Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2014 14:42:48 +0100
Yemen crisis worsens
After the UN imposes sanctions against two Houthi leaders and ex-president
Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemen's political crisis deepens, leaving the new
government in jeopardy, writes Nasser Arrabyee in Sanaa
Friday,14 November, 2014
Two main groups have refused the 36-member government formed earlier this
week in Yemen after the UN Security Council sanctioned three leaders of
these groups as spoilers.
The two groups have plans to overthrow the government regardless of the
sanctions, after they were excluded from the government.
President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi formed the government after all groups
authorised him to do so, including the Houthi group and Saleh Party that now
refuse the government.
Saleh Party has refused to participate in the government and announced an
official alliance with the Houthi group, which is now controlling almost all
the provinces of the north by force of arms.
The Houthi group threatened to overthrow the government by revolutionary
escalation if President Hadi ignores their demands.
The group told Hadi to fire the seven ministers included from previous
governments. "Otherwise, we will prevent them from entering the ministries
by force," said Talal Aklan, the member of "revolutionary committee" of the
Houthi group that is still controlling all state institutions in the capital
Sanaa and other main cites and districts.
The Houthis do not want Hadi to appoint replacement ministers from among
them, but they want to monitor and participate in decision-making, according
to their statements.
The Houthis seek to underline their stance as fighters against corruption
and against the terrorism of Al-Qaeda.
"The revolutionaries must run the controlling and auditing agencies, and
anti-corruption committee, and public fund prosecution offices and the
general prosecution office," said Aklan of the Houthi revolutionary
committee.
As for Saleh Party, that still have a majority in the 301-seat parliament,
they talk about early presidential elections, which means getting rid of
Hadi altogether.
Meanwhile, the two groups refused UN sanctions approved earlier this week
against ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh and two Houthi leaders: Abdul-Khalek
Houthi (the young brother of top leader Abdul-Malik) and Abu Ali Al-Hakim.
Abdul-Khalek, in his 20s, and Al-Hakim are the military leaders of Houthi
groups.
The Houthi group said that the UN sanctions are considered support for
Al-Qaeda and confirmed that it would continue fighting Al-Qaeda without any
fear of such sanctions.
As for Saleh, he said: "My wealth is the love of my people, and anything
else, they can take it - from Yemen or outside Yemen - if they find any."
The strongman, who ruled for 33 years, is using the announced UN sanctions
as a way of increasing his popularity and the influence of his party.
On Friday, tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Sanaa and main
cities all over the country to refuse the sanctions and support Saleh as a
national symbol.
On Saturday, Saleh held party meetings in which President Hadi was sacked as
deputy and secretary general of Saleh Party and replaced by two officials
from the south: Ahmed Obaid Bin Dagher as deputy, and Aref Zuka as secretary
general.
The United States imposed sanctions on Saleh and the two Houthi leaders on
Monday, ordering US companies not to deal with them and to freeze any money
belonging to them in American banks.
UN and US sanctions on the two Houthi leaders have become a source of jokes
and humour between Yemenis.
Observers, however, do not expect the sanctions to be effective.
"If the sanctions were imposed because Houthi occupied Sanaa and other
provinces and Saleh was accused of supporting them, this is not proven,"
said Nabil Subay, a political analyst. "What is proven is that President
Hadi and his minister of defence and minister of interior helped the Houthis
directly and in front of everyone."
The United States is making enemies and increasing hatred against it in
Yemen by such sanctions that anyway will be ineffective.
"The only one who can implement the sanctions is Al-Houthi," said Subay
ironically.
"He is the only one who can take action in Yemen, including punishing Hadi."
Yemen crisis worsens
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