Al-Jazeera interviewed Nobel Peace Prize-winning activist Tawakkol Karman about developments in the interim capital Aden.
* in the beginning, how do you see what happened in Aden, coup, occupation, conspiracy, interests sharing or what?
- All I have said is a coup, occupation, conspiracy and destruction of Yemen with the support, planning and supervision from Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is the one who dropped Aden and the Emirates are just dirty gloves for them. It is very important to put the points on the letters, and to call things by their names, who does not talk about that Saudi Arabia is the first actor in the destruction of Yemen and that it is behind the fall of Yemen, and dismantling and tearing it is either coward to face Saudi Arabia or a complete betrayal. Accusing the UAE is a cover for the real criminal.
* What is the interest of Saudi Arabia, and all the statements that have been issued so far deny what you said?
- This drama cannot fool us. It was Saudi Arabia that formed the coalition through which it claimed that it aims at restoring the Yemeni legitimacy and standing up against the rebellion of the Houthi militia against the Yemeni state. It formed the coalition and it leads it. It agrees to all Emirati behaviors since the beginning. It was behind the Emirati procedures that banned the legitimate president at the time - because Hadi is now for us is nothing but a traitor who lacks legitimacy. It claimed that it came to restore his legitimacy, and it agreed not to let him return to Yemen, and it is the one who agreed to form anti-Hadi militias that extend their influence over the south. So, if we do not hold Saudi Arabia fully responsible for what is happening in Yemen, I can say it is a complete betrayal for Yemenis, and for non-Yemenis, it is ignorance and stupidity, and they have to pay attention to it.
* What are your fears? Do you see, for example, the imposition of a fait accompli to divide Yemen?
- Yes. What is happening now, especially after Saudi Arabia's invitation to the Yemeni government and the transitional council to meeting and dialogue in Riyadh, I say its aim is to sign the separation and disruption of Yemen in the absence of Hadi's legitimacy and the final task of the traitors in Riyadh - and here I am not only talking about Hadi but his government and his deputy. The leaders of the parties - now they are required to legitimize and sign the separation and disruption of Yemen in Riyadh because the world will not recognize any separation and any plan unless it is signed by the so-called "legitimacy" and the real approval by those who claim to represent Yemen in a referendum on separating the country and break it up. I am here to warn, the full warning, of the meeting and I say that those who are in Riyadh, Hadi, his government, his deputy and the leaders of all parties, do not represent our people, we reject any meeting in Riyadh, any claim to represent the Yemeni people, these traitors do not represent our people. What is required now from the Yemenis is full alignment in the face of the Saudi project to break up Yemen. What is required now is a full alignment to kick Saudi Arabia to restore our country and our historical rights.
* For you, what are your next steps?
- Tawakkol Karman: Our next steps. As the UAE left Yemen dragging its tails of disappointment, Saudi Arabia will go out and the Yemenis will regain their country and establish their free, democratic and federal state. We are now facing the Saudi-UAE counter-revolution and Yemen will win. Yemen is bigger than them and they cannot bite or swallow it.