Despite their common struggle against terrorism, Saudi Arabia and Yemen are having difficulties resolving their border dispute, reports Peter Willems from Sana'a In recent months, Saudi Arabia and Yemen have enhanced bilateral cooperation in order to fight terrorism. Last February, both countries agreed to create joint efforts to boost security on the Saudi- Yemeni border, and in the last few weeks they have swapped a number of prisoners wanted as terrorist suspects. Nonetheless, coordinated efforts to increase security have run into difficulties. After terrorist bombings on 12 May last year killed over 50 people in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi government intensified its efforts to stamp out terrorist elements. During the hunt, the government claimed that arms and individuals related to the attacks were infiltrating Saudi Arabia across its southern border with Yemen. According to Saudi authorities, Saudi border patrols along the border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen have seized more than 90,000 rounds of ammunition, dozens of grenades, more than 2,000 sticks of dynamite, hundreds of bazookas and more than 1,200 other weapons since the attacks. "Yemen can be seen as a source of supplies for terrorists ... Weapons are plentiful in the country," said a foreign diplomat based in Yemen. To help reduce the flow of arms and infiltrators, Saudi Arabia started building a barrier, partly of concrete-filled pipelines and partly of sand, along the border. The Yemeni government responded with a formal complaint in February, claiming that the barrier was a violation of the 2000 border agreement. Within that agreement, a demilitarised zone between five to 20 kilometres deep on both sides of the two countries was established. According to Yemeni Foreign Minister Abu Bakr Al-Qirbi, parts of the barrier were built inside the demilitarised zone. He also said that the Yemeni government was defending the rights and the way of life of the tribes living along the border. "This area is supposed to be for pasturing," said Al-Qirbi. "That was part of the agreement. The tribesmen have been allowed to cross over from one side to another for pasturing. That is a traditional way of life for tribesmen in that area." To resolve the issue, Saudi Arabia agreed to suspend constructing the barrier while the two countries work together to enhance border security and stem the flow of arms entering Saudi Arabia. The combined effort includes running joint border patrols, establishing security checkpoints, deciding on where shepherds can pass and erecting observation towers. The project began in early March as Saudi and Yemeni military officials met and established two field committees to study security arrangements. Reports from both committees will be submitted at the end of April. "Experts are looking for an alternative system," said Abdul-Karim Al-Ariani, former Yemeni prime minister and advisor to President Ali Abdullah Saleh. "We believe [an alternative] will work better than having a wall." The construction of the barrier has created tension on the border. Tribes living along the border have expressed anger over the existing barrier, seeing it as violating present and traditional rights. "The barrier has hindered grazing and free movement by many tribesmen," said one prominent sheikh of the Wayilah tribe, one of the largest tribes living along the border. "The tribesmen have the right to be free, but the barrier is taking away their freedom." Boosting border security and curbing smuggling through coordinated efforts will be far from easy. Smugglers in northern Yemen, living in the poorest country in the Gulf region, make money moving a wide variety of goods. It is estimated that $200 million worth of qat, a mild stimulant chewed regularly in Yemen but illegal in Saudi Arabia, crosses the border every year. Due to government subsidies, the price of diesel in Yemen is one-fourth the price in neighbouring countries, which has made it a profitable item in the contraband market. With regard to arms, authorities say there are around 60 million weapons in Yemen -- a country with a population of 20 million people. The Yemeni government has shown an interest in implementing laws on gun control, in particular trying to reduce the number of people carrying guns in public. But laws on gun control have been difficult to pass since arms ownership in Yemen is a deeply embedded tradition. One of the biggest and most prosperous gun markets in the country is Souq Al-Talh, which is near the city of Sa'ada only 25 miles south of the border. Hand grenades, RPGs and 85mm surface- to-surface missiles are for sale at the market, and according to one salesman, anti-aircraft missiles, though no longer on display, can be bought if the price offered is right. Border patrols, towers and checkpoints may not be enough to secure a border that covers 1,800 kilometres (1,100-miles) and is mountainous in some areas. As one foreign diplomat told Al- Ahram Weekly, "Tribesmen will try to find a way to get around security on the border in the vast, open region. Smugglers live in a very poor country, and if they find a way to make a profit, they will always try to continue their business." Smugglers have already invented different ways of getting goods across the border and of avoiding Saudi border guards. Donkeys have been trained to follow mountain trails through rugged terrain, crossing the border and returning on their own. As tension heats up, there is concern that armed conflicts may break out. In 2002, 36 Saudi border guards were killed in Jizan, a southern town in Saudi Arabia. The Wayilah sheikh said the tribes in the north are willing to wait and see if the barrier will be removed. But he added that up to 30,000 Wayilah tribesmen are willing to fight if the barrier is not removed. According to a Yemeni political analyst, tribes in northern Yemen, especially the Wayilah tribe, are well armed, sporting artillery and tanks owned by sheikhs. He also noted that in most of the northern areas the government has very little influence. "This area will be in trouble if they leave the barrier where it is," said the Wayilah sheikh. "The Wayilah tribe will always be ready to act."
