Unity Day: What does it mean to you?
Renewed clashes between security forces and Southern Movement activists in Aden districts
On Wednesday, a tank broke into Blook 25 in Al-Mansoura, killing Southern Movement leader Sharaf Mahfood.
The incident aroused anger among the supporters of Mahfood who flooded the streets to express their stance, burning car tires and removing electricity posts in addition to burning the local council compound.
Waheed Rasheed, Aden’s governor, condemned the military confrontation in the city saying, “There were clashes between secessionists and security forces in Aden. We don’t accept such destructive acts. Days ago, we gave them Al-Arood Square to express their opinions. However, they went to other critical places to spark chaos."
Rasheed said security forces work to hand over the wanted members in Blook 32 and 37 in order to bring stability back to the district. Among the wanted was Mahfood, who was killed after three days of confrontations with government forces.
Rasheed said there was a meeting with the Al-Mansoura security manager and social dignitaries three months ago.
"We decided to capture any militant causing destabilization, and the public should cooperate with us and notify us of the saboteurs. Any saboteur must give himself up to the security forces, abandon their weapons and stand trial."
Bassam Al-Mansouri, a local in Aden residing in the vicinity of Mahfood's home, expressed wonder at the governor's speech
"Why wasn’t Mahfood arrested at the airport upon his return from Lebanon two weeks ago?” Al-Mansouri said. “Are the directions only issued during the last hours of the night when people feel stable?"
Al-Mansouri rejected the governor's speech, saying security forces broke into the house of activist Jamal Saleh Al-Hassani and arrested him and Khaldoon Kozoo, shooting randomly, which left Al-Hassani's sister and her daughter injured.
"The confrontations broke out between the locals and the security forces. Mahfood was killed."
Sultan Al-Atwani, a member in the Supreme Council of the Joint Meeting Parties, disapproved of the use of weapons by the authorities, indicating the situation must be resolved without delay; perpetrators should be held accountable and ought to be investigated.
Al-Atwani said a committee has been set up in Yemen to look into the violations committed not just recently but over the course of 2011.
"The forming of the committee came due to the recommendations by the International Council for Human Rights in the reconciliation government so that the transitional phase passes peacefully," Al-Atwani said.
In an online statement released Tuesday, the International Amnesty Organization called for immediate investigations into the confrontations between the security forces and the Southern Movement members. The statement demanded an end to clashes.
