Demonstrations in 12 Southern Yemeni Cities on the Day of Reconciliation and Forgiveness

Observed by: Mr. Alaa Isam

Southern Yemenis protested in 12 cities and towns in order to mark the fifth anniversary of the start of the reconciliation and forgiveness launched in 2006, in the twentieth anniversary of the bloody events of January 13, 1986, in which the two wings in the former ruling party in southern Yemen, the Socialist Party, struggled each other causing the death of thousands of people after provincial alignments.

In al-Mukala district, center of Hadrmout province, an elderly woman was killed when she was hit by a security patrol in the city, while she was demonstrating with several other women and young people.

Reportedly, a person was shot in his leg and another woman was seized by the neck by a Yemeni soldier when she chanted slogans against the Yemeni unity.

According to sources in the city of al-Mukalla, a state of tension is lived in the city till the moment, while soldiers were deployed in the city in anticipation for any protests against about the death of the elderly woman.

In al-Shr city (60 miles east of Mukalla), security forces dispersed a student demonstration, this morning, launched by school boys to revive the memory of the reconciliation and forgiveness, chanting the usual slogans of the Southern Movement that demand an independent state, and raising flags of the former state of South Yemen.

The demonstration turned into a hit and run between the security and the students, who hurled stones on the security patrols. However no casualties recorded among the students.

To the west of Hadrout, in Shabwah province, different demonstrations were staged, the biggest of them were in the districts of Nisab and Mayfa'a, where many Southern Movement leaders attended to participate in the demonstrations and to renew the "principles of the reconciliation and forgiveness."

It was noticeable the participation of school boys and secondary schools who raised flags of former South Yemen.

Two other demonstrations were staged in Khora and Azan areas of the same province. Both of the demonstrations were attended by Southern Movement leaders, who bid the people "to stick to the reconciliation and forgiveness," and "to continue the peaceful struggle."

Sheikh Lahmar Bin Ali Lasuad in Azan's demonstration attacked the Yemeni opposition, represented by the Joint Meeting, saying that "the Joint Meeting comes out from the womb of the GPC," he said, adding "there is a tight relationship between them, and whatever happens, they will never live apart."

In Abyan province to the west of Shabwah, southerners staged at least five demonstrations in Shukra, al-Mahfed, Je'ar, Rusud, and the largest one of them was in Lawder, the largest city in the central region of Abyan.

The demonstration was attended by several Southern Movement leaders, including leaders from outside the province of Abyan.

Lahej province witnessed two demonstrations, the first was staged in Tur al-Baha, and the second in al-Habilyn, the largest city of Radfan area that has a main road links the city of Aden with Sana'a, the Yemeni capital.

In al-Habilayn's demonstration, the participants gathered in the arena known as "the Martyrs Square," raising flags of South Yemen and banners with statements glorifying the principle of reconciliation and forgiveness, and invite the people of the south to establish the high value of its principles, in addition to others condemning the shelling and the blockade imposed by the Yemeni military forces on the cities of Radfan and its villages, and cutting off communications and prevention of the entry of food supplies, gas, and pharmaceutical industries to the region since last Saturday.

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