Political Transitions in Southern Yemen.. from Dream of Unity To

مركز أبعاد للدراسات والبحوث Abaad Studies & Research Center Abaad Studies & Research Center : About Us Abaad Studies & Research Center (Abaad) is a non-profit organization that has a license from Yemen's Social Affairs Ministry No. (436) issued on October 18 2010. focuses on politics, intellect, democracy, election, political parties, terrorism, freedoms as well as economic and social issues. Index Summary..............................................................................................................4 Research Entry..................................................................................................5 The South… from revolution to unity..............................................................5 Relationship between South and North.....................................................8 The Unity and War (1990-1994)..................................................................10 The Attempts of reform (1994-2006)..........................................................15 The Return of retired people and the launch of the Southern Movement....18 The Popular Revolution and the Southern Movement’s positions (2011-2014....22 The Houthi coup............................................................................................27 The Comprehensive War and Decisive Storm................................................28 Forming the transitional council and confronting the legitimacy ................31 Riyadh agreement and future scenarios........................................................34 Conclusion.........................................................................................................37 The Study References......................................................................................38 3 Summary: The research deals with the most important political transformations in southern Yemen in the period of (1990-2020). In its preface, this research addresses the south in the period prior to unity with the north, the period that followed the liberation of the south from the British colonialism and the declaration of its independence on 30th of November 1967, until the declaration of unity in 1990. It deals with circumstances and challenges that affected the political, economic, cultural, and social path of the southern state. The preface includes the topic of relationship between south and north Yemen before achieving the unity, and the conditions that prevailed during that period. The relationship between north and south witnessed many changes and it was strained so that conflict broke out between the two parts twice and then the situation developed positively into internal and external deals that led to the establishment of the Yemeni unity. The research sheds the light on the most prominent factors of change in Yemen in general and in the south in particular, negatively or positively, with reference to the political forces that contributed, in one way or another, to that change - not to ignore the circumstances, consequences and repercussions during the period targeted in this research. The transformations include the Yemeni unity, the war that followed, the most important stages of political conflict and wars, the popular revolution - the Yemeni version of the Arab Spring that led to the power transition and the holding of the National Dialogue Conference, and then the coup, led by the Houthis and its allies , which led to a comprehensive war that has not yet ended, despite the fact that five years have passed since its outbreak. 4 The importance of this topic comes in the context of transformations that Yemen experienced in general and studying all its aspects in order to get a knowledge of the situation that can dismantle the structures that have been semi-closed for a long period of time, and to clearly read the current reality and the local, regional and international circumstances, as well as the consequences. To achieve the desired goals, the researcher used the historical method to track historical changes and events, as well as the descriptive and analytical approach being the closest and most useful in dealing with the topic and presenting its contents through description and analysis. Research Entry: The South… from revolution to unity The Southern Yemen witnessed several changes and lived in different conditions and stages, starting with getting its national independence from the British colonialism in the late 1967s through the time period that followed the independence, until the declaration of unity with the northern Yemen before the outbreak of war between south and north that changed the Yemeni scene in general and the situation of the south in particular. After the departure of the British colony from southern Yemen, and the announcement of the establishment of the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, the National Front, the largest faction of the revolution that declared armed struggle in the October 1963 revolution against the British colony, took over the country through a variety of leftists, nationalists, military personnel, trade union figures, and intellectuals whose roles emerged during the revolution phase. 5 Accordingly, the first round of internal the Secretary-General of the National confrontation erupted soon between two Front. They disputed over the model major factions of the front, which ended of socialism should be applied in the in June 1969 with the control of the leftist south.. While Salmeen’s party wanted to movement over the power in the south. apply the Chinese Mao Zedong thought, The movement adopted the leftist trend the other party wanted to follow the as the political option, in contrary to Socialist Theory of the Soviet Union.In the neighboring regional systems. Thus, addition to what was going on within the regime in southern Yemen became the leadership of the ruling front in the accused of hostility against the oil-rich south, the involvement of the ruling neighboring countries, which are linked regime in Aden in the assassination of to an alliance with the West in general president of the northern Yemen, Ahmed and with America in particular1. It al-Ghashmi, in June 1978, played a was the only Arab system that officially decisive role in igniting internal conflict adopted Marxism and began the stage in the south, as opponents of Salmeen of applying the Marxist regime to saw that the assassination of al-Ghashmi tightly control all the power, the state was a good opportunity for them to institutions and society. But then a new get rid of President Salmeen, especially dispute arose between the two parties since the killing of al-Ghashmi was done of the government, the first was led by with a suicide bomb bag, conveyed to al- President of the Republic Salem Rubai` Ghashmi by an envoy from the ruling Ali, known as (Salmeen),and the second regime in Aden. party was led by Abdel Fattah Ismail, 6 The confrontations in the south led to This dispute led to a round of a conflict the killing of President Salmeen and a that was the fiercest and the bloodiest number of his aides. The opponents in the history of the south, in January of Salmeen took over the government 13, 1986, in which thousands were under the leadership of AbdulFattah killed - some sources estimated them as Ismail, who did not complete two years 10,000 - during ten days of battles. The in power as he found himself surrounded followers of Ali Nasser were eventually by critics from his comrades, so that defeated, and at least 30,000 of them he submitted his resignation from the fled to the north, where they formed an power and the leadership of the Socialist alliance with President of the north Ali Party, (founded in October 1978 by the Abdullah Saleh. Most of associates of Ali National Front and leftist parties that Nasser were from the governorates of allied with it). Then Ali Nasser Mohamed Abyan and Shabwa, while most of their was the successor of Ismail in the power opponents were from al-Dhale and Lahj. and the leadership of the Socialist Party, The division between the two groups but soon another dispute broke out remained to be an important political between the president who holds power rift until today2. and the ruling party, and the prominent The opponents of Ali Nasser assumed military leader in the southern Army, power, and Ali Salem al-Baidh became Ali Antar. the Secretary-General of the Socialist Party, which means that he became the first man in the state. The negotiations nity between north and south ضon the u began, and resulted in the November 30, 1989 agreement that was followed by the declaration of Yemeni unity in May 1990. 7 Relationship between the list of national issues in the agenda South and North of the Yemeni political movement that The British colony worked hard to opposed colonialism and imamate. separate the South and keep it under Throughout the second half of the its control through erasing the Yemeni twentieth century, the position from identity, creating new local names the Yemeni unity was a standard of outside the recognized Yemeni identity, nationality, integrity and affiliation for forming tribal entities, almost 22 entities, every political force that appears in north emirates, and sheikhs, so that the colony and south. The forces and organizations can group all these entities under the that did not adopt the unity either name of (Arab South), in an attempt to disappeared or stood against it4. split the Yemeni identity3. ,, The imamate regime in the north The issue of Yemeni worked to isolate the north from the unity

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