Southern Yemeni separatists declare self-government and crisis deepens

The southern secessionists of Yemen decreed their autonomy after the failure of the peace agreement signed with the internationally recognized Executive of Abd Rabbuh Mansur al-Hadi, thus deepening the serious crisis that the country is going through, plunged into a civil war since 2014 in which the Houthi rebel militias, Shiite groups supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran, try to undermine the established power. A complicated scenario in what was considered by the United Nations (UN) as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, also suffered in the poorest territory of the Middle East. 

The main war focus in Yemen confronts the Houthi rebels, supported by Iran and that control the north of the country including the capital Sana'a, and the pro-government forces, that receive the military support of the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia, great regional enemy of the Iranians and maximum standard of the Sunni branch of the Islam, opposed to the Shiite one represented by the regime of the Ayatollahs. 

But in the ranks of the forces loyal to the official power there are also deep divisions between the exiled government of Al-Hadi, in Aden (south of Yemeni territory), and the separatist movement of the Southern Transitional Council (STC).

Although last November 5 was signed in Riyadh, capital of the Saudi kingdom, a pact to settle differences after the separatists took control of the enclave of Aden, the STC accused this Sunday the Al-Hadi government of violating the terms of it and of "conspiring" against the cause of the south. The agreement provided for the establishment of a new government with equal representation of both parties, in addition to the return of the internationally recognized authorities to Aden.
 

Last August, the separatists took over the institutions in Aden, the temporary seat of government, something that the executive of Abd Rabbuh Mansur al-Hadi called a "coup d'état", but then the parties ended up reaching an understanding in Riyadh. 

The STC has been denouncing the deterioration of public services and conditions in the south of the country in the face of inaction by the Executive, which it accuses of not supplying food, depreciation of the currency and failure to provide funds to pay officials. 

Due to this situation, the decision was taken to establish "autonomy" for the region, which came into effect this Sunday. "An autonomy committee will begin its work on the basis of a list of tasks assigned by the Council Presidency," an official STC note said. 

For its part, the government's executive has quickly called this decision a "catastrophe", denouncing this unilateral proclamation of independence. In an official statement, the Al-Hadi Administration noted that the southern separatists would be responsible for the "catastrophic and dangerous outcome" of this drift. It also called on Saudi Arabia, at the head of the Arab coalition (which includes countries such as the United Arab Emirates), to take "strict" measures.
 

Yemeni Foreign Minister Mohamed al-Hadhrami went further and declared that the STC's decision is "an extension of the rebellion" and that the STC will have to "bear only the serious and catastrophic consequences of such a declaration".

The armed forces of the STC deployed massively in Aden after this announcement of the breakdown of the agreement with the government by establishing checkpoints "in all government facilities, including the Central Bank and the port," as a source consulted by the AFP agency acknowledged.

Internal dissent also brought to light external divisions between strong allies, as Saudi Arabia has been unwaveringly supporting the Al-Hadi government, while the Emirates has been castrally financing and training southern separatists. This situation meant a contradiction in the ranks of the Arab alliance with a nation like the Emirate that seemed to be aligned with two opposing sides at the same time.

The breakdown of this agreement between the hitherto partners in the war in Yemen comes at a time when the international alliance led by Saudi Arabia, which supports the internationally recognised government in its battle against the Houthis, extended a unilateral ceasefire aimed at halting the spread of the new coronavirus pandemic, which is leaving hundreds of thousands dead and millions affected worldwide. So far, only one case of coronavirus infection has been recognized in the Arabian Peninsula country, a port worker from Al-Sheher, a town in the south of Hadramut province, which is controlled by the government. 
 

Despite the truce - rejected by the Hutus - fighting continues in a country that is experiencing the worst humanitarian disaster in the world, according to the UN, and where there are great fears of a serious outbreak of COVID-19 disease because the nation logically does not have the necessary health infrastructure to deal with the rigours of this pandemic, in the midst of a bloody civil war that has already left tens of thousands dead in the last five years due to clashes between pro-government forces and Houthis rebels. In addition, areas of the country have recently suffered from torrential rains and at least 21 people died this week from heavy rainfall in Aden.