Worldbulletin.net: Yemen's Houthis reject federalism blueprint

The movement argued that the peace and partnership agreement rules out the division of the country into six administrative regions under a federal system

World Bulletin/News Desk

26.12.2012

Yemen's Shiite Houthi group on Wednesday rejected a blueprint for dividing the turbulent Arab Peninsula state into six regions under a new federal system.

"There are attempts to go round the structure of the old Yemeni state," the Houthi group, which has controlled the Yemeni capital Sanaa in late September, said in a statement.

"Some people try to impose the six regions in the new constitution in a bid to go round the peace and partnership agreement," it added.

The movement argued that the peace and partnership agreement, which was signed by Yemen's political forces in September, rules out the division of the country into six administrative regions under a federal system.

Houthis have emerged as an important political and military force in Yemen when it controlled the capital in September and then moved on to control other areas.

The rise of Houthis, however, has pitted the movement against Sunni tribes across Yemen and al-Qaeda, which is also powerful in Yemen.

Yemen has been in turmoil since the ouster of long-serving President Ali Abdullah Saleh in 2012.