Americans have once again involved themselves in resolving tribal conflicts after they halted it by the start of 2002 when Yemeni government then expressed upset of the undesired movements of American officials in Sana'a and considered it to be an interference with its national affairs.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) started funding different development projects in Yemeni provinces, implemented by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) after Americans felt that these provinces are vulnerable to positional conflicts and might be a potential heaven for Al-Qaeda militants and terrorist elements when they are left without development.

However, recently USAID announced it will halt the implementation of projects in the governorates of Mareb, Shabwa, Sa'ada, Al-Jawf and Amran and some observers believe such a move by the agency is prompted by its inability to manage their implementation. It confines it support those projects under construction in fields relating to health, education, agriculture and society's capabilities building.

However, American officials have resumed their program aiming to resolve the tribal conflicts, which date back to conflict between the Imamates and those who backed the Revolution and the Republican system, along with other conflicts between the South and the North prior to Yemen's unity on May 22, 1990.

The present director of the NDI Peter Dimitroff has followed a policy different from that followed by his predecessor which then displeased Yemeni authorities.

Dimitroff assures they work jointly with the official Anti-revenge Committee to resolve a bulky legacy of revenge problems and help the state efforts in this regard, hinting they do not provide any support to Sheikhs.

Observers stress USAID involvement in development projects would minimize the burden laid on state, especially with the increased demands by these provinces' locals for basic services.

Still, the authorities are not happy with the tribal conflict resolving program, particularly when it deals with persons undesired by the ruling system and the list includes tribal members of Buhibeh, Al-Qadhi, Al-Auqimi, Baqlan, Al-Aradah and several others.

Meanwhile, American involvement is acknowledged by locals though it is confined to building the capabilities of associations recently formed or established in line with the American tendencies of supporting civil society organizations.

Abdulhakim, a conflict resolving program official at the NDI, told Yemen Post that they made a survey in the three targeted provinces in collaboration with Yemeni Organization for Development and Social Peace, maintaining most associations do not comply with the conditions set by donors, and this made them think of establishing three organizations with the same name in the three provinces.

He added they do not interfere with establishing these organizations and their role is confined to building their administrative and autonomous capabilities.

It is known that revenges and tribal conflicts besiege locals even if they not involved in the conflict, prompted by the backward social practices by which these conflicts are administered.

Meanwhile, arms bearing law has been a positive attitude; however, this does not prevent firing and revenge cases inside cities and three people were killed last month in Sana'a over revenge issues.

Further, some Yemeni cities have turned to be places for settling accounts, causing most tribes' sons studying in some universities and institutes to return back to their homes fearing the revenge even if the were not the real killers.

Official statistics indicate that revenge and tribal conflicts have claimed the lives of over 4,000 souls.