Ali Salim al-Baidh
Encyclopedia
Ali Salim al-Beidh (born 1939) is a Yemen
i politician who served as the General Secretary of the Yemeni Socialist Party
(YSP), the top political position in South Yemen, and as Vice-President of Yemen following Yemen's unification in 1990. He left the unification government in 1994, sparking the 1994 civil war in Yemen
and went into exile. He is now a leader in Al Harak, the South Yemen Movement.
and then-chairman Ali Nasir Muhammad
. An Ismail ally, he took control after Muhammad's defeat and defection and Ismail's disappearance. In a coup that took the lives of anywhere from 4,000 to 10,000 people, al-Beidh was one of the few high ranking officials who survived.
Suffering a loss of more than half its aid from the Soviet Union from 1986 to 1989 and an interest in possible oil reserves on the border between the countries, al-Beidh's government worked toward unification with North Yemen officials.
, claiming that the new government was ignoring the needs of the south. On 21 May 1994, as the South's military position weakened, al-Beidh declared the Democratic Republic of Yemen
. He served as the only President of the DRY, from 21 May to 7 July 1994. Al-Beidh fled to the neighboring Sultanate of Oman after his failed secession. He was subsequently removed from his positions in the Yemeni Socialist Party.
After fifteen years of living in exile
Salim al-Beidh resumed his political career on the eve of the 19th anniversary of the Yemeni unification. This came amid highly escalating tensions in the south, with clashes and violence between protesters and Yemeni security forces. In a televised speech from Germany
, the former President declared himself leader of Al Harak, the southern separatist movement, and called for a return of South Yemen.
Since then he has called for several demonstrations to demonstrate the strength of the movement. These have continued into 2011. As a result of his increased involvement, he lost his right to stay in Oman after violating the conditions of his citizenship.
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
i politician who served as the General Secretary of the Yemeni Socialist Party
Yemeni Socialist Party
The Yemeni Socialist Party is a political party in Yemen.It was the ruling party in South Yemen, the only Marxist Arab state, before unification in 1990...
(YSP), the top political position in South Yemen, and as Vice-President of Yemen following Yemen's unification in 1990. He left the unification government in 1994, sparking the 1994 civil war in Yemen
1994 civil war in Yemen
The May–July 1994 civil war in Yemen was waged between the armed forces of the former Northern and Southern Yemeni states and their supporters...
and went into exile. He is now a leader in Al Harak, the South Yemen Movement.
Taking leadership in South Yemen
A former Politburo member, al-Beidh took the top position in the YSP following a 12-day 1986 civil war between forces loyal to former chairman Abdul Fattah IsmailAbdul Fattah Ismail
Abd al-Fattah Ismail Ali Al-Jawfi was the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Council, head of state of the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, and founder, chief ideologue, and first leader of the Yemeni Socialist Party from 21 December 1978 to 21 April 1980.Born in July 1939 in...
and then-chairman Ali Nasir Muhammad
Ali Nasir Muhammad
Ali Nasir Muhammad Husani was twice president of the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen. He served as Chairman of the Presidential Council from 26 June 1978 - 27 December 1978. In April 1980, South Yemeni president Abdul Fattah Ismail resigned and went into exile...
. An Ismail ally, he took control after Muhammad's defeat and defection and Ismail's disappearance. In a coup that took the lives of anywhere from 4,000 to 10,000 people, al-Beidh was one of the few high ranking officials who survived.
Suffering a loss of more than half its aid from the Soviet Union from 1986 to 1989 and an interest in possible oil reserves on the border between the countries, al-Beidh's government worked toward unification with North Yemen officials.
Unification and Civil War
Following the unification with the North in 1990, he took up the position of vice-president in the transition government of unified Yemen. But in 1993, al-Beidh quit the government and returned to the former Southern capital of AdenAden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
, claiming that the new government was ignoring the needs of the south. On 21 May 1994, as the South's military position weakened, al-Beidh declared the Democratic Republic of Yemen
Democratic Republic of Yemen
The Democratic Republic of Yemen was declared in May 1994. The DRY, with its capital in Aden, was led by President Ali Salim al-Beidh and Prime Minister Haidar Abu Bakr al-Attas and represented a response to the weakening position of the South in the Yemeni civil war of 1994...
. He served as the only President of the DRY, from 21 May to 7 July 1994. Al-Beidh fled to the neighboring Sultanate of Oman after his failed secession. He was subsequently removed from his positions in the Yemeni Socialist Party.
After fifteen years of living in exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
Salim al-Beidh resumed his political career on the eve of the 19th anniversary of the Yemeni unification. This came amid highly escalating tensions in the south, with clashes and violence between protesters and Yemeni security forces. In a televised speech from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the former President declared himself leader of Al Harak, the southern separatist movement, and called for a return of South Yemen.
Since then he has called for several demonstrations to demonstrate the strength of the movement. These have continued into 2011. As a result of his increased involvement, he lost his right to stay in Oman after violating the conditions of his citizenship.