PEACEW RKS

WAITING FOR CHANGE

Erica Gaston and Nadwa al-Dawsari

[ [

THE IMPACT OF TRANSITION ON LOCAL 

JUSTICE AND SECURITY IN YEMEN
The views expressed in this report are 

those of the authors alone. They do not 

necessarily reflect the views of the United 

States Institute of Peace.

United States Institute of Peace

2301 Constitution Ave., NW

Washington, DC 20037

Phone: 202.457.1700

Fax: 202.429.6063

E-mail: usip_requests@usip.org

Web: www.usip.org

Peaceworks No. 85. First published 2013.

eISBN: 978-1-60127-173-0

© 2013 by the United States Institute of 

Peace

About the Report

At a time of significant change in Yemen, this report 

offers a different lens for thinking about the political 

transition and government reform that have dominated 

national and international debates following the Arab 

Spring upheavals. Derived from research conducted by 

the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and two local 

partner organizations, Partners-Yemen and All Youth 

Yemen, this report provides a snapshot of how those 

changing dynamics have affected local security and 

justice conditions in four politically and geographically 

diverse governorates in Yemen. 

About the Authors

Erica Gaston is a human rights lawyer at USIP specializing in human rights and justice issues in conflict and 

postconflict environments. Nadwa al-Dawsari is an 

expert in Yemeni tribal conflicts and civil society development with Partners for Democratic Change.
Peaceworks • april 2013 • no. 85

CONTENTS

[For this transition to be a 

success, changes in justice 

and security conditions at a 

local level are as critical as 

top-down national reform.]

Introduction ... 5

Findings ... 8

Taiz ... 8

Marib ... 12

Aden ... 17

Abyan ... 21

Analysis ... 25

Conclusion ... 30

Recommendations ... 31

Appendix ... 32

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Summary

■ In November 2011, following nearly a year of mass protests and violent clashes, a political 

compromise between the two main political parties forced the resignation of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and instituted a two-year political transition process.

■ Since that time, much of the focus has been on the national reform processes, in particular 

on a National Dialogue, that were mandated by the agreement that removed President 

Saleh.

■ While these national processes are important, given the weakness of central control and 

the diverse political pressures in Yemen, local justice and security conditions have an equal 

ability to either derail the transition or to contribute to its success. 

■ Just over a year into the transition, local conditions have stabilized in some areas, but 

security, government services, and economic and social functions have not returned to 

pre-2011 levels.

■ Perceptions of the transition depend most on stability or tangible signs of progress at a 

local level—signs that were lacking in all four governorates.

■ Many argued that the steps taken so far by the transitional government have been necessary and often well-intentioned, but insufficient. Any gains or improvements are fragile 

and easily reversible if not followed by more solid reforms.

■ Although strong local leadership was able to drive some local improvements, as in Taiz and 

Marib, unresolved national political tensions disrupted security and political progress in all 

four governorates.

■ In all four governorates, the prevailing opinion was that it was still too early to see meaningful change. Without some evidence of concrete results soon, however, the current level 

of buy-in for the transition process will erode.

■ Unless national-level reforms begin to trickle down and change basic quality of life conditions in the governorates, the transition will not be perceived as a success.

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Introduction

A little over a year into the transition period that followed a political compromise brokered by 

the Gulf Cooperation Council in November 2011, the Yemeni government faces significant 

challenges in bringing acceptable levels of physical and economic security to the country’s 

disparate regions and divided population. During the popular protests in 2011, government 

security forces withdrew from many governorates and urban areas, leaving a vacuum for nonstate armed groups, criminals, and gangs to exploit. The presence of a large number of national 

and transnational militants and other armed groups—including al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and Ansar al-Sharia (AAS)1

—and the political and regional factionalism in 

Yemen have only exacerbated the security crisis and complicated post-transition stabilization 

efforts. Although the formal sector was never strong in most areas of Yemen, government 

presence and services—ranging from basic law enforcement to functioning courts—were effectively halted in much of the country for more than a year. It has proven difficult to reinstate 

even modest pre-2011 levels of such services.

The current transitional government has faced the challenge not only of restoring basic 

stability and services but also of responding to the popular demands of the 2011 protest movement and the benchmarks established in the negotiated settlement that ended the political crisis. In addition to demands for President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s removal from power, throughout 

2011, the youth movement2 and other protestors called for cleaning out government institutions, addressing long-standing issues of corruption, land grabbing, political cronyism, and 

other abuses of power. They also called for accountability for attacks on protestors and opposition groups. In November 2011, the two main political parties—the ruling General People’s 

Congress (GPC) and the opposition coalition, the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP)—signed a 

transition agreement.3 This agreement, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Agreement, 

removed President Saleh from power, granted him immunity for his time in office, and established a transition government with power shared equally between the two parties. Former vice 

president Abd Rabu Mansour Hadi was made acting president and subsequently won an uncontested election in February 2012. In addition, the GCC Agreement established a series of 

procedural benchmarks for political transition and ambitious action items for the transitional 

government, from restoring security and law and order to overhauling major governmental 

sectors and services. The GCC Agreement bound the transitional government to take steps 

to ensure compliance with basic principles of democratic governance, rule of law, and human 

rights across all state institutions and to begin the process of transitional justice (however 

undefined).

Although the GCC Agreement put a brake on ten months of escalating violence and 

armed conflict, neither time nor political space were available to resolve the many complex 

political issues that had helped fuel the crisis and might hamper future stability. It therefore 

also established a timeline and benchmarks for a two-year transition process to include a National Dialogue conference4

 that would be the forum for setting the agenda and processes for 

broader institutional and political reform and for developing a new national constitution. The 

constitutional process will determine Yemen’s most controversial issues: how to address calls 

for southern autonomy or secession,5 conflict with the Houthis in the northern Sa’ada region,6

state structure and political system, and transitional justice and national reconciliation. This 

National Dialogue process was a core demand for opposition parties and protestors.

The National Dialogue, originally scheduled for April 2012, was repeatedly postponed with 

many institutional and political reforms left on hold awaiting its outcome.7 It finally began on 

The GCC Agreement 

bound the transitional 

government to take steps 

to ensure compliance 

with basic principles of 

democratic governance, 

rule of law, and human 

rights across all state 

institutions and to begin 

the process of transitional 

justice.
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PEACEWORKS 85

6

March 18, 2013, and, at the time of writing, was anticipated to last for six months. Despite 

the many processes and reforms on hold awaiting the final outcome of the National Dialogue, 

President Hadi and the transitional government made some headway in meeting transition 

benchmarks and responding to popular demands for reform.8 Throughout the first half of 

2012, changes were instituted at the upper levels in the ministries of Interior and Defense, the 

head of National Security, the head of Central Security and the police, and the commander 

of the Air Force. Four of the five district military commanders were replaced. In the judiciary, 

replacements and reforms were more limited. A new general secretary of the Supreme Judicial 

Council was appointed, as was a new head of the Judicial Inspection Authority in the Ministry 

of Justice and several new officials at lower levels in the ministries of Justice and Legal Affairs; 

these appointments included several reform-minded officials.9 At a national level, many of the 

ministries have engaged in strategic review and planning processes supported with technical 

assistance from bilateral donors to develop broader restructuring or reform plans and to promulgate laws that address some of the benchmarks established in the GCC Agreement for 

improving governance and rights protection. These include the controversial draft law on transitional justice and national reconciliation,10 a proposed law to create a national independent 

commission or institution for human rights, and the right to information law,11 among others.

A series of presidential decrees in August 2012 began the restructure of key state institutions by implementing significant changes in the military and security sector and making the 

Supreme Court independent from the authority of the Supreme Judiciary Council (which is 

controlled by the executive branch).12 The most significant changes followed a series of decrees on December 19, 2012, after the primary period of research for this report. The decrees 

removed several of Saleh’s relatives and allies from key power positions within the military and 

security forces and restructured and unified command of the armed forces.13 In February 2013, 

President Hadi issued a similar decree relating to the structure of the Ministry of Interior.14

A full exploration of these national-level developments is beyond the scope of this report. 

The focus is instead on whether any of these national changes have led to or been accompanied by similar reforms at a local level; whether any efforts were made to remove or replace 

officials known for corruption, abuse of power, violence against protestors, or other misconduct; whether any of the national-level institutional reforms (such as the military or judicial 

restructuring decrees) affected local justice and security management; and how the ministries 

involved in justice and security provision operate. The rationale for this approach is that for this 

transition to be a success, changes in justice and security conditions at a local level are as critical 

as top-down national reform. 

The four governorates examined—Taiz, Aden, Abyan, and Marib—are geographical and 

political cross sections. Each has a different historical relationship with the central government 

and differing degrees of development, governance, and formal justice. Each also spotlights a 

key political, security, or governance challenge that the transitional government must confront to improve stability and meet the transition benchmarks: resolving the southern issue, 

responding to demands from the youth movement, balancing formal government control and 

services with the tribal system, and tackling continued militant activity and insecurity across 

much of the uncontrolled territory stretching from Abyan across Jawf and Marib.

These four governorates do not represent all of the local challenges in Yemen’s twenty-one 

governorates or the complexity presented by Yemen’s fractured and divided political and social 

landscape. However, the snapshots at least provide a window into how transition looks from 

the ground level. Translating national-level commitments into meaningful change at a local 
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Waiting for change

level will be one of the key tests for the transitional government, whatever is agreed to in the 

National Dialogue.

Finally, although this research focused on the impact of political and institutional reforms, 

a number of other variables and lenses are equally (and sometimes more) important to the 

livelihoods and security needs of the Yemeni population and in turn heavily shape perceptions 

of change. These include the weak economy, water and other natural resource shortages, and 

shortfalls in basic food and health across major portions of the population. As one agricultural 

and research expert commented, “Just over half the population is full-time engaged in survival. 

For most people, politics is an abstract idea when they are busy looking for food.”15 Although 

those interviewed for this report were more likely to be sensitive to political and institutional 

discussions—such as government officials, those in the legal community, and civil society—

these issues also came up frequently, particularly in the governorates where meeting basic survival needs still dominates most citizens’ attention, as in Abyan. Thus, even though analysis and 

description of these larger problems is beyond the scope of this report, their prominence in 

popular discourse is worth noting.

Methodology

This research was conducted by USIP together with two local partner organizations: PartnersYemen and All Youth Yemen. It was made possible with support from the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.

This report is based on more than 427 qualitative, long-form interviews conducted primarily by local Yemenis from each governorate in October 2012: in Taiz and Aden by All Youth 

Yemen and in Marib and Abyan by Partners-Yemen. More limited follow-up interviews were 

conducted by an international and national researcher from November 2012 through January 

2013. In January and February 2013, two international researchers conducted extensive follow-up interviews and held workshops with national and governorate representatives to assess 

the preliminary findings from the field research and update the report to reflect subsequent 

changes. A list of preliminary interview questions is provided in the appendix.

During the field work, eighty-two interviews were conducted in Marib (Marib city, al-Wadi, Serwah), forty-four in Abyan (Zinjibar, Kahnfar, Moudiyah districts), ninety-eight in Aden 

(Muala, Sheikh Othman, and Mansoura), and 111 in Taiz (Taiz city and Taizia and Mudhafa 

districts). In each location, interviewees were selected primarily based on their work position 

or their role in the community. These include officials who play a significant role in security 

and justice issues at a provincial level (such as the governor, security director of the governorate, 

chief of police, head of the appeals court, prosecutor’s office, and Ministry of Legal Affairs); 

security and justice officials at a district level for the districts assessed (district director, security 

director, and head of court of first instance); local councils; tribal sheikhs or prominent community leaders; civil society organizations, including youth organizations; and professionals in 

legal and security sectors (including lawyers, legal advocates and trainers, and security sector 

researchers). Individuals were not interviewed based on their party affiliation alone, though 

within each of the professional categories, researchers tried to select those with different political, tribal, or social backgrounds. Finally, in addition to those in each governorate, a more 

limited number of background interviews were conducted in Sanaa with national officials, civil 

society experts, international representatives, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).

Access was an issue in all districts. Officials from Abyan and Aden were difficult to interview given the ongoing security issues in both governorates, especially the frequent assas-
8

PEACEWORKS 85

sination attempts on local officials. Government officials were suspicious of those requesting 

to meet with them and the purpose of the questions. When they did agree to be interviewed, 

officials often refused to give location details until immediately before the meeting or changed 

them frequently to avoid potentially being tracked by hostile groups. During the interviews, 

officials from Abyan were guarded. Some did not respond to more sensitive questions, asked 

that their reservations be noted, or agreed only to speak anonymously.

An additional access issue was the reluctance of government officials to respond to requests 

for information. This was an issue in all governorates, although officials were slightly more open 

in Taiz. Despite a general perception of greater transparency among NGOs, researchers found 

that Yemeni officials—particularly members of the judiciary—were often unwilling to respond 

openly to questions they deemed sensitive. In some cases, officials refused to be interviewed 

altogether or even to respond to requests for an appointment.

Findings

Taiz

Taiz, long considered the cultural heart of Yemen and typically one of its most stable cities, 

was at the epicenter of antigovernment protests in 2011. What began in February 2011 as an 

encampment of peaceful protestors in Freedom Square developed into a protracted conflict 

between government and antigovernment forces. Heavy-handed government tactics16—including a multiday, direct attack on peaceful protestors in Freedom Square in late May17—galvanized armed resistance, including from a number of major tribal leaders.18 By June, the city 

was divided into two parts, one under the control of government forces and the other under 

nongovernment armed groups,19 with both sides engaging in indiscriminate shelling and light 

and heavy arms fire that led to significant civilian casualties and widespread property destruction—both public and private. A February 2012 human rights report estimated that 120 civilians had been killed in government attacks and many more injured.20 Only after government 

tanks were removed from the city in December and the GCC Agreement was signed did open 

violence and confrontations end in Taiz.

The level of violence and instability in the city in 2011 had not been seen since the 1962 

civil war, and the impact is still visible in Taiz’s security situation. Over the course of 2011, different political groups or actors and parties to the conflict armed individuals to support their 

side (including the youth in the square), which contributed to higher levels of violence and 

crime even following the transition. In the weeks after the February 2012 elections, although 

major fighting subsided, government forces were still unable to access major areas of the city. 

Many basic rule of law components —including lawful arrests, prosecution, and judicial review 

of crimes—did not function normally.

Security gains post-transition

Those interviewed in Taiz were among the most optimistic that the transition was headed in 

the right direction, due largely to the leadership of the new governor in Taiz.21 In April 2012, 

President Hadi appointed Shawqi Ahmed Hayel, a prominent businessman, as governor to 

replace Hamoud Khaled al-Soufi. Hayel was seen as largely independent and competent in 

governorate management. During the initial period of research in October 2012, interviewees 

praised him widely; however, in subsequent follow-up interviews, they were slightly more criti-
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cal. Between November 2012 and February 2013, security incidents and protests against the 

governor and his administration resumed to some extent and were more frequent. One female 

civil society member interviewed in February explained the change in attitudes:

Taiz is the governorate most affected by partisan politics. The governor is good at the 

managerial and administrative sides of the job, but he’s less good at balancing the politics. 

It is not entirely his fault because the divide [between political parties] is so wide that it 

would be hard to satisfy everyone.22

Several key security posts saw leadership changes in the wake of the elections. That of director 

of security, for example, was extremely controversial and changed three times.23 Others include the director of the Criminal Investigation Bureau and the director of the Central Prison 

(twice). Each of these appointments seemed heavily subject to influence by political parties and 

was criticized or applauded by interviewees depending on their political affiliation.

Several interviewees noted that officials within the police stations and districts—the most 

accessible, daily representation of government for most citizens—were not affected. Significant 

corruption and misconduct at this level left the impression among those interviewed that little 

had actually changed as a result of the transition, though most were still hopeful of reforms to 

come. In general, interviewees from both JMP and GPC were frustrated about the slow progress and failure of the transition government to implement enough change locally.

Some officials interviewed in Taiz said that the prosecutor’s office has been investigating 

several cases against certain policemen and other security officers alleged to have fired on 

protestors during the 2011 crisis. Researchers, however, were not able to confirm that these 

investigations or cases existed.24 A group of lawyers who had been active with those in Freedom Square had tried both to collect information about those killed during the protests and 

to file cases against the alleged perpetrators. Interviewees reported, however, that these lawyers 

eventually withdrew the cases because they realized the prosecutor would not act on them in 

the face of political pressure.25

One persistent complaint, from both government officials and nongovernment individuals, 

was that, although some personnel had been reshuffled, no structural changes had been made 

and replacements had been based on party affiliation, largely according to the power-sharing 

split, rather than on merit. In addition, following the February 2012 elections, there was often 

not one but multiple replacements and shifts of the same position. Those appointed to senior 

positions tended to fill lower ranks with their political allies and party members. This situation is particularly problematic in the security forces, which, as a result of this layered, political 

reshuffling, does not result in a single cohesive force. As the governor of Taiz remarked, “I don’t 

have a police force—just different groups inside the police with different affiliations.”26

Soon after being appointed, the governor and the security committees focused attention 

on reducing the presence and activities of armed groups in Taiz to some positive effect. Nonetheless, the activities of informal armed groups are still far higher than before 2011. After an 

initial lull in security incidents when the new governor was appointed, the activities of armed 

groups appeared to be increasing again toward the end of 2012.27 The governor spearheaded a 

campaign against carrying arms in the street that many said reduced crime and the influence 

of armed gangs; others suggested that it simply made weapons less visible, although even that 

was an improvement on the previous situation.28

Interviewees spoke positively about another of the governor’s initiatives—a code of conduct signed by key political stakeholders, civil society organizations, the leaders of the armed 

groups, prominent sheikhs, and youth representatives in Taiz. Signatories to the code of conduct, which was published on August 12, 2012, agreed to support the governor and his efforts 

One persistent complaint 

was that replacements 

had been based on 

party affiliation, largely 

according to the powersharing split, rather than 

on merit.
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PEACEWORKS 85

to improve stability in Taiz by withdrawing armed groups from the streets, enabling the security forces to control all parts of the city, execute laws, and support enforcement against those 

who commit any illegal acts or undermine security and stability in Taiz. Many interviewees 

cited this as the most important security initiative so far. Some, however, were concerned that 

no public awareness efforts or follow-up steps had been made. Nonetheless, other interviewees suggest that the process of bringing different parties and stakeholders together to discuss 

concerns in Taiz and commiting to working together was in itself a significant contribution.29

Although security has significantly improved since the transition began—and particularly 

since the new governor was appointed—it is still far worse than in 2010.30 At the time of the 

research, the security forces could not control the conflict in al-Haror (the northeast part of 

Taiz) between Sheikh Abdulghani Qaid al-Nagdeen and Sheikh Abdulaziz Mahyoub. Freedom Square was also still not under the control of the security forces, which members of youth 

and civil society said was appropriate given their role as opposition voices.31 Most in Freedom 

Square are youth continuing to protest for change. However, one security official noted that 

many criminals and disaffected former military and security individuals hid there and were a 

source of security problems.32 Since 2011, the Houthis have also expanded their presence in 

Taiz. This has provoked other political actors to arm groups loyal to them in order to counter 

the Houthis and has led to frequent armed clashes between supporters of Houthis and Islahis 

(and sometimes other groups) in the city.33

In addition, despite the efforts of officials, unorganized armed groups engaged in illegal 

activities—including attacks on individuals, blackmail, illegal checkpoints, and extortion—still 

operate in many of the quarters in Taiz. These include Ausaifera, Soq al-Qat, al-Rawdha, Wadi 

al-Qadhi, Jamal Street, al-Haseb, and suburbs of the city. Several interviewees suggested that 

this was because efforts like the code of conduct and the disarmament campaign only disbanded or limited the activities of organized armed groups who fell under the leadership of 

particular sheikhs or other individuals who might be persuaded to abide by the code. However, 

during the course of 2011, far more individuals were armed and paid by one or more of the 

parties to the conflict and did not fall into a particular organized group or leadership structure. 

They remain beyond the control of government and nongovernment authority and are thus 

not affected by the code.

Several interviewees also reported that during 2011 the government released criminals 

from prisons and armed them to counter the youth protests.34 This both deepened mistrust at 

the time and worsened the conflict and resistance to the government. It also has likely contributed to increased criminal activity after transition, given that these individuals are still free and 

now under no command and control.

Hope, but no progress on justice reform

No significant changes were made in the judicial institutions. Any changes that happened—a 

few judges of first instance and deputy prosecutor appointments—were due to the law mandating rotations every several years, not because of any reforms related to the transition.

When positions did open up due to the rotation law, many of those interviewed, including judicial officials themselves, said that appointments came down to party affiliation rather 

than merit, preventing any meaningful reform of the judiciary either through judicial appointments or other accountability processes. Shortly after the transition, the minister of justice 

referred nine administrative officers in Taiz to the prosecutor charged with investigating financial crimes. These officers were alleged to have embezzled funds and engaged in corruption.35
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Although the move was initially seen as a sign of progress, the Ministry of Justice withdrew 

the investigation two months later. Interviewees said that even though many assumed that the 

transition period would result in prosecution and removal of unqualified or corrupt officials, in 

practice this was just as difficult as before the revolution because of the influence and interference of political parties.36 “There is a big problem still that the parties of the country stock the 

ministries. Even if someone is found to have engaged in corruption or other bad conduct, he 

will maybe just be moved somewhere else, or else he would maybe cause [political backlash].”37

Some thought that the broader judicial reform processes to be discussed in the National 

Dialogue might open space for reform but had seen no change because of the partisan nature 

of appointments. The August presidential decree making the Supreme Court independent 

from the Supreme Judiciary Council had no effect on judicial bodies in Taiz at the time of 

research.

Unlike in some governorates, where the role of the formal system was always limited, the 

formal system in Taiz was functional before 2011, if still plagued by corruption, lack of resources, lack of capacity, lengthy case times, poor enforcement, and political interference. The 

instability in Taiz in 2011 and 2012 exacerbated many of these problems. The physical insecurity and lack of government control of significant parts of Taiz in 2011 and into 2012 restricted 

judges and prosecutors from dealing with many cases over much of 2011.38 Some judicial 

buildings were damaged or destroyed, which also restricted access.

Even though courts had resumed functioning at the time of research,39 the period of instability led to a long backlog of cases that further extended the time needed for adjudication and 

increased the cost. In addition, many law enforcement and justice officials worked from rented 

facilities that they said made it difficult to work.40

As a result, since 2011 many have turned to actors outside the formal justice sector—prominent sheikhs, leaders of armed groups, and other arbitration mechanisms—to resolve their 

disputes. In what some described as the re-tribalization of Taiz, sheikhs and leaders of armed 

groups have grown increasingly influential since February 2011. Sheikhs play a prominent 

role in the resolution of both criminal and civil cases, both because the judiciary has been so 

weak and because sheikhs and armed groups enforce their decisions—something formal state 

institutions have largely not been able to do.

Future directions and recommendations

Cleaning out the security and justice sectors of corrupt, unqualified, or otherwise unfit officials 

and neutralizing the overly political control of ministry appointments were among the most 

common recommendations in Taiz by both government and nongovernment interviewees. 

Interviewees in Taiz generally argued that some of these recommendations were followed, but 

not enough. Removal of unfit officials should not stop at the higher levels but should extend 

to lower levels and individuals who dealt with citizens on a daily basis—for example, security 

leaders at the district level or police officers. In addition, several were concerned that even when 

officials were seemingly removed from power, they were in fact simply rotated to another position in the governorate or to another governorate. Finally, many stressed that when officials are 

replaced, the replacement should be decided on merit, not on the power-sharing agreement. 

Those judges who engage in corruption or other misuse of their position should be referred to 

the judiciary inspection authority, and such investigations should proceed independent of their 

political affiliation.

Since 2011 many have 

turned to prominent 

sheikhs, leaders of 

armed groups, and other 

arbitration mechanisms to 

resolve their disputes.
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PEACEWORKS 85

A second category of recommendations dealt with long-term processes to strengthen and 

support institutional quality and development—for example, improving and increasing staffing and facilities for security and justice institutions. Many also recommended programs or 

initiatives that would build the capacity of existing institutions, such as supporting policemen 

in community policing and accountability, creating educational and exchange programs for 

judges, and improving the quality of the prosecutor’s office.

Among the justice and security institutions, many cited the importance in particular of 

improving the staffing, facilities, and overall quality of the Central Prison to allow it to better 

meet basic rights standards. Some also flagged a need to improve the capacity and processes 

of the Land Registration Bureau, arguing that duplicative, unclear, and belabored processes 

contributed to corruption, land grabbing, and other land conflicts.

Finally, many youth and civil society activists argued about the need to continue to build 

on the initiatives taken by the governor to promote joint community-government engagement 

on local security issues—from building on community policing efforts to developing concrete 

follow-ons to the already successful code of conduct. Some suggested that security would be 

enhanced if the Security Committee and police officials were to focus less on sporadic raids or 

arrest periods and instead establish regular checkpoints.

Marib

Located east of the capital Sanaa, Marib is one of the most marginalized areas in northern 

Yemen. An estimated 64 percent of the population live in poverty;41 most lack access to basic 

infrastructure and services including roads, running water, electricity, education, and health 

services. As one government official remarked, “There has never been government services or 

development. In many areas they live in the Middle Ages. Women are cooking food by the 

sun.”42 State institutions—especially the security and justice sectors—have historically had a 

very limited presence in Marib. Security and justice have traditionally been maintained by local 

tribes and dispute resolution dominated by tribal customs, known as urf.

Marib faced significant security issues even before 2011. In addition to having one of the 

highest levels of tribal conflict, because of the lack of government control, militant groups used 

Marib as a staging ground for attacks. AQAP was responsible for several high-profile attacks 

on electricity and oil resources in Marib in 2010, as well as frequent attacks on government 

officials and security forces.43

In February 2011, the antigovernment protests sparked by the Arab Spring spread to Marib. Hundreds of youths marched to the government compound in Medina, Marib’s main city, 

carrying roses and demanding the fall of the regime. The protests had begun peacefully, but 

after government forces withdrew from the main highways in March 2011, the overall security 

situation deteriorated. Criminals and other informal armed groups frequently engaged in banditry and road blockage. Throughout 2011 and 2012, repeated attacks on the electricity towers, 

power cables,44 and oil pipelines in Marib led to severe shortages of gas and power throughout 

the country, particularly in Sanaa, and are estimated to have cost the country $4 billion.45 Although some AQAP elements were present in Marib before 2010, they increased throughout 

2011 and 2012, often using Marib to launch attacks in Sanaa or other areas. The deterioration 

of security on the highways allowed AQAP more mobility and some drove through Marib 

to take over parts of Rada’a46 in January 2012. Many interviewees reported increasing trends 

toward radicalization in some of the informal, Islamic education facilities in the governorate.47
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One positive security development for Marib, in contrast to the rest of the country, was 

the decrease in tribal conflict, a major source of social disruption. This meant for at least some 

populations in Marib, security in 2011 was better than it had been in the past. In response to 

the existential crisis facing Yemen in 2011 and fears that choosing sides would spark uncontrollable conflict, the tribes agreed both not to take sides and to join forces to maintain security 

within its territory in the governorate.48 Tribes actively worked together to reduce the likelihood that incidents arising during the protests would spark new conflicts.

A more complex security environment

After the 2012 elections, the government redeployed government forces to Marib, primarily 

in an attempt to halt attacks against oil and electricity assets and prevent criminal or terrorist groups from using Marib as a launching ground for attacks in Sanaa. Government forces 

regained control of the highway between al-Wadi district and Sanaa but not the highway that 

leads to Shabwa and other key assets in the governorate. By January 2013, government security 

checkpoints had expanded, providing more protection for the population.49 Nonetheless, as 

of early 2013, insecure elements long present in the governorate still enjoyed greater freedom 

than in the past, and those interviewed suggested that gang activity (primarily carjacking, robbery, and banditry), hashish trading, and AQAP and other militant activities were all on the 

rise. Government and security forces are still a frequent target. On December 8, the top military officer for the Yemen Central Military Region was killed along with eleven soldiers in an 

ambush by armed men suspected of being al-Qaeda.50 In return, the government launched an 

offensive, killing four.51 Those interviewed in follow-up research argued that the government 

strike had killed innocent civilians and destroyed homes.52

Interviewees suggested a growing sense of fear among locals of drones and air strikes. 

The common perception shared by local government actors and civilians was that drones had 

primarily killed civilians in Marib. Interviewees reported hearing drones and said they were 

in constant fear that they might be hit at any time.53 Although researchers did not specifically 

ask about drones, nearly every interviewee from Marib mentioned them. No one said anything 

positive. Many argued that drones risked both exacerbating an already complex security environment and sparking tribal conflict.

The most common recommendation or request—both within the Marib government and 

outside it—was to strengthen and expand the formal security presence in Marib. Whereas 

previously Marib relied on the tribal system to maintain basic law and order, most thought that 

it could no longer handle the current security situation alone. Some argued that this was due to 

a widespread loss of respect and adherence to tribal traditions and customs among the younger 

population. Others maintained that the militants and other criminal elements were simply too 

difficult for the tribal sheikhs to control. The rise in targeted assassinations in Marib and other 

areas by militants in recent years led tribal sheikhs to fear that they would be targeted if they 

resisted these armed groups or spoke out against their criminal practices.

Tribal conflicts are still less frequent than before 2011. Nonetheless many fear that given 

the weakness of the transitional government, the increasing activity of armed groups, and the 

tribal system’s inability to cope with security pressures in the governorate, tribal conflicts might 

erupt again—perhaps worse than ever before.

Many argued that drones 

risked both exacerbating 

an already complex 

security environment and 

sparking tribal conflict. 
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PEACEWORKS 85

Oil and electricity attacks

The Marib-Ras Isa pipeline is the key oil artery in Yemen, taking an estimated 120,000 barrels 

a day from oil fields in central and northern Yemen to the Red Sea export terminal. In addition, electricity lines in Marib feed the Dhahban power station, the main source of electricity 

for Sanaa. Spread across large swaths of largely uncontrolled territory in Marib, the oil and 

energy infrastructure has long been an attractive target to militant groups, disenchanted tribesmen, those seeking to extract rents from the foreign oil companies, and others with grievances 

against the government.

Although not a new security issue, attacks escalated in number and severity throughout 

2011 and continue in 2013.54 From March 2011 until July 2012, the oil pipeline was targeted 

eighteen times according to official estimates. Major attacks on the power stations meant that 

Sanaa and other large urban areas were without power or suffered major blackouts throughout 

2011. Attacks have not ceased since the transitional government was brought in. After being 

shut for the better part of a year, the main Marib-Ras Isa pipeline was repaired and resumed 

normal functioning on July 15, 2012, but was shut down again after major attacks in September 

and again after a series of major attacks in November.55 On December 2, tribesmen attacked 

pipelines and electricity towers again, causing a power outage in Sanaa and other cities.56

The attacks appear to have been carried out by a range of actors, which makes it difficult 

to identify the perpetrator of any given attack. For example, initial public reports about the 

early 2011 attacks on electricity stations blamed them on antigovernment tribes or opposition 

political parties, connecting the violence with the broader protest movement.57 However, more 

recent investigations by the Military Committee established by the GCC Agreement have 

led to competing allegations that then-president Saleh and military officers loyal to him were 

responsible for many of the early attacks on key oil pipelines and electricity towers.58 Several 

of the significant attacks on oil and gas pipelines and processing facilities have also been linked 

to al-Qaeda militants.

Interviewees in Marib tended to attribute the attacks to a mix of political motivations and 

personal grievances. They thought many of the attacks on oil and electricity assets in 2012 

were organized by national-level political actors seeking to make the transitional government 

appear weak and ineffective. This was particularly true, interviewees believed, of attacks that 

coincided with sensitive political moments, such as after major reshuffling in power structures 

or in anticipation of major conferences or political events.59 “Whenever the political situation 

in Sanaa gets worse, it manifests itself in attacks against oil pipelines and electricity towers,” 

Ali Alghulaisi, a journalist from Marib, said.60 Such incidents were most frequently blamed on 

Saleh loyalists and former regime supporters but sometimes blamed on the opposition JMP 

parties.61

Although political motivations were linked to some attacks, interviewees believed that the 

majority have been carried out by tribesmen seeking to pressure the government to meet their 

demands or to strike back for personal grievances. For example, many of the attacks have been 

perpetrated by the al-Shabwan tribe in revenge for the killing of former deputy governor Jaber 

al-Shabwani in a botched air attack in March 2010.62 Other attacks have been motivated by 

broader tribal or community demands against the government, such as jobs, services, compensation, or disputes over land. Interviewees said that because the government met the demands 

of some of those who attacked pipelines early on, others were encouraged to do the same.63

A journalist from al-Wadi district estimated that at least 60 percent of the attacks against oil 

pipeline and electricity towers were carried out by these groups.64
15

Waiting for change

An initiative by the new government to review and address the local grievances in Serwah 

and al-Wadi districts, where attacks against oil pipelines took place, reportedly may have backfired by raising expectations without delivering actual responses. Some interviewees suggested 

it may have led to the oil pipeline bombing of early December 2012.65

Some tribes tried to help protect public interests and prevent attacks on pipelines, but the 

majority did not care about attacks that reduced the electricity supply because the population 

at large believes it receives few benefits from the oil and electricity companies. Before 2012, 

only two districts, Marib al-Wadi and Marib city, had access to electricity, and the supply 

was erratic—no more than a few hours a day. In September 2012, electricity was extended to 

some areas in four new districts—Madgel, Majzer, Raghwan, and Serwah. Most areas in the 

four districts, however, remain without electricity. In addition, many local communities are 

hostile to the oil companies; they complain that the companies do not provide compensation 

or services to the communities in which they operate. Although some individuals and tribes 

are richly compensated by these companies, the jobs and compensation are often unequally 

distributed and spark conflict rather than appeasing the local population. In a comment that 

reflects some of the local sentiments, Sheikh Mufarreh Behiebeh in Marib noted that people 

say, “All we got from the oil companies is smoke, pollution, and mosquitoes.”66

Greater local leadership, but weak government engagement

Despite the continuing security issues, Maribis were relatively optimistic about the transition 

period. The most significant change was the appointment of a new governor, Sultan al-Aradah. 

He commands respect and is perceived as very credible due to his extensive experience in resolving complex conflicts in the governorate. Within a month of his appointment, al-Aradah 

was able to negotiate a deal with influential tribal leaders from the Aljedaan tribe to take responsibility to protect electricity lines in their territory, which reduced the number of attacks 

and enabled repair work to happen.67 Through similar negotiations, he has also been credited 

with keeping the peace and trying to prevent other sources of sabotage. Al-Aradah explained 

that he also took steps to respond to demands for social and economic benefits, including increased access to electricity, greater resources for universities and training institutes in Marib, 

and efforts to increase funds for the Marib from the central budget, and for a percentage of the 

revenue generated by oil originating from Marib to be provided to the governorate.68 Not all 

of those interviewed knew about each of these initiatives.

Other changes included appointment of a new security director; new directors for the 

Marib branch offices of the health, education, and finance ministries; new police force commander; a new court of appeal judge; and a new chief of staff for the Middle Armed Region. 

With the exception of the new judge, few reforms have taken place in the local judiciary. Most 

interviewees said these changes are not significant. As one local political activist characterized 

them, “A thief left and another thief replaced him.”69 Many also argued that holding accountable bad actors at a lower level—for example, local police who interact with people on a dayto-day basis—was more important than higher level changes.

As noted, the formal justice system has never had a strong presence in Marib. Before 2011, 

only two courts functioned in the governorate. Locals rarely referred disputes to formal justice 

channels because those institutions were considered corrupt, slow, ineffective, and unable to 

enforce decisions. Instead, almost all disputes were resolved according to tribal custom. So 

far, no significant changes have been made to reverse this practice. The governor has reportedly taken some steps to introduce the formal justice system more broadly to locals, such as 
16

PEACEWORKS 85

engaging local judges in negotiations with the tribes to establish a more prominent role in the 

community. The governor also said that he had deferred to a court decision halting the removal 

of a local official (something that not all governors do) to send a broader message that court 

decisions should be respected.70 One interviewee told of a prominent case referred directly by 

the governor to the courts in Marib in February 2013—a land dispute between two major 

tribes. The popular reaction to this referral was positive, the interviewee noted, because it was 

taken as a sign of increasing judicial presence and rule of law.71

One of the most frequent sentiments was hope that this transition period would bring 

about support to long-standing requests for stronger formal state and justice institutions in 

Marib. This was the top priority not only for civil society and activist groups but also for local 

council members, tribal leaders, and the governor. Although such demands are not new, they 

now appeared to have greater urgency. Given increasing challenges to security and social order 

and the weakening of tribal structures and traditions that previously maintained some form 

of law enforcement and dispute resolution, many argued there was more of a need for strong 

state institutions than ever before. Interviewees reported that local people are “thirsty” for rule 

of law and an effective formal justice system.72 “If there were effective courts, the tribes would 

go there. People are eager to see functioning state institutions,” Abdullah al-Aqeeli said.73

“Sheikhs want to see state institutions functioning in the governorate more than anybody. They 

are tired of having to deal with the burden of resolving conflicts constantly,” Sheikh Mufarreh 

Beheibeh explained.74

Future directions and recommendations

Interviewees argued that the nature of security challenges had shifted in previous years and 

required a corresponding fundamental shift in the thinking about how security challenges 

are met and the relationship between the government and the tribal system in Marib. In the 

current climate, the tribes are no longer able to provide security and order.75 The historically 

low levels of formal engagement in the governorate will therefore no longer be enough to 

guarantee stability. Many argued that state security forces needed to take a more prominent 

role in the internal security in the governorate and be given ample resources and authority to 

enforce law and order.

Many interviewees suggested that more joint efforts between the state and tribal communities are needed to combat the rise in criminality and militant activity in Marib. Some 

suggested that a solution might be for tribes to help capture militants or criminals and for 

the government to bring them to justice. However, interviewees noted that this solution will 

only work if the government is serious about it. If tribes participate in such an initiative and 

militants are allowed to escape (for example, through bribery, as has happened in the past), the 

scenario would lead to dire consequences not only for the tribal leaders involved in the capture 

but for overall stability in Marib.

Several interviewees cautioned that a strategy reliant on the use of force—for example, 

drones or airstrikes—had the potential to backfire and stoke tribal conflicts. Most instead 

stressed the importance of addressing root causes of conflict and long-standing grievances. Interviewees frequently expressed support for education, employment, and development projects 

in Marib and also stressed the need to resolve outstanding tribal conflicts, perhaps through 

joint tribal-government mediation efforts. Many cited the need for measures to reduce the 

available pool of recruits for criminal and militant activity, including providing opportunities 
17

Waiting for change

for youth, awareness programs to show the danger of extremist groups, and initiatives to kick 

start economic growth.

Interviewees identified the need to tackle corruption and strengthen institutional reforms 

but prioritized immediate efforts to prevent the security situation from escalating.

Aden

Aden has been marked by frequent—often violent—protests against the Saleh regime and 

other grievances against the government since 2007.76 Thus it was not surprising that the city 

was one of the first to see major public disturbances in the wake of the Arab Spring protests. 

In the first three months of 2011, protests frequently led to fatalities as government forces fired 

on protestors, deployed tear gas, and at times attacked protest camps with heavy weapons and 

artillery. In the districts at the center of the protest movement—al-Mansoura, Mua’ala, and 

Khormaskar—heavy security patrols, tanks, and antiaircraft guns were not unusual. Protestors—particularly those affiliated with al-Hirak, the southern movement77—were frequently 

detained and reportedly suffered extreme abuse. The initial, brutal government response to the 

peaceful protests in Aden in part galvanized broader protests across parts of Yemen.78

In late March 2011, the head of security, Abdullah Qairan, was removed from his position for excessive use of force against protestors. He was transferred to the Taiz governorate.79 Following the transfer, the violence of the government’s response to the protests ebbed, 

but protests continued. As the government lost effective control of many departments, Aden 

descended into what one interviewee described as an undeclared state of emergency. The lack 

of any common law enforcement or security, combined with the arming of youth and other 

individuals by many parties to the conflict, fractured the city—each neighborhood was governed by different factions. The prevalence of armed men and minimal controls led to a spike 

in looting, theft, robbery, and violent crime. During the course of 2011, major public services, 

including electricity, water, and fuel supplies, were limited to nonexistent. Courts virtually shut 

down, and police stations in the major opposition districts (al-Mansoura and Sheikh Othman) 

were empty.

By summer 2011, instability in neighboring Abyan spilled over into Aden and had both 

humanitarian and security consequences. The Office for the High Commissioner for Human 

Rights estimated that from May 2011 through that summer, hundreds of internally displaced 

persons (IDPs) arrived in Aden from Abyan on a daily basis. By the end of the year, tens 

of thousands lived in the city.80 Weapons, arms, and the militant groups associated with the 

Abyan conflict—AAS and the transnational AQAP—also began to infiltrate Aden, adding a 

new dimension to the conflict. Because of its geographical location, parties to the conflict could 

easily recruit men and arms from the Horn of Africa.

Continued security crisis

The introduction of a transitional government and the successful elections in February 2012 

ended the worst period of violence in Aden. Widespread insecurity has continued to prevent 

regular government functions from resuming, however, and the quality of life for most citizens 

remains far behind what it was before 2011. Throughout the summer of 2012, assassinations 

and attempted assassinations on government and military officials, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) or other major fighting, and assaults on government posts and checkpoints occurred on a weekly or biweekly basis. Divisions between and among Hirak factions and Islahis 
18

PEACEWORKS 85

were blamed for much of the internal violence in Aden in 2012. In addition, many of those 

interviewed said numerous attacks were carried out by those loyal to former president Saleh. 

This, interviewees argued, was a political tactic to persuade southerners that security was better under the old regime. In many cases, though, it appeared likely that such statements were 

influenced by political bias. A significant number of attacks have also been linked to AQAP, 

AAS, and other militant groups.81

Starting in early 2011, different political parties and actors began to arm youth and other 

parts of the population in preparation for potential conflict, a negative legacy which continues to impact security in the city. The influx of arms into Aden in 2011 and the arming of 

large segments of the population—including those not under any form of command and 

control—increased the opportunities for violence. Financial and violent crime remains high. 

Armed groups with unclear affiliations still controlled major roads and neighborhoods, resulting in frequent clashes with government and security officers throughout the summer of 2012. 

One nongovernmental worker remarked, “Now there are guns and weapons everywhere in 

the street. These things were never in Aden before, maybe in other areas, but not in Aden.”82

Similar comments were made by most Adenis interviewed. Although Aden has had significant periods of instability and violent clashes throughout its history, the pervasiveness of this 

sentiment suggested a significant—and different—feeling of insecurity among the population 

during this transition period.

The violence and destruction during 2011 has impeded the return of pre-2011 levels of 

law enforcement. In 2011, damage to public buildings was significant; police stations and the 

offices of local authorities were damaged, destroyed, or burned, particularly in al-Mansoura, 

Sheikh Othman, and Dar Saad districts. Police and security officials still cannot enter many 

areas—at least with any regularity. These security challenges are difficult to overcome given 

the lack of funding to pay many policemen, restore damaged or destroyed facilities, or support 

law enforcement activities. As a result, many neighborhoods remain beyond the reach of any 

government law enforcement or control, particularly al-Mansoura, Mu’ala, Khormaskar, and 

Dar Saad.

Regular protests—often marred by violence—were frequent through August and September 2012. By the end of the year, the security situation had become more stable than in the 

initial period of research, although crime levels were still high and government forces still had 

no access to certain neighborhoods. Some interviewees said the government allowed Hirak 

to protest peacefully, and this was taken as a sign of good faith, allowing political tensions to 

calm.83 This period of relative calm appeared fleeting. Shortly after the date of the National 

Dialogue was announced, security incidents, mass disturbances, and protests that turned violent again increased in Aden. Most notably, on February 21, 2013, a pro-independence protest 

turned violent as government forces fired on protestors with live ammunition, killing at least 

five and sparking continued protests and clashes in the subsequent days.84 Violent protests and 

government responses continued up to the start of the National Dialogue and have showed 

no signs of abating. 

Many of those interviewed blamed continued instability on a combination of internal political dynamics and Aden’s geographic location. Aden’s proximity to the Horn of Africa and 

to other militant controlled areas provides potential spoilers, ample allies, and opportunities to 

feed insecurity. Militant groups such as AQAP and AAS, which increased their presence in 

Aden during 2011, continue to operate in the city and are blamed for many prominent security 
19

Waiting for change

incidents and assassinations. As a major port on the Gulf of Aden, the city has long been a 

major hub for illegal arms sales and a frequent thoroughfare for foreign fighters.

Volatile politics mitigate progress

Not surprisingly, given the degree of instability, progress on other transitional benchmarks was 

limited and fragile. The local government leadership changed slightly, but overall the number 

of changes in appointments and institutional reform was negligible. A new governor, Waheed 

Rasheed, was appointed in March 2012, as was a new security director, but few others on the 

Security Committee or under the governor’s responsibility changed. Within the judiciary, only 

three judges were removed, all lower-level judges replaced according to rotation law. The former commander of the southern region was replaced twice because the first replacement was 

assassinated not long after being appointed.

Interviewees identified the following as the most significant, outstanding issues: weakness 

and ineffectiveness in the judiciary and security sectors, lack of independence from political control, continued and widespread land grabbing, and unresolved political tensions over 

southern independence. All of these issues, most interviewees argued, are as bad as, or worse 

than, before 2011.

Many also maintained that corruption—long a problem among judicial and security sectors—worsened during 2011 and remained unabated after the elections.

As rule of law deteriorated and armed groups came to the fore as the real power brokers, 

land grabbing—a problem in Aden before 2011—increased. In January 2013, a commission 

was formed to investigate and address the problem. Although at the time of writing the commission had not yet taken on any specific measures, some interviewees took the formation 

itself as a positive sign that President Hadi’s government had the will to address instability in 

Aden.85 Others were not as optimistic, arguing that the commission was as stacked with political appointees as other governmental bodies and thus would likely have an equally poor record 

in addressing land grabbing.86

Although the courts are now functioning, insecurity, the case backlog, and the state’s inability to enforce decisions have made the courts ineffectual. As a result, the majority of the 

population has looked outside the formal court system to resolve disputes, ranging from local councils to elders (known as akls) of the neighborhood to leaders of armed groups in the 

neighborhoods or in the squares. Although judicial independence has always been an issue in 

Aden, many lawyers and judicial officials worried that increased polarization and politicization 

of government positions, combined with the insecurity and the lack of enforcement powers, 

would likely make the judiciary even weaker and more subject to political influence in the 

future.

Broader political tensions underlie and motivate much of the violence and continued civil 

instability in Aden. The 2011 protests and the discussion of major political reforms through 

the transitional government and National Dialogue have reopened the Pandora’s box of southern independence. The majority of Adenis support a greater measure of autonomy, if not full 

independence.

That many different groups within Aden seek some form of greater local autonomy is 

not to suggest that the southern movement is cohesive. Infighting between factions of Hirak 

and between Hirak and armed factions of the Islah party have been blamed for much of the 

violence.

Broader political tensions 

underlie and motivate 

much of the violence and 

continued civil instability 

in Aden.
20

PEACEWORKS 85

Competition between the two groups, as well as between other political actors in Aden, 

played out both in the physical security environment and in jostling for local political power 

and positions. Although few political appointments and changes followed the transition, those 

that did take place were heavily tainted by partisan politics. Interviewees’ perceptions of the 

recent political appointments seemed heavily biased by their political affiliation. Opinions and 

allegations of misconduct or poor leadership were thus difficult to evaluate. Nonetheless, many 

of those interviewed said that the governor is seen as an Islah partisan. Many alleged that he 

placed political supporters in government positions regardless of merit and, in some cases, in 

spite of it.87 As one female nongovernmental activist said, “Appointing this governor . . . further fanned the political tension that existed in Aden. The Hirak movement was already very 

sensitive about Islah and then to put them in charge of Aden . . . it was a bad political deal.”88

Civil society members who were interviewed said that the governor has not been serious in 

engaging with them.

Many argued that until the southern issue is addressed by the transitional government, 

and particularly through the National Dialogue, it will be difficult for government officials 

to regain full political control and confidence in Aden. During interviews in the fall of 2012, 

interviewees argued that the government had not taken any concrete steps toward implementing trust building measures, including the twenty steps proposed by the National Dialogue 

technical committee in August 2012. This inaction, they said, contributed significantly to the 

unstable situation in Aden.89 By early 2013, some measures had been taken to address these 

complaints. For example, treatment of Hirak protestors reportedly improved slightly in the latter half of 2012, although some clashes at protests were still reported in early 2013. In February 

2012, during his presidential campaign, candidate Hadi announced that no “red lines” would 

be drawn in the National Dialogue, which many Hirak supporters interpreted as allowing 

open discussion of the southern issue. This reportedly eased tensions. In January 2013, President Hadi appointed a commission to explore the issue of military and civil retirees, a longstanding demand of the southern movement.90 Because of these steps, interviewees seemed 

slightly more optimistic in the follow-up research period and attributed the improved security 

situation in late 2012 and early 2013 to these preliminary confidence-building steps.91 They 

said, however, that these steps were not enough and needed to be followed by concrete actions.

Future directions and recommendations

Most recommendations focused on immediate measures to restore law and order and government services in Aden. Many argued that a prerequisite would be political settlement of the 

southern issue to include recognition of some greater level of autonomy and some measures of 

transitional justice being implemented soon.

In addition to these political demands, interviewees suggested a number of other local 

measures that might improve immediate and long-term stability. Many argued that it was 

important, as a first step, to begin disarming and disbanding armed groups and youth rampant 

in the city, including addressing their financial sources. Many also stressed reforms of the police, including hiring police local to Aden, improving the pay and status of police and security 

forces to reduce corruption and encourage qualified candidates, working with the entire police 

force to improve sensitivity to communities, and enforcing discipline for misconduct. Others 

suggested reforms to the public service, addressing youth unemployment and corruption in 

government ministries, particularly among the judiciary.
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Waiting for change

One of the issues many highlighted was land grabbing. Interviewees suggested that this 

was mostly a question of political will, given that many of the officials who plundered lands 

in Aden had already been identified publicly.92 What was needed was for the government to 

take action in dismissing these officials, initiating prosecutions where relevant, and restoring 

the stolen properties. The new commission on land grabbing appointed in January 2013 held 

at least the promise of doing this.

Perhaps more than in other governorates, many interviewees in Aden discussed the importance of national-level institutional reforms to improving local stability, including measures 

to ensure the independence of the judiciary, decentralization to enable greater autonomy at a 

governorate level, and institutional reform that would make the security sector responsive and 

accountable but also free it from the influence of tribes and political parties.

Abyan

The southern governorate of Abyan was the most negatively affected by the 2011 crisis. Since 

2007, militant activities had been on the rise.93 With the onset of protests in early 2011, already 

tenuous government control in Abyan was finally overrun. AAS militants took control of the 

main city of Jaar in March 2011 and the major city of Zinji the following May after a few days 

of clashes with the military, which left hundreds of soldiers dead.94 Dozens of civilians were 

also believed to be killed during the fights between AAS and government forces throughout 

2011.95 Hundreds of thousands of citizens fled to Aden and other neighboring governorates. 

Between April 2011 and September 2012, more than two hundred thousand IDPs took shelter in eighty-one schools and public buildings, often without water, food, and other critical 

needs.96

AAS controlled the two cities for more than a year and imposed its version of sharia in 

areas under its control. On May 12, 2012, the Yemen Army launched a large-scale offensive 

against AAS with the help of Popular Committees (PCs), which are local armed groups, most 

of which have tribal affiliations but some of which simply represent popular resistance to AAS. 

In June 2012, after weeks of fierce fighting, the Yemen government announced that the militants were pushed out of the cities of Zinjibar and Jaar. However, a few weeks later, violence 

resumed, including several major suicide bombings and armed clashes between AAS and PCs. 

On August 4, 2012, at least forty-five civilians were killed when a suicide bomber attacked a 

funeral service targeting PC members in Jaar. Criminal gangs also have become more active 

since AAS was pushed out. Assassinations increased, targeting military and security officers 

as well as PC leaders.97 In June 2012, an attempt was made on the life of the defense minister visiting Abyan, and the newly appointed head of the southern military command was 

assassinated.98

The situation for civilians in Abyan remains dire. Government facilities and offices are not 

yet functioning, even minimally in most places. There are no security forces or law enforcement 

outside what the PCs provide. As one frustrated lawyer from Abyan explained,

In Abyan, there is no security, no law, no government. Since AAS has been pushed out, 

police and security forces still have not returned, even in the main areas. The government 

is still not present in Abyan. That’s affecting justice; it’s affecting development, the 

return of IDPs, everything in Abyan.99

The continued lack of government presence in most areas, one year after elections and more 

than six months after regaining control from AAS, appeared to fan perceptions that the conflict 

in Abyan was being neglected deliberately. Several of those interviewed in follow-up research 
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PEACEWORKS 85

in January and February 2013 said that national political actors were deliberately allowing the 

conflict to fester in Abyan by leaving the security to PCs and not reintroducing government 

forces in the governorate.100 “The state is trying as hard as it can not to get involved in Abyan 

and even to let the conflict continue,” one local leader argued.101

Although some IDPs returned, thousands of others remain in Aden or elsewhere because 

the situation in Abyan is still “uncertain and dangerous,” according to interviewees. Those who 

have returned face incredibly difficult conditions. Many homes are destroyed. Shortages of water and electricity are severe, and access to health care and other services is also limited. Given 

the security situation, dozens of doctors and nurses have not resumed work in public hospitals 

and health centers in the governorate. “People are reluctant to go back to Abyan because they 

are afraid that the fighting will resume. They don’t want to go back through the same bitter experience, and they are afraid to be killed by landmines,” said a female activist who fled to Aden 

due to the situation in Abyan.102 Within two weeks of the withdrawal of AAS, seventy-three 

people were killed by landmines, which are widespread in the governorate.103 One aid worker 

said that many of the IDPs who returned did not actually want to come back but could no 

longer afford to support themselves in Aden.104

Efforts to rebuild

Pushing AAS out of the main cities of Zinjibar and Jaar may have been a significant security 

accomplishment, but locals generally gave the credit not to the transitional government but to 

the PCs. Since AAS was pushed out in June 2012, neither government nor security forces were 

deployed, leaving it to the PCs to take charge of security.

Locals lauded the PCs’ efforts, reportedly even donating their limited personal funds to 

help them buy arms and organize, and argued that they have stopped AAS from expanding 

in the governorate. Most, however, said that the security situation in Abyan is beyond the 

capacity of PCs to manage in the long term and called for a return of government forces to 

the governorate. Most also believed that without the presence of government security forces, 

AAS would return and fighting would be renewed. Further, interviewees worried that overreliance on PCs carries other risks to long-term stability in the governorate. Some feared that 

if not integrated into the military or any formal institutions,105 the PCs might turn into armed 

groups and possibly engage in crime or challenge government authority.106 Some reports had 

already materialized of PCs looting, extorting cash along the road, or engaging in other illegal 

activities.107 Finally, because PCs and some AAS members have the same tribal backgrounds, 

continued infighting between and among the two groups might cause or fuel tribal conflicts 

in the long term.

In general, those interviewed in Abyan reacted quite differently to the questions posed in 

other governments about institutional reform and political developments in the wake of the 

transition than those in the other governorates examined. Given the dire circumstances in the 

government, such developments often seemed far removed from the challenges of daily life. As 

one female humanitarian aid worker and activist noted, “For Abyanis, it’s hard to even think 

about National Dialogue and national issues when we still don’t even have minimum standards 

of living and basic needs met.”108

Since the February elections, Jamal Nasser Alaqel was appointed as the new governor, 

and a new security director was appointed for the governorate. In July 2012, Mahmoud Ali 

Atef was appointed as the new district director for Khanfar, which includes the city of Jaar. A 

well-respected local educator, Atef reportedly was able to bring significant improvements. In-
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Waiting for change

terviewees suggested that his successes illustrate that when credible local actors are appointed 

and are accountable to the local population, improvements are possible.109 Changes in appointments at both the governorate and the district level have otherwise been minimal.

In July, the cabinet issued a decree to establish a fund for Abyan reconstruction. The purpose of the fund is to rebuild public and private facilities destroyed in the affected areas in the 

governorate.110 In January 2013, a new director was appointed to manage the fund. Interviewees spoke of his reputation for mismanaging projects.111 During the initial field research in 

Abyan in October 2012, nongovernmental interviewees were aware of the fund and skeptical 

that it would actually be used to address critical rebuilding and support needs, as opposed to 

being monopolized by key power brokers or lost to corruption or embezzlement.

Interviewees believed that no tangible positive changes had taken place in the justice system. Given the weaknesses in security, most courts are still not functioning in the governorate. 

The court in Zinjibar, however, began hearing a few cases in December 2012.

When the judicial system does resume full operations in Abyan, it will face a severe shortage of well-equipped facilities and qualified judges and lawyers. Interviewees believed that it 

would take many years and deliberate efforts by the government to reverse years of neglect and 

deliberate undermining of the judicial system. Many lawyers and members of the judiciary 

interviewed during both periods of research noted that, under the previous regime, qualified 

local legal professionals were repeatedly passed over in favor of unqualified, corrupt, or inept 

individuals brought into Abyan from other governorates on the basis of political patronage. 

“Abyan was treated as an exile for ‘bad judges,’” a local lawyer said.112 Abyanis with the desired 

qualifications have largely moved away in recent years, interviewees explained, and must be 

encouraged to come back. As one lawyer noted, “It became the rule in Abyan. If you are a 

qualified lawyer and you want good job opportunities, you have to leave Abyan.”113

Abyan has a historical memory of both a relatively operative formal justice system from the 

communist regime114 and strong tribal dispute mechanisms, although both sectors were weakened by the 2011 crisis and the domination of AAS.115 Since AAS was expelled in the summer 

of 2012, dispute resolution has often been undertaken by the PCs. More recently, since October 2012, new bodies known as Ahlia committees formed voluntarily from local social leaders 

and respected elders of communities. In the absence of resumed government functions, these 

committees have reportedly taken on significant governance and dispute resolution functions. 

Many said their efforts at dispute resolution and conflict mitigation had reduced crime and 

were a significant factor in the improved security in the fall of 2012.116 In January 2013, after 

heavy petitioning from the Ahlia committees, the governor issued a decree formally recognizing their efforts and their role in dealing with local issues.117

Almost all of those interviewed stressed the need for more efforts to support the return and 

strengthening of formal justice systems in Abyan. Many said that tribal traditions could play an 

important role in reconstructing justice and dispute resolution systems and in preventing tribal 

conflicts. However, the capacity of tribal tradition is limited and does not have strong enough 

enforcement mechanisms. Reintroducing formal justice mechanisms is therefore essential.

Reflections on opportunities for meaningful change

Overall, among the four governorates surveyed, Abyanis were among the most negative that 

the new transitional government had or would bring positive changes. They pointed to the absence of formal security forces in the governorate, the minimal efforts to bring public services 

back, and evidence that political patronage networks would continue. Some interviewees fear 

Almost all of those 

interviewed stressed the 

need for more efforts to 

support the return and 

strengthening of formal 

justice systems in Abyan. 
24

PEACEWORKS 85

that unless changes are instituted soon, AAS might fill the current security and justice vacuum. 

In addition to providing security, AAS provided basic dispute resolution based on their interpretation of sharia principles in the areas under their control in 2011. Although brutal and 

frequently abusive of fundamental rights,118 AAS resolution was quick, effectively enforced, 

and—many said—executed equally. Cities became noticeably safer, and urban crime almost 

disappeared. As security analyst Gregory Johnsen told CNN at the time, “They established 

their own police system, their own court system. They started to dig water wells, string electrical lines in villages that had never had these before, that had essentially been ignored by the 

Yemeni government for decades.”119 After AAS left, the security situation deteriorated, leaving 

security incidents, theft, and crime on the rise. As one female rights activist said, “At the end of 

the day people need justice and security. They’d prefer if that came from the government, but if 

the government is not providing that, then they will turn to whoever can, including AAS.”120

Many described President Hadi as a “good man” and well-intentioned but said the changes 

that he had made so far at the national level were more about sharing power among the elite 

than dealing with the issues that matter to common people.121 They thought it was good for 

them that the president is from Abyan. They did not, however, necessarily approve of favoritism shown to certain Abyanis in national and regional political appointments, seeing it as a 

symptom of the larger political capture problems of President Hadi’s transitional government. 

They argued that Hadi was “making the same mistakes that others leaders did before him” 

because he was trapped in the current political power-sharing formula.122 “Appointing people 

simply because they are from Abyan and without regard to their qualification will be disastrous 

for Abyan,” said a prominent local lawyer, noting that what they needed were people who were 

qualified to do the difficult job of rebuilding the governorate.123 The continued corruption at 

the local level, especially in managing humanitarian aid to IDPs, added to the feeling of skepticism about the possibility of meaningful change or response from this transitional government. 

“Those who deal with us on the ground are still the same corrupt people. They continue to 

practice corruption as they please,” a female interviewee said.124

Future directions and recommendations

Because of the dire humanitarian and security situation in Abyan, interview recommendations 

focused on stability and other critical needs. Interviewees prioritized the need to bring formal 

security forces back to the governorate to maintain order, rather than to continue to rely on 

the PCs. Many argued this was necessary not only to prevent security deterioration but also to 

allow humanitarian assistance and other programs to access the area to help restore economic 

and social functions and encourage the return of IDPs.

Another set of recommendations was to appoint government security and judicial officials 

from the local population.125 “Appointing people from the local area who are accountable to the 

local population and know the needs and the context will strengthen community monitoring 

and improve the quality of governance,” one local lawyer argued.126 In addition, many argued 

that this might limit the reach of national political patronage networks, which historically 

resulted in corrupt and incompetent officials being appointed to Abyan.

Such comments illustrate the tension between the desire for locally accountable and 

knowledgeable individuals and concerns that too many appointments were already based solely 

on their tribal or political background, as with the critiques about President Hadi. Although 

Abyanis would prefer local officials, overall they prefer competent, responsive, and accountable 

officials to unqualified token appointments from their region. Many added that, to resolve 

Overall they prefer 

competent, responsive, 

and accountable officials 

to unqualified token 

appointments from their 

religion.
25

Waiting for change

this issue over the long term, any decentralization should be accompanied by extensive local capacity-building programs for justice actors (including lawyers) and security personnel. 

However, other interviewees argued strongly that capacity among Abyanis was sufficient; the 

problem was that in the past qualified Abyans had not been given a chance and had therefore 

been forced to seek work outside Abyan.127 In addition, officials argued that justice and security 

facilities need to be well-equipped, and the number of judges needs to increase to promote efficient resolution of cases.

With regard to the PCs, interviewees argued that they needed to be either disbanded or integrated into security forces. Continuing to allow them to operate as unregulated armed groups 

would be dangerous in the long term. Interviewees suggested a deliberate process of vetting 

members of PCs on an individual basis for integration into government or security forces or 

for reintegrating into normal civilian lives.128 Formalizing PCs as a group or simply providing 

them government funds seemed unlikely to address the long-term security concerns.

As in Marib, interviewees also emphasized the need to address the root causes of insecurity 

by improving access to education and jobs for youth. In addition, in order to cultivate confidence in and support for the government, some argued that corrupt officials must be removed, 

especially those who interact daily with the broader population, such as local police.

To avoid waste, mismanagement, or theft of the Abyan Rebuilding Funds (which might in 

itself breed further grievances and instability), many argued for a more inclusive and transparent process of the allocating and spending of the funds. Some suggested forming local public 

oversight committees to assess community needs and hold widespread and open consultations 

with communities about the best use of funds. Some also suggested that the funds should focus 

not only on rebuilding destroyed facilities but also on restoring agricultural lands affected by 

the recent conflict.

Analysis

Reforms Positive but Insufficient

Although views on the success of transitional reforms varied greatly, most interviewees said 

that the measures taken so far have been positive and necessary, but inadequate. Any gains 

were small, fragile, and could be easily reversed if not followed by more solid reforms. At a local level, many of Yemen’s twenty-one governorates, including traditionally stable urban areas, 

remain highly insecure; their regular political, economic, and social functions still far from 

normal. Despite this, interviewees were more optimistic than might have been expected. In 

all of the governorates, even the most pessimistic said that it was still too early to tell whether 

the revolution had produced meaningful change and seemed willing to grant the transitional 

government more time.

In terms of the removal of officials, in all four sampled governorates, officials in a few 

high-level positions, and some mid-level officials, appeared to have been dismissed, rotated, 

or replaced at a governorate level, but these changes tended to be dismissed by interviewees as 

insufficient or superficial. A common complaint was that any changes were unduly influenced 

by the power-sharing split and represented the shift in the balance of power rather than a 

measure of reform or accountability. As one youth activist noted, “Many of the officials who 

killed people were not actually dismissed but simply rotated to another governorate, a standard 

practice of the past regime.”129
26

PEACEWORKS 85

Replacing officials occured more frequently in the security sector than the judiciary sector. 

Judicial replacements were due primarily to the rotation law rather than efforts to remove corrupt, ineffective, or unqualified members. In terms of broader justice reforms, in Taiz and Aden, 

the two more urban governorates in this study in which the formal justice system had previously been relatively strong,130 interviewees said few to no serious attempts had been made to 

address other long-standing problems in the justice system, such as corruption, embezzlement 

of government funds, lengthy court times, or capacity issues. Many said it was unrealistic to 

expect local level judicial reform until the new judiciary law, the recent decree separating the 

Ministry of Justice from the Supreme Court, and other national level reforms came into effect. In addition, some national and international experts on judicial issues suggested that the 

changes needed in the judiciary were less imperative and would ultimately be less significant 

and less structural than those in the security sector.131 Nonetheless, few signs indicated that 

progress had been made on even nonstructural issues in the judiciary, from widespread lowlevel corruption to the incapacity of particular judges. Those interviewed at a national level 

who work on judicial reform, from donors to staff members of the ministries, suggested that 

no significant changes are anticipated within the judicial sector within this transition period. 

The prevalence of tribal or alternative dispute resolution in all four governorates suggests 

that future efforts to improve rule of law and judicial institutions must also pay some attention 

to the role of dispute resolution outside the formal judiciary. Interviewees in each argued for 

a stronger and better functioning formal system, the increased reliance on alternative dispute 

resolution, and the difficulty in even reestablishing 2010 levels of functionality in the judiciary, 

much less addressing the much larger, long-standing concerns about its quality and capacity. 

This suggests that the majority of disputes will continue to be resolved by these alternative 

mechanisms for some time to come.

Despite the small number of reforms within ministries, changes in leadership at the top in 

some localities appeared to affect the climate of operations for the better. The newly appointed 

governors in Taiz and Marib were frequently praised for being independent, nonpartisan individuals working conscientiously to resolve local sources of dispute and stabilize the area. 

Similarly, in the district of Khanfar in Abyan, when a credible local leader was appointed as 

the district director, interviewees argued that he was able to help stabilize the situation and 

make improvements. Although some of the efforts of these local leaders appeared symbolic, 

many interviewees argued that their leadership had at least put the governorate on the right 

track by getting buy-in and cooperation from key stakeholders in the province. For example, 

in Marib, the governor brokered a deal with some tribal groups who had repeatedly bombed 

oil pipelines and attacked electricity towers. Although this did not halt attacks altogether, it 

did for a number of months, allowing oil exports to flow; this deal in turn encouraged many 

residents that the governor could continue to build consensus and resolve issues in the future. 

In Taiz, one of the governor’s most lauded initiatives was a code of conduct among all armed 

groups, civil society, and key stakeholders in the governorate. Despite the lack of enforcement 

mechanisms for the code, many said it had been responsible for the control and withdrawal of 

many organized armed groups and a reduction of violence in the city. In addition, many in Taiz 

said that the governor’s reputation as an honest official sent a message to other officials. Following his appointment, civil society said officials were more responsive to public demands to 

meet with civil society and youth groups, engage in community policing efforts, and otherwise 

operate in a more transparent and accountable manner that would lead to change in the long 
27

Waiting for change

term. The culture of doing business was different, even if the institutions or most of the people 

in them were not.

Local Conditions Shape Perceptions

Many of those interviewed suggested a greater need for institutional reforms and “cleaning 

out” old regime actors and those who were not qualified or had engaged in misconduct. Overall 

perceptions of change and whether the government was “on the right track” depended on the 

quality and stability of life at a local level: whether the local security situation appeared under 

control, whether basic law enforcement was available such that rights were protected and enforced, whether access to basic services (humanitarian, electricity, water, sewage, and others) 

was adequate, and whether a regular means of resolving disputes was in place, preferably some 

availability of the formal system. In all four governorates, officials still struggled to return to 

a level of stability that would permit basic, regular government functions and services, not to 

mention tackling the broader reforms demanded by the youth movement and the transitional 

agreement. However, differences in the level of local improvements and the degree to which 

those changes, or lack of changes, were attributed to government actions during the transition 

period strongly influenced perceptions that things were headed in the right direction, for both 

government and non-governmental actors interviewed.

In Taiz, some headway was made as the formal government regained control of most key 

areas, the number of security incidents decreased, and the level of crime and open fighting decreased enough that normal work and commerce returned. Although still far from the stability 

enjoyed in the city before 2011, enough progress had been made that interviewees felt cause 

for optimism. In Aden, by contrast, a city that historically enjoyed regular law enforcement and 

higher levels of government services, the government’s failure to regain minimal control of the 

security situation and to prevent serious security incidents led Adenis to complain that little 

positive momentum had come out of the revolution.

The situation in Abyan is difficult to compare or contrast with those in other governorates given the severity of the crisis there in 2011 and the overwhelming number of security, 

reconstruction, and humanitarian challenges that remain. Relative to the situation in 2011, the 

government has made huge security gains, retaking major areas of the governorate from militant control. Yet despite these gains, it has been the PCs, not the transitional government, that 

has largely gotten the credit for security successes. Meanwhile, many interviewees felt that the 

transitional government had not done enough to reinstate the level of services available before 

2011 or to address critical humanitarian needs. As a result, interviewees were not optimistic 

for the future.

Although the security situation in Marib was not remarkably improved in 2012, the governor nonetheless delivered signs of tangible progress and public responsiveness. He also demonstrated an ability to work jointly with tribes and the government, which most thought was 

critical to resolve the security dilemmas in the governorate. The introduction of some checkpoints that would protect population centers and deal with general crime issues in January 

2013 was taken by some as an extremely positive sign going forward.

National-Local Dichotomy

Interviewees’ appraisals of the transition period and perceptions of change were heavily influenced by local issues, but they were also cognizant that local stability was tightly linked to the 
28

PEACEWORKS 85

success of national political developments. Many saw continuing local instability as a manifestation of ongoing national political uncertainty. Tensions between national political parties 

and actors often trickled down and disrupted local dynamics. As one lawyer from Taiz noted, 

“The national political contests are what makes Taiz spin. Whenever something happens in 

Sanaa, we feel [the effects] in Taiz.”132 Taizis were not alone in this feeling. As one district 

governor from Marib noted, “The situation in Marib directly reflects [what is happening] in 

Sanaa. When Sanaa is calm, Marib is calm. When Sanaa is [turbulent], so is Marib.”133 Similar 

comments were frequently espoused by different political parties and segments of society in all 

four governorates.

Major security incidents were blamed on national political actors, parties, or movements 

dissatisfied with ongoing political events. In Marib, many attacks on oil and electricity resources were perceived to be organized by national actors attempting to manipulate national 

security discussions by undermining security in strategic areas. In Aden, much of the ongoing 

insecurity was blamed on the transitional government’s failure to deal with the southern issue. 

Many blamed the frequent security incidents—from standoffs on major roads to assassination attempts and attacks on government posts—on political elements dissatisfied with the 

ongoing process or those trying to urge southern secession. Similarly in Taiz and Abyan, many 

locals suspected national political actors or parties of organizing recent security incidents to 

create the impression that the current government could not meet basic security demands.

The longer the underlying political framework is contested, the more incentives political 

spoilers have to alter facts on the ground and erode trust in the transitional government by 

staging attacks. In governorates with some security successes, such as Marib and Taiz, interviewees argued that the continued, unresolved political issues at the national level were the 

reason for an uptick in security incidents in the fall of 2012.

The tensions between the two main national parties—the GPC and the JMP—often 

spilled over to the local level, disrupting local power dynamics and often resulting in clashes 

or other violence. This was reported in all governorates. One example surrounded the security 

chief appointment in Taiz. Shortly after the February elections, Ali Mohammed al-Saeedi, an 

Islahi, was appointed as security chief. Many of the organized armed groups in Taiz at that 

time were affiliated with the Islah party, and they withdrew with al-Saeedi’s appointment. 

When al-Saeedi was replaced with Ahmed Ali al-Maqdashi—in part because other overly 

political decisions by al-Saeedi led to a number of problems—the armed groups returned, 

clashing with the security forces to discredit the new chief.134

Interviewees also blamed national political tensions for the lack of progress in local governance and justice issues. In all four governorates, though slightly less so in Abyan, interviewees 

said that any changes in government positions at a local level were based on the party affiliation 

of the individuals rather than merit. Although the GCC Agreement does not mandate a 50-50 

split beyond the ministerial level, in practice, even minor, local positions are tied to ongoing 

political negotiations in Sanaa.

This research did not systematically track how the political affiliation affected attitudes. 

However, researchers noted that though political bias sometimes influenced direct appraisals of officials (with certain appointments or changes triggering greater partisanship, as with 

the security director changes in Taiz), the complaint that positions were decided too often on 

party affiliation rather than merit came from nearly all individuals, regardless of their political 

views.135 Interviewees in all governorates emphasized that institutional reform at a local level 

was impossible if all political appointments continued to be tied to the power-sharing agree-
29

Waiting for change

ment. As one local civil society leader from Marib noted, “It is no longer the case where one 

corrupt person or regime controls everything. However, the appointments are still based on 

political connections and representation, rather than on merit and experience. In the long run 

this might create frustration among people and risks losing the emerging trust between the 

state and the local communities.”136 Similarly, the fledgling efforts to hold officials involved 

in corruption, embezzlement, land grabbing, or abuses against civilians accountable were also 

limited by party protection. The judiciary and Ministry of Legal Affairs in Taiz, for example, 

said that removal or punishment of these officials had become extremely difficult and that 

political parties protected those accused.137

As a recent report by the International Crisis Group noted, “In this time of profound 

political uncertainly, party-motivated changes within the civil service and security services are 

part of the problem, not the solution.”138 The climate of fear created by these party-motivated 

changes increased political instability. Many suggested that unless the National Dialogue or 

broader national political discussions go beyond power balancing and actually delink government functions from the political patronage, nepotism, and corruption of the past, no reform 

measures or appointments at a local level, no matter how positive, could bring about meaningful change. As one youth activist said, “Yes, the [Taiz] governor is good but the whole power 

structure is so corrupt and largely untouched, what does it matter? They have not touched the 

core of the power structure that caused the problems to begin with.” That political patronage 

appeared to be as entrenched as ever, down to the lowest level, was for many the strongest sign 

that real change had not and would not come out of this transition. As one female lawyer in 

Aden remarked, “The changes that happened, they were changes just to make a change, not a 

change that would result in real reform.”139

Perceptions of the National Dialogue

Many looked to the National Dialogue to produce a more stable political compromise, one 

that might both reduce incentives for politically motivated violence at a local level and provide 

space for reform. Although most had great hopes, skepticism was also high. The partisan nature of the steps taken so far led many to argue that this government was engaged in politics 

as usual and that the National Dialogue would follow suit. Youth and civil society activists, 

particularly in Taiz, were skeptical of the process, arguing that it would bring no meaningful 

change. Although many governmental and nongovernmental organizations have organized 

conferences, public discussions, and other forums to discuss the National Dialogue and to 

allow greater public input, these efforts did not appear to counter the concerns among the 

youth, women, and nongovernmental actors that their voices would be excluded. They tended 

to critique the process for a lack of transparency. In contrast, ministry officials and those in the 

governance sector were less skeptical and stressed the evolving nature of the National Dialogue 

agenda and processes. When asked about reform processes since the transition, most argued 

these would only truly be possible after the National Dialogue was completed and would be 

based on its outcomes.

Not surprisingly, views on the National Dialogue also differed greatly depending on local 

perceptions of progress and stability and on the role and position of the person interviewed.140

In Aden, more interviewees placed importance on the National Dialogue than in other governorates. They connected it to possible resolution of the southern issue, which most argued 

would have to be resolved before conditions could normalize in Aden. In Marib, by contrast, 

many already felt somewhat disenfranchised by the National Dialogue and placed more imThe partisan nature 

of the steps taken so 

far led many to argue 

that this government 

was engaged in politics 

as usual and that the 

National Dialogue would 

follow suit. 
30

PEACEWORKS 85

portance on local conditions and measures. In Abyan too, the National Dialogue was secondary when many were still struggling for survival.

Among other issues, the GCC Agreement foresaw that the National Dialogue would address transitional justice and reconciliation.141 The larger issue of transitional justice has been 

contentious at the national level.142 Interviewees in all four governorates were asked their view, 

including whether such a process would bring positive change, what measures it might include, 

and when such processes should begin. Overall, most—even well-educated officials—did not 

appear to understand the implied term of art. When asked specifically what would provide 

meaningful transitional justice, many associated the process with narrower national political 

issues or, on the flip side, with much broader concepts of social justice and equality.

Answers diverged radically—even within governorates—about how to implement transitional justice. In all four governorates, some supported the idea of transitional justice but were 

worried that it was too soon for transitional justice to be implemented fairly, effectively, or 

without serious consequences for stability and order. Interviewees in Aden and Taiz tended to 

place more importance on transitional justice. In Abyan and Marib, interviewees prioritized 

other needed reforms and initiatives, such as restoring basic security and improving services 

for the population. In Aden, more than in any governorate, they argued for transitional justice 

sooner rather than later. Many suggested that transitional justice was a necessary trust-building 

mechanism that would help stabilize the security situation and allow other transition and National Dialogue processes to move forward.

When asked what issues and redress (such as prosecution of those found to be responsible, compensation for those affected, and the like) were most important, interviewees tended 

to mention grievances relevant to their community. In Marib, some respondents demanded 

compensation for those killed by drones and air strikes. In Abyan, interviewees suggested that 

those who lost their land under the communist regime should be compensated and that land 

looted after 1994 should be returned. In Taiz, they often mentioned redress and accountability 

for violence against protestors in 2011. In Aden, many viewed transitional justice as part of 

trust-building measures to address the southern issue.

Conclusion

Given the scope of the challenges in Yemen, meaningful change will take time. Although the 

government has understandably not resolved or significantly reformed everything in a year, 

almost all of those interviewed recognized that it was early in the process and hoped that 

meaningful change might still result. This degree of popular buy-in is a political asset not to be 

underestimated. Public patience appeared to be wearing thin, however. Many emphasized that 

the government will need to deliver more, and soon, if it is not to lose popular support. “People 

understand that change happens slowly, and they are patient. But at some point the government needs to take steps to show tangible results. They won’t be patient forever,” said Abdullah 

al-Aqeeli of the Endowment and Guidance Ministry branch in Marib.143 Although some issues may depend on generational change, the preliminary encouraging results in governorates 

like Taiz illustrate that good local leadership can go a long way to changing political culture.

Since the February 2012 elections, Yemeni political elite and international donor attention 

has been focused on the National Dialogue. Larger institutional reforms and donor support 

packages have been on hold waiting for a national strategy or key priorities to be established 

through the National Dialogue. The National Dialogue has also dominated political discourse 

nationally because many have looked to it as the venue—or at least the pretext—for some of 

Some supported the 

idea of transitional 

justice but were worried 

that it was too soon for 

transitional justice to 

be implemented fairly, 

effectively, or without 

serious consequences for 

stability and order.
31

Waiting for change

the larger political impasses to be resolved and a stronger political balance struck. This would 

include how to address the southern issue, the balance between the GPC and the JMP, the 

Houthi rebellion, and how to deal with other potential political spoilers with significant influence in the government.

These issues must of course be addressed, and success in the National Dialogue will be 

critical for that. However, President Hadi and his transitional government will ultimately be 

judged by their ability to deliver positive change at a local level. The focus on national political 

and institutional reforms processes, including the National Dialogue, has been appropriate 

given the importance of these issues early in this transition period. Unless national reforms 

begin to trickle down and change the quality of life in the governorates, however, the transition will not be perceived as a success. With major cities like Aden still in turmoil, high levels 

of violence and poor service delivery even in relatively stabilized urban areas of Taiz, and an 

absence of basic humanitarian needs in Abyan, Yemenis are justified in arguing about the lack 

of meaningful change.

Even if the National Dialogue meets the highest expectations, it will inevitably be the beginning, not the end, of the transition process in Yemen. The GCC Agreement set ambitious 

and difficult benchmarks. Even assuming these are met, they will not in themselves address the 

underlying political and economic weaknesses in the country or any of the larger demands that 

touched off the 2011 crisis. When interviewees—particularly the youth movement representatives—described what would constitute meaningful change at the local level, they tended to 

describe a much broader basket of goods than would be achievable purely by the negotiation 

of a power-sharing agreement or institutional reforms. As one professor in Aden suggested, 

“Coming out of the Revolution, people thought there would be new economic initiatives, revitalizing the port, cleaning up the city, addressing the problem of unemployment among youth. 

None of that has happened . . . or will happen it seems.”144 In Marib and Abyan, many interviewees stressed broader educational and development initiatives. In Taiz, many emphasized 

jobs for youth. One year into transition, Yemenis were still waiting. The National Dialogue will 

likely be judged—at least in part—on whether it sets the transitional government on a course 

toward addressing some of these larger issues.

Failure to make headway in the National Dialogue will be a huge setback, but success 

will not guarantee Yemen a stable future. The core political bargains and the ability of the 

transitional government to set a reform agenda can create a national environment that enables 

reform. Long-term stability, though, will ultimately depend on progress in each of Yemen’s 

disparate governorates. The availability of resources—including sustainable resources achieved 

not through donor funding but through basic economic growth—and local political accord 

will be as determinative as national reform. This suggests that although national reform processes and mechanisms are important, so is rebalancing attention and resources between the 

local and national levels.

Recommendations

In the next year of transition, focus is needed on creating political space for local reform, granting local actors greater responsibility for addressing security and justice gaps, and empowering 

local officials and communities to work together. Several policy and programming steps would 

help accomplish this:

■ Delink the appointment or removal of local officials from the power-sharing split. The GCC 

Agreement did not mandate a 50-50 split in government ministries beyond the national 
32

PEACEWORKS 85

level, but this is what has happened at a local level. Local appointment based on party 

affiliation was one of the most frequently cited reasons that local reform had stalled and 

for lack of confidence that this transition process would bring meaningful change.

■ Reconsider national appointment power and allow for greater local appointment or election.

During the transition period, the executive branch has appointed the governors for each 

governorate, as well as many of the local officials, from the security manager to appeals 

court judges. It is not surprising that such nationally controlled political appointments are 

often controversial at a local level. Many complained that these individuals were not locally 

accountable and were less able to affect key security and political challenges because they 

lacked local knowledge, influence, and contacts. In the upcoming National Dialogue, 

participants will have the opportunity to reopen the constitution and alter the structure of 

the future Yemeni government. One proposal for participants to consider is some measure 

of local appointment and autonomy, perhaps by giving the governor and institutions at the 

local level greater authorities and control over resources.

■ Implement local institutional reform. At a national level, key security and justice institutions 

have been engaged in strategic planning processes for institutional reform. In the ministries of Defense and Interior, this has involved significant restructuring, streamlining, and 

reorganizing command and control within these ministries. In these and other ministries, 

plans have been laid for large-scale, multiyear investments in capacity-building, training, 

physical infrastructure support, and similar investments. These important national reforms 

must be complemented by pressure and support for security sector reform at a local level. 

In addition, the broader security restructuring should ensure that local security actors—

chiefs of police and local security officials—have enough autonomy to respond to immediate and developing security situations, together with local actors, without checking first 

with Sanaa.

■ Support local officials to develop local initiatives and solutions. Enabling local actors (through 

funding but also other intangible support) to tackle local problems would help address the 

perception that there is no tangible change on the ground. Even small, short-term, and 

localized projects that allow local officials to be seen responding to local demands may be 

beneficial. As with projects like the governor’s code of conduct in Taiz, often the symbolism of the initiative and the degree of public outreach mattered as much as the substance 

of the initiative.

■ Enable partnerships between local officials and communities. Small-scale cooperative initiatives between local officials and civil society may be among the most promising avenues 

for local investment in certain governorates. Since the transition government, civil society 

has widely reported greater freedom of activity and reporting than under the Saleh regime, 

on even the most sensitive issues. Many also reported a greater level of responsiveness by 

governorate officials, notably in Taiz and Marib. This is an important opportunity. Building 

on this relationship during this transition moment might contribute toward greater democratic accountability in the long term.

Appendix

This research was qualitative. The interview questions were used as a general guide and designed to be open-ended, leaving researchers responsible for more detailed follow-up questions 

depending on the interviewees’ position and level of knowledge. The average interview time 
33

Waiting for change

was between forty-five minutes to one hour, though some went far longer depending on the 

depth of knowledge of the individual.

Questions for all governorates

1. Since the transitional government has been established, there have been efforts to reform 

institutions and to make changes in the personnel in government ministries. Some previous officials have been dismissed and other new officials appointed at a national and at a 

governorate level. What were those changes in your governorate?145 What is the impact 

of these changes? Have these produced any changes, positive or negative? Have there been 

other initiatives or reforms at a local level that have resulted in meaningful change? What 

are some examples?

2. The crisis during 2011 created significant security problems across Yemen. In many governorates around the country, the withdrawal of security forces during the revolution left 

a vacuum, creating space for increased militant activity. It also led to increased crime and 

gang violence and a deterioration in general law and order. How did these trends play out 

in your governorate? Has there been a return to normalcy or greater stability since 

February 2012? What measures might be needed to further improve the situation?

3. Corruption has long been an issue in different government institutions, but particularly 

in the formal justice system. Has corruption gotten worse or improved or changed at all 

in the last year? If so, what have been the factors most responsible for the change?

4. At a policy level in Sanaa, there have been different proposals for a process of “transitional 

justice.” Is this an important issue in your governorate? What does transitional justice 

mean for the local community (if it has any meaning at all)? How far would they have to 

go to implement justice reform (some reappointments, trials and prosecution, compensation for those killed, other)?

5. For each of these issues (or for other concerns that interviewees raised), what are some 

possible solutions or concrete steps?

Questions for specific governorates

Taiz

1. A major issue in Aden has been illegal land seizures by government officials or other 

power brokers. Is this still an issue after transition? Has this issue been addressed by the 

transition period reforms? What steps would be necessary to resolve it (for example, policy 

reforms, removal of certain officials)?

2. There have been many reports that with the disruption in government services in the last 

year, people in Taiz have been turning more to dispute resolution by prominent sheikhs 

or tribal leaders. To what extent is this happening? Is there any relationship or referrals 

between the formal system and these leaders?

3. Security has deteriorated significantly since the revolution. Armed groups have become 

more powerful, and there are more reports of high crime rates and violence. Have there 

been steps taken since the transition period to address this problem? Have they had any 

impact or have a promise of having an impact? If not, are there suggestions of what would 

improve this?
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Aden

1. A major issue in Aden has been illegal land seizures by government officials or other 

power brokers. Is this still an issue after transition? Has this issue been addressed by the 

transition period reforms? What steps would be necessary to resolve it (for example, policy 

reforms, removal of certain officials)?

2. Security has deteriorated significantly since the revolution. Armed groups have become 

more powerful, and there are more reports of high crime rates and violence. What political 

or local issues are fueling this violence (southern issue)? Have there been steps taken since 

the transition period to address this problem? Have they had any impact or have a 

promise of having an impact?

Marib

1. Over the last year, there have been frequent attacks on oil pipelines and electricity towers. 

Describe how these issues evolved over the course of 2011; after the transition period? 

How did this issue impact local community relations with corporations? Local tribal 

control?

2. The formal justice system has not been very accessible or strong in the governorate. In 

many areas tribal traditions were dominant in resolving disputes. How was this system 

affected over the course of 2011? How can this tribal dispute resolution fit in with broader 

justice and security sectors and the proposed reforms?

3. In the last year, there has been an increase in banditry, gang activity, and crime, particularly 

on the roads. Identify which nonstate armed groups have been responsible for these 

trends. Have there been any efforts by either local tribes or communities or by the Yemeni 

government (particularly after February 2012) to push back against these groups? Have 

any of these measures been effective? In your opinion, what can be done to address this 

issue? Would government armed force be necessary to push back against these armed 

groups? Would community-based negotiation or other interventions be effective?

Abyan

1. The formal justice system has not been very accessible or strong in the governorate of 

Abyan. Although certainly not as strong as in other areas, in some places in Abyan, dispute resolution or other justice functions have been carried out according to tribal traditions. How was this system affected over the course of 2011? How can this tribal dispute 

resolution fit in with broader justice and security sectors and the proposed reforms?

2. In the last year, there have been periodic news reports of Ansar al-Sharia or other militant 

groups not only controlling certain areas militarily but in those areas also extending some 

justice functions (that is, dispute resolution) and enforcing sharia. Has there been any 

evidence of this? In which districts? How was this perceived by locals?

3. Water distribution, water irrigation, and related land rights issues have frequently been a 

source of conflict in Abyan. How did these affect negative security developments through 

the course of 2011? Have there been any effective efforts to resolve these long-standing 

disputes? Are there local traditions or practices that might lend themselves toward a 

resolution?
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4. In 2012, there have been reports of tensions between returning government security forces 

and the Popular Committees that had previously been providing some measure of security. Has this been true? If yes, what was the manifestation of these tensions (where, what) 

and what is the source? Are there ongoing efforts to build a dialogue between the state 

and communities in ways that would resolve these sources of tension? What is the general 

attitude to these popular committees?

5. During 2011 and 2012, fighting between government, local groups, and other nonstate 

armed groups resulted in significant destruction to government buildings and institutions, 

private homes, and in displacement. Describe briefly the major points of concern for the 

community, how these might impair future justice or security delivery.

6. Are interviewees aware of the Fund to Rebuild Abyan or of any planning for how the 

fund will be distributed?

7. In addition, researchers were given guidance for their analysis and write-up of the results 

from each governorate and to inform their follow-up questions on each of the 

questions.

Final Analysis

The final analysis should cover a mapping or thorough documentation of any changes that 

have had an impact on justice and security delivery in the local area during the period of revolution and since the transition period began. This should include any personnel changes of key 

justice actors, changes in security, changes in governance, political issues, or other issues.

An analysis of key issues or roadblocks to effective justice mechanisms or otherwise peaceful dispute resolution at a local level. This analysis may connect to a national issue, but the focus 

should be on local (community, city, or governorate) issues primarily.

Propose two to three concrete projects at a local level. How do any possible solutions to 

these processes tie into the broader national reform?
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Notes

1. See Jonathan Masters, “Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP),” Council on Foreign Relations, May 

24, 2012, www.cfr.org/yemen/al-qaeda-arabian-peninsula-aqap/p9369; Sudarsan Raghavan, “Militants 

create haven in southern Yemen,” Washington Post, December 31, 2011, http://articles.washingtonpost.

com/2011-12-31/world/35284860_1_zinjibar-qaeda-yemeni-forces.

2. In January 2011, as the Arab Spring spread across North Africa and the Middle East, Sanaa University 

students celebrating the departure of the president of Tunisia began calls for the removal of former president 

Ali Abdullah Saleh. Disgruntled with Yemen’s classic political alliances, youth of multiple cities began 

staging protests, demanding an end to corruption, political patronage, and a new regime to usher in an era 

of greater political and economic opportunity. The Youth Movement remained at the center of protests in 

Yemen throughout 2011. 

3. This report refers to the negotiated agreement as the GCC Agreement because it was brokered through a 

process led by the Gulf Cooperation Council and supported by the European Union and the five permanent 

members of the UN Security Council. See International Foundation for Electoral Systems, “Next Steps in 

Yemen’s Transition,” IFES briefing paper, March 2012, pp. 11–18, www.ifes.org/~/media/Files/

Publications/White%20PaperReport/2012/Next_Steps_in_Yemens_Transition_paper.pdf.

4. For a breakdown of the National Dialogue Preparatory Committee, see “National Dialogue Conference’s 

Share Distribution Decided,” Yemen Times, November 29, 2012, www.yementimes.com/en/1629/news/1666/

National-Dialogue-Conference%E2%80%99s-share-distribution-decided.htm.

5. Despite high initial hopes following the unification of the Yemen Arab Republic (YAR) and the People’s 

Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY) in 1990, economic and political tensions erupted into a five-month 

civil war in 1994. After the north’s victory, the former PDRY, or south, accused northern officials of forcing 

out southern military officials, land grabbing, and destruction in southern cities, and generally dominating 

the Yemeni political system and neglecting southerners, sparking frequent protests, and frequent violent 

reprisal and crackdown by the government. In recent years, southern leaders have called for secession. See 

Helen Lackner, “Yemen: can southern separatists break up Yemen?” October 23, 2012, www.opendemocracy.net/helen-lackner/yemen-can-southern-separatists-break-up-yemen; International Crisis Group, 

“Breaking Point? Yemen’s Southern Question,” October 20, 2011, www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/middleeast-north-africa/iraq-iran-gulf/yemen/114-breaking-point-yemens-southern-question.aspx. 

6. The Houthis are a Zaydi Shia rebel group located primarily in the northern Sa’ada governorate. After the 

military coup overthrowing the thousand-year rule of the Zaydi imamate in 1962, Sa’ada became the center 

of opposition during the subsequent civil war and has since been largely sidelined by the central government. 

The conflict has been complicated by external influences with the Houthis accused of alignment with 

Hezbollah and Iran and the central government and local tribes allegedly receiving support from Saudi 

Arabia against them. The cycle of conflict continues, aggravated by acts of brutality on both sides. See 

International Crisis Group, “Yemen: Defusing the Saada Time Bomb,” May 27, 2009, www.crisisgroup.

org/~/media/Files/Middle%20East%20North%20Africa/Iran%20Gulf/Yemen/086%20Yemen%20

Defusing%20the%20Saada%20Time%20Bomb.pdf; Reuters, “Houthi rebels seen gaining new influence in 

Yemen,” October 3, 2012, w w w.reuters.com/article/2012/10/03/

yemen-houthis-idUSL6E8KU2WU20121003.

7. The National Dialogue, originally scheduled for April 2012, was postponed several times because of a 

failure to reach agreement on several key preliminary issues or to implement some of the restructuring and 

confidence-building measures laid out by the preparatory Technical Committee. In February 2013, it was 

set for March 18, 2013, to continue for six months. As of the time of writing, it has proceeded on 

schedule. 

8. Many of these personnel changes were prompted by the mid-December 2011 protest movement known as 

the Revolution of Institutions. Prompted by fears that the GCC Agreement would not uproot deeper 

patronage networks, the Revolution of Institutions demanded the removal of corrupt officials and Saleh 

family members and loyalists from key public and private institutions across Yemen, from Central Security 

Forces to Yemenia Airways to universities. See Sasha Gordon, “The Parallel Revolution in Yemen,” Critical 

Threats, March 6, 2012, www.criticalthreats.org/yemen/gordon-parallel-revolution-march-6-2012.

9. See “Sana’a rebels demand Judiciary independence,” Yemen Fox, March 31, 2012, www.yemenfox.net/

news_details.php?lng=english&sid=2561. 

10. See initially proposed draft “Law on Transitional Justice and National Reconciliation,”The Peace and Justice 

Initiative, March 2012, www.peaceandjusticeinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Yemeni-draftTransitional-Justice-Law.pdf.

11. See “Yemen Passes Strongest RTI Law in the Arab World,” Centre for Law and Democracy, June 10, 2012, 

www.law-democracy.org/live/yemen-passes-strongest-rti-law-in-the-arab-world.

12. Notably, the August 2012 decree broke up some of the Republican Guard forces (long a power source for 

former president Saleh and still under the command of his nephew), allocating some to the new Presidential 

Protection Force and others to different regional commands. See “Yemen’s President Hadi restructures military,” BBC News, August 7, 2012, www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19166152. Although the 
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separation of the Supreme Court from the Supreme Judiciary Council was an important first step toward 

judicial independence, for the moment it did not change the political realities controlling the judiciary. 

Political parties, including former president Saleh and his GPC party, still controlled members of the 

Supreme Court, and thus undercut the value of any of these reforms, according to a high-level judge. 

Interview with senior member of the judiciary, October 8, 2012, Sanaa. 

13. See Katherine Zimmerman and Sasha Gordon, “Yemen’s Military Restructuring: Removing Saleh’s 

Network,” Critical Threats, December 20, 2012, www.criticalthreats.org/yemen/

yemens-military-restructuring-removing-salehs-network-december-20-2012.

14. The decree focused on creating stronger formalized police forces and emphasized decentralization of authority, but at the time of writing, it was not yet clear how it would be implemented or what the impact would 

be.

15. Email correspondence with the international agricultural consultant, December 20, 2012.

16. In a February 2012 report on the situation in Taiz, Human Rights Watch (HRW) noted that “use of excessive force by security forces and pro-government gangs against largely peaceful demonstrations” began in 

February 2011, when government-backed “assailants in civilian clothes threw a grenade into a rally, killing 

one protester and wounding eighty-seven. By March, security forces were firing live ammunition directly at 

protestors.” HRW also noted other repressive tactics, including threats, beatings, arbitrary detentions, and 

even some reports of extrajudicial killings against protestors, medical professionals assisting protestors, and 

others suspected of being sympathetic to the protest movement. For more on this, see “No Safe Places: 

Yemen’s crackdown on Protests in Taizz,” Human Rights Watch Report (February 2012): 3–4, www.hrw.org/

sites/default/files/reports/yemen0212webwcover.pdf. 

17. On May 29, 2011, government forces attacked Freedom Square, gunning down protesters, attacking temporary medical facilities that had been established, and even bulldozing parts of the Freedom Square 

encampments. Reportedly as many as one hundred protestors were killed. For more, see “No Safe Places,” 

1.

18. See Tom Finn, “Is Taiz Going to be the Next Benghazi of Yemen?” Time, December 13, 2011, www.time.

com/time/world/article/0,8599,2102183-1,00.html.

19. The eastern half of the city was largely under the control of security forces, the Republican Guard, and military police units, and the western half under the control of two armed groups led by Sheikh Hamoud Saeed 

al-Mikhlafi and Brigadier General Sadeq Sarhan, a First Armored Division officer who defected.

20. For more on this, see “No Safe Places,” 2. “Yemeni security forces’ repeated use of excessive and lethal force 

against largely peaceful protesters, and their apparently indiscriminate shelling of populated areas during 

attacks on opposition fighters.”

21. Interviewees were for the most part very enthusiastic about the new governor, particularly members of the 

GPC, youth and independent activists, and professionals in the nongovernmental and legal sectors. 

Researchers found that critiques came from Islah partisans.

22. Interview with female civil society activist, February 2, 2012, Sanaa. 

23. Following the conclusion of the field research and writing, on December 19, 2012, the security director was 

yet again set to be replaced, which would make a third replacement.

24. Interview with lawyer affiliated with the Taiz Prosecutor’s Office, October 2, 2012, Taiz.

25. Interview with Taiz lawyer, February 2, 2013, Sanaa.

26. Interview with Shawki Ahmed Hayel Saeed, governor of Taiz, October 19, 2012, Taiz.

27. Some interviewees argued that the increase in security incidents in the autumn of 2012 was intended as a 

political challenge to the new security director, who was subsequently removed in December 2012. See also 

Ahmed Dawood, “Taiz residents call for immediate action to address local security,” Yemen Times, 

November 12, 2012, www.yementimes.com/en/1624/news/1598/Taiz-residents-call-for-immediate-actionto-address-local-security.htm.

28. Although most spoke favorably of the campaign, attempts to disarm individuals or groups who disobeyed 

this campaign sometimes resulted in shooting incidents.

29. Workshop with Taiz interviewees, February 2, 2013, Sanaa.

30. The Security Authority in Taiz provided a few statistics indicative of the overall high levels of violence still 

present. During September 2012, 244 crimes were referred to the public prosecution. Local hospitals 

reported forty murder cases during August 2012, many of which have not been solved, nor the perpetrators 

arrested.

31. Workshop with Taiz interviewees, February 2, 2013.

32. Interview with Taiz senior security official, October 19, 2012, Taiz.

33. Workshop with Taiz interviewees, February 2, 2013; see also “Violent clashes between supporters of reform 

and Houthi group in Taiz,” Yemen Press, November 29, 2012, www.yemen-press.com/news15524.html; “20 

injuries in fight between Houthis and Islah elements,” Yemen Post, December 28, 2011, www.yemenpost.

net/Detail123456789.aspx?ID=3&SubID=4450.
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34. Workshop with Taiz lawyers and nongovernmental actors, February 2, 2013, Sanaa.

35. Interview with Taiz lawyer, February 2, 2013.

36. Ibid.; workshop with Taiz interviewees, February 2, 2013; interview with lawyer in Ministry of Legal 

Affairs, Taiz, October 9, 2012, Taiz.

37. Interview with lawyer in Taiz Ministry of Legal Affairs, October 9, 2012.

38. The head of the Appeals Court noted that, during 2011, because the government did not control all the 

territory in Taiz and the courts are geographically located far from the prisons, it was impossible to physically 

bring prisoners to trial without being able to guarantee their security or prevent their escape. The Court of 

Appeals and some other courts tried to rectify this by going to the prison to conduct trials, but this was 

impossible to do in high numbers. Interview with Ahmed Gilani, head of Appeals Court, October 10, 2012, 

Taiz.

39. Ibid. Destruction to some of the court facilities and judicial ministry buildings during 2011 still affects some 

court functions.

40. Ibid; interview with Taiz lawyer, February 2, 2013.

41. See “Yemen Poverty Assessment,” Open Knowledge, World Bank, November 2007, https://openknowledge.

worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/7948/530760ESW0P0951Box345595B01PUBLIC10.

txt?sequence=2.

42. Workshop with Marib interviewees, February 2, 2013.

43. See “Security sources reveal names of new officials to be targeted by AQAP,” Yemen Post, June 13, 2010, 

www.yemenpost.net/Detail123456789.aspx?ID=3&SubID=2288&MainCat=3 (describing AQAP targeting of local Marib officials); See, for example, Cody Curran, James Gallagher, Courtney Hughes, Paul 

Jarvis, Adam Kahan, Patrick Knapp, Matthew Lu, and Jared Sorhaindo, “AQAP and Suspected AQAP 

Attacks in Yemen Tracker 2010, 2011, and 2012,” Critical Threats, May 21, 2012, www.criticalthreats.org/

yemen/aqap-and-suspected-aqap-attacks-yemen-tracker-2010 (describing a timeline of attacks and security 

incidents attributed to AQAP in Yemen, including a high number of incidents in Marib in 2010).

44. See “Repeated attacks reduce the life span of Marib Foundation plant,” Marib Press (Arabic), April 8, 2012, 

www.marebpress.net/news_details.php?sid=42437. Power cables were attacked repeatedly hundreds of 

times costing the country hundreds of millions of dollars in value and repair costs.

45. Joao Peixe, “Militant Attacks on Pipeline Cost Yemen $4 Billion in Lost Revenues,” Oil Price, July 4, 2012, 

http://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Militant-Attacks-on-Pipelines-Cost-Yemen-4-

Billion-in-Lost-Revenues.html.

46. The town of Rada’a is a district of al-Baidha governorate and lies eighty miles southeast of Sanaa.

47. Workshop with Marib interviewees, February 2, 2013.

48. Interviews with Mufarreh Beheibeh, a prominent Marib sheikh, October 15, 2012, Sanaa; Sharif Abdullah, 

Marib governorate council member, October 18, 2012, Sanaa; Ahmed Azzayedi, local civil society leader, 

October 8, 2012, Sanaa; Hudein Abu Nab, Marib social figure, October 8, 2012, Marib; Salem Mabrook, 

Magzer Youth Coalition for Change, October 8, 2012, Marib city.

49. Workshop with Marib interviewees, February 2, 2013; interview with Al-Aqeeli, February 4, 2013, Sanaa.

50. Workshop with Marib interviewees, February 2, 2013; see also al-Masdar Online (Arabic), “Funeral of soldiers killed in an armed ambush ,” December 10, 2012, www.almasdaronline.com/article/38974.

51. See “Accusations of indiscriminate army shelling,” Marib Press (Arabic), December 9, 2012, www.marebpress.net/news_details.php?lng=arabic&sid=49763.

52. See “To condemn the bombing of innocent people and condemn vandalism,” Marib Press (Arabic), 

December 10, 2012, www.marebpress.net/news_details.php?sid=49807.

53. For example, one of the female interviewees who lives in Sanaa but has a house in Marib mentioned that her 

family avoided traveling to Marib for fear of drone strikes. Interview with Entisar Alqadhi, female civil 

society leader from Marib, October 8, 2012, Sanaa. Other interviewees said that most of the population was 

disturbed by drones but not enough to avoid areas altogether. Workshop with Marib interviewees, February 

2, 2013.

54. For a timeline of targeted attacks on pipelines, processing, and transit hubs for oil and gas between October 

2011 and May 2012 (at a frequency of several incidents per month nationwide), see William Hardy, 

“TIMELINE-Yemen’s energy industry under attack,” Reuters, May 14, 2012, http://en-maktoob.news.

yahoo.com/timeline-yemens-energy-industry-under-attack-123241005.html. Targeting took place across 

Yemen, but many of the key attacks took place in Marib.

55. After nine months of halted operations, oil production started in Marib. See “Yemen restarts Marib Oil 

Pipeline,” Gulf Oil and Gas, July 17, 2012, www.gulfoilandgas.com/webpro1/MAIN/Mainnews.

asp?id=21740. However, the following September, oil pipelines were subject to several attacks again, see 

Ahmad Dawood, “Marib Pipeline Attacked Yet Again,” Yemen Times, September 6, 2012, www.yementimes.com/en/1605/news/1360/Marib-pipeline-attacked-yet-again.htm.
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56. See “Yemen Army Shelling Kills 2 Tribesmen in Offensive to Stop Attacks on Oil Pipeline,” Fox News and 

the Associated Press, December 2, 2012, www.foxnews.com/world/2012/12/02/

yemen-army-shelling-kills-2-tribesmen-in-offensive-to-stop-attacks-on-oil.

57. See Mohamed Sudam, Martina Fuchs, and Nick Macfie, “Yemeni tribe members attack electricity pylons, 

cut supply,” Reuters, March 31, 2011, www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/31/

yemen-eectricity-idAFLDE72U23X20110331.

58. Mohammed al-Qadhi, “Yemen accuses military of sabotaging key oil pipeline,” The National, July 9, 2012, 

www.thenational.ae/news/world/middle-east/yemen-accuses-military-of-sabotaging-key-oil-pipeline.

59. In an interview with the Yemen Times, the governor of Marib, Sultan al-Aradah, said the attack in September 

was politically motivated as it coincided with the Donor Conference in Riyadh (Ahmad Dawood, “Marib 

Pipeline Attacked Yet Again”).

60. Telephone interview with journalist Ali Alghulaisi, December 5, 2012.

61. In part due to its qualitative nature, this research did not systematically track how perceptions were influenced by an individual’s political party affiliation. However, where individuals attributed these attacks on 

political actors, researchers noted some political bias, with individuals blaming the other party more 

frequently.

62. Many locals assume that al-Shabwani was killed in an errant U.S. drone strike. However, some news reports 

suggested it was a U.S. or Yemeni air strike—and not necessarily a drone—that was responsible. See “Air 

raid kills Yemeni mediator,” Aljazeera, May 25, 2010, www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2010/05/2010525104445518461.html; Bill Roggio, “Yemeni Airstrike kills deputy governor, al-Qaeda 

operatives,” The Long War Journal, May 25, 2010, www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2010/05/yemeni_airstrike_kil.php. Tribesmen have repeatedly requested a transparent investigation into his killing, and—not 

satisfied with the response—have attacked oil pipelines and the main power station repeatedly since his 

death. See Amal al-Yaris, “Marib gas power station powerless again,” Yemen Times, October 4, 2012, www.

yementimes.com/en/1613/news/1475/Marib-Gas-Power-Station-powerless-again.htm.

63. Interviewees said it was a common practice under the former regime for certain tribes or sheikhs to be given 

money, sometimes as a means of political control and sometimes in exchange for protecting pipelines that 

ran through their territory. However, this frequently backfired, as competition for these funds resulted in 

other tribes or individuals who also wanted a share, or a greater share, attacked sensitive targets as a way to 

demand funds from the government or oil companies. Workshop with Marib interviewees, February 2, 

2013.

64. Interview with journalist, October 9, 2012, Sanaa.

65. See, for example, telephone interview with Mohammed Azzayedi, a Marib civil society leader, December 5, 

2012.

66. Interview with Sheikh Mufarreh Beheibeh, a prominent Marib tribal sheikh, October 15, 2012, Sanaa.

67. See “New attack on transmission lines, governor signs document,” Marib Press (Arabic), May 6, 2012, www.

marebpress.net/news_details.php?sid=43229.

68. Interview with Sultan al-Aradah, governor of Marib, October 15, 2012, Sanaa. 

69. Workshop with Marib participants, February 2, 2013.

70. Interview with Sultan al-Aradah, October 15, 2012.

71. Interview with al-Aqeeli, February 4, 2013, Sanaa.

72. Interview with Mohammed Azzayedi, October 7, 2012.

73. Interview with Abdullah al-Aqeeli, director of guidance at the Office of Endowment and Guidance for 

Marib, October 7, 2012, Sanaa; interview with local leader from Marib, October 7, 2012, Sanaa.

74. Interview with Mufarreh Beheibeh, October 15, 2012.

75. Interviewees argued that tribal authority had weakened for a combination of reasons including: the greater 

prominence of illegal armed groups and militants (many of whom had directly targeted and assassinated 

sheikhs who stood against them), increasing poverty and unemployment among youth, competition created 

by local grievances, and the politicization of tribal authority under the Saleh regime. As a strategy to 

maintain control over these areas, many said that former president Saleh and other foreign powers paid 

sheikhs or paid other actors and promoted them as sheikhs. This was broadly perceived to have corrupted 

the perception and integrity of the tribal system and undermined their authority.

76. The most recent iteration of the southern movement gained steam from 2007 onward, leading to sometimes 

violent protests and insecurity in the governorate. However, even prior to the southern movement, Aden had 

a long, uneven track record of political stability, pocked by frequent protests and violent clashes between 

different factions, as well as periods of open conflict, such as the 1994 civil war.

77. In Arabic, the word hirak means movement.

78. Iona Craig, “Yemen: Protestors Killed in Aden on Day Six of Unrest,” BBC World News, February 16, 2011, 

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12486682 (early protests, first signs of violence); “Yemeni police 

storm protest camp in Aden,” The Greater Kashmir, March 19, 2011, www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2011/
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Mar/20/yemeni-police-storm-protest-camp-in-aden-23.asp (noting March storming of protest sites); 

Mohammed Jamjoom, “Yemen’s largest opposition bloc calls for protests,” CNN, February 27, 2011, www.

cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/02/27/yemen.protests/index.html (noting largest opposition bloc prompted 

by brutal response to Aden protests).

79. Once Qairan was moved to head of security in Taiz, heavy force against protestors soon followed, including 

a major attack on protestors on May 29. The Department of State Human Rights Country Report noted 

that a warrant for his arrest filed by the prosecutor in Aden was still not executed at the end of 2011. See 

“2011 Human Rights Report: Yemen,” U.S. Department of State, May 24, 2012, www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/

hrrpt/2011/nea/186455.htm.

80. See “Report of the High Commissioner on OHCHR’s visit to Yemen,” September 13, 2011: para. 62, www.

ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/YE/YemenAssessmentMissionReport.pdf.

81. Laura Kasinof, “Yemeni Commander Killed in Suicide Bombing,” New York Times, June 18, 2012, www.

nytimes.com/2012/06/19/world/middleeast/military-commander-in-yemen-is-assassinated.html; “Yemeni 

security official assassinated in Aden,” Reuters, July 19, 2012, www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/19/

us-yemen-bomb-idUSBRE86I0CI20120719.

82. Workshop with Aden interviewees, February 3, 2013.

83. Ibid.

84. “Yemen president in unexpected Aden trip as clashes rage,” The Daily Star (Lebanon), February 24, 2013, 

www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Feb-24/207717-yemen-president-in-unexpected-adentrip-as-clashes-rage.ashx#axzz2M7acSEi0.

85. Workshop with Aden interviewees, February 3, 2013. 

86. Interview with security analyst, February 2, 2013, Sanaa.

87. A recent brief by the International Crisis Group also noted that the governor is perceived as an Islah partisan, 

“Regardless of the governor’s personal record, party affiliation prevents him from playing a conciliatory and 

unifying role.” April Longley Alley, “Triage for a Fracturing Yemen,” International Crisis Group, October 31, 

2012, www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/middle-east-north-africa/iraq-iran-gulf/yemen/op-eds/alley-triagefor-a-fracturing-yemen.aspx.

88. Workshop with Aden interviewees, February 3, 2013.

89. In August 2012, the technical committee recommended twenty points that had to be implemented to pave 

the way for a successful National Dialogue. See “President to issue directives,” Marib Press (Arabic), August 

27, 2012, www.marebpress.net/news_details.php?sid=46887; “Ba Surrah: 20 points key to south participation in dialogue,” March 12, 2012, www.yemenfox.net/news_details.php?sid=5109.

90. The issue of civil and military retirees (as it is referred to) is commonly associated with the southern movement. In 2006, military retirees formed the Military Retirees Association. Founders were southern military 

officers who were forced into retirement after the 1994 war because they fought with the secessionists. Their 

demands were to be back on active duty and to be compensated for the forced retirement period. When their 

demands were repeatedly rejected, protest expanded and eventually evolved into the southern movement.

91. Workshop with Aden interviewees, February 3, 2013.

92. Most argued that land grabbing has increased since 2011, perhaps creating more violations than originally 

reported.

93. From 2007, as the southern movement gained strengthen in Abyan, protests escalated and frustrated youth 

started using violence to block roads and prevent the government offices from operating. In addition, assassinations of security officers increased in 2010, particularly in Abyan. Many government and security officers left the governorate which encouraged armed groups including AQAP and criminal gangs to operate 

freely in the governorate.

94. Jason Ditz, “Yemen Govt: Three months of attacking Abyan left 230 Yemeni soldiers dead,” Antiwar.com, 

September 11, 2011, http://news.antiwar.com/2011/09/11/

yemen-govt-three-months-of-attacking-abyan-left-230-yemeni-soldiers-dead.

95. See Human Rights Watch, “Yemen: Dozens of civilian killed in southern fighting,” July 9, 2011, www.hrw.

org/news/2011/07/09/yemen-dozens-civilians-killed-southern-fighting.

96. Lara Sukhtian, “Displaced Yemenis live in despair across south,” Middle East Online, May 23, 2012, www.

middle-east-online.com/english/?id=52412; see also “Yemen: Rafiqa’s story,” Trust, September 27, 2012, 

www.trust.org/alertnet/news/yemen-rafiqas-story.

97. The head of the PCs also survived an assassination attempt. On November 16, three PC leaders were killed 

by a suicide bomb. See “Local leader escapes assassination attempt in Abyan, 11 hurt,” Yemen Fox, September 

30, 2012, www.yemenfox.net/news_details.php?sid=4390. See “Yemen suicide bomber kills three in Abyan 

militia offices,” Reuters, November 16, 2012, www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/16/

us-yemen-qaeda-idUSBRE8AF0XI20121116.

98. Kasinof, “Yemeni commander killed in suicide bombing”; Ahmed Dawood and Sadeq Al-Faqih, “Fighting 

Intensifies in Abyan, Plot Against Defense Minister Fails,” Yemen Times, June 7, 2012, www.yementimes.

com/en/1579/news/952/Fighting-intensifies-in-Abyan-plot-against-defense-minister-fails.htm; “Local 
41

Waiting for change

leader escapes assassination attempt in Abyan, 11 hurt,” Yemen Fox, September 30, 2012, www.yemenfox.

net/news_details.php?sid=4390.

99. Workshop with Abyan interviewees, February 3, 2013.

100. Ibid.

101. Ibid.

102. Interview with local female activist, October 13, 2012, Aden.

103. Hakim Almasmari, “Dozens reported killed by Al Qaeda land mines in Yemen,” CNN, June 26, 2012, 

www.cnn.com/2012/06/25/world/meast/yemen-land-mines/index.html.

104. Workshop with Abyan interviewees, February 3, 2013.

105. Although most suggested that PCs should be integrated into formal security forces, the lack of trust between 

PCs and security forces is an obstacle. In September 2012, Central Security Forces (not army forces) and the 

PCs in Zinjibar clashed, and as a result the Central Security Forces withdrew from the governorate. Some 

interviewees said the clashes happened because some personnel from the central security engaged in looting. 

Others believe that the clash was over sharing the proceeds of the looting.

106. See, for example, interview with prominent tribal leader and businessman from Abyan, October 13, 2012, 

Aden.

107. Workshop with Abyan interviewees, February 3, 2013; interview with research analyst, February 4, 2013.

108. Workshop with Abyan interviewees, February 3, 2013.

109. Ibid.

110. See “Cabinet approves draft decree on setting up Abyan reconstruction fund,” Saba Net, July 10, 2012, www.

sabanews.info/en/news274497.htm.

111. Workshop with Abyan interviewees, February 3, 2013.

112. Interview with local lawyer, October 13, 2012, Aden.

113. Workshop with Abyan interviewees, February 3, 2013.

114. A relatively strong state and justice system was developed in Abyan under the communist regime. The formal justice system collapsed in 2011 due to the ongoing conflict, but it had been deteriorating in strength 

under the last regime as corrupt and ineffective judges were repeatedly appointed to positions in Abyan, 

eventually crippling the local courts. As a result, since 1990 and particularly after the civil war in 1994, the 

tribal justice system, which had always been present in Abyan, became increasingly prominent, especially in 

rural areas.

115. During 2011, the takeover of security and justice functions by militant groups in many areas greatly weakened the reputation and credibility of the tribal justice system. In the face of these outside pressures, tribal 

systems proved incapable of maintaining order, keeping out militants, or enforcing their decisions. The vast 

displacement of communities in Abyan further broke up some of the tribal structures, although some Abyani 

communities displaced to areas like Aden continued to turn to tribal elders who were also displaced for 

dispute resolution.

116. Workshop with Abyan interviewees, February 3, 2013.

117. Ibid.

118. Interview with local tribal leader, October 13, 2012, Aden. According to the international human rights 

group Amnesty International, AAS’s punishment for crimes included public executions, amputations, and 

floggings. See Mohammed Jamjoom, “Amnesty details ‘horrific abuses’ in southern Yemen,” CNN, 

December 4, 2012, www.cnn.com/2012/12/04/world/meast/yemen-amnesty-report/index.html.

119. Ibid.

120. Workshop with Abyan interviewees, February 3, 2013.

121. Interview with local sheikh, October 13, 2012, Aden.

122. Interview with local lawyer, October 13, 2012.

123. Ibid.

124. Interview with female leader, October 13, 2012, Aden.

125. For example, the security director and heads of Court of First Instance and Court of Appeals.

126. Workshop with Abyan interviewees, February 3, 2013.

127. Ibid.

128. Ibid.

129. Interview with youth activist, a senior member of a nongovernment organization, October 7, 2012, Taiz.

130. In Marib and Abyan, the formal judiciary is largely absent.

131. Interview with foreign embassy representative, October 11, 2012, Sanaa; interview with foreign development expert, October 13, 2012; interview with senior judiciary member, October 8, 2013, Sanaa.

132. Workshop with Taiz interviewees, February 2, 2013.

133. Workshop with Marib interviewees, February 2, 2013.
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PEACEWORKS 85

134. On December 19, 2012, following the conclusion of field research, President Hadi announced that the 

security director of Taiz would be replaced yet again. Although this research did not specifically track all 

comments against the political affiliation of the interviewees, researchers noted that views of these two 

security directors appeared to be heavily influenced by the political affiliation of those being interviewed.

135. More research of a quantitative nature might provide greater insight into how political beliefs shaped perceptions of the transition process or confidence in local government officials. While this research does not 

attempt to answer that question systematically, the responses given suggested that while political bias is 

certainly a factor, it is less significant at a local level than at a national level. At least some policies and 

individuals are viewed more neutrally, if not completely apolitically. If Sanaa politics continue to control local 

positions as they have since the transition, though, that may not be the case in the future.

136. Interview with Mohammed Ayyazedi, civil society leader from Marib, October 7, 2012, Sanaa.

137. Interview with lawyer in the Taiz Ministry of Legal Affairs, October 9, 2012.

138. April Longley Alley, “Triage for a Fracturing Yemen.”

139. Interview with female lawyer from Aden, October 7, 2012, Taiz.

140. Researchers did not select interviewees purely based on their party affiliation or political views, although a 

broad spread of members of both major parties were interviewed.

141. The provisions on transitional justice are found in Article 21 (f ) of the GCC Agreement. In addition to the 

provisions of the agreement mandating that the transitional government address transitional justice and 

human rights issues, a June 2012 Security Council resolution urged the Yemeni government “to pass legislation on transitional justice to support national reconciliation without further delay.” United Nations Security 

Council, Resolution 2051 (2012), June 12, 2012, www.securitycouncilreport.org/atf/cf/%7B65BFCF9B6D27-4E9C-8CD3-CF6E4FF96FF9%7D/YEMEN%20S%20RES%202051.pdf.

142. Following some public consultations, the Ministry of Legal Affairs developed a draft Law on Transitional 

Justice and National Reconciliation. The law was extremely controversial: Some argued it should have come 

out of the National Dialogue process, some objected to its incorporation of the GCC Agreement’s amnesty 

for Saleh and his supporters, and others argued that transitional justice must begin from a different period 

of Yemeni history than the draft law proposed. It was ultimately rejected by President Hadi after the cabinet 

failed to reach a consensus.

143. Interview with Abdullah al-Aqeeli, Endowment and Guidance Ministry Branch in Marib, October 8, 2012, 

Sanaa.

144. Interview with professor and labor activist, October 7, 2012, Taiz.

145. Specific follow-up questions centered on particular key positions within justice and security institutions, for 

example, the governor, the security director, the police chief, the high appeals judges and judges of first 

instance, the Prosecutor’s Office, and so on. Individuals were asked whether these positions had changed 

and what the perception was of the individual appointed.
 5

About the Institute

The United States Institute of Peace is an independent, nonpartisan 

institution established and funded by Congress. Its goals are to 

help prevent and resolve violent conflicts, promote postconflict 

peacebuilding, and increase conflict management tools, capacity, and 

intellectual capital worldwide. The Institute does this by empowering 

others with knowledge, skills, and resources, as well as by its direct 

involvement in conflict zones around the globe.

Board of Directors

J. Robinson West (Chair), Chairman, PFC Energy, Washington, D.C. • 

George E. Moose (Vice Chair), Adjunct Professor of Practice, The George 

Washington University, Washington, D.C. • Judy Ansley, Former Assistant 

to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor under George W. 

Bush, Washington, D.C. • Eric Edelman, Hertog Distinguished Practitioner in Residence, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, Washington, D.C. • Joseph Eldridge, University Chaplain 

and Senior Adjunct Professorial Lecturer, School of International Service, 

American University • Kerry Kennedy, President, Robert F. Kennedy 

Center for Justice and Human Rights, Washington, D.C. • Ikram U. Khan, 

President, Quality Care Consultants, LLC, Las Vegas, Nev. • Stephen D. 

Krasner, Graham H. Stuart Professor of International Relations, Stanford 

University, Palo Alto, Calif. • John A. Lancaster, Former Executive Director, International Council on Independent Living, Potsdam, N.Y. • Jeremy 

A. Rabkin, Professor of Law, George Mason University, Fairfax, Va. • Judy 

Van Rest, Executive Vice President, International Republican Institute, 

Washington, D.C. • Nancy Zirkin, Executive Vice President, Leadership 

Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Washington, D.C.

Members Ex Officio

John Kerry, Secretary of State • Kathleen Hicks, Principal Deputy Under 

Secretary of Defense for Policy • Gregg F. Martin, Major General, U.S. 

Army; President, National Defense University • Jim Marshall, President, 

United States Institute of Peace (nonvoting)
2 Looking for Justice UNITED STATES INSTITUTE OF PEACE • 2301 CONSTITUTION AVE. NW • WASHINGTON, DC 20037 • USIP.ORG 

In November 2011, a Gulf Cooperation Council–brokered 

accord ushered in a political compromise in Yemen that 

ended nearly a year of popular protests and held off political destabilization. The agreement paved the way for then 

president Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down, enabled a 

peaceful transfer of power to a transitional government, 

and established benchmarks for future reform. A little over 

a year later, the transitional government has made some 

progress in meeting these benchmarks. On the ground, 

however, few of the conditions that drove the Arab Spring 

processes in Yemen have been addressed. Security, government services, and regular economic and social functions remain stalled in much of the country. This report provides a snapshot of the local situation in four 

governorates—Taiz, Aden, Marib, and Abyan—during this 

transition. By providing case studies of security and justice 

issues in four governorates that span the political, social, 

and economic divide, this study offers a different lens for 

thinking about political transition and government reform at 

both a national and local level. 

Related Links 

■ Transitional Justice in Balance: Comparing Processes, Weighing Efficacy by 

Tricia D. Olsen, Leigh A. Payne, and Andrew G. Reiter (USIP Press, 

2010)

■ Guide for Participants in Peace, Stability, and Relief Operations by Robert M. 

Perito (USIP Press, 2010)

■ Security Sector Transformation in the Arab Awakening by Donald J. Planty 

(Special Report, September 2012)

■ Security Sector Transformation in North Africa and the Middle East by Mark 

Sedra (Special Report, November 2011)

■ NGOs and Nonstate Armed Actors: Improving Compliance with International 

Norms by Claudia Hofmann and Ulrich Schneckener (Special Report, July 

2011)

PEACEWORKS • APRIL 2013 • NO. 85