The Yemeni government in Sana’a held an official ceremony Saturday to celebrate the 58th anniversary of the British withdrawal from southern Yemen, striking a tone of defiance against present-day influences.

In a speech during the event, Hadhramaut Governor, Major General Luqman Baras, framed the historical independence as a victory of Yemeni will over the British colonizer, achieved through struggle and sacrifice rather than as a “grant from Britain.”

“Today we celebrate with our heads held high the repulsion of the British invader, and we remember the sacrifices of our ancestors who embarked on resistance and liberation,” Baras stated to an audience of political, military, and popular leaders.

Governor Baras urged the people of the southern provinces, which he described as being under a “new occupation,” to draw inspiration from the 14th of October 1963 revolution—a pivotal moment in the anti-British struggle. He explicitly called for a new uprising, stating, “We call on you to carry out an armed revolution if necessary to force the new occupiers to leave and achieve independence once again, as our ancestors did decades ago.”

The speech did not specify the “new occupiers,” but it resonates in a context where southern Yemen is influenced by a complex web of forces, including the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) and the Saudi-backed factions.

The anniversary event served as a platform to reinforce a narrative of continuous resistance, linking the historical fight against British colonialism to the current multifaceted conflict, and underscoring the enduring political divisions and power struggles that define modern Yemen.

Southern Yemen marks the 58th anniversary of independence from British colonial rule on November 30. The date commemorates the establishment of the People’s Republic of South Yemen in 1967 after a protracted armed struggle.

Al Masirah report