How Yemen’s Dream of Unity Turned Sour
Thirty years ago today, Yemen united as one country in a mood of optimism about the future. Those hopes were to be cruelly disappointed, thanks to the destructive, self-serving record and rivalry of Yemen's political elites.
A view of the city of Sana’a on November 22, 2005 in Sana’a, Yemen.Brent Stirton / Getty
We are now into the sixth year of an internationalized civil war that is destroying Yemen and has caused the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. It seems difficult to remember that on May 22 thirty years ago, Yemenis throughout the country were overjoyed and enthusiastic at the prospect of living in a single, unified state.
That day, the socialist People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY) and the Yemen Arab Republic (YAR) joined to form the Republic of Yemen. The popularity of the “Yemeni Unity” slogan throughout the two states had been one of a number of incentives that persuaded leaders in Sana’a and Aden to reach agreement.
The majority of Yemenis alive today were born in the period following unification, so a reexamination of this moment in the country’s history may help contribute to the search for solutions that might guide the country out of its current desperate straits.
This article is for subscribers only. Please login or subscribe to access our full archives and beautiful print and digital magazine starting at just $3 a month.