As Haraki militants and sympathizers (Southern Secessionist Movement) demonstrate in the southern seaport of Aden, in denunciation of President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi’s plan to break-up Yemen southern territories into two distinct federal entities, protests in the south- eastern province in Hadhramawt came too in great number to reject Sana’a central government and to demand justice over the death of one their clerics, Ali Bawazir.
Bawazir, an ultra-conservative cleric, who in recent time has voiced is opposition of al-Qaeda’s reign of terror over Yemen was gunned down by unidentified armed men in the city of Gheil Bawazir, in Hadhramawt. While his death has been vehemently denounced by officials in Sana’a, anger in Hadhramawt has nevertheless festered, as residents have perceived officials’ inability to restore security and stability as further proof the coalition government’s utter failure in addressing the country’s over-lapping crises and the people’s demands for reforms.
Angered and most importantly disillusioned, protesters called on President Hadi to fulfil his promises of change in accordance with 2011 revolutionary spirit.
Held a positive figure in the province, Bawazir had managed before his assassination to restore a modicum of security in Hadhramawt, following a public rejection of targeted assassinations. His death has been deeply mourned by Hadhrami as they feel only the cleric had the courage of standing up to al-Qaeda.
Asharq al-Awsat, the pan-Arab daily quoted an anonymous source in Hadhramawt as confirming that since Bawazir had indeed voiced his condemnation of violence, assassinations had declined proof of his political traction and standing in the province.