On the sixty-first anniversary of the Great Yemen Revolution, Tawakkol Karman delivered a powerful and thought-provoking speech that resonated deeply with the Yemeni people.
Her address encompassed various crucial aspects, highlighting the significance of the revolution, criticizing Saudi Arabia's role in the conflict, and calling for unity and resilience among Yemenis.
Karman commenced her speech by emphasizing the historical importance of the Great Yemen Revolution, emphasizing how it marked a turning point in Yemen's journey towards independence and self-determination. She celebrated the spirit of unity and determination that drove the revolutionaries, emphasizing their commitment to justice, equality, and national sovereignty.
Addressing the conflict in Yemen, Karman firmly rejected the notion that the Emirati coalition partner was primarily responsible, shifting the blame onto Saudi Arabia. She accused Saudi Arabia of actively managing the war against Yemen from its very inception. Karman condemned the relentless bombing campaigns conducted by Saudi Arabia, which have led to the destruction of vital infrastructure, cities, historical sites, and the Yemeni army. She underscored the devastating impact these actions have had on the Yemeni people and their daily lives.
Karman called for unity among Yemenis to confront the external forces that have perpetuated the conflict and undermined Yemen's sovereignty. She emphasized the need to set aside differences and focus on the common goal of achieving peace, stability, and prosperity. She acknowledged the challenges faced by the Yemeni people but urged them to remain steadfast and resilient, drawing inspiration from their historical legacy of strength and resistance.
In her concluding remarks, Karman expressed solid hope for a brighter future for Yemen. She called for a renewed commitment to the principles of justice, democracy, and human rights. Karman urged Yemenis to unite, overcome divisions, and work together towards rebuilding their nation, emphasizing that the Yemeni people have the power to shape their own destiny.
Tawakkol Karman's speech on the sixty-first anniversary of the Great Yemen Revolution encapsulated her dedication to the cause of peace and justice. Her words shed light on the devastating impact of the conflict and called for collective action to address the humanitarian crisis.
Below is the speech text:
May peace be bestowed upon the September Revolution and its courageous heroes and martyrs, as well as upon the martyrs of the National Movement, without differentiation among them.
May God's peace be upon them, both those who came before us and those who will come after us.
Peace be upon all of you, my brothers and sisters, irrespective of your location, whether you reside in our beloved Yemen or in the lands of diaspora and exile.
On the 61st anniversary of the glorious September 26 revolution—the day the Yemeni people were freed from one of the worst political regimes in history and brought about profound political, economic, social, and cultural changes—I salute you all, our proud people in Yemen.
Yes, those transformations did not take place to their full extent, and the modernization process was hindered by internal and external factors. However, what has been achieved confirms that pre-September 26 Yemen was living in darkness, one layer of darkness over another. Yemen was outside the world map, and inside times of hunger, backwardness, injustice, tyranny, and arrogance.
Without the September 26th revolution, Yemen would not have seen the light. It would have been more like a large prison, where those inside are lost and those outside are born. The miracle happened; those who believed that Yemen was part of their property woke up to an unprecedented popular revolution. The people declared that they are the owners and the source of power, and that they are a proud people who do not accept humiliation and disgrace. May God grant the truth its right and eliminate falsehood. Verily, falsehoods cannot withstand the confrontation of peoples.
The revolution unfolded, revealing the extent of oppression and confinement imposed by unjust laws, crippling taxes, and repugnant arrogance. As time passed, the collective memory of the nation suffered a profound distortion, diminishing the significance of those monumental struggles. This widespread ignorance was coupled with policies that defied the principles and ideals of September, including hereditary power, perpetuation of positions, and marginalization of the populace. Deliberate dissemination of ignorance was pursued to amass a substantial following. All of these developments served as a mere pathway for the ascent of the "new imams," symbolized by the Houthi militia.
For those unfamiliar with the imamate, they should witness it today within the ranks of the Houthis, witnessing their injustice, arrogance, and historically known brutality. They seek to humiliate and impoverish our people, striving to return them to eras of darkness and servitude from which they liberated themselves through the glorious September revolution.
Today, the Houthis serve as a reminder of their ancestors' era, as they practically demonstrate the mindset and governance of the imamate. The Houthis have presented all the evidence that exposes the ugliness of this project, which entered Yemen in a moment of inattention, being a fundamental reason for our country's lag behind the rest of the world and its fragmentation.
Today, the Houthis continue to govern by perpetuating ignorance, imposing unjust taxes under various pretexts, unlawfully confiscating people's property, depriving them of their salaries and freedoms, and resorting to violence, arrests, and intimidation against anyone who does not pledge unwavering loyalty to their cause. Every day, the actions of the Houthis demonstrate their utter disregard for the suffering of the people. The welfare and interests of the people are the least of their concerns.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Dear fellow Yemenis,
This revolution is not just a passing movement in our history; it altered the path of our modern history and lifted our people out of darkness and into the light. The Republic symbolizes the Yemeni state and its long-awaited vision in history and represented the most significant accomplishments of the September 26th Revolution. Yemenis and their republican system strive for citizenship, popular governance, equality, and justice.
The way to safety is through the Republic. Our suffering will worsen without it. Nothing except tyranny, servitude, and the loss of liberties and rights will exist. Militias, fascist ideas, and criminal behavior will continue to dominate our nation.
Imamate represents slavery, while the republic embodies freedom. Imamate signifies humiliation, whereas the republic signifies dignity for every Yemeni. Imamate thrives on sectarian and hereditary discrimination, while the republic upholds citizenship and equality. Imamate is a state of theocracy, whereas the republic is a state of the people, encompassing all of the people. Imamate represents darkness, poverty, ignorance, and illness, while the republic represents enlightenment, free education, equal opportunities, and accountable, changeable governments. The republic is our banner against sectarian dominance. It embodies dignity, citizenship, equality, and modern statehood. The republic is not merely a memory of the past; it is a project for the future, an embodiment of our freedom and dignity.
We, as a republican people, should be governed by a democratic republican system that upholds the principles of political engagement, such as the peaceful transition of power, free and fair elections, protection of human rights, and the right of individuals to express themselves and defend their political, cultural, and religious beliefs. It is important not to be afraid of freedom, as fear of freedom grants the dictator an extra weapon alongside their arsenal of force, oppression, and incarceration. The dictator desires for people to remain skeptical about everything. Therefore, we should not lend an ear to voices that knowingly or unknowingly serve tyranny.
Dear brothers and sisters, all Yemenis,
What has become an indisputable fact is that the Imamate always emerges in the presence of occupiers and colonizers. Throughout history, it has served as a support for the colonizer, representing the other side of their presence. Today, the masks are being unveiled, confirming the warnings we have voiced throughout the years of war regarding the alignment of the Houthi group's interests and their presence with the interests of the Saudi-Emirati occupier and their malicious goals in Yemen.
Today, the Houthi Imamate is repeating the tragic history in conjunction with the Saudi-Emirati occupation, which is participating in a destructive war that has affected everything in Yemen. They share a common goal of tearing Yemen apart between the Houthi stronghold and the ambitions of the new occupiers. Do you not witness the celebration that follows nine years of war and destruction, while Yemen continues to be ravaged, with its coasts, ports, and southern regions occupied and under the control of the Saudi-Emirati alliance? This group has consistently drummed accusations of "aggression" into our ears, while in truth, they themselves commit numerous violations against their opponents, falsely accusing them of supporting the aggression.
Today, the Saudi regime engages in both covert and overt transactions with the Houthi group and their Iranian ally. This ensures that the legitimate representative of Yemen is no longer in power, while also causing a fragmentation of forces and territorial division among warlords. Consequently, the Saudi regime has weakened all parties involved, establishing itself as the occupying authority and the ultimate decision
Saudi Arabia, along with the United Arab Emirates, has seized Yemen's sovereign decision-making through collusion by their local puppet elites. These elites have undermined legitimacy, misrepresented it, and sold it for their own interests, shamefully surrendering to the Saudi-Emirati agenda. This treacherous coalition, using a group of Yemeni politicians, who can be described at best as sellouts, has taken the most critical decisions regarding Yemen, contributing to the humiliation and suffering inflicted upon the country.
It is essential to always remember that Yemen did not initiate aggression against Saudi Arabia. Yemen has not sought to provoke or antagonize Saudi Arabia. However, it is the ruling family of Saudi Arabia that has historically engaged in aggressive actions and sought to destabilize Yemen. Over the past nine years, Saudi Arabia's involvement in Yemen has resulted in tearing the country apart, fragmenting its forces, and undermining the legitimacy that Yemen depends on. Instead, Saudi Arabia has empowered the Houthi group in the north, supported separatist movements, fostered chaos and instability in the south, and imposed its control over Yemen's islands, coasts, and areas rich in oil and gas resources.
Saudi Arabia is indeed a neighboring Arab country to Yemen, and historically, the Yemeni people have not harbored hostility towards Saudi Arabia. On the contrary, Yemenis have contributed to the development and growth of the Kingdom, and they have consistently worked to maintain good relations, remove obstacles, and build positive and constructive ties between the two nations. However, it is regrettable that Saudi Arabia has demonstrated a persistent stance of hostility towards Yemen. Saudi Arabia's actions have continuously aimed to undermine Yemen's sovereignty, harm its state, people, land, and overall existence.
Do not believe its false propaganda that blames their Emirati partner for tearing apart Yemen, empowering the Houthis, and establishing separatist militias in the south, replacing legitimacy. Saudi Arabia has been the one managing the war against Yemen from beginning to end. It is the war involving the Houthi and separatist militias, characterized by relentless bombing and destruction of Yemen's infrastructure, including cities, the army, and historical sites, impacted by their missiles and planes. They are the ones directing the war of fragmentation, siege, starvation, and all forms of crimes witnessed in Yemen over the past nine years.
These are historical facts, and those who deliberately ignored them in the past will not be able to ignore them today. Saudi Arabia has completed its plot and is negotiating on behalf of Yemenis to divide Yemen and share it with the Houthi rebels, their Iranian allies. History does not forgive. Anyone who compromises Yemen's sovereignty, its territories, islands, and ports, will be nothing but a traitor to their homeland, whether they hide behind the facade of confronting aggression or claim to represent legitimacy. The traitor will not escape the judgment of the people, no matter how they delude themselves into thinking they can evade the consequences of betraying their country and its people.
As their forefathers did during the September 26th and October 14th revolutions, it is still Yemenis' destiny to face them united. Our country's decision is to maintain Yemen's unity in the face of the Houthi insurgency and foreign occupation. The greatest accomplishment in Yemeni contemporary history is the decision to sustain the Republic of Yemen as the country's official state.
My dear free Yemeni men and women,
No one can deny the difficulty of liberating Yemen from the Houthi coup and the Saudi-Emirati occupation. We face two choices: surrender to external forces and let them determine our fate, or reject their control and unite in a popular movement to safeguard our national achievements of the Republic, unity, and democracy. Even the smallest act of refusal should not be underestimated. Our country is not a land without an owner to be divided by nations while we passively observe. This apathy is unworthy and disgraceful. Each of us must take action within our capacity to bring about change. What may start small today will grow into something greater tomorrow, the great Yemeni people, in every corner of Yemen, and in the lands of diaspora and exile,
Our allegiance lies with the Republic, Yemen, and the values of humanity, our era, our world, and our aspirations. We believe in the values of justice, dignity, freedom, and the rule of law. Our allegiance to the Republic, Yemen, and the values of humanity, our era, our world, and our aspirations is greater than to be diminished by the illusions of the Houthi leadership, or the Saudi-Emirati occupation and guardianship.
Though the challenges we face are immense, they are temporary and fleeting. While the pains we endure may be great, they do not signify the end. Do not lend an ear to those who sow despair within you; without a doubt, you possess the ability to overcome all obstacles that obstruct your path today. Throughout history, you have proven to be stronger than trials and hardships. Every transformative shift in history has been driven by dreams, passion, and unwavering belief in just causes. History changes through the will of humans, not through surrendering and accepting the status quo.
Guard your hearts against despair, regardless of the magnitude of conspiracies, betrayals, defeats, and disappointments. Embrace your identity as proud Yemenis, the rightful owners of the land. A people do not perish unless they choose to do so. Remember that the reign of the oppressors is short-lived, and this ordeal shall pass, allowing us to reclaim our country, our republic, and the decision that was confiscated by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran.
Maintain unwavering faith in yourselves, your homeland, and your ability to overcome any challenge. Embrace the unyielding spirit that has emerged in September, October, May, and February. Preserve your Yemeni identity and the essence of being Yemeni, for victory is destined to be yours. I affirm this truth because our resilient Yemeni people have consistently found their voice even in the darkest of times, retaliating against those who have violated their rights.
Let it be known that this painful reality does not mark the end of our journey, despite attempts to deceive us into believing so. The ultimate conclusion will be marked by our people's triumphant return and the restoration of a free, democratic Yemen, where complete and unquestioned sovereignty reigns over our vast national territory. This vision is not as distant as some may perceive it to be; it is within our grasp.
Glory be to Yemen and its illustrious people on the 26th of September, the day of Yemeni freedom and dignity, the day of our nation, and the day of Yemen.
Praise and honor to the September 26th Revolution, and eternal reverence to its righteous martyrs.
Hail to September, October, and May, the unwavering foundations of the Yemeni Republic, our great national entity.
May peace be upon you, and may the mercy of Allah be with you.
