[1]A demonstration in Ibb commemorating the Yemeni revolution's anniversary on February 11 and condemning the Houthi militia. Photograph shared by @yemen_updates [1] on Twitter
February 11th marked the fourth year anniversary of Yemen's revolution which toppled President Ali Abdullah Saleh's 33 year rule. Yemenis took to the streets on the eve of the fall of Hosni Mubarak of Egypt in 2011 in what then became known as the Arab Spring.
Video journalist Benjamin Wiajeck [2], (formerly known on Twitter as @Nefermaat) recalls:
I remember 4 years ago: went out at night, people in #Sanaa [3] celebrating #Mubarak [4] resignation. Mass protests increased after that. #Yemen [5]
— Benjamin Wiacek (@BenjaminWiacek) February 11, 2015 [6]
Four years ago, the Houthis were among those who gathered in Sana'a's Change Square and marched alongside the opposition to overthrow President Saleh's rule. Since Houthis took control over Yemen, they have been using the same tactics as former President Saleh to silence opposition, by kidnapping and detaining youth and verbally and physically assaulting others. Four years later, and according to photographs and posts shared on social media, some protesters have incurred injuries in Wednesday's marches.
Hamzah AlKamaly tweeted a photograph of Hisham Alwani, an activist who was stabbed by the Houthis while peacefully protesting in a march on Wednesday (February 11).
#اليمن [7] #صورة [8] الثائر هشام العلواني،طعنه #الحوثيون [9] اليوم #Yemen [5] #Houthi [10] strapped protester was injured by houthis pic.twitter.com/nFodzdo4XE [11]
— Hamzah alkamaly (@hamzaalkamaly) February 11, 2015 [12]
Activist Fatma Al-Aghbari tweeted in Arabic “This is how Houthis treat revolutionaries”:
هكذا يعامل الحوثيين لثوار pic.twitter.com/8bVZvTL6xb [13]
— فاطمة الاغبري (@bag2009) February 11, 2015 [14]
Fouad Al-Hothefy tweeted:
#Yemen [5] photo describe how houthis militias treated with peaceful youth demonstration in #sanaa [15] pic.twitter.com/d9CmOcbH95 [16]
— Fuad Al-Hothefy (@Fuad_PRYC) February 11, 2015 [17]
Sarah Jamal tweeted:
On the 4th anniversary of 2011 uprisings, the streets r far frm safe 4 protests unless it's a houthi march #Yemen [5] pic.twitter.com/l8UIlHi6Le [18]
— Sarah Jamal (@Sarah_Sanaa) February 11, 2015 [19]
Despite the Houthis threats and violence, Yemenis rallied across the country to mark the revolution's anniversary and voice their objection to their rule.
Yemen Updates tweeted some photographs from anti-Houthi demonstrations:
Houthis use public resources to establish their power. Helicopters fly over #Sanaa [3] protecting them while attacking #Feb11 [20] protesters. #Yemen [5]
— Yemen Updates (@yemen_updates) February 11, 2015 [21]
Pictures from a massive protest in #Taiz [22] celebrating #Feb11 [20] and rejecting #Houthi [10] coup. #Yemen [5] pic.twitter.com/YjBpBLh2pX [23]
— Yemen Updates (@yemen_updates) February 11, 2015 [24]
Houthis storm in youth protests objecting their takeover of the state. Female protesters never afraid. #Yemen [5] #Feb11 [20] pic.twitter.com/S5CQpfTKni [25]
— Yemen Updates (@yemen_updates) February 11, 2015 [26]
Hisham Omeisy tweeted photographs of Houthi demonstrations taking over the same squares and streets that witnessed the revolution against ousted President Saleh.
Here are pics from the Houthi demos in Sana'a #Yemen [5] via their social media..yeah noticed segregation but also Women! pic.twitter.com/aRwMhR4o0B [27]
— Hisham Al-Omeisy (@omeisy) February 11, 2015 [28]
Houthi demos in Sanaa at Change Sq, 60M, & 70M. Basically 3 main venues of 2011 rivals! Symbolism/message clear; we control ALL now #Yemen [5]
— Hisham Al-Omeisy (@omeisy) February 11, 2015 [29]
Four years later, the demands are the same, except the Houthis are now the ones protesters are asking to step down.
Nadwa Al-Dawsari-Johnson sarcastically tweeted:
#Houthis [30] r rejected by entire South, Mid, East & West #Yemen [5]. If they think they can rule #Yemen [5] by force they must be chewing too much gat
— Nadwa (@Ndawsari) February 11, 2015 [31]
Qat [32] is a stimulating green leafy plant consumed in Yemen.
Wiajeck added:
Hundreds are marching today in #Yemen [5] the same they were marching 4 years ago…Today, there are new players, but same demands remain ignored.
— Benjamin Wiacek (@BenjaminWiacek) February 11, 2015 [33]
February 2011 was a month when everything seemed possible. February 2015 looks much more depressing… #Yemen [5] #hope [34] #despair [35] #divisions [36]
— Benjamin Wiacek (@BenjaminWiacek) February 11, 2015 [37]
Manal Althurairi tweeted:
For as long as I can remember, it was a revolution for a better Yemen!
— Manal (@ManalAlthurairi) February 11, 2015 [38]
As news of Embassies closing down in Yemen [39] spread across the media, many Yemenis didn't seem as alarmed nor concerned:
Osama Abdullah tweeted what mattered most to Yemenis:
#Yemen [5] should always be self-dependent- Embassies leaving the country is their issue with the Houthis- all forces should come together & act
— Osama Abdullah (@PoliticsYemen) February 11, 2015 [40]
Yemen's politics is complex and hard to understand. Yesterday's enemies are today's partners, yet is a great place for political science students to learn about realpolitik and not just political theories. Youth activist Farae Almuslimi simplifies Yemen politics in this tweet:
If politics in #Yemen [5] was a soccer ball; Saleh wanted to play without rules , Islah wanted to play solely , and #Hothis [41] ripped the ball..
— Farea Al-muslimi (@almuslimi) February 3, 2015 [42]
Yemeni politician Mostapha Noman highlighted the cause behind Yemen's political turmoil in this tweet:
@FazliCorman [43] @NoonArabia [44] Yemen is doomed by greedy political class, their fights have been for partisan and never for national interests
— Mustapha Noman (@MustaphaNoman) February 13, 2015 [45]
This video by a media collective SupportYemen [46], embodies the spirit and demands of Yemen's revolution:
Four years ago, Yemenis went out to the streets demanding change, a civil state and an end to corruption and are still in the streets today, despite their deteriorating living conditions, demanding the exact same thing. There are many arguments about why Yemen has reached this point, was it the GCC initiative [47] not addressing the demands of the country's youth, who were the backbone of the revolution, or the international community seeking its own interest by allowing the political elite to stay in power, or Yemen's greedy political class fighting for their personal rather than national interests.
Yemen's revolution is not over, as Baraa Shiban tweeted:
The Revolution is a continuous act "11th of February" …. #Yemen [5]
— Baraa Shiban (@BShtwtr) February 10, 2015 [48]
And on Facebook, Majda Al-haddad writes [49]:
خرجنا قبل اربع سنوات في مثل هذا اليوم رفضا للفساد والظلم والطغيان. اليوم سنقول الاف المرات لا للمليشيات المسلحة لا للانقلاب .
الثورة مستمرة وسنبقى نعمل لاجل تحقيق حلمنا بدولة مدنية
We took to the streets four years ago on this day, in rejection of corruption, injustice and tyranny. Today we say a thousand times no to armed militias, no to a coup. The Revolution is ongoing and we will keep working in order to achieve our dream of a civil state.
Further Reading:
For previous years’ posts marking this anniversary, check out our coverage:
In 2012 [50]
In 2013 [51]
In 2014 [52]