opinion
To Mr. Martin Griffith …. A Peace Message from Aden…!
Peace Be Upon You
Tomorrow, the southern people will come out, peacefully, again, to deliver a peaceful message to you and to the world. Our people came out tens, even hundreds, of times with their bare chests during the era of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. Our people went into two uprisings in two wars imposed to us by military force. Our goal was to let the world listen to the region and the whole world so that they can work with us on a fair agreed upon solution that preserves the interests of the two brother peoples in the north and south and provides the two countries with security, development and welfare while maintaining the world trade and navigation paths safe and secure. Today, I’m confident that you have all the information and know all details. I can even assure that you know well where the problem is with a clear perspective of how to solve it. Today, I’m convinced that you are working hard and wisely to find a correct, permanent and stable solution that does not lead to future wars or disasters. We know that our brothers in Saudi Arabia are working very hard to help. But it is not acceptable that some suggests to them that a sectarian hostile militia that works according to hostile agenda targeting their security and stability to take control over the rule of a neighbor country just to turn into a major threat for them that works on demolishing their security and stability.
Dear Mr. Griffith
Your bonded with security council’s decision no. 2216. But we know, just as you, that this decision is not fulfilling the current stage requirements. Several changes took place and your wisdom is required to draw a clear and real image about these changes. You have to tell all facts as it is, not like some of them, who think that the end of this war and the rightful solution of the southern cause will threat their interests and privileges, imagine it is. They are well-known and even some of them are listed either in the decision no. 2216 or on international terrorists lists.
Dear Mr. Griffith
We hope that you will tell UN Security Council the following points:
We, the southern people, are on our soil. We didn’t invade anyone. We didn’t colonize any one. We have no intention to robe anyone’s lands or fortunes.
We, the southern people, went into this union voluntarily (according to a political agreement not referendum). But the union failed and resulted in death and devastation of both countries and both peoples.
Is it acceptable that after sacrificing more than 35 thousand martyrs and injured with mass destruction of infrastructure of the south in addition to hundreds of thousands of causalities of war, poverty and sickness, to suggest to the southern people just to try again what proved to be failure?
Does anyone of our brothers and friends in the world think that the 50/50 solution, as suggested in their national dialogue, is a fair solution? Is it acceptable that 6 million southern citizens take half while 20 million northern citizens take the other half? Is this a fair, acceptable or even ethical solution? The southern people suffered injustice because of unfair shares of zero to the south and 100% to the north. But we will never accept to practice injustice just because some politicians think they are intelligent enough to set us a trap, lead us to it and then demand ratification. At that time, the whole world, including me, will support them.
Is it acceptable that thousands of southern cadres to be transferred to Sanaa again with their families under any government (central or federal)? This is nonsense.
Can this poor country, exhausted by war, afford the expenses of transfer and displacement of these cadres again in Sanaa and in Aden?
Could these two oppressed peoples overcome psychological blocks built due to this unfortunate union easily. Peoples of Europe, who are even more educated and have higher civil culture couldn’t overcome such blocks till now. What do you think about us with tribalism as a major component of our culture? It is the most serious threat that currently face us.
Dear Mr. Griffith
At the very beginning of Yemeni crisis in 1994, and before signing the convention agreement in Jordan, the late Sheikh Abdullah Ben Hussain Al-Ahmar said that the only solution is to “break it with a shew!”. He said it truly and wisely, even if he chose inconvenient words but he expressed iot according to his culture. Since then, this is the only solution.
Dear Mr. Griffith
Our brothers in the Gulf Cooperation Council assured in Abha in 1994 that this union can never be imposed by force. They were wise enough to realize the reality. This was before all this bloodshed and devastation occur. Today, younger leadership with more open view should be with this opinion. No one wants to encourage separation. But the price of this union is the death of two neighbor peoples. This is inconvenient and unacceptable. We tried that before and results are even worse than we can imagine.
Dear Mr. Griffith
Several sectors of my exhausted people, those who are able to come out, will come out again peacefully. Tomorrow we will send a message of peace through you to your UN Security Council. We will send a clear message saying: “Talk about the south with the southern people”, “Talk about peace with the southern people” and “Changed decision no. 2216 so that Mr. Griffith can succeed. Or at least support him with another decision so that he can find his way to a fair solution to the southern cause. He can not go on chained like his predecessors while you want him to succeed!”.
To our brothers in Saudi Arabia we say: We understand your fears and appreciate your responsibilities. We are grateful to your undeniable efforts. You are part of us and we are part of you. But it is time for painful, but courageous and correct decisions.
To our brothers in UAE we say: You have never failed us and we will never fail you. Thanking you is not enough.
Dear Mr. Griffith
Tomorrow, while you are sitting to the negotiation table with the aim of solving the Yemeni crisis, please remember that there are people in the south who are not represented on your table while you intend to discuss the affairs of their war and peace. We exist, my dear, on the ground. Just listen to our voices here in Aden and everywhere in the south. One people with one tongue, even if positions are different. Tomorrow, we will be with you, not very far from your table in Geneva but very close on the soil of Aden where your war and peace will be determined, because for you, it is a mission and crisis. But for us, it is a matter of life and will.
Best Regards
Professor Abd Al-Nasser Al-Wali
Aden
September 5th, 2018.
