Sheikh Hamid al-Ahmar, a tribal leader and wealthy businessman in Yemen`s main opposition party, the Islamist Islah, also lashed out at Saleh`s sons` "desperate" attempts to keep his family in power as their father recovers in Saudi Arabia from a June assassination attempt.
"I call on Western states... to begin proceedings to seize the possessions and money of Saleh and his family, because they belong to the Yemeni people," he said in an interview with pan Arab daily al-Hayat, adding those funds could be used to repay the country`s debts.
The protests have paralysed the impoverished Arabian Peninsula state, where even before the unrest some 40 percent of the population lived on less than $2 per day.
Governments worldwide have responded to crackdowns on Egyptian, Tunisian and Libyan protesters this year by freezing their long-time leaders` assets.
But while veteran presidents in Egypt and Tunisia bowed to pressure they quit, Saleh has proved a shrewd political survivor, and officially remains in power.
Ahmar praised Saudi Arabia`s role in mediating the crisis, dismissing accusations it is thwarting Yemeni demands for change: "I see the Gulf initiative, which was essentially a Saudi effort, as one of the supporting aspects of the revolution," he said.
Saudi Arabia has spearheaded a Gulf Arab plan to end Yemen`s political deadlock by easing Saleh out of office, but he backed out of signing it three times at the very last minute, leaving Yemen in political limbo.
Last week Saleh said he would look at reviving the initiative, which would see him hand over power to Vice President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, but his opponents question whether this is yet another stalling tactic.
"It`s clear Saleh must realise his future as President is finished and that everything he is doing now is just a desperate attempt to implement his plan to hand power to his sons," said Ahmar.
The United States and Saudi Arabia, both targets of al Qaeda in Yemen are worried instability there could create a much wider security threat. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
