Saleh launches presidential campaign in Sa’ada [Archives:2006/977/Front Page]

By:Hamdan Dammag
SA'ADA, Aug. 30 ) General People's Congress candidate, President Ali Abdullah Saleh, launched his presidential campaign with a festival in the city of Sa'ada.

In his speech, Saleh explained why he chose the city 242 km north of Sana'a for his rally.

“I'm launching my election campaign from Sa'ada governorate because I remember a historical event in Yemen's history. A campaign began in Sa'ada to reunify Yemen and it moved southward to meet our brothers in Aden to declare the Republic of Yemen!” Saleh announced.

“We have received great public support from this governorate. I'm extremely pleased with the competitive democratic motion involving us and the Joint Meeting Parties. So, let them compete without lying to the people,” he said before his supporters.

“I speak to you frankly because you have known us. You were faithful to us during the secession war. I still remember convoys coming from Sa'ada and the courageous heroes who sacrificed themselves to preserve Yemen's unity. Caravans and men came from this province to contribute to the eradication of secessionists and insurgents,” said Saleh.

“We are happy with this democratic motion. It's no shame. We take pride in it and the whole Yemeni nation is taking pride,” said Saleh making mention of his competitor Faisal Bin Shamlan.

He concluded his speech by calling on his fellow presidential candidates to give prudent political discourse, not to lie to the public and not to promise something they can't fulfill because they don't have an equal amount of experience in governance.

“We tested them during the totalitarian regime in the southern part of the country and during our coalition government. They couldn't even manage themselves,” Saleh asserted.
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