TajAden is the Yemeni Southern opposition in exile and advocates the dissolution of the Yemeni state into its prior incarnation of North and South Yemen. The following statement is prompted by the civilian deaths in Dhalie and requests the UN supervise the withdrawal of Yemeni forces from "occupied South Yemen." Stating this in Yemen of course would get you thrown in jail, if not executed. Its an extremist position. Many in the South (as in the North) simply want a state that follows its own laws and deals with all citizens equally. Take it from me, that's not likely. I wish it was, but its not. Moderation may wane as the state employs increasingly repressive measures against the protesters (like shooting them) and fails to address the root causes of the issue. Summary of events follows.

TajAden 10th September 2007

Oh masses of our proud people in the occupied South Arabia.

On the 10th of September 2007, the large masses of our people in the capital Aden and in Dhala city as well have got out protesting peacefully against the Yemeni authorities’ forces that have arrested and abducted the southern liberal struggler leaders. The protest was for an immediate release of prisoners unconditionally in all cities of the occupied South Arabia.

In a hooligan frivolous action the Yemeni occupation forces have fired on the peaceful demonstrators in the city of Dhala, which led to the fall of 3 dead and wounded more than 10 people. Also they have prevented a peaceful strike in the city of Aden, the capital of the South. They besieged the city neighbourhoods with tens of military vehicles and tens of thousands of the Yemeni occupation’s criminals and murderers soldiers.

The Yemeni Security forces has already killed and wounded a number of demonstrators in the city of Mukalla and put many innocent people in jails without charge as they did in Aden. Also thousands of soldiers were deployed in several cities such as in Mahfad, Loader and Moodiah in Abyan governorate and cut off roads and set up barricades in the governorate of Lahj. The Authority also deployed tanks and thousands of criminal soldiers in the city of Alhabeelain and in the districts of Radfan province. This exercise of military tyranny continued in a number of cities in the governorate of Shabwah which is now under a comprehensive military siege.

The Southern Democratic Assembly (TAJ) highly salutes the courageous sacrifices of our people and our martyrs who were shot dead this morning by the occupying military forces in the city of Dhala as well as those who were killed and arrested during the past weeks in the cities of Aden and Hadhramout. “TAJ” admires the wounded who faced with their bare chests the criminal, bloody armed machines of the dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh and calls all sons of the South Arabia for conjunction and solidarity in the face of the occupation’s forces and continues the struggle for the restoration of full rights of freedom, independence and self-determination.

Oh masses of our proud brave people

The offender, killer dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh has lost his dignity in this day, and no longer has any justification to use as a means to keep control and occupation of the South Arabia. There is also no excuse for those southerners who are hostage in Sana’a to cover up the military occupation of our country. It became clear that killing our peaceful and innocent people in all southern cities has dropped all disgusted pretences in the name of democracy, unity and human rights.

The Southern Democratic Assembly (TAJ) strongly condemns the Yemeni occupation regime’s crimes of murder, torture and arrests of activists in the occupied South Arabia. “TAJ” confirms to all Southerners that the will of steadfastness and confrontation in the face of the wave of killings and terrorism practiced by the dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh will be strengthened and hardened. It is determined to confront these bloody crimes with further escalation of struggle towards the full civil disobedience until we inflict the overwhelming defeat to the criminal dictator and assassin the Yemeni president Saleh. With no doubt soon the flags of victory will be flying on the hillocks of the proud South Arabia.

The Southern Democratic Assembly “TAJ” emphasizes on the continuation and escalation of the peaceful struggle until our people achieve their right of self-determination in accordance with the charters of the United Nations and the international law. It is also appeals the United Nations and the International Security Council with the following demands to:-

Providing protection for our people in the occupied South Arabia and for its active forces and stopping the Yemeni occupation’s crimes such as repression, arrests, kidnappings and other crimes exercised by the Yemeni dictator Marshal President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

1- Providing the necessary assistance to secure food and medicine for our people who are deprived of their wealth of oil, gas, gold and fish wealth, which are plundered by the Yemeni occupation regime and putting all their sources of wealth and earnings under the supervision of the United Nations.

It is also important to put plans and programs of development for securing their access to the essential services.

2- Supervising the withdrawal of all Yemeni armed forces, the security and the intelligence apparatus and the military intelligence of the territory of the occupied South Arabia.

3- Adopting the practical measures that pave the way for creating the appropriate conditions to enable the Southerners people in the occupied South Arabia to determine their own destiny and choose the suitable system under the direct supervision of the United Nations.

Oh masses of our proud people in the occupied South Arabia

The Southern Democratic Assembly "TAJ" renews the covenant to continue the justified peaceful struggle unabatedly until our people achieve our ultimate goal in the South and be free to decide which system envisaged for themselves as well as to determine how best to exploit and invest their national wealth and take whatever actions they deem necessary to secure the future of the coming generations.

Both hands are on the road, shoulders to shoulders to achieve our second independence and raise the flags of freedom throughout our proud South Arabia.

Southern Democratic Assembly (TAJ)
10th September 2007

I feel rather sorry for anyone in the world who hopes the UN will intervene for their rights. Darfur is an outright genocide for example. Anyway back to Yemen:

North Yemen (YAR) and South Yemen (PDRY) unified in 1990 and fought a civil war in 1994 which the North won. Some hard-line southern oppositionists assert that the South dissolved the union in 1994 and that the subsequent reunification of two states was accomplished by force, contravening UN resolutions 924 and 931 governing the cease fire which ended the war. Long simmering tensions in the former PDRY came to a head beginning May 22, 2007 when a series of popular protests began in several governorates, ostensibly advancing the grievances of military and civil workers who were forcibly retired after the civil war and whose pensions were well below substance levels. Other festering dissatisfactions include institutional discrimination in educational and employment opportunities, blatant and persistent land theft and confiscation, exclusion from the political process and an overbearing military and security presence.

The leaders of the movement are largely former military officers whom the regime has accused of undermining national unity. Tensions were heightened by governmental media’s rhetoric, for example in 2007 labeling the 1994 civil war “a secessionist and apostate war”. Protests continued through September, when demonstrations in several governorates over several weeks resulted in the deaths eleven protesters. Hundred of protestors were arrested and scores were injured as security forces broke up the demonstrations with live fire, tear gas, water cannons and batons. Riots ensued in Dhalie resulting in three deaths and scores of injuries. The Supreme Security Committee chaired by President Saleh announced late in the month that chanting slogans against national unity was treasonous, a charge that carries the death penalty. Movement leader, retired Brigadier Naser al-Noba was arrested in Aden in August and transferred to Sana’a to stand trial in a military court, officials announced. The Defense Ministry announced early in September that 20 protesters arrested would be charged with treason.

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