President Saleh describes separatists as fascists

By Nasser Arrabyee/02/03/2010


The Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh launched an attack on the leaders of the separatists in the south of the country where secession sentiment has been in rise recently.

"They lost their interests, they were at the top of the State, but it's them who did that to themselves, not us, they wanted to go back to the time before 22 of May, 1990," said President Saleh in a meeting with a university students.

Saleh referred to the failed secession attempt of 1994, which was called for by the-then vice president Ali Salem Al Baidh, who is now calling again for separation from his exile in Germany. The South and North of Yemen united in May 22, 1990.


It's impossible to retract the unity, whatever the price is, Saleh told the gathering of students who were mostly from the war-torn Sa'ada province.

"Those who call for using the green flags, they should have used the green flags before the bloody massacre of January 13, 1986," Saleh said referring to the civil war in 1986 between two factions of the Socialist party which ruled the south before unity.

The faction of Ali Saleh Al Baidh won the war against the faction of the then-ruler Ali Nasser Mohammed who is now in the Syrian capital Damascus.

Last week, the German-based Ali Salem Al Baidh, who was forced to leave for Oman after the failed secession attempt of 1994, where he kept out of politics for more than 15 years, called the southerners to take to streets with green flags appealing the international community to help them have independence.

"Fascist forces who were used to conspiracies and killing each other," Saleh said.

Meanwhile, 28 southerners were arrested over the last two days in the two provinces of Hudhrmout and Al Dhale'e where anti-unity demonstrations were staged.

The Ministry of Interior said 16 men were arrested in Ghail Ba Wazeer in Hudhrmout where they made riots and attacked houses and shops belonging to northerners. Three were arrested in Al Shaher area after they implemented riot acts.

Nine men were arrested in Al Dhale'e for participating in unlicensed ant-unity demonstrations.

In this regard, a south-based organization, called Radfan organization for defending unity, said that the separatists forced the school students to take to the streets over the last two days.

The organization condemned these acts against students especially the girls and called for holding the perpetrators accountable.


The organization also called for trying Ali Salem Al Baidh for "massacres and major treason" he made against the nation.