Southern movement’s internal struggle

al- Beid,al-Fadhli: a suspicious relationship.

Indifferences from within the Southern movement have recently surfaced to give a strong indication of the external forces intervention and pressure and their impact on the internal, which is denied by the different internal forces. This led to the drop in popularity of the internal movement, reducing the size and rate of events in Dhale’, Abyan, Lahj or other southern governorates and regions.

The southern movement started with what is called the southern pensioners Associations, developing into diversified formations and reaching a stage of disputes that resulted in exchange of statements and accusations.

In calling one of the National southern Council›s leaders, during the clashes in Juhaf district in Dhale’ for a press release, a leader in the Peaceful movement, Dr. al Ma’trai, announced that, “we are defeated because of the silly leader over there,” pointing to the external southern movement, this indicates the rage over what has happened. Moreover, this leader has prevented his followers in one of the directorates from joining in the events of the other forces, stressing the differences between the movements’ leaders. The differences were at first over the names, and it is further soared to include the relations with some wings preferring the term of “disengagement,” while others wanted to use the slogan, “liberty and independence.” Another difference between the leaders was over the legitimacy of al-Beid and the federalism.

In a reaction contradictory with the usual southern movement address, the National southern movement has rushed  to denounce  killing the soldiers in al-Sobaiha area, and condemned those who committed it (the southern Movement Council,)  accusing it of adopting armed  violence, through a military wing. A statement following the incidence went on saying that, « the southern movement council which instructs and funds such actions is to bear accountability over these actions,» ensuring their resistance to any attempts to damage the people›s peaceful struggle, pushing them into anarchy and to commit crimes that are not dropped against anybody by prescription.

The national council called the southern factions and individuals to inquire into the practices that are happening, urging them ,» to prevent it, and not to allow it to threaten our people›s progress and deviate it from its course.»

Some Foreign fractions live in lauxery places abroad

The southern movement which is led by al-Beid reported through their website a release attributed to the National Council›s Chairman Hassan Baoum, who is outside the country for medical treatment, denying the release. The National council›s leadership had prior to such attitudes over a year ago, decided at an emergency meeting to entrust the Vice Chairman of the Board Amen Saleh the authorities of the Chairman Baoum till he comes back from his treatment trip, authorizing the current internal leadership’s head Saleh and his colleagues to issue such a statements, on behalf of the council.

The national council is known for their adoption of an anti- al-Beid›s address and accuses him and his council of disrupting the unification of the factions, on their (the latter) back ground of refusing the so called coercive combination in 2009, under the support  of Tariq al-Fadhli, who has  them announced the formation of the  (the leadership of the southern revolutionary council,) at the so called Zanjibar declaration, before al-Fadhli›s fall back, to call this new formation of the peaceful southern council, late last year.

The national council is blamed for being only an aural phenomenon that is without a base of followers after masses have joined the southern council movement as well as the travel of its chairman Ba’oum abroad which led to a decline in its membership, except for some districts such as Al-Azarik which is considered to be the incubator of the national council.

On the other hand the peaceful movement seemed to swallow  the other movements, exploiting their mechanical majority, making the other southern movements to believe that this is happening on the expense of their rights and represents a non-acceptance of diversity or a pluralism, as the  leader at the «national council» Mohammad Ali Shaif put it, pointing out that, « the other wing wants us prisoners and makes us look as  minors  who do not have the right or the efficiency of decision-making in future.»

Shaif used to be one of the important leaderships in Radfan area who pointed out to the mistakes of the southern movement council leaders, « al-Beid, al-Fadhli, al-Khabji, al-Shanfra, Shalal,Yahia Ghalib and al-Daeri, accusing them of reinstating the pluralistic address and praising the tyranny to the extent of sanctification. It is a behavior that shows the criminalization of criticism and the different opinion. It expels the individuals and masses from the revolution›s kingdom, and the kingdom of the sole leader who distributes indulgence.

The southern movements› differences did not even exclude the funerals. At the funeral of Nabil Serour in Radfan the mourners disagreed over carrying the picture of al-Beid, and shouting his name when the national Council supporters have objected it. These differences have recently emerged at the funeral of Mohammed Mohsen  Kabas, who was killed in Juhaf clashes. «The national council» was written on his picture, when the   supporters of the peaceful movement objected, they lowered the picture and deleted the phrase in question.

It was not only that but this has extended to the events and celebrations› gatherings. Some of the slogans and shouting were hailing al- Beid, some to liberation, and others to federalism, in a signal to the southern movement, who is blamed for accepting federalism and the frail solutions.   The calls of these factions is different at other time and places, such as what happened last year in Radfan when the factions of the national council, the independence forum, led by the Nuba and the Southern  youth, have called for a festival on October 13,  while the southern movement council held their event on the second day. The same discrepancy occurred in Dale’ last Ramadan.  The first faction called for the martyrs festival in the «Sumod» Stadium   and the others surprises all by holding an assessment evening in Zubaid South of Dale› at the same time.

An interview conducted by al-Omana journal belonging to one of the southern peaceful movement factions that was made with Mohammed al-Uqlah, one of the prominent leaders in the national council, annoyed key leaders who couldn›t accept others› opinion and exercised absolute tyranny to the extent of insults, slander and accusations of treason. This happened with those who expressed their views in later successive dialogues, making one question the validity of calls for freedom and tolerance from the movements› factions.

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