Houthis threatened to shoot demonstrators who demanding their salaries in Yemen's Sana'a

English version

File photo
File photo

Dozens of soldiers and employees of the Houthi-run interior ministry took to the streets of Sanaa on Saturday morning, demanding their salaries which have gone unpaid for the last four months

Protests are unusual in areas held by the Shiite rebels where demonstrations are banned

A soldier who works at the interior ministry and took part in Saturday’s protest told The National the Houthis threatened to shoot demonstrators after they blocked the road leading to Sanaa’s airport


"The Houthis tried to end the protest by threatening us with their Kalashnikovs, but as soldiers we did not fear their weapons and so did not leave the street until noon," he said

Public sector salaries have been affected in rebel-held areas since the country’s internationally-recognised president, Abdrabu Mansur Hadi, moved the central bank from Sanaa to the temporary capital of Aden in June, accusing the Houthis of running down Yemen’s foreign reserves


Since then the rebels have refused to send the incomes of provinces under their control – which are mainly made up of taxes – to the central bank in Aden. Without these funds, for the past four months Mr Hadi’s government has said it is unable to pay the wages of public sector employees in Houthi-held areas

On Saturday, however, prime minister Ahmed bin Dagher said his Aden-based administration would begin transferring salaries to state employees in areas controlled by the rebels


According to the state-run Saba news agency, Mr bin Dagher said government workers "across all provinces" would receive their salaries at post offices and exchange outlets, although it was not clear when exactly this would be

The interior ministry soldier who spoke to The National warned that if employees did not receive their salaries in the next few days the demonstrators would escalate their protests and "may set up tents in the street


The majority of employees at state-run institutions have continued to turn up for work despite not being paid, with only workers at some universities, including Sanaa University, going on strike in protest

"The salary is the right of our children and we cannot [make enough money to feed our families without it], so we have to fight for it – otherwise our children will starve to death," the interior ministry soldier said


The dispute over salaries has been taking place against the backdrop of Yemen’s civil war, which began in September 2014 when the Houthis captured Sanaa