Armies of Liberation

Jane Novak's blog about Yemen

Yemen Moves to Block UN and NATO Anti-Piracy Efforts

Filed under: Donors, UN, GCC, USA, Yemen, pirates — by Jane Novak at 10:45 pm on Monday, November 10, 2008

What’s the problem? The black market economy may suffer if security is established in the Gulf of Aden and Bab al-Mendab?

Its amazing how much smuggling (drugs and medicine, weapons, persons, oil, counterfeit money) is going on. All with the knowledge of and/or facilitation by administration officials and in some cases, deployment of state apparatuses.

al-Motamar

Yemen warns of an Israeli scheme for internationalization of the Red Sea
Monday, 10-November-2008
Almotamar.net - Yemen has expressed its concern against dangers of the military presence in the south of the Red Sea on the Arab national security and what it represents of an introduction for passing of a scheme for internationalization of the Red Sea waters.

Yemen Foreign Minister Dr Abu Bakr al-Qirbi on Sunday expressed concern of the Yemeni Republic with what appears in the offing as a result of the intensive multi-national military presence at the southern inlet of the Red Sea and the dangers of that on the Arab national security and what it represents of a prelude for implementing the project of internationalizing waters of the Red Sea that was previously suggested by Israel and was faced with an Arab rejection.

The Yemeni Foreign minister also affirmed in an interview to al-Mithaq newspaper in its today’s issue that there are efforts exerted by Yemen under auspices of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, including his latest movement to a number of Arab countries for crystallization of unified Arab stand in the face of what is going on of military massing up and acts of piracy in the Red Sea.

Minister al-Qirbi renewed confirmation of Yemen’s stand calling for the countries on the Red Sea to bear their responsibility and coordinate their efforts for fighting the acts of piracy and not to depend on foreign countries in this regard.

The Minister has called the attention to a series of early arrangements and measures taken by the Yemeni government for facing the piracy, the more important is the deployment of more than one thousand soldiers along the Yemeni coasts and building an advanced centre for observation in addition to sending calls to the international community to support those measures.

Yemen Joins Two GCC Committees

Filed under: GCC — by Jane Novak at 10:01 am on Sunday, September 14, 2008
Al-Motamar

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Foreign Ministers Council approved in conclusion of its meeting in Jeddah on Wednesday Yemen’s development needs that will be included in the 4th five0plan 2011-2015 to guarantee qualification of Yemen for integration into the GCC states.

In the press conference he held in the wake of concluding the meetings of the GCC Foreign Ministers Council Secretary General of the GCC Abdulrahman al-Attiyah said the ministerial council adopted minutes of the 7th meting of the Gulf-Yemeni joint technical committee which includes development needs of the Yemeni 4th 5-year plan.

The Council also approved accession of the Yemeni Central Organisation for Control and Auditing to control and auditing apparatuses in the GCC states in addition to the office of patent to its counterparts in the Gulf States.

The GCC foreign ministers council has earlier listened to report of the general secretariat of the GCC on cooperation progress between the GCC and Yemen and praised what has been accomplished and what the Yemeni government has taken of steps on the road of its integration in the GCC.

Trade Imbalance with Gulf States: YR 500B

Filed under: Agriculture, Economic, GCC, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 11:49 am on Saturday, September 13, 2008

Yemen Post

The Central Statistical Administration announced an increase in trade volume between Yemen and Gulf countries to reach YR 777 billion including the imports and exports. Compared to the previous years, 2007 has shown a noticeable increase.

Trade exchange between Yemen and Gulf countries reached in 2006 YR 552 billion, compared to YR 433 billion in 2004. The growth rate as for trade exchange has mounted in 2006-2007 to reach 4 percent.

Statistics indicate that the Yemeni market is still a consumptive market, especially when the gap between imports and exports is wide. The country’s imports from Gulf countries have reached YR 626 billion in 2007 and YR 418 billion in 2006, with an increase of 49.9 percent.

However, Yemen’s exports to Gulf countries are scant and showed only timid increases in 2007 as it reached YR 150 billion compared to YR 133 billion in 2006, with a total increase of only 12.9 percent.

This commercial deficit is influenced by Yemen’s increased growth of imports from Gulf States. Observers believe that Yemen lacks facilities and proper equipment and procedures for its exports, especially those competitive commodities including fruits, vegetables, fish and other commodities like honey and cotton.

United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia come in first place and them being the biggest exporters. Emirates came first in exports to Yemen surpassing YR 366 billion during 2007, followed by Saudi Arabia with YR 139 million. In return, Yemen’s exports to Saudi Arabia reached YR 28 billion in 2007.

Al-Qirby Around Gulf to Subdue Former Southern Leaders in Exile

Filed under: GCC, Saudi Arabia, South, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 7:59 pm on Saturday, April 26, 2008

YO

Yemen Foreign Minister, Abu Bakr al-Qirbi, paid a visit to the Gulf countries last week, carrying messages from the president to Gulf leaders.

In releases attributed to members in the minister’s delegation, it was said that the president’s messages requested the Gulf leaders to limit the number of Yemeni politicians living there who were accused of having links with the recent riots in the south. Sources added that deliberations with the Gulf countries is a normal phenomenon, since Yemen is the security essence for the Gulf and all that happens in Yemen has its impact on the Gulf countries.

(Read on …)

Yemen to accede into some of GCC agencies

Filed under: GCC, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 6:50 am on Thursday, April 10, 2008

[23 April 2008]

SANA’A, April 23 (Saba) - Foreign minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi has revealed that Yemen’s accession into some of the Gulf Cooperation Council agencies is near, the state-run 26sep.net has said.

Al-Qirbi signaled that these agencies are the GCC Measures Authority and the Gulf Organization for Industrial Consultation.

The step comes within the framework of Yemen’s efforts to gain full membership in the bloc.

On the other hand, al-Qirbi said Yemen is satisfied with the Qatari mediation, adding it considers it very important for ending the sedition in the northern province of Saada.

GCC Qualification Roadmap

Filed under: GCC, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 9:19 am on Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Yemen GCC integration’s roadmap defines five trends to accelerate the process
SANA’A, Feb. 04 (Saba)- Roadmap of Yemen’s integration to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has highlighted five main trends to qualify Yemen to join the GCC member states according to a scientific insight to fulfill economic integration with the Gulf countries.

These five trends could be projected as follows:

Trend of Commercial Partnership:

The roadmap affirmed the importance of strengthening frameworks of commercial partnership between Yemen and the GCC affiliate countries through focusing on realizing goals represented by setting up a free trade zone shared by Yemen and the GCC states as an introduction to Yemen inclusion to the Gulf Joint Market. It noted the main obstacles facing this move which are the weak infrastructure in Yemen and neglecting development of domestic export.

The previous trend requires Aden to be a regional commercial center which
the roadmap showed that reinforcing commercial partnership with GCC members requires supporting Yemen’s efforts to make use of the Aden Free Zone (AFZ) as a regional commercial center, noting to the nature of hampers in this regard such as deficiency in institutional administration of the zone and marketing weakness. It emphasized that the Yemeni government has to take viable political procedures to overcome such difficulties.

Trend of Investment Partnership:

It is so crucial to bolster investment partnership between Yemen and the Gulf states via achieving certain goals, most important of which is utilizing the various investment opportunities in the fruitful economic sectors in the country, noting to difficulties retarding this step such as incomplete infrastructure and the feeble business environment in Yemen.

Trend of Labor Force:

For a complete and harmonized inclusion with the Gulf economies, the Yemeni labor force needs to be a part of the Gulf market. The roadmap indicated to the unavailability of surveys to determine requirements of the Gulf market and the insufficient educational outcomes of Yemeni universities and technical institutes as hinders of this trend.

Trend of Supply:

The roadmap made assertion to fill the supply gap of Yemen and execute decision of the Higher Council of December 2005 which stipulates qualifying Yemen economy to reach the lower level of development in GCC member states to enable it to surpass shortages and problems encountering preparing feasibility studies for some projects and matching foreign aids with priorities of development in the country.

Trend of Institutional Formation:

The roadmap matrix confirmed the importance of fulfilling necessities of this trend by means of procedures and decisions to be taken by both sides, Yemen and Gulf states, to form a technical committee and another parliamentary committee assigned with accelerating and updating Yemeni legal legislations to adjust them to the Gulf legal legislations.

Yemen to Export Workers To Gulf States

Filed under: GCC, Yemen, poverty/ hunger — by Jane Novak at 11:18 pm on Sunday, February 24, 2008
SANA’A.(26SeptemberNet) - Labor Ministers in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) endorsed today in coordinated meeting on the sidelines of the 35 session of the Arab Labour Conference in Sharm El Sheikh to give priority to Yemeni employment in the labour in the Gulf market. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) agreed at their coordinating earlier opening of the conference that priority will be given to Yemeni employment according to the needs of Gulf labour market of qualified cadres and competencies and expertise in various specialties.

The agenda of the conference includes 12 items to be discussed in the report of the Director-General of the Arab Labor Organization about the operation and unemployment in the Arab countries and a report on the activities and achievements during the Arab Labor Organization in 2007.

During the sessions of the conference, which extend a week research in the small and medium projects as an option to reduce unemployment, and discuss the plan of the Arab Labor Organization for the years 2009 / 2010, which includes 164 projects along with three strategic projects which are: the rural woman operation fund, the promotion of social dialogue, the development of labour statistics in the Arab world.

Free Trade Hurts Customs Revenue

Filed under: Donors, UN, Economic, GCC, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 8:25 pm on Wednesday, February 20, 2008
SANA’A, (26September Net) - Yemen lost $154 million during 2005 – 2007 due to gradual reduction for customs and tax tariff within the agreement of the biggest Arab Free Trade Zone, according to an official report.

The report, Saba got a copy of, estimated increasing these losses up to $ 300 million during this year and around $524 million in 2009 to be $838 million by 2010, expecting the losses in 2005-2010 reach 1816 million.

The report presented by Yemen to the Arab Economic and Social Council (AESC) in its 81st round held in Arab League headquarters on February 6 - 14 demanded the council to stop carrying out the gradual reduction of customs and tax tariff until 2015.

Yemen’s request aims at giving some Yemeni sectors like industrial, agricultural, fishery and customs enough time to be more qualified to compete at the regional level and support the national economy.

The round decided to study the request and issue a decision next September.

The AESC seeks to reduce customs tariffs every year until it becomes zero in all Arab countries by 2010.

Saba

GCC Contemplates Two More Committees for Yemen

Filed under: GCC, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 9:11 am on Saturday, February 9, 2008
AN

RIYADH, 2 March 2008 — Foreign ministers of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), who met here yesterday, insisted on electing a president by the Lebanese Parliament on March 11 as scheduled….

The meeting decided to intensify efforts to integrate Yemen with the Gulf bloc. “Completion of Yemen’s accession procedures to Gulf Organization for Industrial Consultation (GOIC) and Gulf Cooperation Council Standardization Organization are set to be completed,” said the communiqué.

Yemeni Foreign Minister Abu Bakr Abdullah Al-Qarubi was present.

The foreign ministers also did the homework before they leave for the Senegalese capital Dakar to take part in the OIC foreign ministers meeting on March 9 ahead of the OIC summit scheduled for March 13 and 14.

Referring to the integration of Yemen to the GCC economic framework, the communiqué said that “the meeting has set in place mechanisms to encourage the investment of private sector from the Gulf states in Yemen. The meeting took note of the funds required to carry out the economic and social development plan for Yemen for 2006-2010. Speaking on this occasion, Yemen’s Al-Qarubi said: “This cooperation is a start of a larger political Arab cooperation and the meeting conveys the desire of Yemen and the GCC states to get together.”

He cited the increasing commercial exchange between Yemen and the Gulf countries since 2000.

In his speech, the GCC Secretary-General Abdulrahman Al-Atiyyah noted that the meeting comes within “the framework of joint and continuing efforts to strengthen fraternal relations between the GCC and Yemen due to Yemen’s status and importance from the GCC’s perspective.”

Yemen in the GCC

Filed under: Economic, GCC, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 8:42 pm on Saturday, February 2, 2008

Gulf News

Yemen in the GCC?
By Joseph A. Kechichian, Special to Gulf News
Published: February 07, 2008, 00:15

Yemen is the geographic, strategic, humane and security background of the GCC states,” President Ali Abdullah Saleh told the visiting Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Abdul Rahman Al Attiyah a few days ago.

Al Attiyah, who is now well attuned to GCC leaders’ perceptions of their southern neighbour, confirmed that a Yemeni membership would enhance security and stability on the Arabian Peninsula and throughout the Gulf. Kuwait, however, was not in a particularly welcoming mood. What is the reason for this reluctance?

For Shaikh Mohammad Sabah Al Salem Al Sabah, Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, the disinclination was not an expression of distrust. Rather, the nation did not want the GCC alliance to replace the League of Arab States.

“In Kuwait,” declared Shaikh Mohammad, “we believe that if we open the GCC to other countries, we will end up with 22 members joining.”

This is, of course, patronising. As far as it is publicly known, Somalia, Mauritania, the Comoros, nor even Tunisia or Libya (among others), expressed any desires to join the GCC. Yemen is an exception and, frankly, a good one.

There are several reasons why Sana’a should, and probably will, eventually join the GCC.

First, it is geographically complementary to all six members-states, and may be considered its powerhouse as far as its inhabitants are concerned.

Second, with an estimated 23 million citizens (not just residents), the Yemeni population clearly stands out, although that of Saudi Arabia is larger.

The latter includes an acknowledged expatriate population of 6-7 million, which must be factored in all assessments, and does not included the million or so Yemenis who were expelled after the 1991 War for Kuwait.

Elsewhere, Yemenis were naturalised, as was the case in the UAE (1970s and 1980s), after the late president Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan acknowledged kinship with key Yemeni tribes.

Third, Yemen is a recipient of GCC financial assistance, but will add even more to the alliance if it was not just a hand-me-down state that should be satisfied with periodic largesse.

A few weeks ago, GCC states pledged $2.6 billion during the most recent London donors’ conference, which was duly acknowledged by President Saleh. Indeed, GCC states are willing to support Yemen, even if Kuwait has reservations about its membership.

Associated to these donations, Al Attiyah revealed that the GCC Secretariat was “planning to open an office in Sana’a for following up the steps of Yemen’s merger into the GCC”.

He told the Saudi Okaz newspaper that high-level negotiations on Sana’a’s bid to join the organisation were under way, presumably at the Ministerial Council level, the most effective venue for such discussions.

“Setting up a programme for the integration of the Yemeni economy in that of the Gulf economies would be the real beginning to Yemen’s joining the alliance,” announced the Secretary-General, although one must emphasise that the country offered a large market.

Stellar performances

Because of its achievements to date, the GCC will never replace the League of Arab States, which is not known for its stellar performances. To their credit, GCC States managed to individually and collectively, keep regional peace and security (albeit with outside assistance).

This is where Sana’a can play a role. Simply stated, Yemen is, and will always remain, a security bastion for the GCC since it provides a strategic depth to member-states.

While it is true that GCC States are complimentary in their socio-political make-ups and that Yemen faces huge economic and social challenges, can GCC States afford to have a poor and envious neighbour with an immense appetite for inclusion as well as expansion?

Over the long-haul, GCC societies must lend more than a hand to Yemen, acculturate its people to the vagaries of free markets, familiarise Sana’a to modernising political systems, and, last but not least, cooperate with monarchical institutions.

The European lesson is quite illustrative in this respect, as that union grew from its six original members to today’s 25-strong coalition that is a global economic powerhouse.

Even if some GCC leaders do not share an identity with Yemen and cannot fathom working together with it today, the time will come when core necessities will override narrow interests.

Yemen has been vying to join the GCC states as its seventh member for some time and the question that faces the alliance is whether such participation can be channelled to serve all member-states, or whether it will drag the region down.

Current programmes focus on tourism, sport, health and social activities, but also on critical security ties. There are, thus, areas of great commonality.

It behoves GCC leaders not to play the pauper, for a danger looms that an isolated Yemen will become far more dangerous for the alliance, than one that will keep Sana’a committed to intrinsic GCC interests.

Many understand this truism and are slowly encouraging Yemen to adapt to its northern neighbours’ styles. If some are bothered by significant political differences, which cannot be denied, the GCC genius is to precisely figure out a way to tamper the Yemeni penchant for the catastrophic.

Yemen to Join with GCC Soon

Filed under: GCC, Saudi Arabia, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 9:15 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2008

Saudis worried about stability? A bit of encouragment to soften the blow of the wall.

Yemen To Join GCC, Gulf-EU Free Trade Agreement To Be Signed

GCC secretary-general ‘Abd Al-rahman bin Hamad Al-’Atiya has said that Yemen will soon become a regular member of the GCC, following the GCC leaders’ agreement to a request by Saudi King Abdallah.

In addition, Al-’Atiya said that a GCC-EU free trade agreement was expected to be signed during 2008.

Source: Al-Jazirah, Saudi Arabia, January 14, 2008

GCC Forms Common Market, Kuwait Spat

Filed under: GCC, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 5:03 pm on Tuesday, December 11, 2007

26 Sept

DOHA. - Abdul Rahman al-Attiya, secretary general of the six oil-rich Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, announced the establishment of a common market at the closing session of the GCC summit here on Tuesday.

Reading out the Doha Declaration, Al-Attiya said the long-anticipated common market will be brought into play as of Jan. 1, 2008….

(Read on …)

Foreign Debt

Filed under: China, Economic, GCC, Russia, Saudi Arabia, USA, Yemen, banking — by Jane Novak at 4:44 pm on Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Saudi Arabia, Russia Yemen’s biggest creditors by far.

Yemen Observer

External Yemeni debt, the debts that Yemen owes to foreign countries, increased to $5.620 billion by the end of July 2007, compared with $5.469 billion at the end of December 2006, according to the official report issued by the Central Bank of Yemen. The amount Yemen currently owes other countries equals some 34 percent of its Gross Domestic Product.

The Central Bank report listed Yemen’s debts to member states of the Paris Club as follows: $1.242 billion to Russia; $233 million to Japan; $99 million to the US; $87 million to France; $24 million to Italy and $26 million to Spain.The Paris Club is an informal group of financial officials from 19 of the world’s richest countries which provides financial services such as debt restructuring, relief and cancellation to indebted countries and their creditors.

The report showed that debt to non-members of the Paris Club is also large, having reached $978 billion. It includes debts of $318 million to the Saudi Fund; $164 million to the Kuwait Fund; $154 million to Kuwait Deposits; $170 million to China; $34 million to Korea; $79 million to Algeria; $35 million to Poland and $17 million to the Iraqi Fund.

(Read on …)

Regional Pipelines

Filed under: GCC, Iran, Oil, Other Countries, Saudi Arabia, USA, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 9:00 pm on Tuesday, August 28, 2007

If this is true, it explains a lot including GCC and Saudi support, US patience, but the report is from Debka. More here by John.

The Yemen oil pipe line is scheduled to run through Hadramout to Makalla. The map with all the pipes is interesting too.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Yemen have launched the vast Trans-Arabia Oil Pipeline project with encouragement from Washington, DEBKA-Net Weekly 313 revealed on Aug. 10, 2007. By crisscrossing Arabia overland, the net of oil pipelines will bypass the Straits of Hormuz at the throat of the Persian Gulf and so remove Gulf oil routes from the lurking threat of Iranian closure.

The 35,000-strong new Saudi security force, disclosed this week, will protect the new project, together with the oil installations of the world’s biggest oil exporter, from attack by such enemies as al Qaeda or Iran. The first 5,000 recruits are already in training, as plans advance to start laying the first section of the new pipeline system in November, 2007.

Because of the sensitivity of their mission, Saudi security experts assisted by American advisers are thoroughly screening each recruit about his family, tribal and past associations to weed out religious extremists. DEBKAfile adds that the new oil security force will be the third largest in Saudi Arabia, after the armed forces and the National Guard.

The first Trans-Arabia pipeline will carry 5 million barrels of oil a day, almost one third of the 17 million barrels produced by Gulf emirates. The crude will be pumped through pipes running from the world’s biggest oil terminal owned by Saudi Aramco at Ras Tannura, south to S. Yemen’s oil port of Mukallah and west to the Red Sea port and industrial town of Yanbu north of Jeddah.

The $6 billion investment in the first stage will come from the participating governments within the framework of the Gulf Cooperation Council – GCC.

(Read on …)

Donors and Aid

Filed under: Donors, UN, GCC, USA, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 5:51 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2007

US

The United States has announced that it is raising the upper limit of its annual support to Yemen to $45 million US dollars for the year 2007. The American government decided to raise its assistance to Yemen to $45 million representing an increase of about $25 million, according to Nabil Ali Shayban, the general director of the International Cooperation Unit for European and American Affairs at the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation in a staement to Saba news agency last Wednesday.

He added that the US government allocated $35 million for supporting Yemen’s rehabilitation program for joining the millennium fund. The Millennium Challenge Corporation Board of Directors reinstated the eligibility of the Republic of Yemen for participation in MCC’s Threshold Program on February 14, 2007. In a statement issued by the MCC it said that Yemen was eligible for Threshold Program assistance in 2004, but its eligibility was suspended by the Board in November 2005, following a consistent pattern of deterioration in Yemen’s policy performance on the selection criteria.

With today’s action, Yemen may now apply for a Threshold Program Agreement. “The MCC Board of Directors found that the Yemeni government has worked aggressively and demonstrably to address the country’s performance on the MCC selection criteria,” which includes battling corruption within the government. “Since its suspension in 2005, Yemen has undertaken a series of impressive reforms,” said US Ambassador to Yemen John Danilovich, who is also CEO of the MCC. “In addition to what has been accomplished thus far, the Government of Yemen has made a number of important reform commitments.

Looking at the progress we have been able to document, Yemen has demonstrated its commitment to continuing this reform effort.” In February 2006, President Ali Abdullah Saleh signaled the start of an aggressive reform effort with a cabinet shuffle. At that time, the government also introduced and began implementing an impressive National Agenda for Reform. This reform agenda addresses policies evaluated by the MCC selection indicators.

Arab Social Fund

The Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Abdul-Karim al-Arhabi, and Abdul-Latif al-Hamad, Chairman of the Kuwait Arab Fund for Social and Economic Development (AFSED), signed two agreements last Tuesday, one to finance a gas-powered electricity generating station in Marib, and a second to strengthen the programs of agricultural and fish development on the coast of Hadhramawt.

The two projects have a combined budget of $142 million. “The signing of the two agreements comes within the framework that was agreed upon by the two involved parties to support and finance infrastructure projects in Yemen,” said al-Arhabi. AFSED will continue to finance and support Yemeni projects, said al-Hamad, adding that his visit to projects financed by the Fund in Sana’a, Aden, and Socotra left him with the good impression that there is steady progress in the design and implementation of development projects in Yemen.

The programs of agricultural and fisheries development on the coast of Hadhramawt, the projects outlined seek optimal use of water resources by the establishment of eight dams and improvement of the irrigation system in order to save water by means of the introduction of modern irrigation methods. An additional goal of agricultural sector is to protect agricultural land from erosion and degradation by introducing new crop rotation patterns that will take into account the agricultural needs and the climate of the region.

Yemen Sponsors Arab Charter for Democracy

Filed under: GCC, Other Countries, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 5:29 pm on Sunday, June 17, 2007

thats funny

Thursday 14 June 2007

26 Septemper News

SANA’A, (26sept.net) - President Ali Abdullah Saleh announced on Thursday that Yemen would adopt an initiative to issue Arab charter for democracy through the Arab League.

In his meeting with participants in a meeting for setting up an Arab association for democracy which was held in Sana’a from 13 to 14 June, President Saleh said that democracy is important today and a
choice that all have to make use of it.

Democracy is an alternative for conspiracy, coups and secret activities which lead to violence and disorder, he said. He also reviewed Yemeni democratic experience, saying that at the beginning there were some people who could not accept criticism, but day by day these people used to hear criticism within democracy practice.

President pointed out to the initiative of assigning areas in public places for expressing opinion freely like that in London in accordance with law and constitution.

Wrong thoughts on democracy should be corrected for it is a tool for building and development, he said.

The participants expressed happiness for meeting with President and listening to his open dialogue on democracy, affirming the importance of holding such dialogues between governments and organizations of civil societies in the Arab countries.

They appreciated announcement of President Saleh for adopting Arab charter for democracy through Arab league, considering it as an important step toward strengthening democracy in Arab world.

Resource: Saba

Qatari Mediation

Filed under: Diplomacy, GCC, Other Countries, Saada War, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 8:32 pm on Thursday, May 10, 2007

Yemen Times

SA’ADA, May 9 — As the bloody clashes between the army and Al-Houthi-led rebellion continue in the restive province of Sa’ada, Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani played the role of a mediator between the Yemeni authorities and rebels aiming to stopping bloodshed, sources in the ministry of interior said last Wednesday.

(Read on …)

Projects Funded

Filed under: Donors, UN, GCC, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 3:35 pm on Wednesday, February 14, 2007
RIYADH, Feb.14 ( Saba)- The Yemeni- Gulf Joint Committee (YGJC) approved Wednesday, during final work held in the headquarters of the
general secretariatof GCC, the financial allocations to a number of main projects in theYemeni investment program for the third
five-year plan committed donorsin London Donor Conference.

Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Abdulkarim Ismail Al-Arhabi, stated to Saba that the committee approved initially the financial allocations to a number of main projects, Amran- Aden road, Mareb gas station, constructing 54 technical institutes, social development fund project, the projects of public works, rural roads, electricity and sanitation, clarifying that the total supplement sum for these projects reached US$2,7 billion.

He added that the committee approved continuous discussion on transforming financial commitments into service and developmental
projects, describing the committee’s meeting as fruitful and positive.

“The committee discussed great number of issues regarding projects included in the investment program,” he said, adding that his meetings with Saud iministers of foreign affairs and finance and the chairman of the Saudi Development Fund was fruitful and positive.

Saleh Interview

Filed under: GCC, Presidency, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 12:16 pm on Thursday, January 18, 2007

DPW deal on the Aden port is apparently still up in the air.

Almotamar.net - Interview conducted by Dhain Shaheen and Sami al-Riyami

President Ali Abdullah Saleh has affirmed that relations between Yemen and Gulf Cooperation Council states are good and distinguished and are based on concrete brotherly bonds and special relations even among the officials, beyond official limits and protocols.

In an interview to Al-Bayan and Emirates Today newspapers published in their editions of Wednesday in Abu Dabi, the president renewed his welcome of Gulf investments in Yemen, in particular and the Arab and foreign ones in general. Hew confirmed they will receive all care and support and will be offered all guarantees and facilities according to the valid laws and the law of investment.

The president also talked about priorities of the coming period for enhancing development in the country and achievement of goals of his election platform during the upcoming seven years, clarifying that among priorities for are the enhancement of comprehensive development, fighting poverty and curbing unemployment and corruption. President Saleh confirmed the political leadership has political will for fighting corruption which has begun receding by virtue of the measures taken by the central apparatus for monitoring and accounting, courts of public property, watching of the parliament, and the measurers taken by the government as well as establishment of the authority of bids and tenders, issuance of the law of combating corruption stipulating the formation of an authority on combating corruption. Those were in addition to sending to court all those who are charged with manipulating the public property or administrative corruption. The president said among the agenda of parliament and Shoura Council at the end of February is the completion of procedures for the establishment of an authority on fighting corruption according to corruption fighting law. According to the law the Shoura Council will present to parliament names of 30 personalities to parliament to choose 11 or 12 of them and then presented to the president of the republic for approval.

The president’s talk included also the topic of managing and operating the Free Zone in Aden. The president made it clear that an international tender was announced for operating and developing it and many companies have presented their offers. Among them is that by Dubai Ports Authority but, he added that four alternatives have been presented. It is the fourth alternative wee are sticking to because it observes interests of the two parties. Those alternatives have been presented to officials of the Dubai Authority and if they will accept the fourth alternative in this case we prefer the Dubai Ports Authority as it possesses efficiency in managing Free Zones otherwise the tender will be repeated with new conditions. He said the file was referred to the government before Al-Adha Eid and the hope it will be decided upon within weeks.

On reports about a government reshuffle the president said ” everything is possible”, confirming that the goal of any new cabinet reshuffle, in case of doing it, is not the replacing of new faces by new ones for the purpose of just change but rather it will be as part of a strategy of implementing developmental programs and there will be the selection of the most competent personalities for carrying out those programs

With regard to fighting terror the president affirmed that Yemen has succeeded in fighting it and was able to supercede the more advanced countries in the technological aspect. Yemen succeeded despite of its scarce potentials to abort many of terrorist crimes before happening.

The president also dealt with hot issues in the region as he considered Iraq an open arena for settling regional and international accounts but affirmed at the same time the Iraqis ability, Shiite and Sunnis and Kurds, to preserve their homeland united, describing the daily killing there as outcomes of individual leaderships. And on the American new strategy and whether Iraq will be united the president said three years have passed since the American occupation and we will see what will happen in the upcoming six months. He said ” My preliminary reading of the American new strategy is that it is failing, ” clarifying that he had earlier sent a message to the American president Bush in which he advised him concerning the situation ion Iraq and explained to his administration its mistakes there.

Concerning Yemen’s efforts regarding establishment of stability in Somalia and achievement of Somali reconciliation, the president disclosed that the Yemeni foreign ministry is presently sponsoring dialogue in Sana’a between the Somali Islamic Courts and the transitional government on the one hand and the American administration and Ethiopia on the other, considering the that the Courts have committed a grave mistake in refusing a Yemeni advice for entering into coalition with the transitional government and considered the Ethiopian military intervention in Somalia as legitimate act as long as it came in response to a call by the Somali transitional government.

On Yemen’s efforts for healing the rift and bringing closer the viewpoints of the brethren in Palestine and Lebanon, president Saleh made it clear that he called president Mahmoud Abbas and the leadership of Hamas for truce and avoiding targeting the Palestinian gun at the Palestinians and also the advice that the call for early elections was not a good idea and hasty one. He asked him to provide the opportunity for Hamas as long as all have accepted the democratic choice. The president added that he has also advised the speaker of the Lebanese parliament Nabih Berri on the dialogue and calming down with the government and not to take to the streets.
The interview also tackled a number of Arab and international issues.

Private Sector Exclusion, Investment Conference Delayed

Filed under: GCC, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 8:16 am on Wednesday, January 10, 2007

News Yemen

NewsYemen was informed that the local private sector might not take part in the conference of “Investment Opportunities” to be held in Sana’a next February due to a dispute occured between the government and private sector after the former refused some demands the private sector has presented.
The government continues to ignore the role of the private sector that requests to participate effectively in handling the conference along with the government, a source in the General Union of Yemeni Trade and Industrial Chambers told NewsYemen.
Private sector does not want it to be a governmental conference, said the source.
As the government was making preparations for the conference it has excluded the local private sector representatives from the Priparaotry Committee under the pretext of “keeping the state domination”, according to the source.
The Yemeni private sector sees it will be so difficult to convince Arab and foreign investors to invest in a country where the government excludes the local private secor and prevents it from just participation in prior preparations. It pointed that the government wrong policy is indicated in the Arab Economic Report 2006 recently published.

Conference delayed until April.

GCC SG in Sanaa Prime Minister Abdul Qader Ba-Jammal along with Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Abdul Rahman al-Attiyah headed a meeting of the preparatory committee of the first conference for Discovering Investment Opportunities (DIO) in Yemen.

PFC: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which groups six oil-rich Arab countries, said on Monday it would sponsor a conference on Yemen’s investment potentials in next April.

GCC’s Secretary-General Abdul-Rahman al-Atiyya told reporters in Sana’a the meeting, slated for April 8-10, would bring together businessmen and representatives of the private sector from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.

The conference is part of efforts by the GCC countries to give Yemen a much-needed economic boost to help the impoverished Arabian Peninsula country prepare its economy for a potential integration with their economies.

Atiyya said regional and international organisations, including the World Bank, the UN Development Programme and the Islamic Bank for Development, were working with the Yemeni government to prepare a package of open investments.

“Yemen has made a big progress in the march towards the real partnership,” with the Arab Gulf states, al-Atiyya said.

Yemen, which has been seeking full membership in the GCC for several years, was admitted to the GCC ministerial councils of education, health and social affairs and to the Gulf Football Cup in 2001.

Last November, Yemen received pledges of 4.7 billion dollars in aid during a donor conference in London. More than 50 per cent of the pledged aid package was provided by the GCC countries.

More from the YT:

SANA’A, Jan. 13 — The Gulf Cooperation Council’s General Secretariat and the Yemeni Industry Ministry announced the postponement of the Investment Conference from February to April. Neither side indicated why they adjourned the conference.

During his visit to Yemen last week, GCC Secretary-General Abdurrahman Al-Atteyyah said the conference was postponed in order to guarantee more effective participation by Gulf investors.

(Read on …)

Saleh, an Orphan of Saddam

Filed under: GCC, Iraq, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 10:11 pm on Sunday, January 7, 2007

KUWAIT: A large number of MPs are preparing to call for convening a special session following the Eid holidays to debate Kuwait’s foreign policy towards Arab countries that have seen protests against the execution of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. The National Action Bloc, which comprises eight MPs, called on the government in a statement yesterday to “revise its foreign policy with regards to Arab countries” on the basis of their reaction to the execution. The bloc also said it will request for convening a special session to debate the issue and call for halting foreign aid to those countries.
Lawmakers have in the past two days strongly condemned the positions of Yemen, Libya, Palestinian factions and certain groups in Jordan that deplored Saddam’s execution and hailed him as a martyr.

(Read on …)

Reform Necessary for Development

Filed under: Corruption, Donors, UN, Economic, GCC, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 8:22 am on Friday, November 17, 2006

SANAA, 15 November (IRIN) - Analysts have said the Yemeni government must be serious in implementing reforms if it is to benefit from the aid pledges that are being made at an important donor conference being held in London on Wednesday and Thursday.

“Yemen is now at a crossroads and needs to help itself by achieving real reforms and fighting corruption,” said Abdul-Aziz al-Tareb, head of the Arab Group for Investment and Development. “Yemen is now facing a real challenge, especially as it has development money. It needs to prove its seriousness in achieving development, fighting corruption and improving its infrastructure and economy.”

(Read on …)

Fear Mongering on the International Stage

Filed under: Al-Qaeda, Donors, UN, GCC, Yemen — by Jane Novak at 8:26 am on Thursday, November 16, 2006

He does it so well.

Saleh: poverty pasture for terrorism
LONDON, Nov. 15 (Saba) - In his speech to donor meeting, Saleh stated that poverty is a “fruitful pasture to attract youth people
and then recruit them to commit suicides”.

We, in Yemen, like other countries, suffered from terrorism most recent of which was the attacks on oil facilities during last
September elections, Saleh said, pointing to the two foiled attempts in Marib and Hadhrmout.

We have to work with each other to stabilize peace and security in the region, and to establish a giant force with a considerable
resources and capabilities, Saleh added.

Saleh re-welcomed Gulf investments, particularly in strategic projects Yemen is in need for such as electrification projects.

When we talk about nuclear energy, we do not mean to be a nuclear state. We want to economically use nuclear energy for civil
and peaceful use. Such projects can be established in Emirates, SaudiArabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman or Yemen so that we would dispense with others’ help, Saleh concluded.

This we know is untrue. As a Harvard study demonstrated, the correlation is not between economic poverty and terrorism, but between political poverty and terrorism. The shortage of rights and freedoms, and the inability to participate and effectively influence one’s government are most closely associated with terrorism. Many terrorists are middle class, well educated and alienated from their host society. Their ability to accept the perversion of universal ethical standards and to murder children with a clear conscience is less a function of ignorance than indoctrination.

The overwhelming poverty and resulting humanitarian crisis in Yemen is dire. Authentic governmental reform, democratization and anti-corruption efforts would have a greater impact on minimizing both poverty and the threat of terrorism than the several billion dollars of promised donor funds.

Report Issued by The Southern Democratic Assembly (TAJ)

Filed under: Al-Qaeda, Corruption, Crime, Economic, GCC, Iraq, Military, Oil, Presidency, Proliferation, Security Forces, Yemen, prisons — by Jane Novak at 6:29 pm on Thursday, November 9, 2006

Paper prepared for the Yemeni Consultative Group Meeting, held
from 15th -16th November 2006, London

First of all the executive committee of Southern Democratic
Assembly salute all the delegates representing countries, organisations
and all participants in the conference and would like to present before all
of you a numbers of facts and figures regarding the situation in the
occupied South Yemen, for your serious consideration.

The Southern Democratic Assembly (TAJ) is a political organisation that
struggles to liberate South Yemen peacefully and insure that there is a
free and independent state for the southerners.

The South of Arabia was granted its independence from the British
colony on 30th November 1967 after an occupation lasted 129 years (19th
January 1839 - 30th November 1967). The independent state was
established on all the southern land, which is 338,000 squared km,
bordered from the east Oman Sultanate, Saudi Arabia from the north,
Arab Republic of Yemen from the Northwest, the Red sea from the West
and the Aden gulf and Arabian sea from the south. It has declared the city
of Aden as its capital and gained a full membership of all regional and
international organisations including the United Nations and the Arab
league which lasted till 1990.

The National Front that received the independent was a branch of the
Arab Nationalist Movement took the initiative to call the new state
Peoples Republic of South Yemen and amended it to the Peoples
Democratic Republic of Yemen. It was the intention of the new state to
achieve the comprehensive Arab unification due to the adoption of the
national and revolutionary ideology that was very poplar during the 50s
and the 60s of the last century.

On the 22nd 1990 the unification was declared between Peoples Republic
Democratic of Yemen with population of nearly 2 million according to
the 1988’ census and Arab Republic of Yemen, covering an area of
160,000 square km with the population nearly 20 million (there was no
accurate census) with Sana’a city as its capital. Bearing in mind that there
was no referendum was conducted amongst the people of South Yemen
regarding the future of their country which was a clear breach to the
Aden’s historical convention of 30th November 1989. The new unified
state has encountered many obstacles and conflicts due to the different
cultures, visions and means of building the modern state between the two
different political leaderships of the two countries. Consequently the
conflict has escalated to an extent, which made the president of the Aِrab
Republic of Yemen; the Marshal Ali Abdullah Saleh declare on 27th April
1994 the un fair war, which lasted for 2 months against the South of
Yemen, which ended with the fall of Aden and the full military
occupation of the South in July 1994.

Since July 1994 the people of South Yemen has been living under the
northern tribal and military occupation causing lots of suffering and
hardship to the people in the South.

The northern occupying authority has not been satisfied with plundering
the wealth and implementing exclusion and depravation policy against
the southerners but also it continues to practice aggression such as
committing serious killings of children, men and women. It has also
committed various actions to forge the historical and geographical facts
and to omit the identity of the South.

The Southern Democratic Assembly (TAJ) continues its peaceful struggle
to get rid of this brutal occupation and underdevelopment and for selfdetermination
to build a free and independent state for Southerners.

Again TAJ would like to assert that it does not recognise any agreements
and conventions signed by the occupation regime in particularly after 7th
July 1994, and has the legal right to bring back all its legitimate right.
TAJ calls on the international community to provide full back up for the
Southerners and ensure urgent implementation of the Security Council’s
resolutions 924 and 931 issued during the summer war of 1994 for
ordering the Northern regime to stop its military aggression against the
south. It is important to revisit these resolutions for instructing the
northern military security authorities to withdraw from the south fully and
grant our people in the south their right to Self-determination. TAJ
would also like to revisit the Arab foreign minister’s decision of their
meeting, which took place in, the city of Abha; Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
94 concerns the situation of south Yemen.

The regime of the dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh that has been leading
Yemen since 1978 and occupying the south for 12 years has no intention
to establish a modern constitutional state. Instead he continues to exert his
effort by setting up a repressive and corrupt regime that is heavily used to
eliminate political opponents and violate human rights and freedom. This
regime is very well known to have provided safe havens for terrorists,
exports terrorism and smuggles arms to neighbouring countries which
contribute to a large scale in creating instability in those countries. This
regime continues to wreck the already fragile Yemeni economy by
counterfeiting the Yemeni currency (Riyals) and the foreign currencies of
neighbouring and others countries.

Everybody could refer to the evidence such as photographs, facts and
figures that we have provided in this paper for confirmation. We feel
under obligation to alert and warn all responsible people i.e. Arabs,
foreigners and international organisations of the danger that this regime
will inflict upon the future of the people of Yemen, regional countries and
the world as a whole.

The Southern Democratic Assembly (TAJ) calls on our brothers in the
Gulf Cooperation Council to understand and support the southerner’s
peaceful struggle for freedom. We would also like to take this opportunity
to advise them not to fall into the trap that the south has fallen in by
giving the corrupt dictatorship regime a chance to mess up the situation
and the people of the Gulf States.

TAJ warns all conference participants that any support offered to the
dictatorship regime in Sana’a led by Ali Abdullah Saleh will only be used
to enhance corruption, repression, increase poverty rate and instability.
Thus terrorists’ activities will also increase and the suffering of our
people will be prolonged.

Examples of the occupiers’ corruption in the south
• Since declaring the unification on 22nd May 1990 the Yemeni
regime has not implemented its commitments to convert Aden city
to a free zone and economic capital, just promises and lies only. On
the opposite the following acts indicate that he is destroying the
city’s future:

• The regime is selling the Aden port through influential bodies with
the businessman Abdullah Buqshan in a suspicious deal in order to
exclude it of the competition with neighbouring ports including
Jabal Ali in Dubai.

• According to that suspicious deal the capacity of the port of Aden
well make it capable to receive 3 millions containers only after 35
years, while the capacity of Salalah; the port of the Sultanate of
Oman is currently(2006) receives 4 million containers. Not to
mention the competitor port of Jabal Ali in Dubai, this will receive
55 million containers after 15 years only!!

• Despite the fact that the previous southern state spent 7o million
dollars on enlarging and creating a new quay in the port Mualla,
the authority has leased it to Dubai only at annual rate of $225,000
in four instalments.

• The government paid $ 200 million compensation to (Yemenfest)
for the withdrawal from the containers terminal at Aden port. The
company left the country due to the epidemic of the corruption and
to lawlessness after the attacks on the warship U.S.S Cole and the
French tanker Limburg. However the authority leases the
containers terminal to Dubai company according to the agreement,
which presented before the parliament; for a annual rate of half
million dollars lasting for 35 years, equivalent of $50 million for
the whole lease period, which mean the state will lose $148
million. (Source: original agreement’s text).

• Recently the president has granted one of the trading houses; (Hael
Saeed Anam’s group) a whole quay at the campus of the port of
Aden without paying one penny to the government. The group has
obtained a straightforward agreement stating that the quay is
granted and put in possession of the group!!(Published at several
electronic news sites).

• The Military and Economical Establishment trades and smuggles
on behalf of the president Saleh and some influential relatives
various things using the military ships of the previous southern
navy. The establishment is exempted from port charges under the
pretext that it transfers weapons to the governorates. It is worth to
be mentioned that this establishment is not subject to any
supervision or any financial control of the government.

• Installing illegal collection points inside the campus of Aden port
and interfering blatantly in all affairs of the port and controlling
unlawfully its aeronautical activities.

• Aden airport was closed before the international flights and turned
into an internal airfield.

• Influentials at the occupation authority have been digging artesian
wells haphazardly causing a big secrecy to the water in the city of
Aden. They get the water free, bottle and sell it to the market.

• Two years ago Aden has obtained a loan of $45 million provided
by the British government in very easy terms to build an alternative
hospital replacing the current Republican one. The corrupt tried in
Sana’a sizing on the loan. Unfortunately the loan was cancelled
after it was revealed that an attempt to seize the amount by officials
from the headquarter in Sana’a.

• The occupation authority seized a researching boat called (Ibn
Majed) that was donated by the Japanese government to the
Institute of Marine Science during southern state before 1990. The
boat now is used in exporting shrimps abroad by private company,
which is belonging to one of the president relatives.

• The strategic oil installations in Hugaif, Aden were delivered to
one of the president assistants, Tawfeeq Abdulraheem according to
the agreement signed by the ministry of the of oil and minerals on
11th March 2003.( Source- Alshoura newspaper, volume no481,13 May
2004.)

• Aden refinery is being neglected and destroyed despite it is one of
the main sources of the country. The occupiers have looted and
deliver its income to influential officials in Sana‘a at the same time
the authority is building another refinery in Hodaida city value of
$450 million.

• The head of the occupation regime Ali Abdullah Saleh has
smuggled the country wealth to the Dutch and Germany banks. The
Germany magazine Dearshpeagl”Focus” has estimated the Yemeni
President’s wealth at $ 20 billion. (Source: diplomatic magazine)
published in London in August 2004).

• In a suspicious deal, influential officials have signed to sale gas to
Korean companies less than 40% of the official price in the world
market (Source. Petroleum Economist, March 2005).

• Influential officials have looted large quantities of gold that is
mined from the south. They sold it on the world market without
declaring or supplying revenue to the state treasury. According to
gold global market in Dubai, Yemen is among the 10 countries
exporting gold.

• They have manipulated and squandered the oil wealth of the south
by concluding a deal to sale the Government’s shares in the oil
sector No. 53 in the Hadhramout to a foreign company at 13
million and 123 thousand dollars, which deprived the state treasury
of $ 200 million at least.(Source: Alshoura newspaper,14 / 04 / 2004).

• Plundering of fish stocks by the close bodies to the President
through granting licenses to private and foreign companies to fish
indiscriminately and illegally.

• An illusory budget of (700 billion riyals)equivalent to $3 billion
and 535,000,000 was allocated additional to the government’s one
for the current year 2006 (Re: the Yemeni Parliament).

• A large amount of (600 billion riyals)equivalent to $3 billion and
303,000,000 from the differences of the sale price of oil for the
current year 2006 was not declared and not delivered to the
government treasury (Source Yemeni Parliament).

• The huge amounts of taxes of 40 billion and 116 million Yemeni
riyals equivalent to 202 million and 585 thousand dollars that were
collected in the provinces were not supplied to the state treasury.
Source : Central Agency for the Control and Accounting, Althawri newspaper
No.1925 17 August, 2006

• The total amount, which was looted from the oil sector and
Government budget and taxes for 2006 only for the benefit of
the President and corrupts thugs gang of his companions
reached 1340 billion and 581 million Yemeni riyals equivalent
to seven billion and 240 million and 708 thousand dollars
Notes: Money looted from other sectors such as gas, gold and fish
stocks are not included.

• The amount of (3.549.573.053) three billion, five hundred and
forty-nine million, five hundred and seventy-three thousand, fifty
three Yemeni Riyal has been laundered by presidential instructions.
The amount has been diverted from the account of the “expansion
project, the Great Mosque” to Hamoud Alshobami the financial
officer of the General Public Congress Party, that is headed by the
President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The scandalousness was revealed
by Mohammed Qahtan Head of the Political Department of the
Yemeni Congregation for Reform. (Source: Http: / /
www.nasspress.com/news.asp?n_no=3001&sss).

• A large amount of drugs has been smuggled across the Indian
Ocean to the southern Yemeni governorate in Hadhramout, and
from there it has been exported and smuggled across the land to the
neighbouring countries. The operation is managed and supervised
by someone close to the Yemeni president.( Source: Jane Novak
Worldpress.org contributing editor, October 14, 2005)

• Investors are subject to a continuous harassment, blackmail and
extortion carried out by the influential officials from the occupation
authority. Here are some examples:

1. The Contractor Ahmad Al-Sorimah the owner of Across the
Sahara Company, which is specialised in the international
roads construction. The authority has refused to pay the
company its dues after the completion of all projects;
consequently the company has raised the issue before the
World Bank’s Court in Paris, which is in charge in resolving
commercial disputes.

2. .The two businessmen Abdullah Al-Husseini and Khaled
Abdul-Ghani with other investors from UAE and Saudi
Arabia were involved in constructing (Hadhramout Refinery
Project). They left the country and have not returned until
now due to the artificial disruptions that they have
encountered. After the authority managed to stop
implementing the project, they are now trying to put another
tender without to resolve the issue with existing investors.

3. The Government has bought the share of the businessmen
Taher Bawazeer and Osama Bawazeer at Aden port about $
120 million, and gave the money to another body rather to
Bawazeer; the owners of the shares.

4. The owner of Aden Sheraton Hotel, Abdullah Al-Katheeri
has left the country and refused to return preferring to live
in the UAE away from the occupation Government’s
harassment and blackmail, by imposing additional and
informal(political security and taxation)charges.

Military Expenditures

According to a report prepared by the American Centre
for Strategic and International Studies a few months ago,
that during the past few years it has been noticed that a
remarkable increase in military spending in Yemen as
follows:

Expenditure has increased from $ 482 million in 2001 to
$809 million in 2003 and $942 million in 2005.This high
expenditure is carried out through mediators who are
close to the President. Such high expenditures are a
serious burden on the Yemeni economy as Yemeni
military spending during 1990s did not exceed $ 539
million. It has been found that Yemen still continues to
raise arms imports.

Examples of the occupation practices and violation of
human rights and public freedoms

• Looting the state’s land and real estate in the south
and distributing them to the President’s family and
companions.

• The Budget of Aden governorate (the capital of the
south) is less than the budget of Al-Thawra Hospital
in Sana’a.

• Demobilising by force nearly half million people from
civil and military personnel of the southern state and
replacing them by those from the Yemen Arab
Republic.

• Referring the majority of southern personnel women
of the University of Aden to the forced demobilisation
and recruiting other teachers from the Arab Republic
of Yemen to replace them.

• Implementing unfair policy of depriving Southern
young people of education and restricting the study
abroad to those from the Arab Republic of Yemen.

• Practicing deliberate murder on southern women,
children and men by the occupation soldiers and
officers without bringing the criminals to justice.

All of these martyrs were killed by the occupation forces
without any guilt, while the killers are enjoying the
authority’s protection. No justice for the victims because
they are southerners.

Yemen and Terrorism

For two decades, the name of Yemen is associated with a large number of
explosions and accidents carried out by Islamic extremists, and provide a
safe haven to many of the Jihad movements. These movements have
received financial support, training and facilities to carry out attacks
targeting Western interests and some of the Arab countries in and outside
Yemen as well.

Many reports and statements indicate that the Jihad members have
received financial support and training from the official bodies and
foundations of the State and are supervised by leaders who are in
important civil, military and political state’s positions. The general Ali
Mohsen Al-Ahmar; half brother of the president Saleh, the leader of the
1st Armoured Division and Commander of the military region of the
Northern part of the country, is in charge for recruiting the Jihad
members who returned from Afghanistan; in the security and military

(M آOPH ا QKRGH اSTU دوع GH ا GJKL
Tawfeeq Abdul Ethar Fares Moneerah Ahmed
Kareem Hussein Alkhadher
Masoud Taleb Awadh Alhanki)

institutions and retain them equipped and trained as well. In an interview
with the leading element who returned from Afghanistan; Mustafa Paddy
(Abu Allojri) – Yemeni newspaper Al-Wasat March 15, 2006.) Also he
confirmed that when he was a leader of a Camp in Afghanistan, that Abdul-
Majeed Al-Zendani; Chairman of the Council of the Yemeni Congregation
for Reform and the President of Al-Ima’an (the faith) University,
he went to Afghanistan in 1992- at that time he was a member of the
Presidency of the Yemen -and asked the militants to pledge allegiance
and return to Yemen to implement specific tasks. (The same earlier source).
He also stressed that he is assured of the future of the Jihad (fighting)
because of the regime experience and wisdom in maintaining the Jihad
member and keeping them equipped and safe for the future to fight
anywhere else when it is necessary.

The prominent Jihad’s member; Rashad Mohammed Said so-called (Abu
Al-Fida’a) who is very close to Osama Ben Laden has commended at the
wisdom of the Yemeni authorities in hosting the Jihad’s members and
confirmed that these groups are more pervasive and powerful in Yemen
and in the whole Arabian Peninsula. (Rashad Mohammed Said (Abu Al-Fida’a) -
interview with the Yemeni newspaper Al-Wasat October 19, 2006.)

The escape of 23 members of Al-Qaeda prisoners from the political
security jail in Sana’a in February 2006, a similar incident of assisted
escape of a numbers of Al-Jihad’s prisoners from Aden’s jail some years
ago and 7 members of what is called Hata’ab’s group ran away from Al-
Bahreen prison in Abyan in July 2006. Due to these incidents it was
discovered that there were many members of these groups operating
within the political security organisation and the controversial statements
made by the president with regard to his confirmation that the escapees
prisoners are in the Yemen and he is in touch with them. An interview
with Ali Abdullah Saleh published in Al-Hayah newspaper, based in
London, issued in February 2006.

These findings indicate that the Yemeni regime itself uses the terrorism to
blackmail the regional countries and it has a good relationship with Al-
Jihad’s members and their activities.

(Al-Qaeda and the Holly alliance: Saleh, Al-Zendani,
Ali Mohsen and Bin Laden. The authoritarian,
financial, spiritual and military integration.)

Both the evidence and information indicate that who carried out the bombing
attack on the American Warship USS Cole in Aden port in October 2000 are
well-known bodies to the Yemeni regime and some of who were involved still in
their jobs. Moreover the facts confirm that high-ranking officers serving in the Republican Guard are directly related to jihad groups. All these evidences indicate the extent of the link between the current Yemeni regime and Al-Jihad’s terrorist activities.
The Yemeni claim to fight terrorism is a mere tactic by the government in
order to deal with the foreign pressure and to stray other countries from
looking at Yemen as a state that support terrorism.

Numerous reports have uncovered that the Yemeni Authorities have
established several military camps inside Yemen and provided them with
heavy and medium arms such as anti-plane missile and Mortar arbitrary.
Source: (an interview with Al-Jihad’s member Mr Ali Abu AL-hind by Alwasat
newspaper in August 2005).

The Yemeni authorities also cooperate in regrouping those fighters who
returned from Afghanistan, amongst them the Afghan Arab, members of
Al-Qaeda and a large number of fugitives from countries such as Egypt,
Jordan, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Libya and Kuwait. Half brother of the
president; General Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar was st