Our revolution's doing what Saleh can't – uniting Yemen

Yemen's struggle to overthrow the president has brought stability and peace to a country riven by conflict. This is truly historic • Activist Tawakkol Karman proves a thorn in the side for Saleh

By the Great Tawakkol Karman
guardian.co.uk, Friday 8 April 2011

"The revolution in Yemen began immediately after the fall of Ben Ali in Tunisia on 14 January. As I always do when arranging a demonstration I posted a message on Facebook, calling on people to celebrate the Tunisian uprising on 16 January. The following day a group of students from Sana'a University asked me to attend a vigil in front of the Tunisian embassy. The crowd was shouting: "Heroes! We are with you in the line of fire against the evil rulers!" We were treated roughly by the security forces, and we chanted: "If, one day, a people desires to live, then destiny will answer their call," and "The night must come to an end" – the mantra of the revolutionaries in Tunisia......

We are confident that our revolution has already succeeded and that the regime of Saleh has in effect, already collapsed. This is a regime that carried out 33 years of rule through blood and corruption. We have brought it to its knees through our determination to remain in the squares for months if necessary, and through the steadfastness of our young people who have confronted the bullets of the regime with bared chests. With politicians and members of the army standing beside us, our success will go even further. We cannot let the bogeyman of al-Qaida and extremism be used to stall historic change in our country; Saleh invokes this threat in an attempt to cling to power, as if he is the only one capable of bringing stability and tackling terrorism. It would be foolish to believe his lies.....

They should end all support for his regime, especially that which is used to crush peaceful opposition – tear gas canisters have "Made in America" on them. They should freeze the Saleh family's assets and those of Saleh's henchmen and return them to the people. If the US and Europe genuinely support the people, as they say, they must not betray our peaceful revolution. It is the expression of the democratic will of the overwhelming majority of the people of Yemen."

نعم ... في اليمن ثورة سلمية
إننا على ثقة كاملة بأن ثورتنا قد نجحت ، وأن نظام علي عبد الله صالح قد سقط فعلاً ، لقد أسقطناه فعلاً حين خرج ملايين اليمنيين في الشمال والجنوب والشرق والغرب على كلمة واحدة وهي اسقاط النظام
توكل عبد السلام كرمان