In memory of reconciliation and tolerance: Preserve the people of the South before their patience runs out

SMA NEWS – ADEN THE CAPITAL
Written by\ Major General Ahmed Saeed Bin Brik, Vice President of the Southern Transitional Council

Seventeen years have passed since the great people of the South adopted the principle of reconciliation and tolerance, starting from the capital, Aden, in a collective stance witnessed by history by transforming the tragic anniversary into an occasion that establishes the cohesion of the southern social fabric, on the thirteenth of January 2006.
Despite all the intelligence, military and security repressive attempts of the Yemeni occupation machine against the South, and all the way to the top of the pyramid of power, to openly and secretly incite in order to suppress the project of reconciliation and tolerance, the will of the southern people exceeded all of that, and the results of this principle became clear a year and a half after its announcement, through the launch of activities of the southern peaceful movement that was officially launched on July 7, 2007, which in turn led to the disintegration of the conspirators against the southern people and their cause, which directly contributed to the military victory with the support of the Arab coalition countries over the Houthi Afashi occupation forces.
Our southern people did not stop their struggle in seeking to declare their independent southern state at that time, but rather sought to unify the dispersed efforts and consolidate them in one organizational crucible from which the Southern Transitional Council emerged, under the same principle of departure, southern reconciliation and tolerance, this prompted the enemies of the South to conspire again against the South and its cause, by manipulating basic services that affect the daily life of citizens, to which the deteriorating political situation of the country contributed.
Since we are experiencing the anniversary of reconciliation and tolerance, which requires frankness and clarity to be completed and strengthened, we must acknowledge that the southern political leadership has been accompanied by some failures that I attribute to having little political experience, and we should not forget the great legacy of the culture of corruption that accompanied an entire southern generation, in addition to some individual mistakes.
Hence, we find it an opportunity to modify some of the concepts that must be firmly established in the collective awareness of the South, by its leadership and people, and we list some of them as follows:
– Despite the importance of the principle of tolerance among people, the greatest importance lies in the principle of reconciliation, which is the basic foundation in building societies, but there must be a real willingness to make concessions from everyone to everyone without exception.
– Consolidating the principle of transparency in all government and regulatory departments and sections, and reducing the material and moral differences between leaders and citizens, to enable a feeling of reconciliation among all segments of society.
– Rooting the idea that the leadership did not come to its position in honor and gratitude for what it provided, whatever it was; rather, it is a mandate accepted by these leaders to serve the people and achieve their aspirations, and whoever sees the opposite must make room for others.
– Reconciliation with the families of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives, and the wounded who and their families are suffering because of the enormous sacrifices, in order to achieve the aspirations of the people, and to pay attention to them realistically to make amends for the damage they have suffered.
– The necessity of adopting a realistic media discourse that touches on the issues of the nation and citizens to strengthen the unity of the southern fabric and establish social justice and southern cohesion.
Last but not least, we must be aware that people like the southern people, with great patience and great awareness, must be preserved, before their patience runs out and turns into a great vengeance against those who underestimated them.