President Saleh slams separatists

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh launched a verbal attack on the leaders of the Separatist Movement in the south of the country, where secessionist sentiment continues to swell.
 
“They lost their interests! They were at the top of the State, but it’s them (those in the south) who lost that position themselves, not us (those in the north). They want to return to the time before the 22nd of May, 1990,” said President Saleh in a meeting with university students.
 
Saleh referred to the failed secession attempt of 1994, which was called for by the-then vice president Ali Salem al-Baidh, who is calling for separation once again from his exile in Germany.
 
Southern and Northern Yemen united on May 22, 1990.
 
“It’s impossible to retract unity, whatever the price is,” Saleh told the gathering of students who were mostly from war-torn Sa’adah.

“Those who call for the return of the green flags, should have used the green flags before the bloody massacre of January 13, 1986,” Saleh said, referring to the civil war in 1986 between the two factions of the Socialist party that ruled the south before unity.
 
Ali Saleh al-Baidh’s faction won the war against the then-ruler Ali Nasser Mohammed, who now resides in exile in the Syrian capital of Damascus.
 
Last week, German-based Ali Salem al-Baidh, who was forced to leave the country after his failed secession attempt in 1994, called on southerners to take to streets with green flags appealing the international community to assist them in their desire for independence. Al-Baidh has remained in German for the majority of his exile, where he has refrained from involvement in politics for more then 15 years.
 
“These are fascist forces who have used to conspiracies and murder in their quest for power,” Saleh said.
 
Meanwhile, 28 southerners were arrested over the last two days in the provinces of Hudhromout and al-Dhale’e where anti-unity demonstrations have been staged.
 
The Ministry of Interior confirmed that sixteen men were arrested in Ghail Ba Wazeer in Hadhromout, when the accused men allegedly began riots and attacked homes and shops’ belonging to Yemeni’s of northern decent. Three men were arrested in al-Shaher after they undertook efforts to incite riots.
 
Nine men were arrested in al-Dhale’e for their participation in unlicensed anti-unity demonstrations.
 
A southern-based organization, called the Radfan Organization for Defending Unity, claimed that the secessionist’s have forced school students to take to the streets over the last two days.
 
The organization has condemned these acts against students, especially against the girls. It has demanded that those responsible are held accountable.
 
The Radfan Organization has also demanded that Ali Salem al-Baidh be tried for acts of “massacre and major treason” that he committed against the nation.

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