Thousands Receive Three SM Leaders at Former Border Checkpoint

Provinces / Aden News Agency / Exclusive / 19-07-2010

Thousands from the south of Yemen received, on Monday morning, three leaders of the Southern Movement (SM) released, the day before yesterday, from prisons in the Yemeni capital (Sana'a) after more than a year of their arrest in southern cities, their transfer to the Yemeni capital and trials on charges of harming the unity of Yemen and spreading the culture of hatred.

The masses received the three released leaders in a former border checkpoint located between South and North Yemen, before the agreement of the unity between North Yemen led by Ali Abdullah Saleh, and South Yemen, led by the President Ali Salem Al Baid, who lives in exile since the war of 1994 when northern troops overflowed the south.

An unknown number of people were injured when security forces tried to suppress the crowds of receivers in Al Dhali city.

Other thousands of people were waiting in Radfan, Lahj province, when they were carried over the shoulders and by raising the flags of former South Yemen over the houses.

The tree leaders deleived short speeches, ensured through them that arresting them have made them sure that the recent status is a "mere occupation." While the prisoner Ahmed Ba'mualim said that he is like the other southerners, is "ready to give more sacrifices for the independence and libration."

The Yemeni government released a number of leaders and activists of the Southern Movement, detained before more over a year ago, from local prisons in the south and others in the Yemeni capital, "Sana'a."

The release comes after two days of the visit of Qatar's Amir, Hamad Bin Khalifa Aal Thani, indicating some mistakes accompanied the unity, and approved that there is a problem in the south, as well as reviving the agreement between Al Houtee rebels and the Yemeni government.

The release also comes after a phone call between President Obama and Ali Abdullah Salem, in which Obama stressed on the importance of "a comprehensive national dialogue."