A young man set himself on fire in Yemen’s capital Sanaa on Tuesday in protest against the slowness of the government in responding to the call of the injured revolutionaries who have been on sit-in and hunger strike in front of the council of ministers for more than a week.
Munif Al-Zubairy, 32 years old, poured petrol on his body and then set himself on fire in solidarity with the striking wounded revolutionaries. He suffered and was screaming “I want the Yemeni people to launch a new uprising”.
His back and other parts of his body caught fire and were affected. Some of the protesters who joined the sit-in to support the wounded revolutionaries and passersby rushed to him and brought the fire under control.
Al-Zubairy was taken to hospital for treatment.
He was not injured during the popular uprising which erupted in early 2011 and ousted the former president at the of the year. His act was in support of those injured and to send a message that their conditions have moved him.
Tens of the wounded revolutionaries have been protesting and on a hunger strike for eight days before the Cabinet which has started to respond to their call. Prime Minister Muhammad Salim Basindwa pledged the government will help the revolutionaries who were wounded during the uprising without exceptions.
His statement was made while he was accompanying more wounded revolutionaries heading for treatment in Egypt.
“Arrangements are underway to take more wounded to hospitals in Germany, Cuba, India and Jordan. Care of the wounded is a duty not a favor,” he said.