The Southern People Identity

التالى السابق

The Southern Identity – A Distinct People Beyond Yemen

REPORTS - منذ 3 أيام

South Eye | Report - Exclusive

The people of South Yemen, historically known as the land of kingdoms in the ancient era, Sultanates and Emirates in 17th century and South Arabia, then, possess a deeply rooted and distinct identity shaped by centuries of political, cultural, and social development, separate from what is now considered "Yemeni identity." This unique southern national identity was not born of recent political conflict or reactive nationalism, but is rather the product of a long-standing trajectory that predates the unification of in 1990.

Long before the British arrival in 1839, South Arabia was a mosaic of sultanates and sheikhdoms, each with its own governing traditions, tribal codes, and external relations. These included the Sultanates of Yafa, Hadramawt, Lahej, and Alawahdi, Al Dhalee Emirate, and Qu'aiti dynasties, among others. These entities operated independently of North Yemen, which was then governed by the Imamate system centered in Sana’a. There was no national entity or shared political project known as "Yemen" that encompassed both regions.

The arrival of the British in Aden normalised this division. Aden became a Crown Colony, and the surrounding protectorates were collectively known as the "Aden Protectorate." Under British administration, a unique southern political and civic culture emerged, centered in the cosmopolitan city of Aden. The city developed advanced educational institutions, a modern port, and was home to thriving Indian, Somali, and Arab communities. This created a pluralistic society unlike any in the Arabian Peninsula at the time especially in Aden. By the mid-20th century, the British sought to consolidate their protectorates into a more unified political body, forming the "Federation of South Arabia" in 1959. This federation, which excluded any Yemeni territories, was intended to be the nucleus of an independent southern state.

Upon gaining independence in 1967, South Yemen became a sovereign state known as the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY) supported by Soviet Union, recognized by the United Nations and the international community. It had its own army, foreign policy, national anthem, and symbols. It established diplomatic relations with over 100 countries and was a member of numerous international organizations. The existence of South Yemen as a UN-recognized state is a central point in the argument for southern identity and statehood.

Moreover the term (Yemen) in the Southern State name, was for political reasons related to the Socialist regime expansion ideology.

Culturally, the South is distinguished by its dialects, customs, and social norms. Southern dialects such as Hadrami, Adeni, Mahri, Lahji, Dhali'e Abyani same to Shabwani. and others differ significantly from northern dialects. In terms of social structure, the South is more urbanized and less tribal in character than the North. Cities such as Aden and Mukalla, Lahij flourished as modern civic centers with institutions, newspapers, unions, and public schools during the 20th century.

The unification of North and South States in 1990 was seen by the people of South as a political unstudied decision ends with occupation. When the unity failed to produce equitable governance or respect for southern autonomy, tensions escalated. The war of 1994, in which northern forces invade (overran) the South following a failed attempt by the southern leadership (President) to withdraw from the unification, was widely perceived in the South as a clear occupation. That war marked the beginning of deep political and emotional alienation among Southern people.

Since the early 2000s, especially with the emergence of the Southern Movement (Al-Hirak) in 2007 and 2015 Second Yemeni invasion, then later the Southern Transitional Council in 2017, the southern identity has resurged with strength. Southern flags are now visible across southern provinces, songs and literature celebrating the southern heritage are promoted, and public opinion polling consistently shows a strong popular support in favor of independence and state restoration.

Today, the southern identity is expressed through symbols, language, popular aspirations, and collective memory. The national colors of the former PDRY, the music and poetry of southern heritage, and the narrative of a stolen state are central to the southern consciousness. Importantly, this is not merely a separatist impulse, but the revival of a once sovereign, internationally recognized identity that the People of South never considered lost—only suspended under the weight of forced unity (Yemeni Occupation).

As the history reveals, the southern people do not see themselves as merely a "region" within what called Yemen. Rather, they identify as a people with a distinct history, a separate cultural fabric, and an independent political destiny. As such, the call for the restoration of the South is not just political—it is the reassertion of an identity that predates unification and has survived decades of marginalization, war, and attempted dominance.

The historical record, cultural distinctions, popular cohesion, national resilience and political experience all affirm that the South is not Yemen in identity or in destiny. It is a nation-in-waiting, striving to reclaim its rightful place on the map, (Full Independent Southern State - Pre-1990 borders)