SANA'A: Yemen's Human Rights Minister Hooriah Mashour recently declared that President Ali Abdullah Saleh's return to Yemen was “not welcome,” as it sent contradicting messages to the population and could potentially trigger another wave of violence. Despite the successful election of President Abdu Rabbo Mansour Hadi, many politicians feel that the situation is still very much unstable with the Youth Movement warning that it would continue to call for national mobilization if reforms were not implemented swiftly, referring essentially to the restructuring of the military, which is still under the control of Saleh's family. Mashour said, “it is preferred if he [Ali Saleh] stays away from the political scene right now. We are beginning to repair what was damaged and return rights to the oppressed.” Moreover, the minister stressed that she believed Saleh would find complying with the power-transfer agreement difficult as it provisions for him to stay away from politics. “He has been Yemen's president for 33 years and will be unable to accept himself as anything other than the president. By returning, Saleh will send indirect and direct messages to his supporters to interfere in every single issue of Yemen's development,” the minister added. Interestingly, leading members of the General People's Congress already announced that as Saleh was returning to Yemen, he would resume his activities at the head of the ruling party, warning that the former President was still an important pillar in the country's political structure. Many politicians within the Joint Meeting Parties share Mashour's views on Saleh's return, concerned that the former autocrat could spur another wave of violence by attempting to derail the final stage of the power transfer. As one political analyst pointed out, Mohamed al-Sabry, “the real test will come in the coming weeks as President Hadi oversees the restructurating of the armed forces. With Saleh's family members still ruling over much of the military we might yet witness serious resistance. It will certainly be a battle of wills in between the new government and the remnants of the regime. Yemen enters now its most dangerous time.” BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/5iAwW Tags: Mashour, Politics, Return, Saleh Section: Latest News, Yemen
