n YEMENI PRESIDENT Must Accept GCC plan INJURED in Friday's attack by rebel forces, President Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen is fighting for both political and physical survival, says Dawn newspaper of Pakistan in an editorial. Excerpts: He didn't appear on TV, as was announced, to show himself as hale and hearty; instead, the people heard an audio speech lending credence to theories that he was far from well. The issue, however, is no more his personality; it is one of the very survival of Yemen. Organized fighting has now come to capital Sana'a, where people have started fleeing, and oil and water supplies are running out. More regrettably, the peaceful protests by the middle class have been sidelined by what has become a fierce tribal conflict. While President Saleh's forces had fired from rooftops on the demonstrators, the protesters themselves were by and large peaceful. Now well-armed fighters led by Sheikh Sadeq Al-Ahmar of the Hashid tribe are involved in pitched battles with government forces in the heart of Sanaa. This has changed the character of what originally was a movement for democratic reforms and President Saleh's ouster. The intensity of the battle is to be seen in the casualties: of the 350 people killed since the protests began in January, 135 have died in the last 10 days. President Saleh has few sympathisers at home or abroad, and old-time loyalists are defecting. His people are blaming him for resort to state terrorism to quell protests, while America and Western governments are behind the Gulf countries' formula for his exit in return for immunity from prosecution. The consequences of the tribal war could be an expansion of the theater of war, which President Saleh's tottering government is unlikely to win. Al-Qaeda has never been much of a threat, but it is now reportedly utilizing the anarchy to arm itself. A separatist movement already exists in the south, while the Houthis could step up separatist activities in the northern region. President Saleh's claim that his country will descend into chaos if he quits sounds ironic – Yemen is already in chaos. The only option for him is to bow out by accepting the Gulf countries' plan. __
