The head of the Presidential Leadership Council in Yemen, Rashad al-Alimi, decided to address the problem of tens of thousands of dismissed army, security, and civil sector servants in the southern governorates of the country.
The decision aimed to settle the conditions of over 52,000 persons who were terminated from their jobs, including about 9,000 civilians.
Alimi signed the reinstatement, promotions, settlements, and wage increments for 52,766 individuals compelled to vacate their positions following the civil war in 1994.
The decisions approved the procedures of the previously formed committee that deals with the grievances of the employees forcibly dismissed from their positions in southern Yemen.
The committee included procedures for reinstating and compensating personnel dismissed from their jobs in the armed forces, internal forces, and political security (intelligence) services.
Aden residents and forces of the National Dialogue Conference welcomed the step, which will contribute to improving the lives of many families of the exiled, but they called for enhancing services to improve their standard of living.
Recognition of the case
Public servant Ahmed Nasser called for improving the salary scale, adding that improving the services is a public demand.
Khaled Mohammad, a soldier who benefited from the decision, confirmed that the military personnel suffered greatly after being granted low pension salaries.
Mohammad described the decision as an admission that their case is just, noting that it reflects the Council's awareness of the injustice against them.
Author Abd Rabbo Nasser described the decision to form a committee to address the issues of civil, security, and military employees in the southern governorates as sound.
He indicated that the committee made significant efforts, and Alimi's decision in implementing the recommendations is fair to those dismissed from their jobs and subjected to injustice for decades due to political conflicts.
- Brave move
Yemeni Minister of Information Moammar al-Eryani held a press conference with the committee of the dismissed employees.
Eryani said the "brave" move of the President of the PLC addressed the issues resulting from the dismissal and restored the rights of the Southern employees.
He indicated that this decision reflects the fulfillment of Alimi's pledges before the House of Representatives, as reflected in the national dialogue outcomes, the transitional period's agreement as organized by the Gulf initiative and its executive mechanism, and the outputs of the Riyadh consultations.
Eryani said the step confirms the state's seriousness in dealing with all outstanding issues, resolving all grievances, restoring people's rights, and opening a new page where justice and fairness prevail.
The minister renewed the call for broad popular support for the Presidential Leadership Council in addressing all the damages resulting from past issues.
Eryani praised the committee, saying it had made tremendous efforts over ten years since its establishment and would address the grievances in other governorates in future stages.
He renewed the call to friendly countries and international partners to mobilize efforts and support the government to implement these decisions.
- Humanitarian motives
The head of the committee, Judge Sahel Hamzah, confirmed at the press conference that its work stems from humanitarian motives without any political bias, which ensured its success since its establishment ten years ago.
He explained that the committee members conducted field visits in the Southern governorates, and despite the difficulties, they succeeded in achieving the goals.
Hamzah noted that the next step would be mobilizing local and international funding to implement the decisions stipulated in the presidential decree.
Meanwhile, Nasser Baqazouz, the former Minister of Tourism in the Houthi government, confirmed that the head of the Houthi Governing Council, Mahdi al-Mashat, expelled several employees from the Southern governorates.
Baqazouz stated that no employee from the Southern governorates was working in the presidential office in Sanaa.
He called on the Houthis to learn from Alimi and restore the rights of the Southerners.
