![]() ![]() The young people demonstrating in southern towns for independence have no memory of the PDR Y but are persuaded that it was better than the status quo. ![]() Today, the PDRY is seen by many southerners as a Utopia, forgetting its failings. It was no surprise that it should fail and lead to the civil war of 1994 after which the regime, dominated by northern politicians – but with some powerful southern allies – imposed itself on the south. T o make matters worse they agreed to unite two such diverse political systems within a matter of six months. The PDRY and YAR concluded by late 1980s that unity was essential but a majority on both sides wanted a federation and not the full unity agreed – with limited consultation – by the two main leaders in December 1989. The northern regime grew stronger and more stable in the 1980s. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 exposed Aden’s failure to diversify its relations and sources of support. Rival PDRY politi cians decried tribalism in their speeches but built their personal pow er bases in their tribal h omelands and recruited tribal allies into different parts of the armed forces. The south was fatally weakened by a virtual civil war in 1986 which damaged the state’s legitimacy, power and economy. However, the policies of both sets of southern leaders were to reinforce a d istinctive southern identity. Other leaders conscious that the south had only a quarter of the population of the Y AR wanted to focus on building a strong southern state whilst working closely with the regime inĬountries. This led to two border wars b etween them – each followed by unity agreements that neither intended to implement. For one section of the Yemeni Socialist Party this mea nt working with allies in the nor th to supplant the regime in Sana’a. Both Yemens wanted unity but on their own terms. This was in complete contrast to the YAR which remained tribal, conservative, Western- leaning and close to Saudi Arabia. Aden turned to Moscow and its allies for defence and security support and promoted revoluti on in the rest of the Arabian Peninsula. The South Yemeni leaders set out to impose a Marxist political and economic system, creat e a secular state and eliminate tribalism and residual loyalties to the Sultanates and Amirates of pre-1967 South Arabia. Between 19 leaders constantly spoke of their commitment to unity despite the different nature of their regimes and political systems. Politicians assumed that when the south became independent i n 1967 the two parts of Yemen would soon be united. Yemeni nationalism emerged in the early 20th century and the nationalist movements in both north and south Yemen were interconnected. Kind thanks also to all of the many contributors to the Bulletin, and to you, the reader, for your continued support of the BFSA. All that remains is to thank the indefatigab le editorial team: Jean English, Sarah Searight, Ionis Thompson, Will Facey, Aurore Hamm and Carolyn Perry. In addition to Will Facey’s must-read book review section (page 64), the 2014 Bulletin contains a wealth of information on Arabian-related conferences and lectures, publications, resources and funding bodies, plus selected obituaries, and a back-pag e column from Carolyn P erry who reports on innovative developments in Yemen. Do then turn to the section on Allied News and Research (page 42), which includes Dr Lucy Wadeson’s Nabataean News, an d, during the cen tenary year of the First World War, two compelling pieces on Great War research in A rabia. Geoff Bailey who updates us on the DISPERSE project (or Dynamic Landscapes, Coastal Environments and Human Dispersals) in Saudi Arabia. Among the highlights is an article from P rof. In addition to general news summaries by country, the Bulletin carries extended features on individual projects. This is followed by current News and Research by country – from a much-awaited round-up of Bahraini news from Dr Steffen Terp Laursen to information on developmen ts in Yemen from Stephen Steinbeiser, including news on the al- Ash’aer Mosque in Yemen (our cover image). The issue opens with all the latest BFSA News, including information on our lecture series and essays from our two BFSA grant-winners. Welcome to the 2014 edition of the Bulletin of the British Foundation for the Study of Arabia.
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