In an Interview with Sputnik, Ben Brik Identifies Goals of the Southern National Assembly
What are the legal bases of the first round of the southern national assembly?
The first round of the national assembly of the southern transitional council is one of the political rights of the southern person after his major sacrifices in defeating the sectarian coup of conquering gangs. 99% percent of the southern territories are liberated and General Aidarous Al-Zubaidi was delegated to restore the independent southern state.
While you hold sessions of the first round of the southern national assembly, who recognizes the outcomes and recommendations of these sessions?
The national assembly of the southern transitional council is one of the organizations formed on the ground and recognized by the southern people who liberated his organizations from the so-called Yemenization imposed forcefully on the south. As southern citizens, we are eager to restore our freedom and our state organizations through these newly formed organizations in a peaceful way till now. We have public support as we held the first round of our southern national assembly in the southern capital, Aden, protected by southern people.
What are the expected outcomes of these meetings and how will they be enforced on the ground?
During the first round, we discussed current laws and legislations that don’t fit with our reality with all negative aspects in it. A legislative and constitutional commission was formed to decide on upcoming laws and constitution of the country, to be ready when we achieve the goal of independent state and to avoid any miss or delay. When we reach this point laws and legislations will be put to referendum after discussing them.
What does it mean to you that the national assembly is categorized as “shadow parliament”?
All organizations formed by the southern transitional council are public organizations and infrastructure of the upcoming state in a peaceful democratic way. It is ready to function officially in case of any sudden collapse of the state. Our friends advised us to prepare such organizations, laws and legislations to avoid any miss, legal or legislative vacancy. This meeting is a clear message to everyone.
How will the southern citizens be united on one goal?
The southern transitional council did not minimize the role of any southern component and opened the door to all. There is clear consistency among historic leaderships of the south and the council on a major goal, that is freedom and liberation of our southern people. We may differ on the means of achieving it but our project is as clear as daylight. We are determined to restore the southern state and liberate our southern people. There are no conflicts between leaders and the council, even if they are not in its organizational structure. We had many discussions that led to two major points: first, the political speech should be unified as long as the goal is unified and second, negotiation teams should be unified. We will continue discussion with historic leaders and prominent figures including sultans who ruled before independence. The council is open to all and with all political components of the south.
What is the nature of conflicts between you and president Hady?
We have no conflicts with president Hady currently.
The southern equation is very complex… you are talking about an independent state and at the same time support the Arab Coalition, while the Arab Coalition is talking about Yemeni Union. Would you explain this to us?
You should know that Al-Houthi coup against legitimacy forced a de facto status supported by part of international powers. At the same time, Yemeni government has the desire to negotiate with them. the south and the southern transitional council stands for the legitimacy and president Hady. We support the coalition against Al-Houthis and restored legitimacy. Nevertheless, no one recognizes our cause. This is illogic. We only demand our legitimate right that we fought for since 1994 and sacrificed for it thousands of victims.
Illogical equation said that coup forces are recognized and those who restored legitimacy are not. On the other hand, we demand our right. We fight with the coalition in the north, not because we are against the northern people, but because we want to relieve oppression off them too.
Our destiny is determined by our realistic public will on the ground and our peaceful pursuit till now. We demand UN envoy to consider our southern cause. We don’t mind international solutions that fit for our project of independence and restoring our southern state.
What is your position in negotiations that facts indicate its approach?
As southern, we delegated the southern transitional council to restore our independence and our southern state. We consider that the southern cause is the core of the conflict since 2015. We reside in a geographic land that is of major significance of the whole world as it controls international navigation and trade in Bab Al-Mandeb, the coast and Arab Gulf. If the international society forced us to an undesired solution we can say that there will be no stability in this region unless the southern cause is solved.
Everyone talks about naval passages and straights of the Red Sea. Iran indicated that if it is prevented off exporting oil, it will prevent oil exports in the whole region?
Conflict in Yemen is not isolated from Middle East conflict. It is based on major powers’ interests. These interests will return to normal if the southern cause is solved. Major powers talk about straights, seaports, free navigation, internationalization of naval passages and peoples’ fortunes. The international society can not enforce measures to end up a whole people. The international society needs peace and stability of this region to guarantee the stability of international navigation and trade.
Is there a direct Emirati support for the southern transitional council and the national assembly?
We get moral support of the Arab Coalition as we, the southern, are the only power that stands with them in fights. This support is from the Arab Coalition in general and especially from UAE. As a political power, the southern transitional council exists in all Arab capitals, not only in UAE.
There are military forces formed in the south like giants’ brigades. These troops follow whose orders?
These troops follow legitimacy orders and they are all southern.
There is news about meetings of southern persons and leaders of Ansar Allah in Masqat, what is the nature of such communications?
Those are mercenaries. As a chairman of the national assembly, I defy anyone who attended such meetings with Al-Houthis in Masqat to gather a hundred persons on the ground.
