More Reactions to the Border Treaty [Archives:2000/27/Law & Diplomacy]

Despite the overall happy response of most of the Yemeni population to the signing of the historic treaty, a significant number of opponents to the treaty are evident.
Apart from Sheik Mohamed Bin Shaj’i, a few other Sheikhs from different tribes have started expressing their dissatisfaction with the details of the treaty, that have only been provided recently.
The other two tribes that openly opposed the treaty are the Dhu Yahya and Al-Zawalima tribes. The two tribes released a statement signed by 30 prominent sheikhs protesting the treaty’s provision demarcating their “tribal” boundaries.
In the political arena, opposition parties’ positions are contradictory, some hailed the treaty, while others opposed it. Among the strong opponents was Abdulkareem Al-Khaywani, the Haq Party’s most influential figure who said the treaty was “enforced by the winning party on Yemen.”
Below are impressions on the treaty of a number of outstanding figures

Mr Ahmed Saleh As-Salami, member of the executive committee of the Yemeni Socialist Party has also responded to signing the border and sea treaty between Yemen and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He has summed up his opinion in four points.
First: To have a decisive decision for a lasting form of borders between Yemen and Saudi Arabia is in itself a great accomplishment, saving the two parties many of troubles and preparing new atmospheres for cooperation in many fields.
Second: Personally I think this treaty represents unfairness for Yemen. Saudi Arabia has gained areas rich with huge oil and water potentials running down from juncture point 19/52 till reaching down of Al-Wadiea’a, 12 kilometers away. This area was and is still having rich oil deposits as well as by the sea in the excavation sites of the British Petroleum Company.
Third: The treaty did not introduce any solutions to the issue of Yemeni labor, its movement and activity between the two countries. I was surprised at the conclusion of the treaty at a time when more than one thousand Yemenis were being deported by force from the country of Al-Saud. This gives a negative indicator.
Fourth: The Taif treaty, by its former demarcation, is no longer there. Saudi Arabia has overstepped these borders and entered deeper in the Yemeni territory and therefore it has to withdraw. I personally think that Saudi arabia does not care much about results of Taif agreement. For it the south-eastern area is the more important. Saudi arabia knows well its interests and knows how to exert pressure and manoeuvre out of power and possession of financial potentials and temptations.

Brigadier Mohammed Abdullah Al-Kibsi, Al-Ba’ath Party, MP.
We at the parliament, as a legislative authority grouping different political forces, have approved the borders treaty motivated by its first article confirming the abiding of the two sides by the Taif agreement which included 22 articles. These articles included different aspects such as economic, cultural and border issues. This agreement was crowned by the memorandum of understanding signed on Ramadhan 27 1415 A.H.
In fact, all political forces, in general and nationalist forces in particular, do not believe in borders. They all supported the border treaty. We do not think that there is a difference between the two treaties unless there has been a secret agreement. We should not at the moment cast any doubt in this regard because the truth will soon come to light. Only there and then we will react accordingly.
The treaty has closed up a 66 year journey of conflict and tension which served neither Yemen nor the neighboring countries.
The finest aspect of the treaty is the fact that we in Yemen are in dire need of stability in order steer our efforts to development.
Our vote for the treaty was in fact motivated by its being based on the Taif treaty.
I have stressed at the parliament and in an interview with the TV the need to execute and activate the 22-article treaty. I also stressed the need of a new executive mechanism different from that of the Taif treaty.

I wished that the treaty was given more time for deliberation in the parliament. I also wished that it was entrusted with outstanding social figures put their interpretations and comments on it. However, it was very satisfactory to know that it was based on the Taif treaty with all its economic, social and political aspects.
The Taif treaty identified not only the villages belonging to the two sides but even the people. Therefore, the execution of this treaty means nothing harmful. But if there are violations, doubts will arouse.
The articles of the Taif treaty were imposed by the victorious side. The treaty was agreed to be renewed each twenty years. According to that treaty, Nijran was supposed to be neutral. In this context, Nijran has never experienced a life of stability due to the conflict between Aal Aidh and Al-Adarisah. These at times sided with Saudi Arabia and other times with Yemen.
In fact, the treaty will give Yemen the power to concentrate attention on its internal affairs of development. Now the government has no excuses to refrain from the development process. All border disputes, with Oman, Eritrea and recently with Saudi Arabia have been resolved. The time now is for building modern Yemen, distributing the public wealth among people, encouraging all political and independent forces to take part in the decision making, encouraging the opposition to be a real partner of the leadership, creating good living standards for people, fighting corrupts and corruption, etc.
In this regard, all the political forces and social figures must join hands with the government to build Yemen of the 21st century. On the other hand I hope that the government will direct its attention and efforts to develop the country.
Yemen after closing all border disputes will be able to make strong stands both regionally and internationally. However, I would like to say that the country can not be strong enough unless its people are strong. This can only be by ensuring strong economy and real democracy.

Abdulkarim Mohammed Al-Khaiwani,
Spokesman of the Coordination Council, leader at Al-Haq Party, the chief editor of Al-Omah
Concerning the articles of the new Yemeni-Saudi boarders treaty, we, in the Coordination Council, had no idea of it at the beginning. We submitted a memorandum to the government requesting a copy of the treaty for discussion.
On Tuesday, the Coordination Council issued a report approving the treaty and of any solution that will solve the long dispute over the boarders. Though the final treaty stipulates that Taif treaty is obligatory to both parties, we do hope that the articles of Taif treaty will be implemented for the benefit of the people of the two sisterly countries.
We do cherish the hope that the tense atmosphere that prevailed in the past over the relations of the two countries will clear out and relations will come back to the right track.
Generally speaking, the treaty is a good and approved settlement of a hot issue that used to worry Yemenis and Saudis as well. Now it is the government duty to deal with issues of development more seriously and with considerable commitment. It has also to combat corruption, contaminating many institutions in the country.
One thing to note about the treaty is the strict confidentiality that was imposed over its articles. This does not cohere with the democratic atmosphere that we claim to adopt. The Authority seems to be indifferent to democracy and its importance as it has the power to enforce its decisions without having to refer to other parties present on the arena. This is not only applicable in case of the boarders issue but is also valid in all internal issues as well.
I can hardly predict how the coming generation will view the treaty but this will certainly be based on how the wealth of areas that are located at the boarders distributed and to whom these areas will belong.
Our stand towards the treaty is that we do approve the boarders treaty so as to clear all the clouds of tension and conflicts that have dominated over a long period of time.
Now the authority has no excuse to claim. It has to launch a sincere war against corruption that has taken roots in all institutions of the society. The people should feel tangibly the fruit of this treaty in terms of real and substantial economic, administrative, political and social reforms, otherwise the treaty will be meaningless.

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