Divisions

Yemeni mp  

Ahmed Saif Hashed

As we huddled away from the sea, just before reaching the “Crater Post Office,” we began to hear distant explosions. People were gathering and arming themselves from a building behind the post office. The line grew crowded in front of the building. We felt it was necessary to arm ourselves, even without knowing which side we were joining. Our instinct for self-protection took precedence, and we could determine our stance later.

In the line, I spotted Professor Jafar, a lecturer at the Faculty of Law, receiving a weapon and ammunition. We shook hands. I also saw Abdu Farid Hashed, a relative of mine, in the bustling queue. It became clear that this center was aligned with the supporters of Fattah and Antar, while the “Twenty Camp,” the main base for the popular militia in Crater, was loyal to Ali Nasser and Mohammed Ali Ahmed, located about a kilometer from where we were receiving our arms from the opposing faction.

Each of us received an automatic weapon and 120 rounds of ammunition, then headed to a nearby gathering place with friends. Shortly after, we were stunned by a radio announcement stating that Abdulfattah Ismail, Ali Antar, Saleh Musleh, and Ali Shaia had been tried and executed for treason.

This announcement enraged us; the shock was immense. I wondered: When was the treason? When did the trial take place? When were the death sentences carried out? The most pressing question was: Who ignited the fire?

What I knew was that there seemed to be an agreement between the two factions in the party’s political bureau, stipulating that whoever initiated the use of arms to resolve disputes would be considered a traitor. It was now evident that a deception was at play, and that the talk of a trial was nonsense. The supposed judgment and execution were merely a foolish preemption, a manifestation of betrayal from the side that chose to resort to arms; the first to act was the most culpable.

The revelations continued. Oh my God! Crater, the mouth of the volcano… this small city had become divided between two factions that had turned into camps! I learned that “Al-Bakhshi,” the leader of the popular militia in the “Twenty Camp,” was loyal to one faction, while his deputy, “Basloom,” was aligned with the other. What on earth was happening? Crater was not the only place split in two; even the single camp was divided, with the camp commander loyal to one side and the staff against him, aligning with the other faction. Thus, the future became uncertain, with uncertainty awaiting everyone, especially the nation.

Between yesterday and today lies a chasm of fragmentation, a negation of reason in action, and the unleashing of folly to do as it pleases. The fools compete in betrayal and subjugation, some turning into silent pawns, while others become political instruments beholden to unpatriotic agendas. Foreign powers exploit them for their desires, while the people pay the price with blood, tears, and profound tragedies. It is a bitter harvest and a devastating disappointment.

Suffering intensifies, confusion and disorientation persist, and wars continue along with the pains of division and the disintegration of the homeland. Meanwhile, the fools reap the scraps of their folly, leading to further catastrophic falls, allowing foreign powers to exercise dominion over our people and occupy our lands, executing their agendas at the expense of a Yemen that is fading and may vanish forever unless a miracle appears on the horizon.

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