening, at an intimate dinner with campaign contributors in a chic Chicago restaurant.

Speaking into a microphone that he thought was off, Mr. Obama bragged about how he had faced down House Republicans during budget talks. “You want to repeal health care? Go at it. We’ll have that debate,” Mr. Obama said, recalling a testy exchange with an aide to Speaker John A. Boehner. “You’re not going to be able to do that by nickel-and-diming me in the budget. You think we’re stupid?”

The White House said later that Mr. Obama did not regret that his private remarks had been picked up by reporters. And why should he, Democratic loyalists asked.

After a period in which the party faithful fretted that Mr. Obama was giving up too much to the Republicans, those supporters were thrilled to see him come out swinging.

“He needs to be combative,” Mr. Reich said. “The Republicans have been combative since he became president.”

 

Curfew in Burkina Faso After President Dissolves Government

。 Scott Stearns | Ouagadougou ?April 16, 2011

Residents look at debris on the pavement on April 16, 2011 in Ouagadougou after soldiers from three barracks took to the streets of the Burkina Faso capital overnight, firing into the air and pillaging as a mutiny entered its third day

Burkina Faso's capital is under an overnight curfew after the president dissolved his government following an army mutiny.

President Blaise Compaore's government imposed the overnight curfew after merchants rioted because mutinous soldiers looted their shops.

The traders set fire to ruling party headquarters in the capital Ouagadougou Saturday and ransacked the National Assembly to protest what they say is the government's failure to stop mutinous soldiers from looting their stores.

President Compaore Friday dissolved his government and dismissed his army chief of staff and head of presidential security after soldiers at the presidential palace fired heavy weapons in the air demanding the payment of promised allowances. They then set fire to the home of President Compaore's chief of staff.

Tens of thousands of people Thursday marched in the capital to protest the high cost of living in demonstrations that were joined in at least ten other towns.

France is warning its citizens against travel to Burkina Faso, saying the situation is tense because of the soldiers' protest and warning that travelers face an increased risk of robbery and kidnapping.

Most stores in the capital were closed Saturday and few people were on the street well before the evening curfew.

President Compaore came to power in a 1987 coup against then-president Thomas Sankara. Mr. Compaore has been re-elected four times, most recently last November.

 

Syrian President to Address Cabinet

 ? ?April 16, 2011

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (file photo)

Syrian officials say President Bashar al-Assad will address his new Cabinet on Saturday and his speech will be broadcast to the nation.

Assad unveiled a 30-member Cabinet on Thursday.? On the same day, he ordered the release of activists detained during recent anti-government protests, in an apparent bid to ease opposition unrest.

Meanwhile, witnesses and rights group say mourners gathered in the coastal city of Banias on Saturday for the funeral of a man that they say was shot by pro-government forces during a protest on Sunday. Some mourners chanted? in favor of freedom.

Separately, Syria's state-run news agency said a policeman was beaten to death by protesters Friday in the central city of Homs.

SANA reported Saturday that the police officer was hit with sticks and stones during a pro-democracy demonstration that had turned violent.

Protests flared across Syria on Friday.? The biggest demonstration was in the southern city of Daraa, which has become the epicenter of the opposition.

The demonstrations, which began last month, have turned violent at times as protesters have clashed with security forces.? Human rights groups say more than 200 people have been killed as authorities cracked down on the protests.? Syrian officials have blamed some of the unrest on lawless gangs.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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Brazilian President Visits China Seeking Closer Strategic Partnership

 VOA News ?April 11, 2011

Brazilian President Dilma Rouseff is in China at the start of a six-day visit intended to deepen fast-growing economic ties between the two emerging nations.

Rouseff will also attend a summit Thursday of leaders from the so-called BRICS countries, which also include Russia, India and South Africa.

Trade and economic issues are expected to dominate Rouseff's meetings with Chinese President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and other top officials.? China has recently supplanted the United States as Brazil's largest trading partner and is now its biggest source of foreign investment.

China's official Xinhua news agency quoted Rouseff saying in an interview that she wants to expand Brazil's strategic partnership with China.? She told Xinhua the countries are strategic partners "in all areas" and that the relationship provides benefits to both countries.

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Chilean Judge Orders Exhumation of Former President Allende

 VOA News ?April 15, 2011

A member of Chile's Communist Party of the late President Salvador Allende holds an image of him during a gathering to commemorate the 36th anniversary of the election that led Marxist leader Salvador Allende to the presidency, in front of the La Moneda government palace in Santiago, (2006 file)

A Chilean judge has ordered the exhumation of the remains of former president Salvador Allende to try to determine whether he was killed in a 1973 American-supported coup led by General Augusto Pinochet or committed suicide as planes bombed the presidential palace.

Judge Mario Carroza on Friday ordered Mr. Allende's body exhumed from a marble tomb in Santiago in the latter part of May.? The exhumation is part of a widespread inquiry into alleged abuses that occurred during General Pinochet's dictatorship from 1973 to 1990.? Forensic experts will then try to determine how Mr. Allende, a democratically elected Marxist, died.

After his death, an official report said Mr. Allende killed himself with a rifle given him by his friend, Cuban leader Fidel Castro.? But his family, as well as some politicians and human rights groups, have questioned that ruling.

Allende's daughter, Isabel, now a Chilean senator, says the autopsy of her father's remains will provide the "most rigorous and definitive proof" about how he died.? A Chilean prosecutor is conducting an inquiry into 726 alleged human rights abuses committed during General Pinochet's rule.

General Pinochet died in 2006 of a heart attack while under investigation for corruption, torture and murder.? His government is blamed for at least 3,000 killings of political opponents, including murders of those who were "disappeared" by the military.

Mr. Allende won a narrow election in 1970, but his ascent to power was not welcomed by conservatives in Chile and Washington who feared that he could lead a pro-Soviet communist government.? Then-U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said the issues of the time were "much too important" to be left in the hands of Chilean voters and said he saw no reason why Washington should "stand by" and let Chile turn communist because of the "irresponsibility of its people."

The U.S. supported the military coup that toppled Mr. Allende as General Pinochet assumed control in Santiago.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP.

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