Arab Spring in Yemen Part - 1 / Case study of Yemen in the light of Arab Spring
Arab Spring in Yemen Part - 1 / Case study of Yemen in the light of Arab Spring
In 2011 a wave of pro-democracy protests started in the Arab
world which knows as the Arab Spring. The wave causes a change in the
government of Arab states. Yemen became one of those countries where the
protest converted into the civil war. The protest uprising in Yemen because,
the country already facing the issue of rebellion, humanitarian crisis, and
foreign intervention, and these factors also became a reason to convert the
state protest to war, in which foreign intervention is visible. The protest in Sanaa
uprising after the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia and similar protests in Egypt
where the rule of government changed by the people protests.
To understand the conflict of Yemen it is important to
analyze the background and history of Yemen. The history and background provide
the directions of the Arab Spring situation in Yemen and aftermaths.
Strategic and Demographic importance
Yemen facing the issue of civil wars, separation,
sectarianism, humanitarian crisis since the ottoman's time. These issues are
somehow related to the strategic and demographic location of Yemen. To
understand the issue of Yemen we have to overlook the importance of Yemen in
the light of strategic and demographic basses.
Strategically, Yemen is very important. Yemen is
close to Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Somalia. Yemen is also near to the Gulf of
Aden. The Gulf of Aden is a very important strategic point between Saudi
Arabia, Yemen, and Somalia. They connected between the African Region and
Middle Eastern states. Most of the oil trade of Saudi Arabia also passes away
this gulf. Due to Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden maritime security is high.
Yemen is a part of Islamic heritage and traditions. People
of Yemen during the Cold War era were divided into North and South Yemen on the
basses of ethnic and religious differences.
Demographically, the population of Yemen is 90%
ethnically Arabic in origin. On the other hand, religiously divided into 2 sets
of SHIA & SUNNI. Most of the area
adjacent to Saudi Arabia is based on the Shia population. According to the
statics of UNHCR[1],
the Sunni population is 53% and 45% is Shia and most of the people who believe
Shia jurisprudence follows the strict version and tradition of Islamic
ideology.
Background of Yemen:
Since the era of the ottoman empire, Yemen faced the issue
of ethnicity, separation, instability, and sectarian issue. First, under the
Ottoman Empire, Yemen's divided between the south and north. The north part
fall under the ottoman empire and the south part under the influence of the
British Empire. After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the north part gain
independence and become an independent state, and the south part gain
independence from British rule in 1967, after this north part also become an
independent state.
Division of Yemen:
The Yemen which was already divided into 2 parts also
affected by Cold War politics. It was after 1945 that Cold War politics also
reach in the Arab world and affect Yemen affairs. It affects the artificial
division of Yemen in North and Southern Yemen.
Ø Affects of division
The northern part has a more social tendency and the southern
part have capitalist implications. This capitalist, communist’s division along
with the religious division, economic disparity, conflict over the distribution
of resources, it became the leading cause of major conflicts between north and
south.
Political instability and united Yemen
Shia has the upper hand in political affairs and
participation in the political system. During the war, the issue raised who
will go to Lead Yemen in terms of sectarian affiliation. Eventually, when in
May 1990 Northern and Southern Yemen
united, and the war, was ended Yemen emerged as a 1 Nation/country. On 22 May
1990, Ali Abdul Saleh becomes the first president of the Republic of Yemen who
belongs to the Zaidi Shia community.
The concern of Saudi Arabia
After 1979, the Iranian revolution, Saudi Arabia was
concerned about further states who have a Shia population. Yemen also has a
Shia population and the leader of Yemen Shia so, Yemen became the concern point
for Saudi Arabia.
Concerned points of Saudi Arabia
· 1. First of all, Yemen is located to near Saudi
Arabia
· 2. Yemen is a part of the security constrain of
Saudi Arabia
· 3. Saudi Arabia is also concerned about the close
ties between Iran and Yemen. Saudi Arabia didn’t want the friendship between the 2
countries because of the close ties between Yemen and Iran because their friendship
is a clear threat to Saudi Arabia.
But despite that facts, Saudi Arabia tried to normalize the
relationship with United Yemen.
United Yemen and challenges
In 1990 after the wars and many conflicts Yemen emerged as a
single state, the Republic of Yemen. Although the president of Yemen Saleh was
a Shia has support from Sunni leaders as well. Despite the difference in
religious beliefs or sectarian issues Saleh always tried to manage the
co-existence relationship with Saudi Arabia.
There are many challenges that Yemen faced after unification
to date but here we discuss the early ones and challenges which lead Yemen to
Arab Spring.
Challenges 1990 to 2010:
1. After
the unification of Yemen, the main issue which Yemen face was the gaining power
of the Zaidi-Shia group Ansar Allah or the Houthis gradually gain power; the
group’s rise has the tacit support of President Saleh.
2. After 3 years of unification, 1994 Yemen faced
a brief civil war between the northern and southern armies result that the
southern army defeated by the northern and the president suppressed the war and
Yemen maintained the status of a single state.
Houthi
as rebellion: In the initial period of Saleh's presidency, he supports the
Houthis but in 2000 he signed the Treaty of Jeddah with Saudi Arabia which
disarms the forces of the Houthis.
· After the treaty of Jaddeh in 2004 Houthis
emerged as a rebellion against the Yemeni government.
[1] United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Hi Zainab, I am very impressed with your writings and initiative to create this blogspot for International Relations. It would be much more great if you write about currents issues relating to Pakistan, China, US axis.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your appreciation towards my work. Sure i'll cover that topic soon Insha Allah.
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