Observed by: Mr. Alaa Isam
Civil disobedience paralyzed on Monday normal life in almost all parts of Yemen's southern Dhale province and in towns where the separatist movement, Harak, has large presence in Lahj.
It came in response to a call by the movement's council, called Harak Peaceful Struggle Board, a day earlier for the people to continue disobedience, which has been held regularly on the first Monday of every month since December 2009 in the south.
It started at 6:00 am until 12:00 pm.
The streets were empty, stores closed down and the people did not leave their homes for shopping, with normal life "completely paralyzed".
Nothing was reported in other provinces, as Harak has recently threatened to escalate its peaceful struggle across the south, rocked by protests in recent years, most of which turned violent.
Meanwhile, disputes arose between the main wings of the Harak council over holding disobedience.
The call was made by the wing led by Abdullah Mahdi, deputy head of the Council in Dhale, but it was resisted by the wing led by Shalal Shaye'a, head of the council and his second deputy Abdullah Hassan.
The second wing said disobedience should not be held according to the decisions of the meeting of the council last month that gathered Harak leaders in southern provinces.
Tens of its followers took to Dhale streets in an attempt to break the disobedience, but their attempt was unsuccessful.
In Lahj, civil disobedience was partially successful, seen in the towns of Radfan and Al-Habilain, where shops were closed down and normal life was paralyzed.
In Al-Habilain, armed fans of Harak forced college and school students to leave classrooms to respond to the call.
They fired bullets in the air, terrifying students, who went home without resistance.
Lahj, however, remained calm- - no security deployments or protests were seen.
Source: http://bit.ly/eoYgi5
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