President Al-Zubaidi Delivers a Speech on the Occasion of the 51st Anniversary of National Independence Day

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​President Aidarous Kassem Abd Al-Aziz Al-Zubaidi, president of the Southern Transitional Council, delivered a speech on the occasion of the 51st anniversary of national Independence Day. The following is a translation of the speech:

Dear Southern People, fellow fighters for freedom and independence, southern citizens inside and outside the south

​On this glorious occasion I greet you all wherever you are, and I greet heroes of the southern resistance who are stationed in battel fields, following the steps of pioneer revolutionaries to defend ourselves, our rights, our homeland, our history, our religion and our identity. I congratulate you all on the occasion of the 51stanniversary of our first independence achieved on November 30th, 1967. At that day, flag of victory decorated invincible Aden that expelled all conquerors with its mighty will.  

​It is an opportunity to remember those revolutionists who bravely passed that stage and the martyrs who sacrifices their souls for their patriotism. We also remember the martyrs of all stages of our noble struggle for independence as battels continue in several fields till our southern public goals are achieved. Those heroes who fought their armed conflicts bravely against occupiers, those who assumed their historic responsibilities for this country and proved that the south is a homeland and identity, in the past and the future. Today, we are fighting for a noble goal defending this country and we will never give up our national identity, sovereignty and rights of independence and liberation. These are our rightful goals and expectations that our people delegated us for. We said, and repeat it again, we will never give up these goals regardless the difficulties we may face. We will never abandon then regardless the evil we see.

​Half a century ago, the southern flag rose after many martyrs sacrificed their soul for it during the glorious stage of liberation. As new occupiers are oppressing this glorious southern people with their vicious force since 1994, the southern people found themselves forces to fight the occupation, regardless its power and strength and no matter our weak capabilities are. But our will and determination enabled us to meet bullets with open chests full of peace and revolution. Occupiers didn’t learn from the past and continued killing and oppressing our southern people and them made the southern people to carry their weapons and go following the steps of their forefathers and defeated occupiers by arms, will, right and determination. Those who don’t learn from history and don’t recognize reality, do they know that nations have wakes and revolutions pass through stages? Or else, history will have no mercy on them.

​We realize, just as you do, that you are looking for a hopeful future with hearts full of the voice of revolution and images of martyrs, with arms ready to face evil and any risk that may endanger the revolution, the country and the people, and with souls lounging for peace. To you we say that regardless the complications imposed by foes, we are going on with full determination. We are not far from the uproar of the revolution and let your arms ready for that.

​We need to be alert as well as we need public awareness and support to maintain political balance that we are stepping on accurately and carefully. Be confident that the price of overcoming the south will never be cheap and no single party will bear it alone but all parties will pay it equally. We embraced the south and restored its dignity with our bloods, wounds and guns. It is very easy to demolish a fragile wall that prevents you from your freedom and denies you your rights and expectations. Only then, we will enforce our political options based on our rightful southern cause and the free will of our southern people. And then, there will be no place for those who claim that their legitimacy is holy. We fought, and still fighting, Al-Houthis and we will fight those who are against our cause and our people. No one will deny us the right of self-defense.

​Today, as part of our great battel for defending our country, we assert that we will continue fighting terrorism and its supporters. Our military and security operations will continue against terrorist groups especially ISIS and Al-Qaeda. We demand all countries that supported our anti-terrorism efforts to continue supporting us in defending against all dangers facing our national, regional and international security.

​We also assert that we are committed to the principle of southern tolerance and forgiveness. We resent all accusations of betrayal that target our southern social texture. We call for fostering the values of coexistence and acceptance of others. Let peace be the base for containing all southern points of view and differences.

​We assert that our partnership with the Arab Coalition led by Saudi Arabia and UAE is deep till we achieve our joint goals and to demolish the Iranian project represented by Al-Houthis in the region in addition to eliminating the ideology of Muslim Brotherhood that led to terrorism and extremism.

​We said before that we exerted all efforts to elevate our strategic relations and guarantee the stability and security of the region in addition to restoring southern sovereignty over southern lands as base for maintaining the Arab National Security. Today, we assert to the Arab Coalition countries that we are very eager to preserve this relation born in the joint battlefield and, with an equal degree, we assert that we are sticking to all our rights and our rightful national cause and the necessity to find a just solution to it. We respect our sacrifices and national struggle.

​The southern transitional council asserts that the council is open to all peace talks and is willing to participate positively in the political process to establish peace and end war. The council is willing to establish a real base for the post-war stage that guarantees the right of the southern people in a just solution for the southern cause that fulfills their rightful expectations. Any solution that limits the southern cause will never lead to the desired peace in the region. The southern cause is not marginal and any solutions that overcome the new reality generated by the war will fail.

Our brave heroes of our Armed Forces and Southern Resistance:

​In this great memory, we remember your heroic role as you are defenders of this country and carriers of victory flags. You are defending, with your souls, our flag protected by your bloods. You are the real gain in this critical stage. So, be as we think you are and defend this people and its cause. We have great faith in you and our people expects more from you. Bear your responsibility and may God protect your precious souls.

Glory for martyrs, quick healing for the injured and freedom for captives

Aden – 30-11-2018