The Republic of Yemen Liberation Day commemorates the start of the Radfan Uprising against British rule on this day in 1963, celebrated on October 14th.
Since the 1800s, Aden had been a British protectorate. The West's main goal was to keep control of the Suez Canal. In 1963, the British leveraged the concern of a pan-Arabian movement led by Egyptian President Nasser that would weaken the local Emirs' power to create the Federation of South Arabia.
Even though the British said they would provide independence in 1968, this did not stop the nationalist zeal that led to the formation of two groups: the Front for the Liberation of Occupied South Yemen (FLOSY) and the National Liberation Front (NLF).
The NLF and FLOSY started fighting with weapons on October 14, 1963, when someone threw a grenade at a group of British officers at Aden Airport.
The Aden Emergency, also known as the Radfan Uprising, started with guerilla attacks by the NLF and FLOSY and protests in the streets. The British couldn't put down the revolts, thus British soldiers withdrew Aden a year earlier than intended, on November 30, 1973. The autonomous People's Republic of South Yemen was then declared.
The idea of a public holiday may not be at the top of everyone's mind right now because of the civil war in the country. However, remembering these important events in Yemen's history could be a good way to remember a time, not too long ago, when Yemenis came together and beat a common enemy.
