Oman grants former vice president’s family citizenship [Archives:2005/819/Local News]

Mohammed bin Sallam
Sultan Qaboos bin Said, Sultan of Oman, granted Omani citizenship last month to Ali Salem al-Beedh, Former Vice President of the Republic of Yemen.

The royal decree No 12/2005 promulgated the following: “We, Qaboos bin Said, Sultan of Oman ave decided:

Article I: Omani citizenship is granted to the following:

1- Ali Salem al-Beedh

2- Amru Ali Salem al-Beedh

3- Tamani Ali Salem al-Beedh

4- Malky Abdullah Hassan al-Bahri

Article II: This decree is to be published in the Official Journal and comes into effect on date.

Issued on January 16, 2005.

The decree, which was not published in Omani local newspapers for certain reasons- according to sources- was published in the Official Journal in its issue No. 784 on February 1, 2005.

An Omani source said that the naturalization decree might please the Yemeni neighbors.

“Such an initiative would nullify al-Beedh's political activity on Omani soil as he is now an Omani citizen. The Sultanate does not allow political activity of neither opposition nor the harbored.”

The separatist southern Yemeni leader, who had fled the country after the 1994 civil war, was sentenced to death in absentia by a Yemeni court in March 1998. He has been living in Oman since then.

On 22 May 2003 President Saleh declared an amnesty for Al-Beedh along with 15 exiled political leaders who had fled Yemen in 1994 after the civil war.

Previously, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had granted Saudi citizenship to some 250 members of the ousted Imam's family under an agreement with the Yemeni government approved by the Yemeni Shura Council.
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