Written By: zaid al-Alaya'a

Article Date: Jun 29, 2009 - 6:22:25 AM

 

Hundreds of demonstrators representing Parliament, travel and tourism agencies, and civil society organizations rallied today from al-Sab'aeen to the German Embassy to express solidarity with the kidnapped, denouncing kidnapping and terrorism.

Demonstrators carried signs that condemn terrorism, killing, and kidnapping of tourists, which harms society as a whole and affects investment, development and Yemen's image and relations with other countries.

The demonstration organized by the Yemeni Union for Travel and Tourist Agencies issued a statement that expressed deep condolence to the families of the murdered Germans and Korean. The statement also condemned the acts saying that terrorism has no religion and no nationality.

Yahya Mohammed Abdullah Saleh, chairman of the Union, called on all citizens to help security authorities in order to put the perpetrators of murder and kidnapping to justice to get the punishment that they deserve.

"Those criminals are not targeting any people or system in particular, but they are targeting the country at large and have support from foreign forces that want to harm Yemen and stop its development," said Yahya. He suggested that the government considered the murdered doctors as martyrs of duty.

Abdu al-Hothefi, MP Head of the Tourism Committee in Parliament said that these acts do not belong to Yemeni culture that has always been, and will always be, tolerant and peaceful.

The demonstrators walked to the premises of the German Embassy and presented flowers and a statement from the organizers and participants to show their condemnation of the murders and kidnapping, calling upon Yemeni security forces to hunt down the terrorists and kidnappers.