On Yemen, Saleh & 2 Houthis Sanctioned by UN Security Council, New Government Welcomed by Ban Ki-moon

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 7 -- As a new government was formed in Yemen, the UN Security Council's sanctions committee on November 7 designated for asset freeze and travel bans former President Saleh and two Houthi leaders, Abd al-Khaliq al-Huthi and Abdullah Yahya al Hakim. Click here for UNSC press release.

  After that, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon put out a statement welcoming the new government but not mentioning the sanctions:

The Secretary-General welcomes today’s announcement of the formation of the new Peace and National Partnership Government in Yemen. He congratulates President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi and Prime Minister-Designate Khaled Bahah for their leadership during this process. The Secretary-General commends the parties for their pledge to accept the slate decided on by the President and Prime Minister, and to extend their unwavering support to the new government. At this uncertain and fragile time for Yemen, today’s announcement is a positive step towards political stability and peace in the country.

The Secretary-General reminds the parties of the political commitments they made in signing the Peace and National Partnership Agreement. Yemen is facing enormous challenges at present, which can only be overcome if all sides work together in the greater national interest to implement the Agreement without delay.

The United Nations looks forward to continuing its engagement with the President, the Prime Minister, the Government and all Yemenis leaders as they seek to build a new democratic Yemen that responds to the legitimate aspirations of its people. 

  Back on October 31 the US State Department put out this answer to a question taken earlier that day:

Question: Do you have any reaction to reports that the Houthis have given President Hadi 10 days to form a government?

Answer: We have seen the reports that speakers at a Houthi-convened conference today announced a deadline for President Hadi to form a government in 10 days.  U.S. officials continue to support the efforts of Yemen’s political constituencies, especially President Hadi and Prime Minister Bahah, in implementing the provisions of the September 21 Peace and National Partnership Agreement, including the formation of a government.  All Yemenis, including the Houthis, have an important role to play in working peacefully to form a government that can meet the needs of the Yemeni people and continue to pursue the key steps of its political transition.

  Back on October 13 after Yemeni Prime Minster designate Ahmed Awadh Bin Mubarak was vetoed by the Houthis, on October 13 President Hadi appointed Yemen’s current UN Ambassador Khaled Mahfoodh Abdulla Bahah to the position.

 Later on October 13 after a three-hour UN Security Council meeting, brief "press elements" were read out at the stakeout once again vaguely threatening sanctions -- Inner City Press' questions including about secession of the South were not answered -- andwelcoming Bahah as prime minister.

He was Minister of Oil and Minerals of Yemen from 2006 until 2008, under Ali Saleh, including being “the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Yemen Liquefied Natural Gas Project with investments of over $4 Billion, Chairman of the Safer Exploration and Production Petroleum Company and, Chairman of the Yemen General Corporation for Oil and Gas, which includes the Aden Refinery Company, the Yemen Refinery Company, the Yemen Oil Company, the Yemen Investment Oil Company, and the Petroleum Training Center.” 

  That's a whole lot of hydrocarbons. Watch this site.

   

On South Yemen, Could Al-Beidh Be Sanctioned As "Spoiler" by UN Security Council For Secession Talk?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 4 -- The UN claims it respects freedom of speech and the right to espouse political views including secession. But with a Yemen resolution being prepared by the UN Security Council, ostensibly directed at political spoilers, could a continued call for the (renewed) independence of South Yemen result in sanctions, including a travel ban and asset freeze?

Back on February 15, 2013 the Security Council issued a Presidential Statement expressing

"concern over reports of interference in the transition by individuals in Yemen representing the former regime, the former opposition, and others who do not adhere to the guiding principles of the Implementation Mechanism Agreement for the transition process, including former President Ali Abdullah Saleh and former Vice-President Ali Salim Al-Beidh. The Security Council reiterates its readiness to consider further measures, including under Article 41 of the UN Charter"

  Ali Salim Al-Beidh was formerly the president of South Yemen, which until 1990 was the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen. Now based in Lebanon -- or "south Beirut" as some darkly point out, with its Shi'a Crescent connotation -- Ali Salim Al-Beidh is once again asserting the right of southern Yemen to be independent.

  Does that alone make him a spoiler, legitimately subject to UN Security Council sanctions? South Sudan long advocated for the independence it ultimately received. So there is nothing per se spoiler about such advocacy.

  The Security Council has just returned from a French-led trip to Mali. They traveled to Mopti, near the north, and met with leaders from some communities in the north, but not Kidal. Former colonial power France has said all must participate in a dialogue. Would refusal to, and espousing of a right to independence, be considered sanction-able by the Security Council?

  Just before the February 2 US Super Bowl, a lengthy segment reading out the US Declaration of Independence was read out. Obviously there was no UN or Security Council at the time. But it's worth reflecting on: is there a right to advocate for independence?

  The loophole may be the allegation of external support, an allegation amplified and self-proved in Gulf and Western media. If groups in Yemen are making advances, they must have support from Iran, the dark talk goes -- therefore, they should be stopped and sanctioned; they are terrorists.

  Aren't armed groups in Syria getting external support? Those that advocate secession or even just autonomy, like the Rojava Kurds, are excluded from the process of Geneva Two. But are they spoilers? Sanctionable? There is no law, no protection of free speech or political participation. This is the UN.

  Now al-Beidh may well have other problems; it may be as UN envoy Jamal Benomar told Inner City Press at the Security Council stakeout twice, than many in the Southern Movement are amenable to the National Dialogue and that by implication al-Beidh is an extreme. But is advocacy sanctionable? Should it be?