Al-Zubaidy Launches the Southern National Assembly in Adan
Aidarous Al-Zubaidy, president of the southern transitional council, launched the first meeting of the southern national assembly attended by all the 303 members of the assembly, Sheikh Hany Ben Brik, vice president of the southern transitional council, and all members of the council’s presidency. The meeting started with recital of Quran, a minute of silence on the soles of martyrs and then the joint oath of the national assembly and the council. In his speech addressing the joint meeting of the southern national assembly and presidency of the southern transitional council, Al-Zubaidy said:
It is a great honor to meet representatives of the southern people in the first meeting of the first southern parliament. The meeting came under critical political, military and economic conditions but we should all bear our responsibilities towards the south and the welfare of its people who delegated us to pursue its right in establishing a free independent state of the south with Adan as its capital.
Adan was the first capital in Arabia to host an elected parliament that performed all well-known legislative functions at the second half of the the last century, reflecting the civilized sole of democratic organizational work of independent states before the conflicts you all know hindered this democratic path. And now, we are fully determined to regain this organizational work even under critical conditions that may come, but this organizational work is the proof of confidence that we will victor all strategic goals and values that we fought for. There is no doubt that you were chosen for membership of this assembly according to several criteria as nothing is done randomly. We wished to see more faces with patriotic efficacies who deserved to be here today, but I’m fully convinced that you as members of this assembly can represent them as if they were here and to respond effectively to their expectations and the expectations of our southern people as well. The southern transitional council trusts you, and our southern people looks at you are hoping that you will fulfill their expectations. So, don’t fail them and bear your historic responsibility towards them. it is an honor to be part of this historic moment and the council is backing you up to assure that you are doing what you must do for the best of this nation.
Since the beginning of “Storm of Determination” operations, we were active partners in it with all southern social, political and military components. During the first few months, the southern people proved effective in the battel fields with conclusive military victories achieved and recognized by enemies before friends. It is the truth that victories of the southern resistance, with the help and support of the Arab Ally, that defeated Al-Houthi and Saleh’s militias were far beyond our expectations. These victories were never to be achieved unless God the Almighty supported us in addition to our vision that matched the vision of the Arab Ally concerning the serious threat against the Arab national security in general and especially the national security of the gulf states. Through its practices and policies, Iran proved its expansion ambitions and its will to overwhelm the Arab region under a vicious sectarian project. We are fully committed to cooperate with the Arab Ally in war against the Iranian project.
Our second goal that led us to participate actively in these operations was our established convection in our rightful cause and our will to achieve full independence and establish a free independent southern state. this was the strategic and patriotic goal behind our participation. It was the secret behind the victories achieved by heroes of the southern resistance and the main core of our rightful struggle. This struggle started on July 7th 1994, when the regimen of the Arab Republic of Yemen killed the so-called union with military occupation in war that the whole world witnessed and reacted to with international decisions. I’d like to notify our brothers in the Arab Ally, under commandership of Saudi Arabia and UAE in addition to all countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, that they should consider the rightful cause of the south as an integral part of Arabia. We represent your strategic depth and we are partners in achieving security and stability of this significant geographic part. Accordingly, I’d like to remind our brothers in the Arab Ally and Mr. Ismail Wald Al-Sheikh, UN delegate, with the following facts:
• First: ignoring the southern cause, as it seems to happen since the beginning of the so-called national dialogue in Sanaa with all its outcomes, is a self-deception and escape from hard facts concerning the core of this cause as a cause of a nations, people and identity. Shallow treatment of this cause can never solve it.
• Second: the path of UN-supported political negotiations during the stage following the storm of determination, with all our respect to the priorities Mr. Wald Al-Sheikh talked about, clearly indicates that delaying the solution of this cause can never succeed as this solution should come as a top priority before other issues and not vice versa.
• Third: changes in Yemen come quickly with power to cease and others to emerge according to political and military outcomes in the ground. But this is not applicable to representatives of the south as all powers of the south represent a cause, a nation and an identity, not conflicting powers over authority like Sanaa.
• Fourth: establishing the independent southern state on the full national soil according to 1990 borders secures the Arab national security and blocks the Iranian ambitions. It is also coherent with the historic Gulf situation, expressed in the statement of ministers of foreign affairs of Gulf Cooperation Council in Abha, 1994, indicating clearly that the union welcomed by the council’s countries can never continue unless both parties agree on it. We are dealing with our cause accordingly.
• Fifth: we appreciate and respect the requirements of fighting the Iranian project and the strategic goals of the storm of determination, that we reassure that we are part of it, and what can come out in the form of political allies according to the current situation priorities. But we hope that these allies don’t come at the expense of our cause as it is a cause of existence. At the same time, we are open to all wise voices in Yemen that understand our cause and admit our right of independence, or at least self-determination, as that can produce real partnership according to interests of Adan and Sanaa under the gulf sponsorship. This is a true guarantee for the gulf national security and against the Iranian project.
• Sixth: our south proved that it is a peace-loving nation that looks forward to live free and peacefully with our Arab and regional neighbors. In addition, the south proved its ability to fight all kinds of extremism and terrorism. The south is the true guarantee for the rightful regional and international rights in this strategic part of the world.
Allow me to express my respect and appreciation of our heroes in all battel fields who sacrifice themselves for the future of our free independent southern state. Allow me to express my best regards to our glorious southern people, the source of our dignity, and to assure our people that we are determined to go on our path until we fulfill all our promises to you. We understand your concerns about the political and military changes and events that happened recently. But we are determined to bear the responsibility you delegated to us and hope that you will be patient during this critical stage. Never fall in our enemies’ traps that target our national unity. Never allow them to succeed in dismantling this unity as it is our major source of power. You reflected the sole of tolerance under very hard conditions and this is the base of our unity. It is the door to accept every one of us, no matter the differences are, if we all respect the southern choice and the southern sacrifices. The southern transitional council is concerned with accepting all southern voices as an embodiment of democracy. We are sure that our southern brothers, even with various visions, are our support and power. Dialogue is the only way to decrease our differences and strengthen our unity.
As members of the southern national assembly, remember your responsibilities towards the south as you are his representatives. Keep it safe along with your principles and try to establish justice, wisdom and balance. Let your decisions express the glory of this nation as this nation expects a lot from you. Working together, we can pass any difficulties to achieve peace, security and independence. At the end, thank you all for your patriotic spirit. Thanks to our southern military and security commanders who attended this historic meeting with us. And best wishes for all your work.
On the other hand, Sheikh Hany Ben Brik, vice president of the southern transitional council, indicated that this historic event introduces the first southern parliament since 1990. He indicated that this assembly was chosen but during the next stage it will be elected by the people. He added that members of the parliament bear great responsibilities to restore the people’s right and face the enemy. Ben Brik asserted that the southern transitional council is preparing for the upcoming state. He also asserted the significant partnership with the Arab Ally and confirmed the importance of facing the Iranian expansion projects. He also indicated that the national assembly is the core of political work as it is a message to the whole world that the south agreed on a council that represents its cause. Ben Brik also indicated the council’s intention to declare a ministry of defense shortly, especially with southern military forces controlling the whole south.
