Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hammad Bin Shaji’ of Wa’ela tribe in the North-Eastern region of the Yemen Republic, on February 17, 2001 sent a letter to His Excellency President Ali Abdullah Saleh appealing for his help in connection with some problems his tribe is facing in the border areas with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Yemen Times is publishing the full text of the Sheikh’s letter in Arabic addressed to the president and an unofficial translation of it without any additions.
Dear Reader,
After reading the letter, which is published in the spirit of the freedom of press and expression, it is up to you to draw your conclusions!
“His Excellency the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces,
Peace be upon you,
We have previously sent to your excellency a detailed report, specifically at the end of last month, on the kind of aggressions the Saudi government has been carrying out up until now against the Yemeni border territories. In the absence of any effective resistance from our government I herewith repeat the appeal for your excellency’s help to work towards stopping this continued aggression and to punish those in the Yemeni Border Committees who are found to be cooperating with them. They are now carrying on their atrocities in an area of 24 square kilometers in the following regions seized in 1979: Qafrat Sala, Wadi Sala, Zafeen, Jabal Assaleeb, Laberqeen, Laqeela, Khabbash.
All these above-mentioned regions are behind the new borders to the south of Jabal Tha’r and Jabal Habash. Such leniency on the part of our government might oblige us to take whatever measures we see as appropriate against Saudi rule in the area in defense of our tribal territories established since the times of our forefathers. Please accept the best regards of your brother, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Shaji’ 17 February 2001″
——
[archive-e:08-v:2001-y:2001-d:2001-02-19-p:./2001/iss08/front.htm]
