Tribesmen of murdered student surrounded Sana'a University

Posted in: Yemen Observer

Written By: Raghda Gamal

Article Date: Mar 21, 2009

Armed forces from the Hamdan tribe surrounded Sana'a University's two main gates as university security guards took shelter at a military headquarters, fearing a hostile reprisal after one of the security guards killed a first-year student from the Faculty of Commerce on March 17.

The family of the murdered individual and angry students launched a huge demonstration against this act, which they described as brutal. When students tried to destroy university property, members of the tribe stopped them, saying the property was for the students, and not the security guards.

Director of the Security University Office told the Yemen Observer that events started to unravel soon after the student and his brother drove up to the university’s western main gate in their car. The security guard asked the driver for the vehicle permission and his ID card but the student refused to hand it over and instead proceeded into the university yard. At that moment the security guard raised his weapon to shoot the cars wheels but instead, misfired killing the student.

He also confirmed that a teacher from the University was witness to events but the teacher later denied his presence.The officer added that unfortunately there was some confusion about the student’s last name, which is al-Hooti. However some people believed his name to be al-Hoothi, potentially linking him to the leader who has been leading an insurgency against Yemen’s government in the north of the country.

Deputy Director of the Secretariat of Security at Sana’a University told the Yemen Observer that the security guard surrendered himself to the University Head Office immediately; he was then questioned by the Criminal Investigation Department and he is now in the Office of the Attorney General. He added that the security guard was noted for being a kind person and it is uncertain at present, why he made such a terrible mistake.

The high-ranking officer confirmed that forces from the Hamdan tribe would disperse after the security guard had been transferred to the Office of the Attorney General. Yet eyewitnesses at the university said the forces from the Hamdan tribe remained until late Tuesday night.

Several sheikhs from the Dhoula'a and Hamdan tribe held a meeting with the University Rector on Tuesday following the events in the hope of finding a solution to the problem through tribal law. Yet one of the tribal sheikhs Yahya Ali Ayed, told the Yemen Observer that they would not accept any kind of tribal settlement, but want justice.

One student interviewed at the demonstrations said students keep asking for university security forces to be replaced with civilian security, however university authorities have not listened, and this is the result, now a student has been killed.
Students continued to hold protests throughout Tuesday and Wednesday teachers went to demonstrate to parliament against this unlawful action and demand civilian security inside the university.

In response on the demonstrate, the Parliament Council hold an immediately session called for it the Rector of the University, the Minister of Higher Education and the Minister of Interior to investigate on this case.