South Yemenis want inclusion in UN talks

geneva — A separatist leader from south Yemen said a UN-mediated peace deal that fails to address the south’s wish for self-determination would be “dangerous” and could trigger a new conflict.

In the war between the Iranaligned Houthi movement and Yemen’s internationally backed President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, southern forces form part of a Saudiled coalition fighting the Houthis.

As such, the south — where many long wanted to secede from the north — is not included in peace talks mediated by UN negotiator Martin Griffiths as a party in its own right. Ahmed Omar bin Fareed, a senior member of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), the southern separatist movement’s political body, said the south needed to be included

in the peace process to avoid further conflict if a deal does not satisfy their demand for self-determination. “They will not accept this. And they will fight again,” Bin Fareed said.

“So you have two choices: start another war against them to start another crisis, or to understand the aspirations of the people, and to avoid any political crisis or unrest in the region. They will likely defend

their interests if they feel their interests are marginalised in the diplomatic process.”

The STC has met Griffiths three times and he understands their aspirations, Bin Fareed said. “He promised us that we will be at the table. But when?”

Excluding the STC while talks progress on a new constitution, a national government and preparation for national elections would be “a difficult scenario for us”.

Griffiths’ biggest breakthrough to date is a deal reached in December for a ceasefire and troop withdrawals from the port city of Hodeida. But this has suffered numerous setbacks and the warring parties have not yet left the port.

North and south Yemen united into a single state in 1990, but when separatists tried to secede from the north in 1994, their forces were swiftly beaten, and more power and resources flowed to the northern capital of Sanaa, angering many.

“Our forces are under the coalition command. We’re not under the leadership of Hadi, but under the leadership of the coalition,” he said. —