Unity Day: What does it mean to you?
Who obstructs Yemen’s power transfer?
Despite efforts by the UN Special Envoy to Yemen to end military rebellion at some army units run by Saleh’s relatives, military threats still hinder the power transfer in the country.
The UN Special Envoy to Yemen, Jamal Benomar, has informed conflicting parties that it isn’t wise to obstruct the Gulf-brokered deal and create rebellion in the Third Republican Guard Brigade, during the time of the Security Council’s meeting.
Sultan Al-Atwani, secretary-general of the Nasserite Unionist People’s Organization, was surprised that the report Benomar handed to the Security Council on Tuesday didn’t name specific people hindering implementation of the deal.
“The Third Republican Guard Brigade, stationed in the mountains around Sana’a, is still refusing President Hadi’s decrees,” Al-Atwani said.
He said Colonel Abdulhameed Maqwala, from Sanhan, Saleh’s hometown, is leading a military rebellion in the third brigade, previously headed by Saleh’s nephew Brigadier Tareq Mohammed Abdullah Saleh, against the newly appointed Brigadier Abdulrahman Al-Halili.
Al-Atwani said the attitude of the most powerful countries toward those who refuse Hadi’s decrees will prolong the crisis in Yemen and put obstacles in the way of holding the National Dialogue Conference (NDC).
He pointed out that the NDC won’t be held if the ruling party and the opposition parties continued to front their own tribesmen and weapons.
Moreover, it may instigate war in Yemen if Hadi can’t control the military, currently divided as a result of last year’s uprising in Yemen.
For his part, Sultan Al-Barakani, the Secretary General of the General People’s Congress (GPC), made assurances that the GPC is committed to the terms of the Gulf initiative.
He urged all people to work together to reconstruct what was destroyed in last year’s protests that toppled Saleh.
Al-Barakani, known for his loyalty to the ousted president Saleh, asserted the importance of getting the militia out of Sana’a.
Al-Barakani said, “We can’t talk about development while fear and anxiety dominate the country because of armed men deployed in Al-Hasaba, Sawfan and other areas,” referring to Sheikh Sadeq Al-Ahmar’s tribesmen.
Benomar met several Yemeni officials, included President Hadi, former President Ali Saleh, Major General Ali Mohsein Al-Ahmar, commander of the first armored division, and Brigadier Ahmed Ali, commander of the Republican Guard, to discuss the rebellion in the Third Republican Guard Brigade.
Benomar informed them that the Security Council will impose sanctions on anyone obstructing the implementation of the Gulf initiative.
While leaving Yemen, Benomar said he will present a detailed report to the Security Council about the security and political situation in Yemen on Tuesday.
Benomar promised that the Security Council would agree to impose sanctions on those who hinder the implementation of the Gulf initiative and refuse Hadi’s decrees.
However, the permanent members of the Security Council stated that no sanctions would be imposed against those seeking to upset the initiative. They did take into consideration that the initiative is progressing in spite of the great challenges it faces and commended it for that.
