Yemen: Information on the fate of soldiers from South Yemen after the 1994 civil war
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 September 1996 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | YEM25061.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Yemen: Information on the fate of soldiers from South Yemen after the 1994 civil war, 1 September 1996, YEM25061.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6aacc58.html [accessed 29 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The following information was provided during a 9 September 1996 telephone interview with a professor of political science at University of Richmond who is a consultant on Yemen for Middle East Watch. The source recently returned from a trip to Yemen.
The source stated that a large number of South Yemen soldiers were killed during the fighting, while other South Yemen soldiers, especailly officers, fled to Oman and Saudi Arabia. An amnesty was granted to those who remained in Yemen, as it was to soldiers and officers who returned after a period in exile. The source was unaware of any killings of South Yemen soldiers after the end of the 1994 fighting.
The following information was provided during a 4 September 1996 telephone interview with a specialist on Yemen at L'Institut de recherche et d'études sur le monde arabe et musulman (IREMAM) in Aix-en-Provence, France. The source recently returned from a trip to the Yafa region of Yemen.
The source stated that a large number of South Yemen soldiers were killed during the 1994 hostilities. Officers who commanded fighting units in the South Yemen forces would be considered pariahs and would experience difficulty in finding jobs in government administration. The source added that the lives of soldiers and their families would not be in danger today in Yemen. Although the source has not heard of an actual case, the possibility of revenge killings by families of victims of South Yemen soldiers should not be excluded.
The following information was provided during a 10 September 1996 telephone interview with a specialist on Yemen at the University of Hofstra in Hampstead, New York.
The source stated that many South Yemen soldiers never fought in a battle during the 1994 civil war. The northern government was able to buy the neutrality of many officers and their garrisons. Ordinary South Yemeni soldiers are able to live normal lives in Yemen today. Only officers had to flee to Oman, Saudi Arabia or Egypt after the 1994 civil war. Soldiers who remained were covered by the general amnesty. The source stated that the former minister of finance in the South Yemen government returned to Yemen to live a normal life. The source added that this former minister never participated in the fighting.
The following information was provided during a 10 September 1996 telephone interview with a professor at the University of Washington in Seattle and who is also researcher at the American Institute of Yemeni Studies.
Many South Yemen soldiers were killed during the fighting. Those who surrendered were granted amnesty by the current government. Several officers who fled to Oman and Saudi Arabia were also granted amnesty upon their return to Yemen. The source added that the current government made a major effort to win the loyalty of former South Yemen soldiers by incorporating a number of them into the national army of Yemen.
For additional information on the amnesty of South Yemen soldiers, please consult the attached document.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Professor, Department of Political Science, Hofstra University, Hampstead, New York. 10 September 1996. Telephone interview.
Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Richmond, Virginia. 9 September 1996. Telephone interview.
Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Washington in Seattle. 10 September 1996. Telephone interview.
Researcher, L'Institut de recherche et d'études sur le monde arabe et musulman (IREMAM), Aix-en-Provence, France. 4 September 1996. Telephone interview.
Attachment
Yemeni Republic Radio [Sana, in Arabic]. 28 July 1994. "Salih Says War Cost More Than Three Billion Dollars; Calls on Yemeni to Return." (BBC Summary of World Broadcasts 29 July 1994).
Additional Source Consulted
Oral source: One oral source consulted did not provide information.
