Sana'a: The UN special envoy to Yemen, Jamal Bin Omar, returned to Sana'a yesterday to review practical steps taken to honour the UN resolution and the GCC power transfer deal signed by President Ali Abdullah Saleh in Riyadh last month.
The government-run Saba news agency quoted Bin Omer as saying that he was pleased with the progress in the political process and the announcement of the new government in Yemen. He said that his visit was to assess the situation in the country through meetings with all the parties. He is to submit a report to the UN Council meeting to be held on December 14.
"I wish all success to the new unity government which is a result of the negotiations based on the GCC deal. The government should play a role to restore security and stability, kick-start the economy and reconstruct Yemen," he said.
A prominent leader of the banned Southern Movement, Hassan Baoum, was set free on Wednesday night, hours after the announcement of the new cabinet, Fua'ad Rashid, an activist, told Gulf News.
Baoum, who heads the supreme council of the Movement, was arrested on February 25 while leading protesters calling for the break-up of the former Southern Yemen state that merged with the North in 1990.
Celebrations
"Following the news of the release of Mr Baoum, thousands of his supporters spontaneously went to the streets of Aden, Mukalla, Lahj and other northern cities. They cheerfully danced and set off fireworks," Rashid said.
Rashid, who himself has been incarcerated many times, said that his movement was not concerned with the formation of the new government, vowing to arrange mass protests in the South against the presidential election due in February next year.
"We do not care about what's happening in the North. Our aim is to liberate our southern state from the occupation of the North in July 1994."
Protests continue
The news of the formation of the new government did not enthuse protesters camping in streets across the country.
Thousands have been camping out for 11 months in the streets of Yemen demanding the departure of the regime of President Saleh.
After the death of hundreds of protesters at the hands of government forces, calls for bringing Saleh to justice have still not subsided in several regions. Two protests were simultaneously organised in the capital while other similar rallies were staged in other cities.
Resentment
Despite the formation of a new government that is to run the country with vice-president Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi the accepted face of the government, Saleh continues to provoke dissidents by issuing decrees and orders.
According to a website of the Ministry of Defence, Saleh ordered the Ministry of Finance, which will now be run the opposition, to pay salaries to thousands of newly-employed government servants, who have been given jobs during the crisis. The website said that the decision goes with a previous order issued by Saleh when he was at the helm.
