SANA'A: In the wake of Yemen's presidential elections, residents in the district of Mualla, in Aden on the country's southern coast, reported that al-Harak loyalists, the Southern Secessionist Movement were fighting off government forces in a violent armed confrontation. After months of latent anger and frustration, southerners seem to have been pushed over the edge by the announcement of Yemen's one-man election and the coming crowning of Abdu Rabbo Mansour Hadi as the country's next president. Although a man of the south – Hadi was born in the southern province of Abyan – President Hadi has been seen as a “collaborator,” a man of the regime, the enemy, as far as al-Harak is concern. “As usual, the central government is taking decisions which will affect us without ever bothering to check if we agree. Enough is Enough. If we were willing to remain united in the Revolution we will not play the game of the regime. We want out of Yemen,” an angry militant told Bikyamasr.com. On February 21, as Yemenis nationwide went to cast their vote, al-Harak organized a widespread disruption campaign by preventing voters from reaching polling stations or storming the Yemeni Election Committee. As the day went on, the Central Security Forces opened fire on the secessionists. On Thursday, several al-Harak leaders vowed to continue their fight against the central government, calling on all local tribes to join them in their fight for independence. Similar scenes of violence were repeated in Hadramaut, an eastern province of Yemen where secessionist sentiments are growing. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/fNyaG Tags: Aden, Elections, featured, Harak, Violence Section: Latest News, Yemen
