Former official ignites political firestorm over Mahra land disputes
MAHRA, Jan. 28 (YPA) – Rajeh Said Bakrit, a member of the dissolved “Southern Transitional Council” (STC) Presidium and former Governor of Mahra province, has stirred a complex political and sovereign debate by calling on the President of the Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad Al-Alimi, to urgently address the “sequestration” Mahra’s lands.
Bakrit affirmed that the province’s borders have been subjected to unauthorized detachment and annexation.
In a detailed statement posted on “X” titled “The Issue of Mahra Lands: Fixed Rights, Official Documents, and Urgent Demands for Justice,” Bakrit asserted that Mahra’s borders with Saudi Arabia have undergone “carve-outs.” He further claimed that vast areas of the province were administratively annexed to neighboring Hadramout Governorate, describing these measures as a “clear violation of established historical and geographical boundaries.”
Bakrit argued that these actions were carried out “without any legal justification or the consent of the local population,” considering them a direct infringement on the historical and sovereign rights of the people of Mahra over their territory.
The former governor called on President Rashad Al-Alimi to implement presidential directives dating back to 2004, which mandate a transparent and fair inquiry into land and border files. He demanded an immediate halt to any “illegal encroachments or newly established administrative changes.”
In a notable escalation, Bakrit addressed the regional and international community, including the United Nations, stating, “We present these facts to affirm that the rights of Mahra’s people are permanent and do not expire by statute of limitations. Any violations or changes made outside the legal framework remain null and void.”
Bakrit concluded his statement by holding the Presidential Leadership Council legally and historically accountable for redressing the province’s grievances.
He also called upon Saudi Arabia to uphold “justice and the historical rights of the people of Mahra,” urging the Kingdom not to permit any measures that compromise their land or diminish their legitimate rights, emphasizing that these claims are backed by official documentation issued by the highest authorities of the former Yemeni state.
YPA