A/HRC/24/34 Salafists and the Islah party, is a serious cause of concern and contributes to the worsening of the fragile security situation.7 9. Two new commissions, on property and on dismissals8 in the south, were established in January 2013, as confidence-building measures, to address the root causes of southern grievances.9 The Dismissals Commission, which consists of five judges and four military officers, started its work on 13 March 2013 and has so far received 60,000 petitions from former military employees and 29,000 petitions from former civilian employees.10 The Land Commission, consisting of five judges and 24 supporting staff, started its work on 10 March 2013 and has established seven field offices across south Yemen.11 It has so far received 28,000 claims from individuals maintaining that their lands were illegally confiscated by the Northern Government following the 1994 war. The Commissions have a one-year mandate, but the Heads of both Commissions consider that more time will be needed to settle all cases and that the funding allocated by the Government is insufficient. 10. Various local and international actors, including the Security Council envoys who visited Yemen in January 2013, have expressed concern that former President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his loyalists, as well as Al Hirak leader and former Vice-President Ali Salim al Beidh, are seeking to undermine the transitional process12 and contributing to the deterioration in the security and humanitarian situation. In addition, the rivalry between the two major political parties – the Joint Meeting Parties and the General People’s Congress, still chaired by former President Saleh – has also ostensibly posed a challenge to the President’s efforts to introduce and implement needed reforms. C. Security situation 11. During the reporting period, OHCHR noted the frequent tribal road blockades and the persistent sabotage of electricity, oil and gas infrastructure, which contribute to a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the country. Kidnappings of foreigners and killings of high-level military and security personnel as well as other individuals were also recorded. For instance, on 13 February 2013, Khalid al-Siwari, a lawyer who had been performing work in connection with the killing of protesters in Sana’a on 18 March 2011, was killed in Sana’a. Another lawyer involved in the “Friday of Dignity” killings case, Hassan al-Dawla, was also killed in Sana’a in December 2011. 12. According to media reports, border security with Saudi Arabia has also dramatically worsened in the aftermath of the 2011 events in Yemen, as thousands of illegal immigrants, 7 8 9 10 11 12 For more information, see Mohammed Al-Samei, “Back-and-forth accusations between islah and houthis continue mounting”, 4 November 2012. Available from www.yementimes.com/en/1621/report/1563/Back-and-forth-accusations-between-Islah-and-Houthiscontinue-mounting.htm. The Commission to Consider and Address Land Issues and the Commission on Forcibly Dismissed Employees, established by Presidential Decree No. 2 (2013) of 8 January 8 2013, were enacted with a view to “address issues related to land and employees in the Southern Governorates in order to complete the National Dialogue and National Reconciliation and as required by the public interest”. Following the 1994 war between north and south Yemen, the Northern Central Government dismissed thousands of southerners from civil service especially from the military and security departments. Others were relieved from service because due to the privatization of public entities. OHCHR-Yemen interviews with both Head of the Dismissals and Land Commissions, Aden, 28 May 2013. Aden, Hadramawt, Abyan, Lahij, Dalea, Socotra and Shabwah. See statement of the President of the Security Council, S/PRST/2013/3, of 15 February 2013. 5