National Assembly of the Southern Transitional Council Ends Up the Proceedings of its First Round with a Final; Statement and Recommendations
In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious and Most Merciful
Final Statement of the First Round of the National Assembly of the Southern Transitional Council Held in Aden from July 8th, to July 10th, 2018.
The first round of the National Assembly of the Southern Transitional Council was held in Aden from July 8th, to July 10th, 2018. The opening session was headed by President Aidarous Kassem Al-Zubaidi, president of the Southern Transitional Council, while the rest of sessions were headed by Ahmed Said Ben Brik, chairman of the National Assembly of the Southern Transitional Council. This round came as part of the schedule of the national assembly and according to its rules and regulations indicating that rounds are to be held periodically every six months. The opening session was attended by a large number of guests, local leaderships and prominent public figures from all over the south, representing all its sectors.
This round was held while our south, the region and the whole world are under concerning unstable conditions including economic conflicts, social disturbances and direct or agent-launched wars that aim to disrupt the security and stability of our region and to control its economic resources and strategic locations. This round was also held while our southern people are under difficult conditions, suffering from two consecutive wars imposed on on us in 1994 and 2015 by influential military and tribal powers of the north (Arab Republic of Yemen) that occupied the south and ran it according to colonization policies, according to statements of their leaders. In addition, they imposed systematic racial discrimination against the south and imposed a union by force to rove the resources and fortunes of the south.
On the other hand, this round came while our south is amid an unprecedent economic and social severe crises resulting from the severe failure of the corrupt government that split into two halves, one of them is ruling from Sanaa while the other resides in Aden under the umbrella of the so-called legitimacy, through which they are trying to dominate the country and run it unwisely in favor of some influential persons who enslaved the peoples of the south and north for more than 30 years.
At the same time, and amid all these tragic conditions, this round was held while almost all southern territories are free of the tribal military occupation of Al-Houthi militias under the widespread umbrella of the southern transitional council over all southern soil (former People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen). This came according to massive support and delegation of the council and this round is one result of its success in improving and developing organizational work of the council.
For three consecutive days, the national assembly discussed a number of points and reports including:
1. Report of the administrative department about it work between the two rounds (establishment round and first round)
2. Framework plan of the national assembly, its administrative department and commissions for 2018.
3. Vision of the legal commission about legislative preparation of the upcoming southern state.
4. Report of the foreign affairs commission about reality of diplomatic work and its vision about diplomatic work of the upcoming southern state.
5. Report of services commission about its work between the two rounds.
6. Report of health and environment affairs commission about its work.
7. Report of youth and sport commission about reality of southern youth and rules and policies concerning youth empowerment.
8. Report of Peace and Security Commission about its work.
9. Report of Media Commission about its work.
10. Report of Women’s Commission about Women’s rights and law of personal affairs.
11. Report of Educational Commission about its vision of educational process.
After detailed discussions for these reports, the national assembly asserted that the main goal of the southern transitional council is to restore the free sovereign state of the south on the borders of May 21st, 1990. According to our vision, this state is based on the following principles:
• First: The Southern State is a Federal State according to a southern constitution that regulates the relationship between the central government and other legally independent regional governments.
• Second: the southern people are the sources of authorities.
• Third: The constitution regulates the relationship between the central government and regional governments.
• Fourth: The constitution identifies a special status of the capital, Aden.
• Fifth: Each region has its regional government representing all legislative, executive and judicial authorities.
• Sixth: the constitution distributes authorities and specializations between the central government and regional governments to guarantee the people’s self-governance in the regions.
• Seventh: the constitution defines the main principles of fair distribution of fortunes between regions and central authority.
• Eighth: Peaceful Exchange of Authority with special consideration of fair distribution of public offices including supreme positions of state.
• Ninth: Islam is the official religion of the state and the source of legislations.
• Tenth: the state works on establishing equality among all southern citizens based on respecting human rights and basic freedoms.
• Eleventh: guaranteeing the inclusion of women in the political, economic, social and cultural aspects of life and empowering women to hold supreme and administrative offices of the state.
• Twelfth: Central authority is intitled with full responsibility of running foreign affairs, representing the southern state in other countries, declaring state of war, signing peace treaties, signing international conventions and treaties and assuming full responsibility in front of the international society.
• Thirteenth: the southern state is fully committed to all international conventions and treaties concerning regions of the southern state that are previously signed according to the highest international standards of clarity.
• Fourteenth: the southern state respects UN convention, Arab League convention, World Declaration of Human Rights and all recognized international laws.
The national assembly confirmed the work plan of its commissions and administrative departments during 2018. Concerned departments and commissions are assigned to prepare its reports with notes and to file them to the supreme committee of the national assembly to confirm it and make the best use of it. The national assembly asserts the work for establishing national reconciliation and social justice through the principle of tolerance and reconciliation chosen by our people to foster national solidarity, ignore fanaticism and differences and eliminate all threats against coherence of the southern society and its social security.
The national assembly asserts the invitation of southern national dialogue launched by president Aidarous Kassem Al-Zubaidi, on behalf of the presidency of the southern transitional council. The national assembly asserts that all its members are part of national, political and social dialogue on all levels to establish common ground according to principles of unified southern national work to establish national representation that preserves the southern rights and interests in front of the international society and restores the southern state in addition to protecting the society against any penetrations that may do harm to its national principles.
Fighting terrorism and extremism, rationalization of political and social speech and spreading the culture of coexistence, harmony and tolerance are top priorities for the southern transitional council.
The national assembly appreciates the role of security systems, security belt troops, southern resistance heroes, intellects, advocates and religious callers in this respect. The national assembly asserts the importance of participation for all social sectors in clearing the vision, clearing religious speech of any impurities, argumentation and not lie on the society or manipulate it as this is the only means by which we can preserve social security, stability and comfort.
The national assembly asserts that it observed closely the existence of some influential and un disciplined northern military troops in Hadhramaut valley, Eiaz and Al-Ukla in Shabwa and Mukiras in Abian. These troops are unwelcomed to stay as their existence creates unjustified security and social stress, especially with the existence of national southern troops and citizens in these territories who can replace these troops effectively. These troops can go fighting in front lines as it should be. We talked about this issue with our allies and we are observing closely and waiting for solution to decrease this stress.
The national assembly asserts that the south is fully committed with the partnership with the international society in fighting terrorism and extremism.
The national assembly closely observed the poor conditions of public services, especially safe and easy access to electricity, fuels and fresh water, in addition to the right for education, cheating and exams leaks that the government is uncapable of stopping, if not be part of it in one way or another. Such issues endanger the future of upcoming generations. Therefore, it should not be disregarded or dealt with in a lean way. The national assembly calls for all sectors of the society to stand against such things and not to justify them anyway.
The southern transitional council thinks that the government’s inefficiency and corruption of most of its executive systems, its incapability, and in most cases its lack of desire in rationalizing the state’s administration, caused a lot of economic and social crises including high levels of employment, deterioration of national currency, disturbance of social security, lack of clear vision about the future and evidences of social disappointment. The national assembly thinks that all these reasons are more than enough to be a social commitment and sovereign right of president Abd Rabu Mansour Hady to use his power to dismiss this government and replace the corrupt administrative system with a national government an administrative system that are efficient, capable and integrate, to run the state’s administrative organizations, resources and fortunes in a rational way to decrease the suffering of our people. All political, tribal and military powers ambushing the south should put their hands off the southern people.
The national assembly calls for the international society not to allow the southern capital “Aden” or any other liberated southern territory to be hostage for compromises to enforce particular political agendas that contradict with the rights and interests of the southern people. The national assembly asserts that we will support and actively participate in any act that prevents such things and considers that a patriotic obligation that can never be ignored.
It is a major occasion that this round is held while his excellency president Abd Rabu Mansour Hady is in Aden. The national assembly thinks that it is an undoubted obligation for all southern citizens to actively participate in securing the presence of president Hady in Aden as coup forces and other vicious forces are trying to threaten his life.
The national assembly observes closely the battels of the war launched by Al-Houthi coup forces and their tribal allies and military forces with clear support of enemies of the Arab nation headed by Iran, categorized by the international society as a rouge state. Our people have nothing to do with this war but it is forcefully imposed to us in favor of authoritative and lords of war. The national assembly thinks that it is vital to end this devastating war that exhausted our people, our fortunes and our national, regional and international security. In this respect, the national assembly thinks that ending this war is an unquestionable principle.
The national assembly will work with all regional and international partners on stopping this war and recommends that all departments and systems of the southern transitional council may do so all over the south. But this should be done according to fair and just rule without rewarding coup forces or ignoring international decisions to preserve our people’s full right to restore our sovereign state as an unnegotiable principle.
The national assembly thinks that Saudi Arabia, UAE and other allies who assumed their humanitarian, religious and national responsibilities in protecting peoples of the south and north deserve all recognition and appreciation. The national assembly confirms its full commitment with blood-baptized brotherly relations with our allies and we will exert all possible efforts to maintain and strengthen these relations and developing them in the future.
Members of the national assembly assert that all patriotic powers of the south will backup and support our brothers in the Arab Coalition who responded to the call of legitimacy represented in his excellency president Abd Rabu Mansour Hady and will stand with them to the end with full convection that this will never be at the expense of the rights and interests of our southern people anyway. Our stand came according to blood-baptized partnership, close relations and religious, national and patriotic principles.
The national assembly of the southern transitional council will work on maintaining the safety of international navigation paths and its flow as we assert that all land, naval and areal ports under our control will be unconditionally open to receive and deliver the needs of the people in the south and north without any discrimination nor limitation.
We demand our regional and international partners in addition to UN special envoy to open their embassies and offices in Aden and they will have our full support in all fields as this will support the stability of the liberated territories and normalize public life and future partnerships.
The national assembly tributes thanks to all southern military and security systems and troops in addition to the southern resistance and everyone who participates in defending our country and protecting its security and stability while not allowing its disturbance. At the same time, we assert that it is important to restore the rights of southern military personnel in the army or security departments through rightful solution for this issue to guarantee them to live in dignity and maintain their readiness to use the expertise they acquired during their career to serve their southern homeland.
In this occasion, the national assembly appreciates the patience and steadiness of southern citizens, men and women, employees, workers, students, academics and all sectors of the society, during these critical conditions and we demand them to remain alert and steady as we assert them that we became very close to our desired solution.
The national assembly sends its appreciation and gratitude to families of martyrs, injured and captives asserting that the assembly will exert all efforts in all directions to guarantee that they will have full care as a national responsibility that can never be ignored.
Glory to our martyrs, quick healing for the injured, freedom to our captives in the occupation prisons in Sanaa and long live our country in dignity and honor.
كما صدرت عن الدورة الأولى للجمعية عدد من التوصيات جاء فيها :
The first round of the national assembly issued the following recommendations:
For three days, the national assembly discussed several tasks on its agenda and all members participated effectively in these discussion as part of their legislative mission in making the southern decision according to the expectations of the southern people and their patriotic struggle to build their new country according to a federal regimen that respects laws and freedoms and to create a bright future away from reproducing the conflicts of the past as those who are against the southern right are trying to do explicitly and implicitly.
This round is an extension to the establishment round held in December 2017 as it came amid very complicated political and economic circumstances as part of an extraordinary stage resulting from the devastating war that its lords in the legitimacy or the coup do not desire it to come to an end as, for them, it is a means of political blackmail and tactical mortgage of the future for fear of the strategic rights they may face in case all parties sit to a negotiation table without previously conditioned agendas where the southern people will pursuit his right to restore his independent state on the internationally recognized borders of May 22nd, 1990.
In addition, this round is held amid international efforts to end this catastrophic war and gather all concerned parties and political powers on a negotiation table to reformulate the current political moment according to well-established bases that may lead to solutions to end the noise of guns and bullets and establish fair and permanent peace free of timed bombs that may explode the conflict in the region again.
At the end of proceedings of the first round, the national assembly assets several major points representing the conclusions of what was discussed and agreed upon during the proceedings of this round:
• The national assembly is the southern legislative house and host for all the southern spectrum with all its components and active powers based on the principle that the country is the responsibility of all and building the new state is a duty to be fulfilled for upcoming generations.
• The national assembly assumes the responsibility of finishing all its tasks and completing its organizational structure and its legal and political efforts in this respect are based on specific and agreed upon mechanisms.
• The southern cause is not for compromises just as it is not marginal on the final solution table for the so-called Yemeni crisis that led to war. It is the cause of a homeland, people and national identity. It is the cause of restoring our right robbed on July 7th, 1994.
• Strategic unity of the southern line based on tolerance, reconciliation and dialogue is the guarantee for our southern political future. It is our rational starting point towards the future that everyone is asked to participate in on the basis of sovereignty, independence and refusing political Yemenization as these principles are the main way that fosters our confidence and establishes the ground for joint patriotic work.
• To fulfill its delegated tasks, the national assembly formed specialized commissions in several fields including the specialized commission for preparing the constitution draft of the new southern state as this commission includes several legislative, law and academic experts. In addition, a military commission was formed to prepare for rehabilitating and rebuilding military and security organizations according to modern standards.
• The national assembly asserts the importance of media role in our current stage. The assembly thinks that its is a top priority to establish a southern media organization to be the main voice of the south and to decrease the space used by other media tools to disturb the southern political scene through rumors and speech of conflict in addition to fostering differences and falsifying crises.
• To foster the role of southern women that is significant along the history, it is necessary to establish the southern women union as women should equally contribute in forming the current moment and the future. This this the moment for southern women to have their contemporary legal, political, social and cultural rights.
• The national assembly prioritized the strategy and mechanisms of rationalizing and re-reading of the religious speech as part of our war against fanaticism and extremism. It is important to dry its intellectual springs that the seventh of July regimen is reviving in all southern cities and villages so that the south remains an active field for extremist gangs no matter their names are. this, for example, is what Aden suffered from in specific incidents where the criminal and victim were both victims of this intruding intellectual dissonance.
• The national assembly holds the corrupt government of the legitimacy full responsibility towards manipulating basic rights of the liberated southern territories and governorates as part of an imbedded war between two agendas; one of them represents the reproduction of political Yemenization of the south while the other represents the project of independent southern state. The assembly asserts that this services war will never defeat the free people of the south. According to political reality in dealing the complications of the current moment, the assembly leaves all options open to respond to this absurd and corruption. The assembly warns the corrupt government against manipulating the assets of the state and holds it responsible for any consequences. In addition, the assembly demands the presidency of the southern transitional council to publicly dismiss this government through councils of governorates and directorates.
• The national assembly appreciates the role of the Arab Coalition headed by Saudi Arabia and UAE, and demand them to reevaluate the governmental performance that diminishes the achieved victories in parallel with doubts raised by the coup government, the Iranian arm in Sanaa, about achieving any stability or development during post-liberation stage. The two governments are two faces of the same coin concerning war and peace in the south.
• The national assembly asserts its steady national position in supporting the efforts of the Arab Coalition in their war for restoring hope and peace. The assembly also asserts its support for the efforts of UN special envoy, Mr. Martin Griffith, and the regional and international societies to end the war and restore peace without harming the rights of the southern people in restoring national sovereignty and building their independent state.
