SANA’A – Some sides of the Southern Movement long ago stated the Saturday recommendations of the Preparatory Committee for the National Dialogue Conference (NDC), Khalid Bamadhif, a leading figure in the Southern Movement, said.

He also said the majority of the factions taking part in the conference were in league or participated in the 1994 Summer War.

He said the NDC should be limited to two sides: the south and the north.

"They are the two parts of the political equation which bogged down in 1994."

The Preparatory Committee decided Saturday to apologize to the south with regard to the 1994 Summer War, deeming it a historic misconduct that cannot be denied.

The committee recommended serious communication with the Southern Movement in Yemen and abroad, calling on them to take part in the dialogue. The committee also recommended reinstating laid off civilian and military employees in addition to those who were coerced into retiring and those living in exile since the war.

Furthermore, the committee urged the release of all Southern Movement detainees. The committee said those killed in the 1994 Summer War should be considered martyrs, and the injured should be treated and their families honored.

Amal Al-Basha, spokesman for the Preparatory Committee of National Conference, said on Facebook that the committee confessed Saturday that an apology to the Southern Movement and Sada'a governorate ought to be made. The committee counted the deaths on both sides as martyrs’ deaths.  

Abdu Al-Matari, a Southern Movement leader in Dhale governorate, said these recommendations were needed in 1995, following the Summer War.

"Today, these recommendations are futile in the course of the popular revolution," he said.

Al-Matari said the southerners are calling for the reclaiming of their nation and its identity; their demands are not pertinent to any rights.

"Our issue is a national one,” Al-Matari said. “There must be a negotiation between the south and the north. The south united with the north in 1990. The unification came to an end in 1994. It turned to be an occupation by the north since then."

Regarding Sa'ada, the committee recommended an end to racial and doctrinal sedition and the cancellation of gratifying civil wars under groundless pretexts in some media outlets, mosques and syllabuses.

"The doctrinal freedom should be recognized. The confrontations in Kitaf and Hajja, providing security for Sana'a-Sa'ada road and stopping banditry acts are all prerequisites."

"Group punishment must be banned against locals in Sa'ada and people in Harf Sifian should be apologized to due to the damages they sustained. The overall construction of Sa'ada, the detainees' release and revealing the fate of the missing people are essential."

Dhaif Allah Al-Shami, a leading Houthi figure, said, "The committee's recommendations are good. It seems that the committee members are keen to solve issues,  pending issues including Sa'ada and the Southern Movement."

He said he hopes that the recommendations will lead to tangible results and not just ink on paper.

"Once these recommendations go true, fraternity bonds between Yemenis will be consolidated."