Country/entity

Yemen

Region

Middle East and North Africa

Agreement name

Document of Reconciliation between areas of al-Mahariq and al-Saliyah, Sheikh Othman, Aden

Date

26 Apr 2019

Agreement status

Multiparty signed/agreed

Interim arrangement

Yes

Agreement/conflict level

Intrastate/local conflict

Yemeni Civil Wars (1994) (2011 - )

The Republic of Yemen was formed in May 1990 after the merger between the Yemeni Arab Republic (YAR) in the north and the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY) in the south. The unification process was rushed and the final agreement between President Ali Abdullah Saleh and President Ali Salem al-Beidh was based on the imperfect promise of equality. Following the merger, integration of the militaries and civil services was at best incomplete or at times entirely non-existent. When Saleh’s General Congress Party (GPC) allied itself with the newly created Islamist Islah (‘reform’) party in 1993, the former ruling party of South Yemen – the Yemen Socialist Party (YSP) – was effectively side-lined in the 1993 General Elections. Violence involving the use of heavy weaponry and aerial bombardment erupted in April 1994 and on the 21 May 1994 Vice President al-Beidh declared the secession of the south, citing political centralization with the northern highland tribes, violence against the YSP and economic discrimination. In the midst of fighting, negotiations in Cairo, Egypt, collapsed. The war ended with the military victory of the north, and on the 1 October 1994, Ali Abdullah Saleh was elected President.

Despite the unification of Yemen in 1990, political power during the 1990s and 2000s remained centralized with the northern highland tribes, particularly the villages from which President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his confidants stemmed. The system of clientelism established through the ruling General People’s Congress party maintained relative loyalty among the fractured political allegiances of Yemen’s traditional tribal leadership. However, diminishing oil reserves and the shrinking opportunities for access to rent increased economic and political marginalization in Yemen’s peripheral communities. The degree of regionalism of conflicts is further defined by other local grievances. In the northern governorate of Sa’dah, a backlash was provoked among the local Zaydi Shi’a against Sunni Salafist cultural incursions resulting in six wars between 2004 and 2010. In the southern governorates of Hadramawt, Shabwa, al-Dhali and Abyan, civil and military personnel forcibly retired after the 1994 Civil War began protesting and eventually formed the secessionist Southern ‘al-Hiraak’ movement in 2007. Furthermore, tribal grievances have spurred attacks on oil companies and government installations to extract rents. Various takfiri groups including al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula have also increased their presence since 1995.

The Yemen Spring in early 2011 allowed all these movements to express their joint displeasure. Moreover, factionalism in the regime split the already weak military and thus allowed the Houthis, the takfiris and tribal-based militia known as popular committees, to assert themselves militarily. Mandated by the UN-sponsored Gulf Cooperation Council Initiative, the National Dialogue held from March 2013 to January 2014 aimed at guaranteeing power-sharing among the different parties. However, the GCC Initiative only included formal political parties that did not accurately reflect political realities. Furthermore, provisions lacked adequate transitional justice and provided former-President Saleh, as well as others, full amnesty. As a result, little faith was placed in the process by formerly marginalized groups such as the Zaydi Shia Houthi rebels (Ansar Allah) and al-Hiraak who opted to increase their bargaining power vis-à-vis the state by strengthening their own territorial enclaves. In September 2014 the Houthis succeeded in capturing the capital Sana’a and gradually expanded their control southward. The subsequent UN-mediated Peace and National Partnership Agreement between transitional president Hadi and the Houthis on a federal, democratic Yemeni state, failed to be implemented as the Houthis successfully dissolved the parliament and deposed Hadi in January 2015. Following the Saudi military intervention to restore the Hadi government in March 2015, ceasefire attempts continuously failed. A two-year deadlock ensued until negotiations between the Houthis and the government of Yemen finally culminated in the Stockholm Agreement in December 2018. However, throughout 2019 the Saudi-led coalition continues to launch airstrikes. Furthermore, in May 2017 the Southern al-Hiraak movement had declared the secessionist formation of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), seizing the interim-capital Aden by January 2018. Territorial divisions between the Yemeni government, the Houthis, forces affiliated with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, local militias and tribes have continued to fracture the country.

Close

Yemeni Civil Wars (1994) (2011 - )

Stage

Ceasefire/related

Conflict nature

Inter-group

Peace process

Yemen Inter-group Agreements

Parties

The brothers in the area of Al-Mahariq, and they are:

1. Muhammad Saeed Saleh Abdullah
2. Badr Ghaleb Ghaleb
3. Sheikh Ali Muhammad bin Muhammad Burahah

And the brothers in the area of Al-Saliyah, and they are:

1. Shawi Hasan Abdoh
2. Mayal Muhammad Ahmad
3. Iyad Taha Noman

Third parties

Agreement witnessed by: Commander of the Sheikh Othman [ILLEGIBLE]

Abu Jamal/ Nasser al-Hout
[SIGNED]

Commander of the 3rd Infantry Forces
Sheikh Bassam al-Mihdhar
[SIGNED]

Description

A short ceasefire agreement between two district level local armed groups to stop the conflict and violence between Muslims during the month of Ramadan.

Agreement document

YE_190427_Lahj Agreement between al-Mahariq and al-Saliya_EN.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Agreement document (original language)

YE_190427_Lahj Agreement between al-Mahariq and al-Saliya_AR.pdf (opens in new tab)| Download PDF

Local agreement properties

Process type

Isolated example

Rationale

It appears this is a one off arrangement with focus on cessation of violence during the month of Ramadan. Provisions set out for how parties should continue the process following this are vague. It appears that by early July 2019, violence had returned and deaths had occurred in connection to clashes in these same area (see additional reference).

Is there a documented link to a national peace process?

No

Link to national process: articulated rationale

This is a highly localised agreement between groups of gunmen in a city district of Aden - with brief suggestion from an additional source that security presences may be attempting to resolve the ongoing conflict between these seemingly local non-state actors. Even though listed under witnesses, is a commander of the 3rd infantry and a signature with 'governorate' attached, the rest of this governorate signing is deemed 'illegible'. Therefore, it does not seem there is enough clarity around these signatories and their level of involvement or affiliations, to suggest a link to the national. In such a contested southern city as Aden, there is no guarantee these groups have full or true affinity towards national institutions or the process and it cannot even clearly be ascertained what their stance is on the wider conflict. (See additional references)

Name of Locale

Sheikh Othman (Shaykh Uthman) city district in Aden governorate.

Nature of Locale

Smaller

GPS Lat/Long (DD)

12.863683, 44.990087

Participant type

Local armed group

Mediator, facilitator or similar

Mediator or similar referred to

Mediator (references)

The leader of the district who is also a Sheikh, Sheikh Ahmad al-Mihdhar called for talks to be held and while there is no reference to a Mediator in the text, by the description of his role he could be considered as such. There are another two Sheikhs described and signed as witnesses, one of which hosted the agreement signing in his own home. In this case the witnesses can likely also be considered as facilitators.

Type of mediator/facilitator/similar

Domestic religious organisation/leader or other elder

Local issues

Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture)

Page 1, Untitled preamble, In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Page 1, Untitled preamble, Peace and blessings be upon the Prophet of Allah, his family, and his companies.

Page 1, ... Then, they will resort, after Allah, to the authorities to settle the dispute between them based on the law and using the secondary methods.

Page 1, ... May Allah guide us to what He loves and desires.

Grievance List

Page 1, ... So, both sides adhere to not causing any violence or chaos after this agreement due to the coming of the blessed month of Ramadan and so as not to disturb the peace. This agreement is put in place to stop bloodshed between Muslims.

Page 1, ... This agreement aims to fix the relationship between everyone and help the people of the district avoid conflict and violence.

Cattle rustling/banditry

No specific mention.

Social cover

No specific mention.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Peace and blessings be upon the Prophet of Allah, his family, and his companies.

On Friday, 26/4/2019, and agreement was reached between the brothers in the area of Al Mahariq, and they are:

Muhammad Saeed Saleh Abdullah

Badr Ghaleb Ghaleb

Sheikh Ali Muhammad bin Muhammad Burahah

And the brothers in the area of Al Saliyah, and they are:

Shawi Hasan Abdoh

Mayal Muhammad Ahmad

Iyad Taha Noman

The agreement was to stop the mutual violence between the two sides after signing the agreement and until after the Blessed Eid Al Fitr so that each side can prepare the complaints, evidence, and witnesses against the other side.

Then, they will resort, after Allah, to the authorities to settle the dispute between them based on the law and using the secondary methods.

So, both sides adhere to not causing any violence or chaos after this agreement due to the coming of the blessed month of Ramadan and so as not to disturb the peace.

This agreement is put in place to stop bloodshed between Muslims.

Out of the understanding of all of the parties of what was mentioned above, the attendees signed the agreement in the attendance of Sheikh Bassam Mihdhar and Sheikh Nasser Bin Suror based on the request from the sheriff of the district of Sheikh Othman, Sheikh Ahmad Al Mihdhar.

This agreement aims to fix the relationship between everyone and help the people of the district avoid conflict and violence.

May Allah guide us to what He loves and desires.

Shadi Hasan Abdoh Ahmad [SIGNED]

Mayal Muhammad Ahmad [SIGNED]

Iyad Taha Noman [SIGNED]

Sameer Ali Abdullah Saleh [SIGNED]

Fadhel Ghaleb Taleb [SIGNED]

Muhammad Saeed Saleh [SIGNED]

Ali Muhammad Muhammad Ali [SIGNED]

Witnesses:

Commander of the Sheikh Othman [ILLEGIBLE]

Abu Jamal / Nasser Al Hout

[SIGNED]

Commander of the 3rdInfantry Forces

Sheikh Bassam Al Mihdhar

[SIGNED]

[ILLEGIBLE] Governorate

[SIGNED]