In his first appearance after leaving the hospital in the Defense Complex (Al-Aurdhi), President Ali Abdullah Saleh received on Saturday the Libyan President’s envoy Ahmed Qadhaf Addam.
Governmental sources reported that Saleh met with Qadhaf Addam and both sides discussed aspects of bilateral cooperation between Yemen and Libya as well as the developments on regional and international arenas.
Qadhaf Addam assured Saleh about Libya’s stance with Yemen’s unity, stability and security and stressed that Yemen’s unity is a key factor in the region’s security and stability.
This is the first time in which Saleh appeared in almost a week and no activities were reported about him over the last few days and, only on Thursday, informed sources at the presidency noted that Saleh was admitted to the Defense Complex after he sustained what the source called light injuries as he was doing his usual exercise.
The longest-serving Yemeni President Saleh, 67, has been in power over the last 31 years and has managed during these years to overcome and escape several difficulties and plots to revolt against him.
The president, who entered the Presidential palace carrying his coffin in his hands, managed to foil several conspiracies at the top of which was the thwarted attempt by the Nasserites in 1979.
Prior to his succession to power on the 17th of July, Saleh built a wide network of relations with tribal sheikhs and dignitaries as well as army and security officers. He managed through this powerful network to tightly get hold of the throne and to defeat his enemies.
Saleh, after Yemen united on the 22nd of May 1990, turned to be a national hero and managed through alliance with tribal and army officers from Abyan, Shabwa, Al-Dhale and Radfan to defeat the Southern forces in what is known to the Summer War of 1994.
Since then, things have been pleasant for Saleh. He was elected directly by the people in 1998. He won an overwhelming victory over the weak and unpopular Najeeb Qahtan Al-Sha’abi.
In September 2006, the second round of presidential elections took place and Saleh faced hard competition from the candidate named by the opposition coalition (comprising the main opposition parties) known today as Joint Meeting Parties (JMP). Though Saleh was named the winner, there were accusations of rigging elections and opposition do not recognize his victory so far.
Accusations of corruption in his ruling party, the General People Congress (GPC) and the great economic downturn as well as wrong political policies have caused people especially in Southern and eastern provinces to start peaceful and constant demonstrations to ask for their rights.
Saleh also faced a rebellion in the furthest part of Yemen, Sa’ada. This rebellion started in 2004 by Houthis who were leading the Believing Youth Organization. Sa’ada war, though intermittent, has been fought five times and the sixth one is at doorsteps.
Problems in Southern Yemen have recently started to get out of control and some Saleh’s former allies have turned to be his enemies and constant demonstrations and protests, some turned to be bloody.
These events and several others have made things hard for Saleh especially when more and more Southerners, instigated by former Southern leaderships, call for separating South Yemen from its North. Now, unity – which Saleh takes pride in it – is at stake.