Fragmenting South Yemen: Domestic Challenges and External Pressures
Introduction Since its inception in 2007, the Hirak movement has played a crucial role in revitalizing and sustaining the independence struggle in South Yemen, transforming individual energies into a fierce political movement. The peaceful movement was successful in mobilizing the masses and gaining wider support of the Southern population, creating significant political momentum for the Southern cause. However, incessant leadership struggles within the decentralized Hirak movement compromised its ability to present itself as a singular front. Despite sharing a common goal, various Hiraki groups and factions were unable to coalesce under a unified leadership or organizational structure. There were also exogenous attempts to perpetuate this state of fragmentation by the Saleh regime and other influential political actors in Yemeni politics. As a result, this factionalization weakened the impact of the movement’s collective action against Northern dominance and created complic...