In the absence of international forces on the ground or airstrikes on rebel hide-outs, only one weapon could be used to protect and support the legitimacy of the new Yemeni government i.e. international sanctions against the ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh and two Houthi commanders.
The imposition of United Nations sanctions against Saleh and two rebel commanders is a rarity. The United States has started implementation of the sanctions.
These sanctions can help prevent the collapse of the country, which is facing turmoil in its north and south. Undoubtedly, Saleh is behind these tensions.
These sanctions will hurt Saleh very much. As for the two Houthi commanders, they perhaps have not even seen any airport in their lives and must be hiding their money under their beds.
The Committee of Experts in the United Nations has provided compelling evidence of Saleh’s involvement in hatching a conspiracy against the government and in masterminding the unrest that is engulfing Yemen. Saleh appears willing to sabotage Yemen’s integrity just to return to power.
The report presented to the UN Security Council members revealed Saleh had been on the move against the country and collaborating with the Houthis since the autumn of 2012.
According to the report, until the month of September Saleh secretly funded anti-government operations in different parts of Yemen.
In last February, the report says, Saleh not only supported Houthis but also separatists in the south and Al-Qaeda to foment unrest in Yemen.
Saleh’s treachery apparently knows no bounds. It is astonishing that he can go to such lengths to destroy his own country for power. Firing Hadi and Abdulkarim Al-Iryani from his General People’s Congress party was also part of the plot that Saleh had hatched against the unity and integrity of Yemen.
Despite Saleh’s enthusiastic speeches against the UN sanctions, it has become clear that he is not likely to give up his anti-Yemen activities unless he returns to power.
He is the one who will suffer the most from these sanctions, as he reportedly has billions of dollars in Swiss accounts misappropriated from international aid and oil revenues during his reign as the president.
Saleh, however, is one of those cunning people who like to use others to achieve their goals and conveniently dump them at the end.
Using the same tactic, he is preparing ground to get rid of his Houthi allies by trying to convince the international community to help him return to power, as he is capable of handling these rebels.
The other two, on the list of international sanctions, have been chosen for their involvement in murder and conspiracy.
Yemenis should not allow a small group to manipulate them and their future. Those who know Saleh should not allow him to use them for his vested interests and put them in trouble with him.
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