The University of EdinburghPeace Agreements DatabasePeaceRep

al-Baydah Ceasefire

  • Country/entity

    Yemen
  • Region

    Middle East and North Africa
  • Agreement name

    al-Baydah Ceasefire
  • Date

    20 Apr 2016
  • Agreement status

    Multiparty signed/agreed
  • Interim arrangement

    Yes
  • Agreement/conflict level

    Intrastate/local conflict ( Yemeni Civil Wars (1994) (2011 - ) )
  • Stage

    Ceasefire/related
  • Conflict nature

    Inter-group
  • Peace process

    Yemen peace process
  • Parties

    17 Signatories:
  • Third parties

    -
  • Description

    Implementation agreement for the Dharan al-Janoub Ceasefire for al-Baydah outlining three steps (1) implementation of initial ceasefire; (2) form detainee release committees and secure delivery of aid; (3) hold regular meetings to implement the agreement.


Local agreement properties

  • Process type

    Formal structured process
  • Rationale

    Similarly to the other ceasefires connected to the Dhahran al-Janoub national agreement signed in Saudi Arabia (10/04/16), this agreement continues the formal practice of a meeting held by a governorate authority in the form of a committee. Similarly to other agreements there are also representatives of the two parties involved. There is perhaps a slight increase in the level of formality to this agreement with three stages being described in the text provisions, where other local ceasefires have involved two or fewer stages. Similarly there are also provisions set out to encourage monitoring and implementation. In terms of content the themes are similar to other locales in this set: freeing up space and access generally, and also for medical aid access, exchange of information regarding prisoners, citizens being immune to any form of involvement in areas that are either neutral or connected to the two parties.
  • Is there a documented link to a national peace process?

    Yes
  • Link to national process: articulated rationale

    There is a reference in the text to the original national agreement made on 10/04/2016, while it does not explicitly reference this as the national process the agreement name is indicative, thus it is not directly quoted here but is considered a link. A link to the national process is also selected based on clear involvement of local governance groups with a clear stance towards the wider conflict and these can also be considered as state representatives. For all of these local ceasefire agreements in the sub-set, there is a provision in the national text which outlines the implementation of a De-escalation and Coordination Committee, which would consist of military and official government individuals with the aim of coordinating with local committees to encourage implementation. It is possible that to some degree this presence is always involved across these agreements in some way, whilst not always explicitly mentioned in the texts.
  • Name of Locale

    al Bayda governorate
  • Nature Of Locale

    Region
  • GPS Lat/Long (DD)

    13.987262, 45.580620
  • Participant type

    Central state actor
    Local armed group
  • Mediator, facilitator or similar

    Mediator or similar referred to

    Mediator (references)

    In contrast to some of the other ceasefire agreements within this set relating to the national agreement -(10/04/2016 Dhahran al-Janoub Agreements on the Cessation of Hostilities in Yemen for Shabwah, al-Dhali’, al-Baydah, al-Jawf, Ma’rib, Ta’iz and Terms and Conditions) reference in the agreement text for this agreement seems more explicitly clear as it describes the al-Bayda Committee as holding a meeting between representatives of the two parties.

    Type of mediator/facilitator/similar

    Regional state actor

Local issues

  • Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture)
    Page 1, In the name of God, most Gracious, most Compassionate

    Page 1, Praise be to Allah, who says: “O you who have believed, enter into Islam completely [and perfectly] and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.” Prayer and peace upon our master Muhammad and his family.

    Page 2, This is what was agreed upon. May God be reconciled.
  • Grievance List
    [Summary] (1) demilitarisation of armed presences in all fighting fronts (2) Prisoner release; arrest of citizen based on affiliation
  • Cattle rustling/banditry

    No specific mention.

  • Social cover

    No specific mention.


In the name of God, most Gracious, most Compassionate

The establishment of pacification and ceasefire in the province of al-Baydah.

Praise be to Allah, who says:

“O you who have believed, enter into Islam completely [and perfectly] and do not follow the footsteps of Satan.

Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.”

Prayer and peace upon our master Muhammad and his family.

Based on the agreement signed between the two sides in the South Dhahran, in 10/04/2016;

al-Bayda Governorate Committee held a meeting in the presence of representatives of the parties on Wednesday 20/04/2016 in the Asma’ area at five in the afternoon.

Both sides agreed Upon the following:

First, establishing the ceasefire through:

Ceasefire in all forms on all fronts beginning at 12 midnight in 20/04/2016.

Stop all types of gatherings, support, ... and the development of new sites in all fronts.

Direct supervision by the Committee on the ceasefire on all fronts.

Choose their Brothers’

Names for contact and communication.

There are military on both sides:

Salih Salim al-Hamdi

Abdullah Muhammad Ahmad

Mansur Derham

Ali al-Habsi

Second, after the cease-fire and the pacification are established on all fronts, the following is [must be] done:

To continue to facilitate the access of … to all the districts of the province as it was before, as well as the arrival of medical …

To form a detainees committee from the both side with the name and number of the detainees each side has.

This committee should discuss the releasing process and it should be coordinated with the central detainee committee.

This committee has been appointed:

Ahmed Abu Bakr al-Rasas

Ahmed Sayf al-Dhab

3. Stop arresting citizens on the neutral areas and the areas affiliated of each party…

Third, it was agreed to hold a regular meeting every week regarding occurrences of events.

This is what was agreed upon.

May God be reconciled.

[17 signatories]

Uncertain.

Uncertain.

It says الاغاثات.

Uncertain.

Uncertain.