Barran Press
The city of Tarim in Hadhramaut Governorate, southeastern Yemen, witnessed angry protests on Sunday, August 25, 2024, over the worsening living conditions and services in the city and across the governorate.
According to a Barran Press correspondent, protesters set fire to tires and blocked several streets in Tarim, demanding improved services and the removal of Hadhramaut Governor Mabkhout bin Madi, citing the deteriorating situation and severe shortages of water and electricity, as well as the decline in infrastructure.
The correspondent reported that the lack of services fueled public anger, prompting residents of Tarim to take to the streets, demanding better services and the removal of local officials, including Governor bin Madi.
Last Tuesday, August 20, 2024, the President of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) instructed the formation of a presidential committee to address the demands of the people of Hadhramaut Governorate, amid rising tensions in the region following demands put forward by the Hadhramaut Tribal Alliance.
According to the official Yemeni news agency Saba, the presidential committee comprises Dr. Salem Ahmed Al-Khanbashi, Ministers Salem bin Brik and Tariq Al-Akbari, Sheikh Saleh Salem Al-Amri, Sheikh Abdullah Saleh Al-Katiri, Major General Abdul Rahim Ahmed Atiq, Sheikh Marouf bin Abdullah Ba Abbad, Sheikh Saleh bin Omar Al-Sharfi, and Dr. Mohammed Salem Ba Habri.
The PLC President instructed the committee to "consider the demands of the people of Hadhramaut, and submit proposals for their resolution in accordance with the law, based on the commitments and understandings announced with the local authority and political components in the governorate."
The PLC President emphasized "empowering the committee to fully perform its duties for the benefit of the people of the governorate and to strengthen the role of its local authority."
The official agency stated that the PLC President's instructions came "based on the understandings announced during the recent presidential visit to Hadhramaut Governorate, and as a reflection of national responsibility and the desire to involve all components in contributing to overcoming the current financial crisis in the governorate, which was caused by the Houthis' attacks on oil facilities and international shipping routes."
According to the agency, the PLC President expressed his appreciation for the efforts of the local authority and political components in strengthening unity and keeping the governorate away from any internal tensions or disagreements, focusing on its development and alleviating the suffering of its citizens.
He affirmed "the PLC and the government's commitment to strengthening security and stability in Hadhramaut and meeting the aspirations of its people as a model to be emulated at all levels."
On August 4, the PLC President concluded a multi-day visit to the city of Mukalla, the capital of Hadhramaut Governorate, which he arrived at on July 27. He was accompanied by PLC members Abdullah Al-Alimi and Othman Majli, marking his second visit to the governorate since the PLC assumed power in Yemen in April 2022.
Al-Alimi's visit to Hadhramaut came at a time when the governorate was facing "intertwined financial and development challenges since the Houthis' attacks on oil facilities, export ports, cargo ships, and international shipping routes."
Coinciding with the visit, the governorate witnessed several events and protests by political and social components demanding that the internationally recognized Yemeni government recognize the rights of the people of the governorate in terms of services and their share of the revenues from their oil wealth.
Tensions in Hadhramaut Governorate reached a point where the Hadhramaut Tribal Alliance, during a meeting on July 31, 2024, issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Yemeni government to fulfill its demands centered around "a real and effective partnership" regarding the oil reserves at Dhabba port and the Masila field, threatening to seize control of Dhabba port.