Aden, Yemen – The Southern Transitional Council has issued a public invitation to all southerners, both at home and abroad, to participate widely in the “Million-Man March of Loyalty and Steadfastness.” This event is scheduled for Saturday afternoon in both the capital, Aden, and the city of Mukalla. This mass mobilization aims to renew the popular mandate for the southern political leadership and to reaffirm the right of the people of southern Yemen to self-determination.
Political messages and a renewed mandate
In a statement issued by the National Assembly and published on the “X” platform, the council said that the million-person march represents a clear political message to regional and international parties. The message is that “the southern street is the true source of legitimacy,” and its will cannot be ignored or bypassed in any future political settlements or consultations. The statement explained that the event aims to emphasize several key issues, most notably the commitment to the right of southerners to restore their state and the rejection of any incomplete or circumvented solutions. This is in addition to renewing support for and solidarity with the President of the Southern Transitional Council, Aidarus Qasim al-Zubaidi, and the Southern Armed Forces, and honoring the sacrifices of the martyrs and the wounded. It also rejects policies of marginalization or projects that do not align with the aspirations of the southern people.
A comprehensive invitation to all components
The call encompassed various segments of southern society. The council urged southern women, civil society organizations, unions and syndicates, students, and media professionals to actively participate. It also called on southern communities abroad to organize simultaneous protests and demonstrations in support of the events within the country. The statement read: “The South calls upon you today, as it called upon you in the darkest of times… The future is not given, but seized through will and steadfastness, and tomorrow we will write a new chapter in the history of our struggle.”
Gathering places and times
The event’s organizing committee has specified the locations and times for gatherings: at 3:00 PM in the Parade Square in Khormaksar, Aden, and at 3:00 PM in Al-Qarar Square in Mukalla. This call comes amidst rapidly evolving political developments in Yemen. The Southern Transitional Council, through this mass mobilization, seeks to bolster its political presence. Their aim is to establish themselves as a key player that cannot be ignored in any negotiations concerning the future of southern Yemen and the Yemeni crisis in general.
