Pensioners schedule sit-in, JMP to join in [Archives:2007/1073/Local News]

ADEN, August 1– Despite warnings made by the Interior Ministry to prevent any demonstration or sit-in without official permission, the coordination board of pensioners including army, civil and security affiliates have decided to hold a peaceful sit-in on August 2 in Parades Square in Khormaksar, Aden.

The pensioners demanded the government to return them all to their military units and fulfill their complete rights.

Informed sources mentioned that the Joint Meeting Parties are to join the sit-in, believing that the demands of the pensioners are legitimate and lawful. The government should apply the law to ensure adequate living for all its citizens.

Last month, a number of southern governorates such as Aden, Hadhramout, Abyan, Shabwa and Al-Mahra experienced sit-ins and efforts at conducting national reconciliation between all citizens in these governorates.

Demonstrators issued a number of statements demanding the necessity of comprehensive reforms, calling for national unity and distributing resources equally between all the citizens of the country. They further demanded the government to reinstate all pensioners who left after the war of 1994, reaching 60,000 pensioners, back to their military units.

The peaceful sit-ins staged by the pensioners compelled the government to form ministerial committees for the southern governorates to follow up on these issues. The committees assumed their duties July 26 in order to receive the grievances of the pensioners. The pensioners are adamant about their demands being addressed comprehensively and without any exception.

A source from the security committee in Aden revealed that the committee decided not to allow the staging of any gatherings or demonstrations if not officially permitted by the necessary legal authority.
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