AL HAUTA AND DHALA.




Initials PBS/V/JF/BB



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE SOUTH ARABIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS DENIED REPORTS THAT NATIONALIST GROUPS HAVE TAKEN OVER CONTROL OF FIVE OF THE SEVENTEEN STATES WHICH MAKE UP THE FEDERATION.

THE STATES ARE DATHINA, LAHEJ, SHAIB, DHALA, AND MUFLAHI, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS SAID THAT THEY ALL REMAIN UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE SOUTH ARABIAN ARMED FORCES. TO SUPPORT THE DENIAL THE GOVERNMENT ALLOWED REPORTERS AND CAMERAMEN TO VISIT THREE OF THE STATES.

NATIONALISTS CLAIMED EARLIER THIS WEEK TO HAVE FORCED THE DEPUTY RULER OF LAHEJ, AMIR ABDULLAH BIN ALI, TO FLEE FROM THE STATE. LAHEJ IS THE RICHEST OF THE FEDERATION STATES, AND THE SECOND LARGEST.

AT ITS CAPITAL, AL HAUTA, SEVERAL DAYS AGO, THE GAOL WAS STORMED BY A MOB AND TEN PRISONERS WERE SET FREE. THE SOUTH ARABIAN ARMY HAS TAKEN OVER CONTROL OF THE TOWN BECAUSE THE ENTIRE POLICE FORCE OF 200 HAS GONE ON STRIKE.

THE VISNEWS CAMERAMAN WHO VISITED AL HAUTA REPORTED THAT THE INFLUENCE OF NATIONALISTS ORGANISATIONS THERE WERE APPARENT. NATIONALIST FLAGS WERE OPENLY FLOWN, AND SLOGANS ARE WRITTEN ON WALLS.

THE PARTY OF JOURNALISTS ALSO VISITED DHALA TOWN, NOT FAR FROM THE YEMEN BORDER. THE SITUATION THERE IS REPORTED TO BE MADE MORE TENSE BY THE OPEN RIVALRY BETWEEN TWO NATIONALIST GROUPS THE N.L.F. OR NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT, AND F.L.O.S.Y., THE FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF OCCUPIED SOUTH YEMEN.

BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF BEING SHOT BY NATIONALISTS THE CAMERAMAN WAS FORBIDDEN TO ENTER THE TOWN AND HAD TO REMAIN IN THE FEDERAL ARMY CAMP ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF DHALA.