Yemen: Land Corruption and Social Unrest

Land tenure issues have been a source of conflict in Yemen over years, but, not unlike Egypt, pillaging the land in Yemen has became unabated as a function of the abuse of power and tribal families’ control families of vast territories, especially in the south. Private interests have abused land rights, whether they represent supporters of the regime, or even opposed to it. A report of the Commission to Study the Land Grab has identified 15 military and executive officials, as well as merchants, who stole most of the arable land in five provinces, either by force or with false documents. Also the Yemeni Parliamentarians against Corruption have revealed the operations of destruction and concealment of a huge amount of documents that would incriminate the Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Salih in land grabbing schemes related to oil and gas agreements. As well as land holdings that he used and distributed in the form of grants to tribal elders to ensure their loyalty. A 2010 report had noted that the issue of unlawful land acquisition would lead to a new unrest in Yemen and was threatening social peace. HLRN already has recorded numerous cases of land grabbing and appropriation of land by force.

The issue of land grabbing, especially in the south, and President Salih regime’s mismanagement of the wealth and natural resources of the south, is a principal reason for the popular revolution in all parts of Yemen. For example, after the 1994 civil war, President Salih exercised a free hand for him and his family to own land. Yemenis in the south had initiated demonstrations four years ago, in protesting the deterioration of living conditions and discrimination against them by the regime of president, and against 90% of the wealth of Yemen under the hands of fewer than five people of Yemen.” Then two years ago, Salih formed a committee of members of his government and those close it to study this issue. When the committee submitted its report--an accurate assessment—he reacted angrily. They committee apparently told the truth and advised the president to choose between the people of Yemen and the 15 influential Yemenis doing his bidding. He chose the 15.

While the Hudaida region stands as one of the worst examples of corruption and land grabbing, the devouring of lands has become a galvanizing issue also for the communities of the Tihama (coastal region). That`s why people there joined a popular movement, forming an association called Movement of Tihama Landless Workers. The founders pursued their ambition for the survival and sovereignty of the people of Yemen in the defense of livelihood, freedom and dignity. As well as popular protests in Hudaida and the south, in general, these uprisings sparked the Yemeni opposition in rejecting the policies of discrimination in the distribution of state resources, and plunder of the wealth and resources of the south.