Indicators of a sixth Sa’ada war on the rise [Archives:2008/1190/Local News]
Mohammed Bin Sallam
SA'ADA, Sept. 14 ) Houthi field leaders have repeated their strong denunciation of an official media campaign, launched by senior government officials over the past few days against their followers.
Houthis' representative Sheikh Saleh Habra told various media outlets that the hostile campaign implies that the regime is plotting to breach the Doha-brokered ceasefire agreement, which the government and Houthis signed last February. “This is the same behavior followed by the government ahead of the fifth Sa'ada war,” Habra went on to say.
He added that there is strong evidence against several local and international personalities that they oppose peace and stability in the Sa'ada governorate. “These people want to achieve their own objectives,” Habra noted. “The government hurriedly recruits thousands of tribesmen and provides money and arms to tribal leaders in an unprecedented way.”
Habra urged those whom he described as “wise and judicious patriots” to advise the government to return to the right path, and not to lead the war-ravaged governorate into a sixth war, bound to kill any remaining citizens and destroy any remaining property.
Deputy Prime Minister for Defense and Security Affairs Rashad Al-Alimi holds Houthi followers accountable for hindering peace efforts in the various areas affected by the four-year fighting between the army and Houthis, adding that they don't cooperate with efforts aimed at enhancing security and stability in their areas.
Al-Alimi confirmed that Houthis have refused to abandon their mountaintop positions, which is why the government doesn't remain committed to the other terms contained in ceasefire agreement.
During his visit to the Sa'ada governorate last Monday, the fourth of its kind since the war first broke out between the army and Houthis in June 2004, Al-Alimi, who is also Chairman of the Supreme Security Committee, threatened to stop all the efforts to reconstruct affected areas and compensate citizens whose property was damaged during the fighting, if Houthis were not receptive to these efforts.
Living conditions of displaced residents in the various Sa'ada areas continue to worsen as a result of poor medical services and frequent power cuts due to a lack of the diesel supplies needed by power generators.
Residents of war-affected areas are awaiting billions of Yemeni Riyals, which have been allocated to fund health and electricity projects.
——
[archive-e:1190-v:16-y:2008-d:2008-09-15-p:ln]
