Date: Tue Dec 2 18:26:29 2014
South Yemen independence inevitable: Al-Hirak leader
Hassan Ba'oum of Al-Hirak says movement's members considering what steps to
take next in drive for independence
Written by : <http://www.aawsat.net/author/arafat-madabish> Arafat Madabish
on : Tuesday, 2 Dec, 2014
Sana'a, Asharq Al-Awsat-The leader of Yemen's secessionist movement
Al-Hirak, Hassan Ba'oum, claimed on Monday that independence for South Yemen
was only a matter of time, as pro-independence protests continued in the
port city of Aden.
In comments to Asharq Al-Awsat, Ba'oum confirmed that consultations are
ongoing within Al-Hirak over the issue of secession and the restoration of
the state of South Yemen, but stressed that any "escalation" the movement
may take to secure southern independence would be peaceful.
Ba'oum added that Al-Hirak is discussing a timetable for declaring Southern
independence, without divulging what steps or when Al-Hirak aims to take
them. "Independence will be announced at the right time," Ba'oum said.
His comments come as thousands of Yemenis rallied in Aden for independence
on the 47th anniversary of the end of British colonial rule and the
establishment of an independent state of South Yemen. Yemen unified in 1990
but faced immediate problems over perceived disparity between the north and
the south, with a civil war eventually erupting in 1994.
Sources from within Al-Hirak, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on the condition
of anonymity, said the movement would seek to take control of state
institutes and infrastructure in the south of the country within the coming
days as a prelude to declaring independence.
Southern Yemeni political parties and leaders are also holding intense
meetings in Aden to reach a final agreement on what steps should be taken
next, the sources added.
Asharq Al-Awsat spoke to a number of protesters in Aden who backed
"escalation" measures to achieve independence, adding that Al-Hirak's most
recent actions had allowed Southerners' demands to be heard both regionally
and internationally.
Al-Hirak spokesman Ali Haitham Al-Ghareeb said that the movement is moving
towards a consensus on what steps to take following reports of divisions
within it. Ghareeb called for greater "coordination" across the south of the
country, adding that what the movement had achieved with the protests in
Aden should serve as a "model" for future action.
"The escalation in the next period will aim to topple [government]
institutions through coordination between Al-Hirak and the employees and
staff working at these institutions," Ghareeb added.
The spokesman acknowledged that Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi had
addressed a number of Southerners' grievances, but claimed that Al-Hirak
remained committed to "peaceful protests" to achieve Southern independence,
citing a "Southern revolutionary momentum."
People take part in a rally commemorating the anniversary of South Yemen's
independence from British colonial rule in the southern Yemeni city of Aden
November 30, 2014. (Reuters/Yaser Hasan)
People take part in a rally commemorating the anniversary of South Yemen's
independence from British colonial rule in the city of Aden, on November 30,
2014. (Reuters/Yaser Hasan)
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