SANA’A: Ousted Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh is interfering in the transition process but Western countries are still reluctant to cut him off completely, a Yemeni government minister said yesterday.
Yemen’s Gulf neighbours led by Saudi Arabia sponsored a US-backed deal that allowed Saleh to leave office in February after a year of fighting to suppress an uprising that left over 2,000 people dead.
The deal gave Saleh and his relatives immunity from prosecution, but recent statements and violence linked to military and security units under the control of family members have raised concerns over the fate of the transition process.
Saleh’s successor Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi earlier this month replaced security officials in an apparent move to reduce the influence of the veteran former president.
“He has not stopped political activity, and his interventions and messages are not good,” Human Rights Minister Hooria Mashhour said.
“He should have been presented to justice (but instead) he is spoiling the political process. He wants to hinder us from rebuilding our country.”
Saleh and his supporters say they are abiding by the transition agreement and other groups are violating it.
The United States and Saudi Arabia long saw Saleh as an ally who could contain militants operating in Yemen. His ruling party has half the seats in the transition cabinet.
Hadi has been under Western pressure to continue security cooperation with Washington, including allowing US air strikes against suspected militants that have killed civilians.
REUTERS
