ABSTRACT
The development of political movements in Aden took place mainly in the 1950s. Looking back at the history of South Arabia, the National Liberation Front (NLF) considers the conflict between the Irshadis and the Alawis as the manifestation of a ‘class’-based conflict in the region, and therefore the Irshadis as its spiritual ancestors. The Charter emphasises the need to get rid not only of British occupation and British military bases, but also of rule of the ‘agent reactionary sultans’. In analysing economic situation the Charter concentrates on the great gap which exists between Aden and the under-developed rural areas. The NLF’s most important activities were, however, the gradual takeover of the sultanates of the Federation as it collapsed, the British withdrew their forces and the former sultans escaped abroad. By September 1967 the Federation of South Arabia had completely disintegrated and the High Commissioner, Sir Humphrey Trevelyan, recognised this publicly on 5 September when he offered to enter into negotiations with nationalist movement.
