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More antiwar protests across Arab world Egypt threatens crackdown Jordan Times, 3/28/03 SANAA (AFP) — Another day of antiwar protests across the Arab world saw 100,000 take to the streets in Yemen, while Egypt threatened a crackdown on demonstrations over fear of potential civil unrest. Police and organisers said around 100,000 people turned out in the Yemeni capital Sanaa after the protest was announced on state television Wednesday night. The marchers, venting their anger at the unjustified invasion of Iraq led by the United States, chanted: “Jihad, jihad, from Sanaa to Baghdad!” calling for a holy war. “No US embassy in Sanaa!” also echoed from the huge gathering on Liberation Square, closely watched by large numbers of security forces. Among those attending were many leading political and religious figures, one of whom, Islamist ideologue Abdul Magid Zandani, addressed the crowd with a fiery speech. Zandani, deputy leader of the Islamist Al Islah Party, told the crowd its ideology called for young Yemenis to heed calls for “jihad to come to the help of the Iraqi people, whose blood is being spilt for oil.” He also called on Arab governments to “start listening to their people.” The protesters dispersed peacefully by early afternoon, although a small group tried to make their way to the British embassy and were halted by police. They proceeded to throw stones at an American fastfood restaurant close to the embassy, but police intervened. Yemen's ministry of religious affairs had called for a one-day hunger strike on Thursday and prayer for Iraq's victory. A similar demonstration last Friday ended in violent clashes which the authorities said left two dead. Lebanese protest In Lebanon, protesters took to the streets for the eighth day running, 5,000 schoolchildren and university students joining forces in front of the UN building in central Beirut. “End the massacre of children in Iraq and Palestine” and “Death to America” were among the slogans they chanted. Around 1,000 students, mingling with members of the Shiite group, Hizbollah, assembled in front of the barbed wire barricades erected around the US embassy. In southern Lebanon, more than 7,000 women heeded a call by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas to march through the refugee camp of Bourj Al Shamali, east of Tyre. Egyptians protest More than 10,000 people rallied in the northern Egyptian city of Zagazig, after an appeal from from provincial authorities, and dispersed peacefully after two hours at the town's central stadium. But such protests could soon be a thing of the past in Egypt, as the ruling party is preparing its members to prevent potential unrest. The ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) has set up “councils” in each of Egypt's 26 governorates, with a “mandate to contain the level of tension caused by the population's emotional reaction to the war,” the Al Ahram newspaper said. Each council will be given the job of “protecting the country from illegal riots and demonstrations.” The US-led invasion of Iraq has triggered massive demonstrations across Egypt during which some protesters criticised Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and other pro-US Arab leaders for not taking decisive action against war. A large demonstration is expected to be held Friday in Cairo, after weekly Muslim prayers. Public demonstrations are allowed only on university campuses or in mosque complexes in Egypt under emergency laws in force since 1981. But the latest protests brought a concession from the interior ministry last Friday when it announced it would authorise future “peaceful” street demonstrations provided the ministry was notified in advance.
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