Saleh vows to keep Yemen unified

President Ali Abdullah Saleh said on Sunday he will not allow anyone to separate Yemen and blamed the local councils and sheikhs for any violence in their districts. He also urged them to protect their districts from spoilers.

“We will not allow those people to make Yemen smaller," he said. "Yemen is big by its men who are existence throughout the entire world."

In his meeting with members of the local council, sheikhs, social and cultural personalities and officials of Yafa region in Lahj governorate, President Saleh admitted there are mistakes happening in the whole country and not only in Aden, Lahj, Abyan, Hadramout, Shabwa, al-Maharah and al-Dali.

“But, all of the country has witnessed progress,” he added.

He blamed the local councils for any fault, asking them to tackle these faults and follow up on implementation of development projects for citizens.

Saleh promised to carry out administrative reforms to empower municipalities to better respond to the people's needs after a wave of violent protests in the country's southern cities.

Saleh ordered the government to propose constitutional amendments that would permit the election of district mayors who are, under the current system, appointed centrally.

"We're conducting constitutional amendments to give the local authority wider jurisdictions than what it has now," he said. "We're working on a constitutional amendment and establishing a local governance system with wider powers under which the district mayors would be elected."

He affirmed the importance of unity, warning about the separation and its risk on the stability of the nation. He called on all to join efforts to build the nation.

He also warned of erupting regionalism and sectarianism, which aim to creating disagreement among citizens of the nation, calling on all to face those who do that.

Senior sheikh of Yafa Faris Hussein al-Harharah delivered a speech on behalf of the sheikhs of Yafa in which he confirmed support of the citizens of the region for unification.

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