Opposition in exile welcome Mareb sons' stance with Southern provinces

Several political leaderships inside and outside the country welcomed and praised the stance of Mareb sons with the demands of people in the Southern provinces and Mareb Sons' Forum received numerous cables, stressing that Mareb people should join their fellow citizens in the Southern governorates in their peaceful struggle to achieve their legal rights.  

Former Prime Minister Haider Al-Attas assured Mareb citizens have the right to ask for their rights through peaceful struggle, noting this is right path for people's struggle.

For his part, politician and opponent Abdullah Sallam Al-Hakimi, exiled outside the country, called upon Mareb citizens to intensify their struggle and to join hand with other provinces until reaching a comprehensive and peaceful uprising.

Meanwhile, Joint Meeting Parties held a festival last week for Mareb and Shabwa citizens in Mareb's Hareeb district wherein the stance of Mareb citizens were highly praised by politicians and tribal sheikhs.

This festival is in a series of events under what is known as 'rights and demands forums' driven by political forces outside and inside the country and marked with a positional character.

In addition, there have been the demands of pensioners in Southern provinces who as well stand violently against robbing the lands in all southern areas.

It has been clear that authority turns a deaf ear to the demands of people in the Northern provinces as for those made by Mareb Sons' Forum, Hashid Tribes or Al-Hada Tribes, while it takes prompt measures and set solutions to all demands made by the people in the Southern provinces.

A member of the administrative board of Mareb's local council Yahya Al-Zaidi noted the call by political opponents outside the country aims to create a state of instability inside the governorate.

Al-Zaidi, head of planning committee, further told Yemen Post that his governorate is not in need for such calls, hinting what has been achieved at the level of projects represents 95 percent of the demands raised by opponents including allocating $1.5 million for the governorate right from 2008.

He added that different projects are underway and all districts will be covered by water and electricity services by the advent of the coming year, maintaining that further 3,500 cases of social security have been assigned for the governorate and 250 girls got public jobs in 2007.

Concluding his statement, Al-Zaidi pointed out that Joint Meeting Parties have increased their demands to 22 and most of these demands come under the political aspect and do not serve the development in the governorate.