Yemen: Urgent need to end genocide and ensure justice done

With the biased Saudi-led coalition aggression against Yemen, the poorest country in the region, the situation has turned to worst humanitarian crises ever witnessed in history.

In the four years of continuous aggression, tens of thousands of Yemenis lost their lives besides of higher number of civilian casualties and wanton destruction of public and private infrastructures worth billions of dollars! Evidently, being the largest world's humanitarian crises, more than 75% of the total population are in need of aid and protection and more than 3 million people displaced. 

The following is an article in this regard by ‘Yusuf Abdullahi’ under the heading: “Yemen: Urgent need to end genocide and ensure justice done.” The article has appeared on the frontpage of the website of Iran’s English language daily ‘Tehran Times’.

Yusuf Abdullahi wrote: “This article was written at the onset of 2019 by Allah's mercy, when I extended a good will message to all, with more prayers and greater optimism to end the world's incessant crises responsible for chaos and bloodshed. It is unfortunate that those responsible for these atrocities are hell-bent on their heinous acts, hence a reminder and the need for international community to act!”

He said: "If JESUS were among us today, he would not spare even a single moment to fight the leaders of despotism and global arrogance". This was part of the statement of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in relation to the oppressed people of Yemen. He also said "... in Yemen, the Saudi regime is committing the crimes. But their accomplice in crime is the US"  

No doubt, Yemen attracts global attention being the worst artificially created humanitarian crisis. Despite the fact that these atrocities against the poor Yemeni people have not stopped, but some positive developments were recorded looking at the level of condemnations and withdrawals from arms deals with the butcher kingdom after the merciless murder of dissident journalist, Jamal Khashoggi. 

With defiant stance against Donald Trump, the US Senate has passed a resolution calling on Washington to stop its support for the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen, during a session in Washington DC. With the world's clear knowledge of the long-existing master-servant relation between US and Saudi Arabia, the development is very encouraging. Two years ago, for example, Trump has announced a $110bn weapons deal with Riyadh, which he officially visited after he was sworn in.

Earlier on, nothing positive came out from several negotiations organized by Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) initiative and implementation mechanism since 23 November 2011 in Riyadh with various groups for peace and stability. The situation worsened with escalation of military confrontations in early 2015. Most noticeably, the UN Security Council resolution 2216 of 2015, requested the Secretary-General to intensify efforts and liaise with all parties to achieve the stated goals.

However, with the biased Saudi-led coalition aggression against the poorest country in the region, the situation has turned to worst humanitarian crises ever witnessed in history. In the four years of continuous aggression, tens of thousands of Yemenis lost their lives besides of higher number of civilian casualties and wanton destruction of public and private infrastructures worth billions of dollars! Evidently, being the largest world's humanitarian crises, more than 75% of the total population are in need of aid and more than 3 million people displaced. 

Over the years, countries and organizations that value human life call for end to continued Saudi-led, American-backed strikes against Yemen. The Islamic Republic of Iran and Amnesty International stand distinct on this issue. The figures vary as to death toll due to direct and indirect effect of the aggression. Some non-governmental organizations put the number between 60 to 100,000, while the UN put it at 10,000.

A recent release by Oxfam, an international confederation of 20 NGO's working with partners in over 90 countries to end injustice, described Yemen as "raged by the over three years pogrom, killing thousands, and leading to world's biggest humanitarian crises, with many considering Saudi Crown Prince, Muhammad bin Salman, the architect. It certified that a civilian is killed every three hours, calling on the United States, Britain, and the other European States to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Innocent civilians have been martyred in fighting in Yemen since the beginning of war with many more people succumbing to disease and hunger".

The aid group cited data collected by the Civilian Impact Monitoring Project linked to the United Nations global protection clusters that 575 civilians were martyred between August 1 and October 15, 2019 including 136 children. Therefore, it called on the UK, US and other governments to suspend arms sales to the Saudis because of their disregard for civilian lives in the war in Yemen. Yemen conflict sees one of the deadliest months, 450 civilians were martyred in the first nine days of August as the conflict between government forces and Ansarullah fighters escalated. Saudi Arabia leads a pro-government military alliance that has battled Yemen's Ansarullah forces since 2015, pushing the impoverished country to the brink of famine. The UN categorizes Yemen as the world's worst humanitarian crisis, warning recently that 14 million people now face a serious threat of famine!"  However, with the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, the Washington Post columnist and Saudi critic in the kingdom's consulate, Western nations were advised to suspend arms deals with Saudi Arabia. Germany has positively responded pending the outcome of the investigation against the brutal murder. The United States, which is the largest arms supplier refuses in view of huge financial gains and disregard for human lives.

On many occasions, concerned individuals and organizations condemned atrocities on the poorest Arab nation by the richest in West Asia. The Islamic Human Rights Commission at the forefront held and influenced such events in London, Geneva, and Indonesia, just as the Islamic Movement stood for the same in Kano and Zaria, Nigeria.  Generally speaking, the rationale behind the campaign was to express solidarity with Yemen as a sovereign nation and to create the much needed public awareness on the urgent need to cease the aggression and quest for justice. The enemies always disseminate misinformation to blackmail Islam and incite Muslims against themselves in the name of Shi'a/Sunni. At the same time, Western powers, above all Americans went the region mingling with their allies trading their deadly weapons/consultancy in the name of peacekeeping! Muslims must condemn tyranny at all times and places.

In a public event to raise awareness in Iran, the Chief Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Hussein Salami said: "If we support Palestine, give moral support to Yemeni people, voice concern for Iraqis and Syrians, and think about Afghanistan, this attitude has been taken from the deep philosophy of Islam"  ... today we have gathered to announce our support for the Yemeni people. What has happened in the Islamic world during the past one hundred years, is due to the United States, the United Kingdom, and Saudi-Arabia, and this is the catastrophic geometry of the Islamic world." 

ME