Yemen’s Aden Awakes to Political Maneuvers that Threaten Riyadh Agreement

Arab World

April 27th, 6:00am

London – Badr al-Qahtani

STC members inspect a vehicle in Aden on Sunday. (AFP)

The southern city of Aden, Yemen’s interim capital, awoke on Sunday to political and security maneuvers between the legitimate government and Southern Transitional Council (STC) after the latter’s declaration of self-rule in the South. The move was condemned by the government as an extension of the armed rebellion in the South and violation of the Riyadh Agreement, which had received wide international support soon after it was signed in November. Six provinces and local authorities have rejected the announcement and sided with the legitimate government, it added. The STC is a political movement that was formed in 2017. Its members describe it as an extension of the southern separatist movement that was formed after the 1994 war. The council has accused the government of shirking its responsibilities in implementing the Riyadh Agreement. Government officials, on the other hand, have said that they have not been able to return to Aden and resume their duties. Experts warned that the STC’s declaration may lead to the collapse of the Riyadh Agreement, which will be condemned by the Saudi-led Arab coalition, sponsors of peace in Yemen and the United Nations. Trading blame Aden residents awoke on Sunday to heavy deployment of the STC’s security and military forces that had set up checkpoints and raised its flag throughout the city. The STC had blamed the government of avoiding the implementation of the Riyadh Agreement. It also held its responsible for failing to address recent flooding in Aden that left at least 14 people dead. It blamed it for poor public services, which was clearly demonstrated during the flooding. This only compounded the misery of the people, especially with the advent of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. Yemeni political analyst Dr. Mohammed Jamih said: “You cannot claim to be controlling the situation in Aden and then demand the government to assume its responsibilities. You cannot practice authority without assuming some responsibility.” He acknowledged that the government was “partially to blame for the poor services, but has it been allowed to perform its duties?” The government held “the STC, and its leadership in Abu Dhabi, completely responsible for the failure to implement the Riyadh Agreement, leading to the coup against state institutions in the interim capital.” Usurped by Muslim Brotherhood Yemeni journalist Hani Mashour believed that the STC’s declaration of self-rule was a “natural consequence of the political impasse,” especially after the signing of the Riyadh Agreement, which was never really implemented because the government refused to withdraw its forces from Shabwa and Abyan. He said the STC’s move may be an opportunity to break the impasse and appoint a governor over Aden, which will pave the way for the implementation of the Riyadh Agreement. Moreover, he noted that United Nations envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths was keen on reviving the peace process without having to restructure the political system and while also shunning the Muslim Brotherhood members, who are involved in corruption. The government will remain the weakest link in the equation, which will jeopardize gains made by the Saudi-led Arab coalition in the conflict in the past five years, he warned. STC representative to the European Union Ahmed Omar bin Farid told Asharq Al-Awsat that the government “does not want to do anything but see the coalition and southern council fight the Houthi militias on its behalf, while it eyes returning to Sanaa to rule Yemen through the Muslim Brotherhood.” He said that throughout the political process in Yemen, the STC has been keen on the strategic goals of the Arab coalition. “We greatly appreciate Saudi Arabia’s role and are fully keen on responding to any initiatives it may propose.” The STC and its supporters in the legitimate government have repeatedly said that the government is being controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood, or the Yemeni Congregation for Reform, commonly known as Islah. The claims forced it in 2013 and 2016 to declare that it was not associated with the Brotherhood, but the accusations have persisted. Government spokesman Rajeh Badi refuted the accusations to Asharq Al-Awsat, saying this was the same excuse used by the Iran-backed Houthi militias to capture Sanaa. What now? The STC had staged an armed rebellion in Aden last year. The Riyadh Agreement helped ease the tensions between it and the legitimate government before the STC withdrew from the pact in January despite its claims that it wants to be part of any political negotiations in Yemen. Jamih said the government should have fully assumed its responsibility in not just Aden alone, but in all military, service and economic affairs. “It must assume its duties or not at all because the actual authority in Aden is the STC.” Mashour said it was now time to “clear the air” between the signatories of the Riyadh Agreement and work on building trust between the government and STC. He underlined the need for the government to “rectify its course and avoid eliminating the STC as a party that enjoys support among the Yemenis and is recognized regionally.” “Prioritizing reason and higher interests is needed… The Iranian threat still stands with the Houthis’ control of Sanaa and northern regions. This danger will not be overcome without meeting the demands of the residents of the South for preserving their territories and cooperating with the Arab coalition,” he said.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2254761/yemen%E2%80%99s-aden-awakes-political-maneuvers-threaten-riyadh-agreement