With deep sorrow and pain, Aunt Fatoum Abdullah, 60, one of the workers who spent her youth amid the machines of the spinning and weaving factory, recalls what she describes as the "golden era" of the city of Aden before 1990. She says the factory was her daily destination, with its products filling every home before being subjected to systematic destruction following the summer war of 1994, eventually leading to its complete closure and its transformation into a military camp in 2015.
Despite the gray hair on her head, her memory still retains the color of the factory’s first product. Fatoum says, “Our living conditions were difficult, but the factory was like a second home to us, where we were committed to its development, and it ensured our safety. We received health insurance, medical care, and education there.” She continues, with a mixture of longing and grief in her eyes: “When the factory opened, our salaries were about 280 shillings. That was enough to live on and save, and we felt the value of the effort we put in. But when the factory weakened, and we worked harder, they stripped us of our rights.”
From Cotton Spinning to the Machinery of War
The ruins of the spinning and weaving factory tell the story of a systematic destruction that befell one of the most important economic pillars during the 1970s and 1980s. At that time, it played a vital role in re-spinning cotton harvested from the governorates of Lahj and Abyan, producing military uniforms, school uniforms, local clothing, and satisfying the market’s needs. The factory, which was inaugurated by President Salim Rubai Ali (Salmin) in 1971, was a gift from the Chinese government and people to the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen. By 1980, the factory employed nearly 1,300 workers. Today, it is merely a hollow shell, its iron skeleton standing as a testimony to its former glory. After the war, it was converted into a military training camp, raising concerns among residents due to its location in a residential area. In 2017, an ammunition storage facility inside the factory exploded, causing fires that spread to nearby homes.
Amid the severe economic crisis gripping Yemen, the issue of the dozens of state-owned factories in Aden that existed before 1990 has resurfaced. People still remember the quality and affordable prices of their products, with the city once home to industries producing food, household items, building materials, and more. The nostalgia for the golden era of the city continues to grow, as the systematic destruction of these factories - under the pretext of privatization - has left them abandoned, sold to influential figures, while the workers have been left on the streets.
With the rapid decline of the national currency, revitalizing the industrial sector in the country has emerged as one of the most important solutions to reduce the import bill that drains the scarce foreign currency reserves. This revival would create tens of thousands of jobs and provide more affordable products that meet consumer incomes.
Privatization and the Dismissal of Workers
Following the 1994 war, factories in Aden were privatized, their machinery and equipment looted, and their buildings seized. Once the peak of the city’s industrial prowess, the damage to its national economy was severe, leading to the cessation of local production and the dismissal of many workers, still in their prime.
At that time, more than 20 factories were operational in Aden and its surrounding areas in Lahj and Abyan. These factories were successful in meeting local market demands, and some even exported products to neighboring countries, reducing reliance on imports and contributing millions to the state treasury.
The list of destroyed industrial facilities includes: the Biscuit Factory, Dairy Factory, Spinning and Weaving Factory, Tomato Paste Factory, Revolution Iron Products Factory, Agricultural and Metal Tools Factory, Leather Shoes Factory, Liquid Battery Factory, Soldier Plastic Factory, Perfume Factory, Popular Bakery, Martyrs Clothing Factory, Leather Industries Cooperative, Women's Sewing Cooperative, National Tanning Factory, Soap Factory Project, Ma'aden Factory in Al-Mualla, Seera Beverage Factory, Vegetable Oil Factory, Soft Drinks Factory, Salt Public Corporation, Rubber Slippers Factory, Cigarette and Matches Factory, Paint and Emulsion Factory.
In September 2024, the government announced the beginning of the process to disburse financial entitlements to military, security, and civilian personnel dismissed from their jobs following the 1994 Summer War. Over 34,000 beneficiaries are expected to receive more than 9 billion Yemeni riyals, based on presidential decrees issued in May of the previous year.
The discussion surrounding these factories is painful, especially since their destruction and closure deprived thousands of workers of their livelihoods. In 2014, the "Return It… Our Factories, Our Wealth" campaign was launched, aiming to reopen the privatized factories to create jobs and reduce unemployment. The campaign included three phases: media coverage in newspapers, several protest sit-ins, and an exhibition showcasing parts of the factory equipment and products.
According to Aref Shihab, a worker at the Yemeni Rubber Industries Company, “The factory was closed and privatized in 2006. It was one of the last and most successful factories in the South. The state could have repaired the machines still in place until 2022, but it was leased to a businessman, and they took the money, dividing it among themselves. Our voices were drowned out as we demanded the reopening of the factory and the settlement of our wages and conditions.”
Shihab earns a salary of 29,000 Yemeni Riyals, which covers less than 10% of his basic needs amid deteriorating economic conditions that have led to mounting debts. He confirms that the presidential committee tasked with resolving their issues has failed to act, despite disbursements for the military and security personnel, while civilians have yet to receive their dues.
Meager Amounts that Don’t Justify the Wait
The internationally recognized Yemeni government announced in September 2024 the commencement of disbursements to military, security, and civilian workers dismissed after the 1994 war. Over 34,000 beneficiaries are to receive a total of more than 9 billion riyals, in accordance with presidential decrees issued in May of the previous year. This decision came after years of the former president Abd-Rabbo Mansour Hadi’s 2013 decision to form a committee to restore hope to many citizens who were removed from their jobs and deprived of their rights. The committee worked on addressing these issues despite facing numerous obstacles and challenges.
Raafat Ali Ibrahim, a member of the factories committee tasked with following up on workers’ issues, stated that the committee began disbursing financial entitlements to military and security personnel, though the amounts were small, far from compensating for years of waiting and repeated appeals. However, the decision has not yet been implemented for civilians.
Ibrahim, a worker at the National Internal Trade Company, added, “We were dismissed under a law passed for surplus labor, which only aimed to remove people from factories without offering solutions. In 2006, I was shocked to find my salary reduced to 13,600 riyals for unconvincing reasons. Then came the decision for compensating dismissed retirees, but Qatar’s donation of 350 million dollars for compensation was embezzled. Later, a presidential committee was formed for compensation with the support of Kuwait, but what will be provided doesn’t compensate for 18 years of waiting, poor mental health, and miserable living after we lost our source of income.”
In this regard, the spokesperson for the committee handling the cases of dismissed civilian, security, and military employees in the southern provinces, Judge Nora Dhaifallah Qatbi, stated, “Settlements have been made for military and security personnel, and civilian settlements will follow after the completion of certain procedures by the technical committee at the Ministry of Finance.”
Judge Nora Dhaifallah Qatbi adds: "Our committee is working on completing and finalizing all the cases and grievances that have been filed with us, and we will not overlook any complaint submitted. Additionally, some of those covered by the decisions for processing have not received any settlements, entitlements, or financial differences, because their salaries are ongoing in their military and security institutions. They were mentioned in the decisions to protect their future rights."
Factories are among the most important pillars of investment and the development of infrastructure and the economy of any country. Opening a factory means new capital, new human resources, training and developing skills, eliminating unemployment, and reducing crimes associated with it. It also provides opportunities for graduates.
Industry is a crucial economic sector for the city under these circumstances. Revitalizing it will contribute to employing a labor force, halting the depletion of foreign currency for covering the import bill, and attracting hard currency through exports, turning the country from an importer to an exporter.
Economic analyst Majid Al-Daeri confirms that factories are among the most important pillars of investment, infrastructure development, and economic growth in any country. Opening a factory means new capital, new human resources, the absorption and training of skilled workers, the elimination of unemployment, the reduction of crimes related to it, and the integration of university graduates into the workforce.
Al-Daeri adds: "Industries are one of the main sources of income for the state and any country as a source of foreign currency, considering that products may be exported, and sales in general can form capital that reflects on the development of the industrial and economic situation. This also relates to importing specialized workers to improve the societal mindset. All of this overall leads to an improvement in both individual and national income, revitalizes the economic situation, diversifies national income sources, and brings about other positives that we are in dire need of in the current dark and bleak circumstances.
Investment Opportunities Amid Challenges
According to Ali Ahmed Jarhoum, head of the General Investment Authority in Aden, 40 industrial investment projects have been registered in the period following the 2015 war, with an estimated investment cost of 56 billion Yemeni rials, creating 1,310 job opportunities. These projects are distributed across various districts of Aden, with the highest concentration in Al-Mansoura, Khor Maksar, and Dar Saad.
Jarhoum pointed out that there are many obstacles hindering the establishment and promotion of investment projects in the governorate, most notably infrastructure issues, difficulties with relevant authorities, and legislative barriers due to amendments in investment laws. He stressed that political, economic, and security stability, as well as strengthening the role of the General Investment Authority, are key factors in encouraging investment.
In conclusion, amid the bitter tragedy of Aden’s factory workers searching for their lost rights, the streets of Aden look sadly upon the ruins of once-thriving government industrial facilities that fed and clothed generations before their destruction. These facilities were sacrificed by careless hands, flooding the local market with cheap, imported, low-quality products that further strain the lives of those living on limited incomes.
