“We are surrounded by lies and besieged by falsehood,” – retired officer [Archives:2007/1112/Reportage]”
December 17 2007
 |
If 96 percent of the retirees' situation has been solved, why are you escalating it?
What's the source of this information?
President Ali Abdullah Saleh and the Defense Ministry said this.
People are judged by their actions, not by their words.
What do you mean?
The authority considers lies its philosophy and one of its main pillars to continue, as well as to pass its plans. All statements and speeches it delivers are futile. We are surrounded by lies and besieged by falsehood. Where are the Agreements and the Constitution of Unification, in addition to the Code of National Consensus, the authority's commitment to the Security Council?
Where are we since the Security Council Decree issued during the 1994 Civil War? Where are the authority's promises it committed to in the various elections?
What about the presidential decrees to promote retirees to a higher rank?
Such decrees and resolutions published in newspapers may remedy 40 percent of the retirees' problem. The concerns of those individuals included in these decrees have increased, particularly after their pensions were transferred from the post office to other areas away from their homes. There was no real will to deal with the problem.
Therefore, I request my brothers included in the reinstatement decisions only to accept their full rights: full salaries and high ranks. They must hold accountable those who made them suffer throughout this period. Collectively, they should organize activities in the units to which they'll be reinstated.
All of the issues of political security personnel, police and civilians should be solved. There must be a comprehensive political decree because promotions and “painkillers” are futile.
The Radfan rally prompted varying and contradictory reactions, both locally and internationally, whereas the voices of retirees and idle youth were weak. What happened?
Actually, I think the retirees' speech was strong. I don't think it was weak because it was retirees who took to the streets and instituted all of these protests and demonstrations nationwide.
It's really about the weakness or strength of our speech. The most important thing is what the message or speech conveys. We organized the Radfan rally to let local residents and others speak out and have their say.
The Interior Ministry has mentioned some lawbreakers who broke into the rally's stands Oct. 13. What's the story from your viewpoint?
According to the decision of the Coordinating Committee of Retirees' Associations for months, we instituted an open-ended sit-in at the stands where the alleged incident occurred. We organized everything for the rally.
When some of the participants arrived at the stands military forces and central security fired upon them with medium-sized firearms and machine guns, killing four and injuring 15 others. The incident now is being referred to prosecution in Lahj governorate, but it was supposed to be in a special location in Al-Habilain, where the incident took place.
Statements by Interior Ministry sources have become routine, wherein they agree to fabricate the truth; thus, we declare that we won't remain silent until there's a fair trial.
The authority accuses you of instigating rumors and fighting throughout the nation on the pretext of rights when you really have another agenda that's damaging national unity. What's your response to this?
The authority is used to lying. It believes in lies and fabrication. It creates talismans to blur public opinion, both locally and internationally. It repeats lies. When the talismans fade, the authority confesses, admits a few facts and then tries to patch things up and find solutions.
It disseminates accusations according to local attitudes, alleging that some want Imamate rule, while others seek secession, etc. This failed authority is like an animal in danger that releases a bad odor in order to find shelter from harm.
The country seeks help from its citizens to rescue what's left and repair what has been destroyed. We want to bring back what was confiscated and take our nation to safe shore, riding it of thieves. We want to fight price hikes and injustice inflicted upon our nation.
A lawsuit regarding the incident in Al-Habilain now is in prosecution. Why did you institute it?
We want to see the state's true intention, and see those who carried out the massacre at Al-Habilain Prison sentenced to death as retribution.
Radfan recently has been at the top of the protest movement in Yemen. Is this due to its historical reputation as being the place from where previous revolutionists came?
This symbol is both psychological and moral. Historically, Radfan has been the stronghold of revolutionists, so Radfan locals have inherited such traits. For example, they abhor lies, they won't delay national struggle and they defend themselves against injustice. They would rather add to their fathers' and grandfathers' history by sacrificing themselves in the fight against injustice.
Will you spur this on more forcefully?
If we find that the concerned bodies don't respond to the perpetrators before justice is served, then we intend to provoke the issue, whatever it costs, because such perpetrators should be referred to judiciary.
You say the issue doesn't relate to rights, but rather, that it has a political dimension. What are those dimensions and is secession included in that?
We were deliberately retired via political decree, thus stealing away our money and aspirations. We're now deprived of our jobs. The pension by which we provided and guaranteed our children's future was the victim of that political decree.
We were technicians, specialists and leaders with technically accumulated experience and qualifications. We were leaders in the state's civil and military administrations.
We are the protectors of our land and our wealth, which we submitted – without any harm to our dignity – on May 22, 1990. However, today, this land and wealth is being wasted by those who don't own them, so I must question whether this is acceptable.
Moreover, we are a part of this nation. It is our children's future, so it must be kept safe and stable. Unification must be established in equal partnership.
——
[archive-e:1112-v:15-y:2007-d:2007-12-17-p:report]
