TRIBES AND STATE IN WAR AT BORDER [Archives:2000/34/Front Page]

Yemen Times visited Yemens borders with Saudi Arabia to have a close look at the tribal sites owned by Waelah tribe and other tribes affiliated to it. YT also got informed on the military confrontations between Waelah tribe and the 3000 strong soldiers military camp there under the command of Brigadier General Abdullah Darass.
YT met with tribesmen from both countries living on both sides of the border line and learned about their military force. YT discovered about the military weapons owned by Waelah Tribe headed by sheikh Mohammed Bin Shajae, including 22 military sites equipped with heavy, medium and light weapons, cannons and 200 military vehicles. Sheikh Bin Shajae stressed the tribes strong rejection of Jeddah treaty signed between Yemen and Saudi Arabia on 12 June, 2000. He said that the treaty was a violation of the tribes lands. He said that they possessed 240-year- old tribal documents signed between their tribe and Yaam tribe from the Saudi side. The tribesmen said that they do not understand the new demarcation and that they would not recognize them. Bin Shajae expressed his readiness to face and prevent any company that would come to demarcate the borders, adding that they were ready to risk their lives in defense of their land.
Military confrontations which erupted between Waelah tribe and Darass military camp have claimed the lives of 24 tribesmen and 15 soldiers, said Bin Shajae.
On the other side of borders, specifically in some villages affiliated to Waelah, such as Najran, more than 500 Yemenis were granted the Saudi nationality.
Some tribesmen said that in case a conflict with the government complicated the situation and they could not get their basic needs, they will obtain some supplies such as oil, kerosene and other food-stuffs through a path called al-Khadraa area.
Yemeni-Saudi borders suffer from the lack of security attention as many people in al-Buqa and Saywoon Yemeni governorates saw many Saudi tanks infiltrating into Yemeni territories.
It was reported that military confrontation between Yemeni and Saudi border patrols took place claiming the lives of three Saudis, two Yemenis and wounding many others from both sides.
Nowadays to reach the Yemeni-Saudi Arabian borders is not that much easy. Difficulties faced in reaching there are not confined to the unevenness of roads but many other obstacles which hinder a safe arrival there. All citizens living there are well armed with light and heavy weapons. Thirty-five-km-range field artilleries fill all positions on hill tops. State presence is absent. It is only the tribesmen who take positions on hill tops. They live at slopes and in valleys in primitive cottages.
Here a lot of cases of murder and road blockade with the purpose of robbery are witnessed. The reason behind these is the old vengeance between the tribes here and there.
It was almost 19:00 hours Wednesday when we arrived in Al-Hauth town. We were on an asphalted road with Sada City at distance away when 20 tribesmen from a certain tribe blocked our way. They checked our identity. We felt panicked but then we learnt that they wanted to revenge from another tribe. By 22:00 hours we reached Sada City where we spent the night.
Early morning Thursday we headed towards the land of Waeela tribe – a three-hour drive from Sada to Yemeni-Saudi Arabian borders. The road was fraught with dangers. Had it not been for our determination and the tribal guide who accompanied us, our mission would have not been successful. We reached the land of Waeela tribe at noon and met its Chief Shaikh: Muhammed Ben Shajay who was surrounded by his followers and bodyguards. He has his own stance towards the recently signed Jeddah Treaty; he rejects it strongly as it cruelly partitioned his tribe between Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
Nature here is very harsh. No rains for the past two years. Only one drinking water well meets the needs of about 45,000 inhabitants of Waeela and the neighboring areas inhabitants. Other wells give salty water. There is not any trace of cultivation or green nature here owing to lack of water and rains. The tribesmen live in a quasi-arid desert. Their area is adjacent to Rub al-Khali. Along the border line there live ten tribes: Dhu Hussein, al-Zawamielah and others, all of whom come under the flag of Waeela. Besides Waeela lives Dhm tribe which has a government camp holding 3,000 army men under the command of Brig. Gen. Abdullah Dares.
Despite the rigidity of nature there lives hardhearted pale-faced tribesmen who were able to overcome the harshness of their land.
Military Positions of Border Tribes
Both Waeela and Dhm tribes, the biggest of Yemeni tribes along the borders, have several military positions with men and weapons. No sooner you catch sight of these than you imagine that the area is a state within a state.
Accompanied by Shaikh Shajay, we went to these military positions. Surprisingly, we found a lot of light and heavy military equipment etc. We could not find out how all these weapons came into this area and why there were not any government camps on the two sides of the borders. If any tribe claimed that there is something or expressed opposition on certain point, it is not so easy to deflect it; but it impossible to do so.
Waeela tribe possesses more than 200 armed military groups. Close to it is Dhm tribe with official support in form of army men , armed groups and weapons. Waeela tribe also has 22 well-equipped military positions which makes one suspicious of everything along the border. These positions are located on the peaks of mountains. From those heights you can see the interlocked Saudi Arabian-Yemeni positions. One can see Saudi Arabian tanks forcing their way in the sands, crossing the border line towards 25km south in the Yemeni area of Boqou and in other directions.
Tribal military positions along the border have become one of the reasons for confrontations between tribesmen. Both Waeela and Dhms disputes are renewed day by day. Sunset observes the beating of drums of war…….with artillery shells. Everyday many are killed and injured from both sides under the eyes of the Yemeni-Saudi Arabian regular forces stationed near their areas.
Last week there were clashes between the two tribes which resulted in 24 killed from Waeela side and 15 from Dhm where a government camp exists. Of course, these tribal clashes enjoy official support and state funding against and in favor of each tribe as necessity dictates.
Indeed Yemeni borders are open and absolutely without any defense an affair which encouraged Saudi Arabia to swallow a large part of these border areas including Najran and Aseer cities, and allowing it penetrate deep into the Yemeni areas of Al-Boqou and Sada through use of force and funds. No one can deny that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia supports a large number of tribesmen and sheikhs residing along the borders.
Waeela tribe bitterly complains of Dhms government camp, commanded by Brig. Gen. Dares and demands its dismantling because, according to Waeela tribesmen it is used to suppress them and not to defend the Yemeni land and borders. Waeela tribes are only 10km away from the borders.
Tribal sources censure this camp as a recipient of dual funding from both the Saudi Arabian Kingdom and Sanaa regime. Be the situation whatever it be; but what is obvious is that the seeds of Dhm tribe and the camps attached to it have now grown up as strong plants difficult to be eradicated. It is a secretion of both Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The Saudi Arabian regime used to push the borderline tribesmen as a means to put pressure, in form of opposition on the system in Yemen and to carry out disturbances, kidnappings, killings and perpetuating crisis. At the same level, Yemen supported these tribes through weapons and funds to put pressure on the Saudi Arabian side in form of creation of a state of chaos and skirmishes.
On the other hand, a disturbing inquiry remains dominant. Waeela tribe has 22 military positions with no less than 20 personnel in each position. They are armed and need daily meals and receive monthly remuneration. Where from all these come?
Tribesmen have confirmed that any official attack is, ostensibly preceded by a tribal attack under the pretext that Waeela were the first to attack.
Believe it or not, each member of the Yemeni border guards under the command of Brig. Gen. Abdil-illah Aatef receives only YR.600 per month. They complain of poverty and hunger.
An Entire Yemeni Village Enjoys Saudi Arabian Nationality.
A Yemeni village, Bazan is situated in the midst of Al-Aqiq Wadi of the Yemeni area of Al-Atfain. All its residents are Saudi Arabians. The Yemen Times visited the village and met its residents who mostly obtained the Saudi Arabian nationality for their livelihood. Political risks behind this is greater now after the June 12 Jeddah Treaty as one of its clauses stipulates tribal affiliation to be the source of any dispute.
A 22-year-old Rasheed Rashed, said: Nationality was granted to all members of my family in 1978 after our parents met the Amir Al-Sudairi of Aseer area and demanded nationality. Their request was met. Now all my family members hold the Saudi Arabian nationality. We live in a village known as Najran in Al-Atfain area; but we belong to Waeela tribe. The bachelor added: We go into Saudi Arabia and cross the check points without any inconvenience; but here in Sada City posts we go through interrogations. We are asked to prove our identity. Despite producing our Saudi Arabian identity we are not spared. We insist that we are in Yemen to visit our relatives; but to no avail. More than 500 citizens live amidst Waeela areas Najran village holding Saudi Arabian nationality. Honestly speaking we are asked to opt between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, we shall prefer the former which guarantees jobs; subsequently providing a livelihood to us. The latter does not provide us any thing in form of health, education or telecommunications services. Most of us are employed as border guards, traffic policemen, civil policemen, Air servicemen and guards to the Royal Amir.
Saleh Ahmed, 24, married said: My father was in the Saudi Arabian Army. We use the Saudi Arabian nationality for our livelihood. Yemen no doubt is our country. We cannot dispense with it; but it is important to be an Arab first. Affiliation does not matter. When asked what would he do in case a confrontation breaks out between Yemen and Saudi Arabia. He replied: That would be a war between two governments. As citizens we shall not take sides. When asked where shall he fall in case problems and skirmishes take place between the Waeela tribe now divided between Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Puzzled, yet he replied: It depends.
Musfar Muhammed, father of six said: Virtually we do not benefit from Yemen in any way. Health care and social security are not available. Here in our village we have more than 300 disabled elderly and widows who do not receive any care from Yemen. We are naturalized since long. We support Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is not only a source of income but, during crises between the government and the tribesmen, we receive our supplies of diesel, gasoline and food supplies through Al-Khadhra area from Saudi Arabia.

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