Jan. 24, 2018: The richest 1 % – People telling from everyday life – Yemen in 2017 – Yemen disaster and the US – Child marriage in Yemen – Saudi "moderate" Islam – Saudi air raids – and more
Schwerpunkte / Key aspects
Klassifizierung / Classification
Zuerst: Verschleppte der Huthis / At first: Houthi detainees
cp1 Am wichtigsten / Most important
cp1a Am wichtigsten: Seuchen / Most important: Epidemics
cp2 Allgemein / General
cp2a Allgemein: Saudische Blockade / General: Saudi blockade
cp3 Humanitäre Lage / Humanitarian situation
cp4 Flüchtlinge / Refugees
cp5 Nordjemen und Huthis / Northern Yemen and Houthis
cp6 Südjemen und Hadi-Regierung / Southern Yemen and Hadi-government
cp7 UNO und Friedensgespräche / UN and peace talks
cp8 Saudi-Arabien / Saudi Arabia
cp9 USA
cp10 Großbritannien / Great Britain
cp11 Deutschland / Germany
cp12 Andere Länder / Other countries
cp12a Katar-Krise / Qatar crisis
cp13a Waffenhandel / Arms Trade
cp13b Mercenaries / Söldner
cp13c Wirtschaft / Economy
cp14 Terrorismus / Terrorism
cp15 Propaganda
cp16 Saudische Luftangriffe / Saudi air raids
cp17 Kriegsereignisse / Theater of War
cp18 Sonstige / Other
Klassifizierung / Classification
***
**
*
(Kein Stern / No star)
? = Keine Einschatzung / No rating
A = Aktuell / Current news
B = Hintergrund / Background
C = Chronik / Chronicle
D = Details
E = Wirtschaft / Economy
H = Humanitäre Fragen / Humanitarian questions
K = Krieg / War
P = Politik / Politics
PH = Pro-Houthi
PS = Pro-Saudi
T = Terrorismus / Terrorism
Für Jemen-Neulinge / For those new to Yemen
(** B H K)
Film: For those new to #Yemen here's a 25 minute doco we made in 2016 explaining how this UK & US backed war has already killed tens of thousands of civilians in airstrikes, from famine & lack of medical care
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CxiNMN5EsM
cp1 Am wichtigsten / Most important
(** B E H K P)
World's richest get 82 percent of global wealth: Oxfam
Half of the world's population received no share of all wealth created globally last year, while 82 percent went to the richest one percent, a report by Oxfam International revealed.
Billionaires in 2017 increased their wealth by $762bn, enough to end "global extreme poverty seven times over", the UK-based charity's annual inequality report, published on Monday, said.
Winnie Byanyima, the organisation's executive director, has called the boom a "symptom of a failing economic system".
"The people who make our clothes, assemble our phones and grow our food are being exploited to ensure a steady supply of cheap goods, and swell the profits of corporations and billionaire investors," she said on January 19.
Last year saw the biggest increase in billionaires in recorded history, with one minted every two days, according to the report, named 'Reward work, not wealth'.
There are now 2,043 billionaires worldwide - 90 percent of which are men - the report, based on data from Credit Suisse's Global Wealth Databook for 2017, said.
Tax evasion, erosion of workers' rights and automation are responsible for the world's economic inequality, according to Oxfam.
My comment: That’s what is behind the Yemen situation as well.
(** B H K)
Yemen's forgotten war: Locals tell their stories
With Yemen’s political and humanitarian situation growing increasingly fragile, DW speaks to people inside the country about what life is like in the midst of the war.
The third anniversary of the war in Yemen is approaching, and there are few signs that the conflict, which is being fought between an armed military group called the Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces, is abating.
DW contacted people inside the country to find out more about what life is like in today's Yemen.
Ahmed (name changed) is a married father who works as an independent researcher in the capital Sana'a.
"We are trying to ignore this war. I tell myself every day that the war didn't affect me, that it hasn't defeated me. I do that to be able to continue because that's what I have to do. But in reality, deep down, we are surrounded by fears, a lot of fears. We are afraid of stupid airstrikes that target civilians more than any military targets. We are afraid of being arrested by the militia for nothing. We are afraid of losing our job or not getting a job. Fear of illness, of epidemics, of not getting medication...the list goes on.
The humanitarian situation is bad. Life is difficult for most people, and poverty is forcing a lot of people into becoming fighters. A year and a half has gone by and all state employees, even the soldiers, have not been paid yet. Many people had to look for other sources of income to keep them going and the number of beggars in streets has gone up. The more people try to adapt to the current situation, the more the conflict exacerbates and takes them back to the beginning."
Mohammed al-Qadhi is a foreign media war reporter based in the southwestern city of Taiz.
Heba (name changed), 35, is the head of a Yemeni civil society organization based in Sana'a.
Let our voices be heard. Let our victims be seen, support our children to live in peace and enjoy their lives like others do around the world."
http://www.dw.com/en/yemens-forgotten-war-locals-tell-their-stories/a-42255183
(** B H K)
17 Vignettes from Sana’a and Amran
The international medical organization, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), started working intermittently in Yemen in 1986, continually since 2007, and, more recently, has rapidly scaled up its activities in response to the eruption of all-out war and humanitarian disaster in mid-2015.
I was in Yemen—mainly based in the capital Sana’a—for more than two weeks to support MSF teams. I barely scratched the surface of the country. It was like looking through a half-blocked keyhole. Yet what I could see clearly from my highly-obscured perspective was a country populated with a people facing intense circumstances and conditions that have not withered their humbling courtesy, playful humor, and unquenchable desire to share scattered stories, whether banal or legendary.
Allow me to share some stories, snippets of dialogue, and scenarios with you, if only to provide a slight glimmer of the struggling and striving people behind the headlines and reports of misery, despair, and human failure.
“Your visa was delayed because of an airstrike.”
“What?”
“Yes, an airstrike landed in front of the authority’s building.”
“My God. Is the team okay?”
“Yes, they are all well. They will return for your visa tomorrow.”
I had this exchange with a colleague nearly a week before I flew out of Beirut to Sana’a. The first thought I had, I’m almost sorry to say, was how this was one of the most surreal reasons I’ve been given for a delayed visa. I suppose it’s natural to have a silly reaction to an abnormal incident.
https://raseef22.com/en/blog/2017/01/20/seventeen-vignettes-sanaa-amran/
Remark: Last year, Yazan Al-Saadi joined MSF team in #Yemen for 2 weeks.
What he saw, he will never forget. His tribute, in terms of words and 'sketches' (pure art), will stay with humanity forever
https://www.facebook.com/LivingInYemenOnTheEdge/posts/1624158157637208
(** A H P)
Having devastated Yemen in bombing campaign, Saudi Arabia pledges $1.5 billion in humanitarian aid
In a gesture inspiring both praise and scorn, Saudi Arabia announced Monday that it would donate $1.5 billion in new humanitarian aid to Yemen, where almost three years of war has devastated the country's infrastructure, tanked the economy and caused widespread hunger and disease.
The money will be donated to the United Nations, and represents half of the U.N.'s $2.96 billion humanitarian appeal.
The $1.5 billion would be distributed across U.N. agencies and international relief organizations.
Yemen's president, Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi, praised Saudi Arabia's "efforts to alleviate the suffering" of his people, according to a statement issued by the coalition.
But some analysts and human rights experts questioned the motives behind the kingdom's gesture. Some called it a PR stunt, while others said it was an attempt to quell criticism of the coalition's conduct during the war and change the narrative surrounding the conflict in their favor.
"As the Saudi coalition advances against the Houthis, it draws increased ire from humanitarian advocates," said Alexandra Gutowski, senior military affairs analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. "The coalition is unable to build a narrative about the strategic issues at stake — freedom of navigation, Iran's malign regional influence, and a persistent Al Qaeda threat — while the humanitarian crisis dominates coverage of Yemen."
Kristine Beckerle, Yemen researcher for Human Rights Watch, said it was important that the coalition's wrongdoings not be downplayed as a result of the kingdom's donation.
Beckerle said that in the past, the Saudis have used threats of withholding funding to the U.N. and other states in an effort to avoid scrutiny.
http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-global-saudi-yemen-aid-20180122-story.html
My comment: This is a sound article on this matter. The Saudi reporting you can find at cp15 “Propaganda”.
Comment: Saudis trying to "shape the delivery of assistance on the ground" and further politicizing aid in Yemen
https://twitter.com/criticalthreats/status/955808623405518849
Comment: Bear in mind Saudi pays out $200million a day - that is about $1.5bn a week - in destroying Yemen, it seems a paltry sum. If instead of starting the bombing campaign in the first place it had pledged €200million a day to develop the Yemeni economy it would have had friends and a good trading partner on its southern flank. As it is, things couldn't be worse - for Yemen, and perhaps for Saudi. The worst is yet to come.
https://www.facebook.com/judith.brown.794628/posts/10156318585148641
Comment: New #Saudi 'humanitarian' war plan in #Yemen: 1 Marib airport (it's basically a packed earth airstrip) to replace Sanaa Airport 2 KSA's Jizan port to to replace Hodeidah port. 3 Bomb Houthi-controlled Sanaa & Hodeidah into oblivion.
https://twitter.com/BaFana3/status/955945290531516416
And another article, in French:
(* A H P)
La générosité intéressée de l’Arabie saoudite au Yémen
Alors que ses avions bombardent inlassablement le Yémen, l’Arabie saoudite aligne les milliards pour aider ses habitants. Ce grand écart suscite un certain malaise auprès des humanitaires
D’une main, l’Arabie saoudite mène une guerre impitoyable chez son voisin yéménite. De l’autre, elle soulage les souffrances causées par les combats. Le royaume a annoncé lundi une nouvelle tranche d’aide humanitaire d’un milliard de dollars. Son allié émirati qui l’épaule dans la lutte contre les rebelles houthistes, supposément soutenus par l’Iran, a promis 500 millions de dollars.
Comble de la schizophrénie, Riyad a aussi promis de réhabiliter plusieurs ports pour faciliter l’acheminement des secours.
https://www.letemps.ch/monde/2018/01/22/generosite-interessee-larabie-saoudite-yemen
and from Yemen:
(* A P)
The diplomacy trick of Saudi Arabia in Yemen
From time to time, a Saudi official comes out with a trick to try to cover up his country’s crimes in Yemen. A few days ago, the Saudi official Press Agency (SPA) issued instructions from Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz to deposit two billion US dollars in a deposit in the Central Bank of Yemen account.
The justification was as follows : “An extension of the Kingdom’s support for the brotherly Yemeni people, so that the total of what was presented as a deposit of the Central Bank of Yemen will be 3 billion US dollars. By this trick, Salman wants the world to forget that his aggression on Yemen has eroded Yemen’s foreign reserves from 4.7 billion dollars in December 2014 to 987 million dollars last September, “including bank deposits.”
The foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Terrorism Adel Al-Jubeir, in seeks to complete the idiot play .He announced through the exceptional conference of Islamic cooperation countries organization that Saudi Arabia has provided humanitarian aid to Yemen.
As a Charity for the poeple who are killed every day by the fighter jets of his country. He said that the Saudi Arabia helped Yemen with more than 10.2 billion dollar.
The Saudi trick epitomizes the Lebanese saying : “He killed the dead man and walked in his funeral.
What a Saudi gift from here or there can offer to a people who have suffered murder, starvation and siege for more than two and a half years at the hands of “bad neighbors”
http://www.yemenextra.net/2018/01/23/the-diplomacy-trick-of-saudi-arabia-in-yemen/
(** B H K P)
A Year of Hunger and Blood: Yemen at the UN / Special Issue – 2017 in Review
I n early 2017 the United Nations (UN) declared that Yemen was enduring the single largest humanitarian crisis in the world. By year’s end, UN agencies estimated that 17.8 million people in Yemen were food insecure and 8.4 million were at risk of famine. Economic and public service collapse left more than 16 million Yemenis without access to safe water and sanitation, and 16.4 million without proper healthcare. All of these factors played into an outbreak of cholera in 2017 that surpassed 1 million suspected cases by December – the largest cholera epidemic ever recorded in a single year. The UN’s 2017 humanitarian appeal for Yemen amounted US$2.3 billion, of which the international community had funded 70.5 percent by year’s end (see ‘Humanitarian Developments’ below for details).
http://sanaacenter.org/publications/yemen-at-the-un/5256
Remark: A long and detailed look back at the last year.
(** B K P)
Yemen: An Escapable Disaster - Why the United States Should Avoid Military Intervention
Just as Syria’s ongoing civil war and ensuing humanitarian crisis have had global implications, Yemen’s current crisis and internal collapse affect both its immediate neighbors and regional prospects for peace, order, and stability. There are virtually no good options for further outside intervention in Yemen by the United States or other parties. The United States has no significant interests in Yemen, and no prospects for successfully bringing about a peaceful resolution to the current conflicts there or the creation of a stable, post-conflict civil society. The United States and the international community could, and should, help to alleviate some of the civilian suffering inside Yemen—though even purely humanitarian efforts will be made all the more difficult by the ongoing struggle for control of Yemen, much like the situation in Somalia in the early 1990s. However, forcibly establishing a functioning central government and peaceful civil society is well beyond the capacity of any outside power, making the United States’ “least bad” policy option a limited, solely humanitarian effort.
The conflict in Yemen began as a civil war perpetuated by a variety of internal groups attempting to address political, economic, and social grievances. However, foreign intervention has exacerbated the local conflict and transformed it into one with significant regional and global implications. External involvement has only complicated the multidimensional conflict, and the intertwining of modern politics and the region’s historical tribalism makes a cooperative resolution improbable.
With Afghanistan and Iraq as recent examples of the difficulties of fusing tribalism with modernity, the United States cannot hope to achieve significant success in Yemen without committing to a large-scale intervention and nation-building mission. However, such an influx of foreign intervention is likely to aggravate the conflict, rather than resolve it. The United States should not commit itself to such an endeavor.
If Yemen continues on this trajectory, it is likely to be a mirror of Afghanistan and Somalia in the 1990s. Lawlessness and lack of governance will provide both a safe haven for terrorism and a disenfranchised public from which to draw new recruits. Therefore, it is in the best interest of both the United States and the global community to remain involved and invested in the efforts to combat Yemen’s disastrous humanitarian crisis. However, given the lack of politically prudent or advantageous policy options for the United States, it should strenuously avoid military intervention in Yemen. There is little that can be done to bring about an end to Yemen’s civil war or to prevent Saudi and Iranian competition for influence there; direct intervention would prove both disastrous and ineffective. However, the United States can still do some good in Yemen by encouraging the international community to ease the suffering of Yemeni civilians. This would help the most vulnerable members of Yemen’s population and curb opportunities for radicalization and jihadist recruitment among Yemeni displaced persons. Sadly, this is perhaps the only good that the United States can currently do in Yemen – by Andrew Byers and Faith Stewart
Comment by Judith Brown: A sort of good article but I suspect written by people who have only recently started focusing on Yemen as there are significant flaws, although some of these may be due to shortage of space. The writers rightly talk about always fragile alliances in the former pro-Houthi alliance, but all sides have struggled to get on with their allies, for example, UAE and Saudi Arabia have had strong differences that at times have broken out in open hostilities, and UAE and Saudi Arabia have fallen out big time with Qatar. The clever game of Iran, whose support for the Houthis is limited and not very costly to them but enough to make it impossible for Saudi Arabia to back down is not described as it is; instead it falls back on Saudi and Trump rhetoric.
The complexity of the Yemen war economy, that encourages the war to continue is omitted. And like many so called civil wars, most of Yemen is stable (if a stable state of despair and hopelessness) with only pockets of ground war, and overhead incessant aerial bombardment that brings misery and death (KSA claimed the had stopped 90,000 bombs in the first 2 years of war) but does not alter the status quo - the same is true of USA drones and occasional military incursions. The initial cause of war was a struggle for power between Hadi and Saleh, and Saleh aligned with his former enemies, the Houthis, because they were the most powerful militia at the time, not because he liked them. The strange alliances that have formed - for example, al Qaeda, Salafi militias, Islah militias, secessionist militias, and at times ISIS fighting on the same 'side' as Saudi, UAE, USA and U.K is not alluded to.
And the internal power struggles inside the House of Saud, and wider Saudi Arabia, is also important in the context of the possibility of Yemeni peace. The writers state that Yemeni tribes weakened the state - and that is true, especially as outside countries especially Saudi Arabia were regularly supporting tribes to agitate - but had the state been strong, fair, and put Yemeni citizens first, then the tribes would not have needed to protect themselves and they would have weakened. So tribal power - in Yemen or anywhere - is a chicken and egg situation. But what I do agree with - strongly - is that the conflict can only be solved by Yemenis, and foreign powers should get out, including western powers including Trump and his lot. They can only make things worse.
https://www.facebook.com/judith.brown.794628/posts/10156318671653641
Comment by Marc Springer: They are missing details, like you point out, they probably have spent little/no time working on Yemen. A quick scan of their references shows it is almost all mainstream media. No attempt to delve into academic papers or books
https://www.facebook.com/judith.brown.794628/posts/10156318671653641
(** B H)
Film: THE YEMENI FAMILIES SURVIVING ON GARBAGE
https://www.reuters.tv/v/fUm/2018/01/19/the-yemeni-families-surviving-on-garbage = https://twitter.com/abcdaee198/status/955276058827345920
(** B H K)
She's only 12, but her father is already planning her wedding
When Halima's father told her he was planning her wedding, the 12-year-old firmly refused.
"My father married off my sisters, and wants to marry me off by force, but I don't want to get married," said Halima, whose father asked CNN not to use his family's surname.
Child marriage is entrenched in Yemen, a symptom of crippling poverty and a deeply conservative culture. It's a traditional practice preserved in proverbs like, "Marry an 8-year-old girl, she's guaranteed" -- an assurance of a child's virginity. And the country's three-year civil war has only exacerbated the problem. Today, more than two-thirds of Yemeni girls are married off before they reach 18, a staggering leap from half of all girls before the conflict.
But Halima, with her quick laugh and infectious smile, is determined not to be a part of that mounting statistic.
"Food prices have soared by up to 200 percent and the cost of living has increased by at least a third, so many daughters have been given away by families who wouldn't have dreamed of doing that before," Nadine Drummond, a spokesperson for Save the Children in Yemen, told CNN.
And children are getting married younger. About 44% of girls are now married off before their 15th birthday, according to a survey conducted by UNICEF. The trend is on the rise, with girls as young as nine getting married, Meritxell Relano, UNICEF's resident representative in Yemen, told CNN.
"There are no jobs in the country. There is no agriculture. The system, the health system and the education system are collapsed or about to collapse," Relano said.
Three years into the war, families that have plunged into poverty and food insecurity are now resorting to desperate measures to survive – By Hakim Almasmari and Sarah El Sirgany (films, photos)
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/01/22/middleeast/yemen-child-marriage-asequals/index.html
(** A P)
Revise your stereotype of women in #Yemen. More #women protested today in #Mahra vs #Salafi expansion, despite a Governorate official warning "We have women's prisons". Main demands -Expel Salafi group of extremist al-Hajuri -Return lands they secured via forced sale -An apology! (photos)
https://twitter.com/Dr_E_Kendall/status/955489287801397248
Remark: For Mahrah province, look at YPR 368, cp1b.
(** B P)
Whither Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman’s “moderate” Islam?
Recent Algerian media reports detailing Saudi propagation of a quietist, apolitical yet supremacist and anti-pluralistic form of Sunni Muslim ultra-conservatism raises questions about the scope of Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman’s commitment to what he has termed “moderate” Islam. So does Saudi missionary activity in Yemen.
The missionary activities suggest that Saudi Arabia continues to see ultra-conservatism as the primary ideological antidote to Iranian revolutionary zeal. Saudi Arabia has invested an estimated $100 billion over the last four decades in globally promoting ultra-conservatism in a bid to counter the Islamic republic. The campaign has contributed to greater conservatism and intolerance in Muslim communities and countries and in some cases fuelled sectarianism.
Saudi support for ultra-conservatism does not by definition call into question the kingdom’s determination to fight violent radicalism and extremism, and counter non-violent political expressions of Islam.
Prince Muhammad has created expectations of greater social liberalism by vowing to return Saudi Arabia to an undefined form of “moderate” Islam.
The reforms notwithstanding, Saudi Arabia has yet to indicate whether it has reduced its long-standing funding for ultra-conservative educational and cultural facilities, even though Saudi financing vehicles like the World Muslim League have repositioned themselves as promoters of tolerance and humanitarianism. The league operates the Brussels mosque.
Prince Muhammad’s grip on power by virtue of his position as heir to the throne, defense minister, and economic czar that was cemented with last year’s purge of prominent family members, businessmen and officials in what amounted to a power and asset grab may, however, persuade him that the family no longer needs religious legitimacy.
Prince Muhammad’s moves have put an end to rule based on consultation within the Al Saud family and more than ever forced the ultra-conservative religious establishment to endorse his moves in a bid to survive and retain some degree of influence rather than out of conviction. In effect, Prince Muhammad has assumed the kind of power associated with one-man-rule, possibly convincing him that his legitimacy is rooted in his power and image as a reformer rather than ultra-conservatism.
Prince Muhammad’s social and ideological reforms no doubt seek to fight political violence. The crown prince has yet to demonstrate that this involves in practice rather than words the countering of an ultra-conservative ideology that breeds intolerance, fosters anti-pluralism, and potentially creates breeding grounds for radicalism – By James M. Dorsey
http://www.redressonline.com/2018/01/whither-saudi-crown-prince-muhammad-bin-salmans-moderate-islam/
cp1a Am wichtigsten: Seuchen / Most important: Epidemics
(* B H P)
Kollabiertes Gesundheitssystem: Tausende Malaria-Erkrankte können nicht mehr ausreichend versorgt werden
Während die Diphterie-Verdachtsfälle und der Cholera-Ausbruch im Jemen in den letzten Monaten im Zentrum der Aufmerksamkeit standen, sind außerdem Tausende von Jemeniten von Malariaerkrankungen betroffen. Besonders gefährdet sind Gebiete wie das Osman-Tal in der Provinz Amran. Im Oktober und November 2017 war Ärzte ohne Grenzen im Einsatz, um Patientinnen und Patienten zu behandeln und Präventionsmaßnahmen einzuleiten.
„Malaria tritt in einigen Gebieten des Jemen, wie in den Tälern der Provinz Amran, gehäuft auf. Die meisten damit zusammenhängenden Todesfälle sind auf mangelnde Früherkennung und Behandlung aufgrund der schlechten allgemeinen Gesundheitsversorgung sowie auf fehlende Präventionsmaßnahmen zurückzuführen", erklärt Caroline Seguin, Programmverantwortliche für den Jemen.
Im vergangenen Jahr behandelten wir allein mehr als 10.000 Patienten gegen Malaria.
Im Rahmen dieses Einsatzes organisierten wir auch ein Mangelernährungs-Screening für Kinder unter fünf Jahren und schwangere und stillende Frauen.
https://www.aerzte-ohne-grenzen.de/jemen-gesundheitssystem-malaria
(* A H P)
Schwerster Ausbruch seit 30 Jahren: Mehr als 50 Diphtherie-Tote im Jemen
Beim schwersten Diphtherieausbruch im Jemen seit fast 30 Jahren sind einer Hilfsorganisation zufolge schon mindestens 52 Menschen gestorben. Zudem seien mehr als 700 Verdachtsfälle der Infektionskrankheit gemeldet worden, teilte Save the Children gestern mit.
Die meisten Opfer seien Kinder. Die Zahl der Toten werde wahrscheinlich weiter steigen, wenn die saudisch geführte Militärkoalition den Zugang in das Bürgerkriegsland auch für medizinische Hilfslieferungen verhindere, hieß es weiter.
https://www.aerzteblatt.de/nachrichten/88713/Zahlreiche-Diphtherietote-im-Jemen = https://www.aerztezeitung.de/medizin/krankheiten/infektionskrankheiten/article/956050/humanitaere-katastrophe-50-tote-durch-diphtherie-jemen.html
(* A H P)
Yemen: Children Bear the Brunt of Worst Diphtheria Outbreak for a Generation
The death toll from Yemen’s diphtheria outbreak is likely to rise if a Saudi-led naval blockade continues to prevent vital supplies from entering the country, Save the Children is warning.
Aid workers are struggling to cope with the country’s worst diphtheria outbreak since 1989 following a spike in cases in November. 716 suspected cases and 52 deaths have been reported. Young children are bearing the brunt – 90 percent of fatalities are under the age of 15.
Respiratory diphtheria is fatal in 5 to 10 percent of cases and the risk of transmission, through close physical or airborne contact, is very high.
Save the Children has teams on the ground operating in the hardest hit governorates, Ibb and Hodeidah, where it has set up treatment centers and isolation units to help stop and treat the deadly infection.
However aid efforts are being hampered by a Saudi-led Coalition blockade on Hodeidah port, the country’s main entry point for essential supplies of food, fuel and humanitarian aid. Despite a partial easing of a nationwide blockade in December, Yemen’s monthly fuel and food imports remain well below levels needed to sustain the population.
The fuel shortage has inflated prices and doubled the cost of public transportation preventing many patients from travelling to the few health facilities still functioning.
Any tightening of the blockade could have a devastating impact on children.
http://www.savethechildren.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=8rKLIXMGIpI4E&b=9540757&ct=15009887 = https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-children-bear-brunt-worst-diphtheria-outbreak-generation
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Yemeni deaths due to diphtheria likely to rise amid blockade
Deaths resulting from a diphtheria outbreak in Yemen are "likely to rise" if the naval blockade imposed by a Saudi-led coalition fighting to defeat Shiite rebels in war-torn Yemen remains in place, an international aid group warned on Monday.
Save the Children said in a statement that Yemeni children are bearing the brunt of what it described as a "the worst diphtheria outbreak for a generation." It also said that its aid workers have been struggling to cope with the disease which has killed at least 52 people, mostly among children under 15, and is believed to have infected some 716 others since August. Diphtheria is a contagious and potentially fatal disease that primarily infects the throat and airways.
There's so little help right now that families are carrying their children for hundreds of miles to get to us," Mariam Aldogani, the group's field coordinator in Hodeida, said. "But they're arriving too late and infecting people on the way."
The outbreak has hit Ibb and Hodeida provinces the hardest, the aid group said.
Save the Children said that aid efforts have been largely hampered due to the blockade on the key Red Sea port of Hodeida, a lifeline for most of Yemen's population as it handles about 70 percent of the country's imports.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/yemeni-deaths-due-diphtheria-rise-amid-blockade-52504811 and also http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/01/yemen-children-face-worst-diphtheria-outbreak-180121203453007.html
cp2 Allgemein / General
(A H P)
Jemen: Angriff auf ein Armenhaus
Die meisten Informationen aus dem Land stammen von Hilfsorganisationen, nur wenige Journalisten bereisen das Land. Einer von ihnen war der freie Journalist Oliver Ramme, der auch für Deutschlandfunk Nova berichtet und viele Interviews und Fotos mitgebracht hat. Er war im Südjemen unterwegs, wo er keine gefährliche Situation erlebt hat: "Die Lage ist nicht mehr so angespannt, außerdem war ich immer in Begleitung von Einheimischen unterwegs, die sich gut auskennen", berichtet Oliver (Foros, Audio)
https://www.deutschlandfunknova.de/beitrag/jemen-angriff-auf-ein-armenhaus
(A P)
Tillerson meets with British, Saudi, UAE ministers on Yemen
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met Tuesday with the foreign ministers of Britain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE to discuss "a political solution" to the conflict in Yemen, sources said.
The meeting was organised by top British diplomat Boris Johnson at the British embassy in Paris.
"The conflicts in Syria and Yemen have created two of the worst humanitarian crises of our time," Johnson said ahead of the meetings.
"There can be no military solution to either conflict, only peaceful and carefully negotiated political solutions will truly end the suffering."
The UN has described Yemen, the poorest country in the Middle East, as the world's largest humanitarian disaster.
"We talked about the agreed critical goals in Yemen which are, first and foremost, to sustain the measures that have been taken over the course of the past weeks to expand" humanitarian access, a senior US State Department official said after the embassy meeting.
"That's what provides all of us the space" to pursue "further goals" of a political resolution to the conflict and a strategy to counter Iranian influence in Yemen, he added.
My comment: They represent just warring parties and claim to play the role of peace brokers. That’s absurd. And all these four exactly are those who have fueled the conflicts in Syria and Yemen which Johnson now calls “d two of the worst humanitarian crises of our time”.
(A P)
Yemen diplomats seeking to get Houthis designated a terrorist organization
The Yemeni diplomacy is seeking to unify the international community toward designating the Houthis as a terrorist movement and impose international sanctions on its first-rank leaders. The Saudi Okaz daily reported that "the Yemeni diplomacy is seeking to push for a unanimous UN vote next month on a resolution that designates the Houthis terrorists."
"The resolution will put the top leaders of the rebel militia on the list of the most wanted for genocidal crimes."
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-14840
My comment: What ever the Houthis are, they hardly are “terrorists”. If they really should be labeled as such, the Saudi air force also must be. They spread much more “terror” than anyone else in Yemen.
(* B P)
Death of a leader: Where next for Yemen’s GPC after murder of Saleh?
Ali Abdullah Saleh built his party in his image - but with his departure it is left even more split and with no sense of direction
The GPC, founded by Salaeh as a nationalist movement in 1982, has dominated Yemen politics for the best part of three decades.
Adeeb, who asked his real name not be used for his own safety, is a key figure in the party. He had worked alongside its leaders, including Saleh, in Sanaa for 18 years and is a member of its general committee.
But after Saleh’s death, he pledged allegiance to the Houthis - and kept his position. He is not alone: thousands of GPC members have backed the Houthis during the past few weeks for their own safety.
Adeeb was among those who named Sadeq Amin Abu Rass, a former agriculture minister, as new leader of the GPC on 14 January.
Tellingly, the announcement condemned Saudi "aggression", said that the party would keep resisting the Riyadh-led coalition - but made no mention of the Houthis nor Saleh’s killers.
Adeeb said that Abu Rass is supervised by the Houthis and that the GPC, in return, still participates in the rebel government based in Sanaa. Only a few members of the GPC had fled.
The GPC was built around Saleh - but like all parties focused on one figure, it now faces a vacuum with his removal.
Even before Saleh’s death, the party was split in two. One half of the party is now led by Abu Rass in Sanaa.
The other, under the leadership of Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, the current Yemeni president and Saleh’s rival, is based in Aden and Riyadh and supports the Saudi coalition.
For many in the GPC, unity will only come, as with so many other aspects of Yemeni life, when the war ends and the country returns to something akin to normality. “Then we can obey one leadership,” said Adeeb.
(* B K P)
Saudi-Arabien bricht humanitäres Völkerrecht und lässt Kassen deutscher Rüstungsfirmen klingeln
Saudi-Arabien verletzt nach Einschätzung der NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) das humanitäre Völkerrecht im Jemen. HRW fordert Sanktionen gegen den saudischen Kronprinzen wegen Kriegsverbrechen. Insbesondere deutsche Firmen profitieren von dem Leid der Zivilisten.
Die in New York ansässige Menschenrechtsorganisation Human Rights Watch zeigt in einem neuen Bericht auf, wie Saudi-Arabien für eine Vielzahl vermeidbarer ziviler Todesfälle im Jemen verantwortlich ist und mehrfach das humanitäre Völkerrecht verletzt hat:
Saudi-Arabien hat zahlreiche Verstöße gegen das humanitäre Völkerrecht begangen. Bis November wurden laut UN-Menschenrechtsbüro mindestens 5.295 Zivilisten getötet und 8.873 verwundet, wobei die tatsächliche Zahl der Opfer unter der Zivilbevölkerung wahrscheinlich noch viel höher ist.
Bereits im Jahr 2017 berichtete das Büro des Hohen Kommissars der Vereinten Nationen für Menschenrechte (OHCHR), dass Luftangriffe nach wie vor die Hauptursache für zivile Kriegsopfer sind.
Die saudi-geführte Koalition hat Vorwürfe wegen Kriegsverbrechen zurückgewiesen und wird damit wohl auch weiterhin ungeschoren davonkommen. Denn gern blicken westliche Regierungen über die offenkundige Verletzung des Völkerrechts sowie der Menschenrechte in Saudi-Arabien hinweg und verweisen stattdessen auf respektwürdige Reformbestrebungen des mächtigen Kronprinzen Mohammed bin Salman.
(* B K P)
Deadly Interferences: The Regional Proxy War in Yemen
Yemen is suffering one of the world’s largest humanitarian catastrophes. To resolve it, it is necessary to look beyond the national conflict.
Yemen’s civil war is complex. It’s a violent conflict between competing Yemeni factions, each of which is allying itself with regional, sectarian, tribal and Islamist groups. The country has a long history of instability and the roots of the conflict are deep. Before and after the unification of the two former states, the Yemen Arab Republic and the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen, in 1990, historical grievances have been rarely addressed. Political, economic and social exclusion of whole social groups and regions have been a constant in Yemeni political history. Failure in working together to overcome grievances and national divisions can explain the recurrent wars.
As the forthcoming 2018 Bertelsmann Stiftung’s Transformation Index (BTI) report on Yemen summarizes, “The country has two governments now – the Houthi-backed ‘National Salvation Government’ based in the capital Sanaa and the government following internationally recognized President Hadi, based in Saudi Arabia and the ‘temporary capital Aden’. Neither of them has the power to win the war (although both of them employ regular as well as irregular forces), let alone to govern the whole country.”
But this is only the national dimension. The second dimension of the violent conflict is regional: the civil war is taking place against the backdrop of a deepening rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran, one that is destabilizing the whole region. This rivalry is geopolitical in nature, but framed by sectarian and ethnic differences: Sunni Arab versus Shiite Persian. Each actor in the region is supporting different sides of the political, sectarian and regional conflict. A regional proxy war is taking place, and its prime battleground is Yemen, taking enormous tolls on the population.
From then on, wherever the Saudi leadership detected an Iranian role, real or perceived, an active intervention was followed. In Iraq it supported Sunni clans and extremist groups, igniting a bloody civil war. In Bahrain – also a Shiite majority country ruled by an elite Sunni minority – it intervened in 2011 militarily and violently ended a peaceful uprising. In the Syrian civil war, it fuelled the uprising against Bashar al-Assad’s Regime, who is backed by Iran, with its generous supports to Sunni Islamist factions.
Yemen was only the last regional front of the escalating tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran and just another battlefield for the same proxy war
If the Saudi air attacks were meant to stop the Iran nuclear deal, signed in April 2015, the strategy squarely failed.
But it needs to be stressed that even without Saudi and Iranian interference, the Yemeni civil war would have happened – by Elham Manea
http://www.globalpolicyjournal.com/blog/23/01/2018/deadly-interferences-regional-proxy-war-yemen
(* B K P)
US Saudi Coalition: Bringing Peace or War?
This is the podcast version of a live broadcast that aired January 12th on KBOO/Portland.
John Shuck spoke with Catherine Shakdam, Scott Bennett, and Aisha Jumaan.
They will be three of the headliners at a conference taking place at Portland State University on February 3rd, entitled, “U.S. – Saudi Coalition: Bringing Peace or War?” The conference is hosted by Roots of Conflict.
https://progressivespirit.net/2018/01/22/us-saudi-coalition-bringing-peace-or-war/
(* B K P)
Yemen – obstacles and pathways to peace
The war in Yemen has variously been described as:
Are there pathways to peace to be found in some of these macro-analyses, or on the ground is reconciliation and peace fatally inhibited by shifting tribal rivalries born of the chaos of war, desperate poverty and easy access to arms? Both sides in the conflict have been accused of committing war crimes, most notably related to Saudi air strikes and blockade. Should peace come before accountability?
In European countries little is known about the war and only a minority of their peoples are aware of its existence. It receives little attention in the mainstream media, and it is way down the agendas of the respective foreign ministries. However, the mass horrors of such a war have a habit of biting back.
European countries therefore have very good reasons to understand better the conflict.
https://www.libdemvoice.org/yemen-obstacles-and-pathways-to-peace-56436.html
(B P)
Former #Yemen President Saleh's half brother Ali Saleh al Ahmar met w/ President Hadi & Vice President Ali Mohsen in #SaudiArabia and pledged his support to Hadi's government. Ali Saleh al Ahmar fled Sana'a toward Ma'rib after Saleh broke from the Houthis (photo)
https://twitter.com/MaherFarrukh/status/955172039509401600
(B K P)
Tawakkol Karman, nobel price winner, Islah Party supporter: The UAE is an occupying country for vital parts of our country. Its expulsion is a duty of every Yemeni. We must act towards it as a nation with a long history, refusing to be humiliated or humiliated.
https://twitter.com/TawakkolKarman/status/955121448271646720
Comment: Yemen noble prize winner, calls for fighting & expelling UAE occupation from south & east Yemen. She holds Qatari & Turkish citizenships! Muslim Brotherhood of these 2 countries, hate UAE occupation, And "Welcome" Saudi occupation in Yemen!
https://twitter.com/narrabyee/status/955302919167008768
(* A B P)
Government must do something to prevent US from imposing a UAE mandate in south Yemen. UAE must be prevented from backing Qaida & relocating ISIS into south. What? They say they are fighting Qaida & driving them out of southern towns? Oh, come on! Don't treat us as idiots!!!
https://twitter.com/FuadRajeh/status/955180383510978561
Why has Saudi coalition failed to restore legitimacy of Yemen's Govt so that it can return from exile? Well, let's look at what UAE is doing in south: it's eying Yemen ports & islands. If Govt doesnt give UAE what it wants, UAE'll back ISIS & Qaida, besides separatists of course
https://twitter.com/FuadRajeh/status/955175505908690946
South #Yemen: UAE-backed separatists "many militants" are escalating campaign against UN-backed Govt. Today, they declared a state of emergency within measures to topple Govt as Govt is seeking to resume sessions of Parliament in Aden. Yemen: north like Syria & south like Libya
https://twitter.com/FuadRajeh/status/955027567865679872
(B H K P)
Saudi-led coalition to give $1.5 billion in Yemen aid, expand port capacity
A military coalition led by Saudi Arabia said on Monday it would commit $1.5 billion in new humanitarian aid for Yemen where it is supporting the internationally recognized government against Iran-aligned Houthis in a three-year-old civil war.
The U.S.-backed alliance, which also includes the United Arab Emirates, said in a statement it would operate an air bridge to Marib, set up 17 overland corridors for aid deliveries and lead the expansion of additional Yemeni ports to receive humanitarian and essential cargo.
“We are backing a professionally planned and detailed humanitarian mission with military power and precision to guarantee that the humanitarian aid reaches the people who need it to lift their suffering,” said spokesman Colonel Turki al-Maliki.
My comment: The background is propaganda. Read the following:
(* B H K)
A devastating toll
As a reality check to claims that lives are being ‘saved’ in Yemen, a report released by Unicef has said that at least 5,000 children have been killed due to the deadly conflict in the country.
The irony of one of the countries causing the crisis coming to the ‘aid’ of the beleaguered country is not unique. The Saudi bailout package sounds much like the redevelopment funds committed by the US to Afghanistan and Iraq. The aim is simply to keep the exiled Yemen government afloat. In actual fact, the money is part of the costs of war and will do nothing to stem the famine-like situation gripping the country.
But talk of numbers can make one forget the very real human lives at stake.
The fact is that many of the world’s biggest arms suppliers are providing the fuel that feeds the Yemen civil war
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/271523-a-devastating-toll
(A P)
OIC Contact Group warns against Yemen turning to terror haven
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ministerial Contact Group on Yemen has warned against the possibility of Yemen turning to a terror haven and source of threats to neighbouring countries should all parties concerned fail to continue their concerted action to restore peace in the country.
This came in a meeting the Group held on the sidelines of the emergency meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers, which convened in Jeddah today at the request of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to discuss the repercussions of the launching of a ballistic missile by the Houthi militias on Riyadh.
Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen, the OIC Secretary General, addressed the ministerial meeting on the OIC position concerning the repeated attacks by the Houthi militias on the territory of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Al-Othaimeen expressed the OIC’s rejection and condemnation of the Houthi group's refusal to respond positively to the UN and regional efforts to resolve the Yemeni crisis by peaceful means, its ongoing violations of the human rights of the Yemeni people, and the recent murder of the former Yemeni President and senior politicians.
On the other hand, the Final Communiqué of the meeting of the Contact Group reiterated its strong commitment to standing with Yemen's unity, sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity and the rejection of any interference in its internal affairs.
http://wam.ae/en/details/1395302661610
My comment: This statement also could have been placed at cp15 Propaganda. A good joke is the last sentence quoted here. “Yemen's unity, sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity” are endangered most by the Saudi coalition – and the most severe “interference in its internal affairs” also is by the Saudi coalition.
(* B H K)
Yemen, la guerra invisible de Oriente Medio
http://www.xlsemanal.com/actualidad/20180117/yemen-guerra-civil-esto-no-es-siria.html
Remark: Overview, in Spanish.
(* B H K P)
¿Por qué a nadie le importa la guerra de Yemen?
Los intereses políticos y la ausencia de refugiados han relegado el peor conflicto de nuestros tiempos a un segundo plano. Esa indiferencia podría tener consecuencias catastróficas para el comercio y la paz mundiales.
[In Spanish: Why does no one care about #Yemen?]
http://www.semana.com/mundo/articulo/por-que-a-nadie-le-importa-la-guerra-de-yemen/554187
cp2a Saudische Blockade / Saudi blockade
(* A P)
Jazan port to take delivery of goods for Yemen
Saudi Arabia will facilitate Jazan port to receive shipments of commercial goods, which are being sent under the humanitarian package to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people.
“The Kingdom will take all the required organizational, logistical and financial measures in this regard,” it was stated at a meeting of the Saudi led-Coalition supporting legitimacy in Yemen and diplomats accredited to the Kingdom.
Jazan port is the nearest Saudi port to Yemen.
http://www.eyeofriyadh.com/news/details/jazan-port-to-take-delivery-of-goods-for-yemen
Comment: aid destined to #Yemen?
Where is the guarantee it will be distributed also to areas under Houthi control?
Why is the UN allowing this?
My comment: saudi Arabia wants international help for Yemen tob e directed to a Saudi port. One more example how Saudi Arabia tries to „politicise“ humanitarian help for Yemen. It should be drawn off from Yemen’s main port at Hodeidah.
(* B H P)
Film: Millions of vulnerable Yemenis cannot afford further restrictions on imports. We need all ports to remain open without interruption. Mark Lowcock, Emergency & relief Coordinator.
https://twitter.com/abcdaee198/status/955802076566769664
(* A H P)
Aid agency warns against 'misconception' that Saudi blockade of Yemen is lifted
Save the Children warned that a continuing blockade of fuel products meant that Yemen still faced serious shortages
Aid groups have warned that moves by Saudi Arabia to ease a blockade on Yemen are not enough to end the humanitarian crisis in the country.
Save the Children said that announcements by Saudi Arabia of $1.5bn in aid to the war-stricken country could give the "misconception" that the kingdom had lifted the blockade.
The charity warned that the continued denial of access for fuel supplies at the port of Hodeida meant that supplies of other goods were still dwindling and Yemenis would find it difficult to transport victims of violence to medical facilities.
“Anything that improves humanitarian access into Yemen and provides more money for the humanitarian response plan is welcome, providing the new funding is not politicised," said Caroline Anning, a humanitarian advisor at Save the Children.
“But it’s a misconception - in the publicity around this new plan they say the blockade around Hodeida port has been fully lifted but actually what we’re seeing is that fuel is still being blocked coming into that port which is having a really horrendous knock-on effect around the country.”
She also told Middle East Eye that her organisation was concerned about the proposedcreation of "safe-passage corridors" for aid in the south of the country.
"We're not opposed to them in principle, but if what it means is that they want to try and push the delivery of key important commercial supplies through other ports like Aden, Jazan and Saudi Arabia and cut off the Hodeida port, again that could be really problematic and again it means one of the warring parties in the conflict is controlling access routes for goods coming in," she said.
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/saudi-aid-405685031
(* A B H P)
Saudi-Led Coalition Injects More Aid Into War-Torn Yemen
Vital imports also to be made easier; move comes as aid agencies, rights groups say coalition perpetuates humanitarian crisis with its military operations
The new aid move appeared to address growing pushback from aid agencies and rights groups, who accuse the coalition of stalling commercial traffic through Houthi-controlled ports and perpetuating a humanitarian crisis through its military operations.
Adam Baron, a fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said while any new aid was positive in a country where more than eight million people rely on food assistance, it was little more than a Band-Aid absent parallel efforts to open the country to trade and solve other underlying causes of conflict.
The coalition will spend up to $40 million to expand capacity at Yemeni ports to accommodate rising shipments, it said, and up to $30 million to redirect regular, nonfood commercial shipments originally intended for the Houthi-controlled Hodeida port to other coalition-controlled ports
My comment: Let sack the last sentence quoted here!
(* B H P)
UNVIM Imports Update (as of 18 January 2018)
Yemen has historically been 80 to 90 per cent dependent on commercial imports of food, fuel and medicines. Hudaydah and Saleef ports have the combined capacity to meet Yemen’s requirements and are in geographic proximity to population centers, with over 70 per cent of people in need of humanitarian assistance living in close proximity to Hudaydah and Saleef ports.
This dashboard tracks commercial imports to Hudaydah and Saleef ports via the United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM). UNVIM was instituted by the Secretary-General at the request of the Government of Yemen (GoY) to faciliate the flow of commercial goods to ports outside of GoY control, Hudaydah, Saleef & Ras Isa (closed since July 2017). The map below illustrates the final stages vessels progress through before reaching the port of destination (infographics)
https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/unvim-imports-update-18-january-2018
cp3 Humanitäre Lage / Humanitarian situation
Siehe / Look at cp1
(* B H K)
Film: Diese Kinder im Jemen müssen durch ein Minenfeld zur Schule gehen
Die Ibrahim-Aqel-Schule in Taiz, Jemen, ist aufgrund des Bürgerkriegs von Minen umgeben. Der Direktor Abdul Ghani Alhaydari hat deshalb eine wichtige Aufgabe: Schüler*innen sicher zur Schule bringen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLO9wAYtQ6g
(* B H K)
Jemen: Ein Land in Auflösung
11 Millionen Menschen in akuter Lebensgefahr
Bonn, 24.1.2018: Mehr als 1.000 Tage geht mittlerweile der Konflikt im Jemen. Die Auswirkungen für die Zivilbevölkerung sind katastrophal: Drei Millionen Kinder, Frau und Männer wurden bislang zur Flucht gezwungen. Etwa elf Millionen Jemeniten befinden sich in akuter Lebensgefahr. Insgesamt 75 Prozent der Gesamtbevölkerung sind dringend auf internationale Hilfe angewiesen.
Aufgrund der sich verschlechternden Lage im Jemen haben die Vereinten Nationen einen rund drei Milliarden Dollar (ca. 3,67 Mrd. Euro) umfassenden Hilfsplan veröffentlicht, um über 13 Millionen Menschen mit Basisgütern zu versorgen. Der am 21. Januar verkündete Plan ist der bisher größte gemeinsame Aufruf für den Jemen.
Der Jemen braucht dringend eine rasche politische Lösung. Bis diese erreicht ist, benötigt das Land verstärkt humanitäre Hilfe. Sie ist der Rettungsanker für Millionen Menschen“, sagt Peter Ruhenstroth-Bauer, Geschäftsführer der UNO-Flüchtlingshilfe.
https://www.uno-fluechtlingshilfe.de/news/jemen-ein-land-in-aufloesung-715.html
(B H)
Oxfam Yemen Situation Report #50, 31 December 2017
Population of Yemen* : 29.3 million
People in need of WASH assistance* : 16 million
People in need of food assistance* : 17.8 million
People in need of health care* : 16.4 million
IDPs & returnees* : 2.9 million
People in need of humanitarian aid* : 22.2 million
People in acute need* : 11.3 million
People in need of protection* : 12.9 million
Women in need of protection* : 6.31 million
https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/oxfam-yemen-situation-report-50-31-december-2017
(* B H)
Film: Yemen: no food, no medicine, no water
The war in Yemen grinds on, as does its human toll. Starvation, disease and physical danger are realities of life for most Yemenis.
https://www.msn.com/en-in/autos/news/yemen-no-food-no-medicine-no-water/vp-AAv3Fov
(A H)
Monareliefye.org delivers urgent food aid,blankets and clothes in Sana'a
In this house in eastern Yemen capital Sanaa lives a 12-member family. This family has a house but there is nothing inside, no food, no mattresses, no blankets and no supporter. Today, Mona Relief visited them and delivered food aid, blankets, and clothes for the children.
3 million people of IDPs are living the same situation.
Please if you care about Mona Relief humanitarian work please donate. (photos)
https://www.monareliefye.org/single-post/2018/01/24/Monareliefyeorg-delivers-urgent-food-aidblankets-and-clothes-in-Sanaa and main page https://www.monareliefye.org/
(* B H P)
Film, Interview: Helle Thorning-Schmidt [Save the Children] in Davos: "Yemen is the worst place to be a child right now"
(A H P)
By Oxfam, with photos:
Oxfam implemented house-to-house visits to 6,214 families to raise their awareness on #Cholera prevention in Al Sheikh Othman district of #Aden, Lawder district of #Abyan, Al-Melah district of #Lahj and in Al-Dhale’a district of Al-Dhale’a.
https://twitter.com/OxfamYemen/status/955787678917844992
Oxfam rehabilitated two Water Supply Schemes in Sharab Al Salam and Al Ma’afer districts, in #Taiz governorate, benefiting over 5,000 people.
https://twitter.com/OxfamYemen/status/955457315133689856
Oxfam distributed unconditional cash transfers in Abs district, #Hajjah governorate, benefiting 1,541 families with cash to cover their basic food needs.
https://twitter.com/OxfamYemen/status/954705467967713280
In #Amran, 108 #farmers received cash to support their #income generating activities, they also participated in a training about drought cycle management and efficient low cost #irrigation techniques.
https://twitter.com/OxfamYemen/status/954998879036018688
(* A H P)
Record 22.2 million people need humanitarian assistance in Yemen – UN aid chief
The top United Nations relief official has expressed his deep concern about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Yemen, noting that a record 22.2 million people are now in need of assistance – 3.4 million more than last year.
“I remain deeply concerned by the humanitarian situation in Yemen, which has continued to deteriorate because of on-going conflict, collapsing basic services and economic decline,” said Mark Lowcock, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, in a statement issued overnight by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Mr. Lowcock, also the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, encouraged all donors to contribute to the recently launched 2018 Yemen Humanitarian Response plan, which requires $2.96 billion to provide life-saving assistance and protection to more than 13 million people across the country this year.
He welcomed the nearly $1 billion pledge by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as well as an additional $500 million in commitment from regional donors.
He also noted the importance of keeping all of Yemen's ports, including Hudaydah and Saleef, open to humanitarian assistance and commercial imports of food, fuel and medicines.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=58461#.WmgGj6jiaUk
(* B E H)
Yemen Market Watch Report, Issue No. 19, December 2017
The scarcity of food and fuel commodities further worsened in December 2017 mainly due to the blockade and escalated conflicts and airstrikes. Governorates such as Taiz, Sa’ada, Sana’a, Al Hodieda,
Sana’a City, Hajja, Al Baidha, and Shabwa suffered the most from scarcity of essential commodities.
Retail prices of basic food items and fuel significantly further increased in December 2017 as a result of the scarcity of commodities in local markets caused by the continued blockade and intensification of conflicts and airstrikes. Fuel prices in December 2017 were more than compared to the pre-crisis period, while food prices increased between 26% and 85%.
https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-market-watch-report-issue-no-19-december-2017
(B H)
#Malaysia-n students in my city Zabid of Hodeidah in Western #Yemen are not only collecting funds to help most needy families with free bread but they also preparing themselves bread for them. I hope there are many people like them. (photo)
https://twitter.com/Fatikr/status/955575097154301953
(B H K)
Film: As the War enters its third year, the number of extremely poor and vulnerable families is skyrocketing. Over 80% of children are in need of life-saving support
https://www.facebook.com/StopTheWarOnYemen/videos/801776239992574/
(B H K)
Joan Tubau: «Hoy los países del Consejo de Seguridad bombardean de forma indiscriminada»
El director general de Médicos Sin Fronteras asegura que Yemen es actualmente uno de los contextos más complicados para la acción humanitaria
[#Yemen is one of the countries where humanitarian aid is most complicated. Joan Tubau, general director of Doctors without Borders, will talk about this at a conference organized by the Araguaney-Puente de Culturas Foundation in Santiago.]
(* B H)
Film: Most hospitals closed or in poor condition
https://www.facebook.com/LivingInYemenOnTheEdge/videos/1623600614359629/
(* B H)
Yemen: The world's 'worst humanitarian crisis' in numbers
[Overview]
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/01/22/yemen-worlds-worst-humanitarian-crisis-in-numbers.html
(* A H)
Rekordsumme für Hilfe im Jemen
Die UN und ihre humanitären Partnerorganisationen brauchen in diesem Jahr mehr als 2,4 Milliarden Euro, um kranken und hungernden Menschen im Jemen zu helfen.
Es handele sich um den größten jemals für den Jemen erlassenen Hilfsaufruf, teilte der humanitäre Koordinator der UN in dem arabischen Land, Jamie McGoldrick, am Sonntag in der Hauptstadt Sanaa mit.
McGoldrick rief die Geberländer zu großzügigen Spenden für die Jemeniten auf. Mit dem Geld sollen für Millionen Menschen Lebensmittel, Medikamente und anderen Hilfsgüter finanziert werden. Nach drei Jahren Krieg mit Tausenden Toten herrsche im Jemen die schlimmste von Menschen verursachte humanitäre Krise weltweit, betonte der Koordinator.
https://www.evangelisch.de/inhalte/148337/21-01-2018/rekordsumme-fuer-hilfe-im-jemen
(B H)
Support from the government of #Japan is instrumental in allowing WHO to respond to rising health needs in #Yemen. Their generous grants have made it possible for us to deliver over 113,000 consultations in 2017 in Hudaydah, Hajjah & Sa'ada through 13 mobile medical teams (photos)
https://twitter.com/WHOYemen/status/955154493984866306
(* B H)
Yemen: Humanitarian Response Plan Snapshot January-December 2018
Humanitarian partners aim to reach 13.1 million people in Yemen with lifesaving or protection assistance in 2018. Clusters prioritized populations and geographical areas in acute need where access and operational capacity permits and have included targets in areas where the populations in moderate need are at risk of slipping into acute need. (infographic)
(B H)
Yemen GBV-Subcluster Dashboard - Analysis of Indicator Data, Reporting Period: December 2017
cp4 Flüchtlinge / Refugees
(* B H)
Yemen UNHCR Update, 1 - 14 January 2018
22.2 million people in need
2,014,026 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)
89 per cent of IDPs displaced for more than a year
956,076 IDP returnees
USD 198.7 M requested in 2018
https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-unhcr-update-1-14-january-2018
My comment: The sum they need to do a year’s works equals just the cost of one day of Saudi bombing of Yemen.
cp5 Nordjemen und Huthis / Northern Yemen and Houthis
(A P)
Houthi militia steals international aid from orphanage in Yemen
The Houthi militia has taken over aids provided from international relief organizations after raiding an orphanage in al-Mahwit governorate, north of Yemen.
The Houthi militiamen emptied the aid from the orphanage stores and transported them to their cars.
Mahwit’s media center has broadcasted clips depicting the minute the Houthi militia raided the orphanage. The footage also shows the militia kicking out citizens whom were waiting to collect the support packages. (with film)
My comment: By Saudi media. But it’s also the other parties doing this.
(* A P)
Mothers says Houthis moved their daughters to unknown detentions
The mothers of girls abducted by Houthis for protesting against the radical militia in mid-January in Sana'a have been moved to unknown detention places. Al-Khaleej newspaper reported that the anguished mothers proceeded to the militants' jails to inquire about their daughters but, to their surprise, the militants had transferred them to unknown destinations.
The militia is refusing to disclose the whereabouts of more than 15 girls whom they abducted from a rally in the capital Sana'a in the middle of this January.
The girls were participating in a large female protest in al-Tahrir square in to condemn the extremist religious group's control over the capital and the deterioration of humanitarian conditions including the withhold of public employee salaries.
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-14871
(A P)
Houthis to free prisoners provided they fight with them
Houthis are planning to free prisoners in the jails of Ibb province provided that they join the rebels' fronts against government forces, local sources said.
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-14873
Remark: By anti-Houthi Islah Party media.
(* A P)
Yemen House of Representatives To resume sessions starting from next Saturday in Sanaa Shura council ( lower chamber) had started earlier this year. Resuming sessions of Yemen parliament (both chambers) Means failure of Saudi crazy effort to "buy" members of parliament!
https://twitter.com/narrabyee/status/955835453273407489
My comment: Now. Both the Sanaa and the Aden governments want to call in the parliament. Where will be the quorum which is required by the constitution?
(A K P)
Recruit fighters or your house will be blown up
Houthis have threatened the chieftains of Sana'a tribes to blow up their homes and arrest them if don't push their sons and those of fellow tribesmen to the front lines against the government forces. .
The militia has accused some tribal leaders of being "agents (to the enemy) and of hypocrisy" and threatened to blow up their houses after they had rejected orders to recruit new fighters. Various media outlet reported.
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-14841
My comment: Fact or fiction? By biased anti-Houthi Islah Party media.
(A K P)
Abdullah Mohammed a child has buried in cemetery in Sana'a today he still underage but the houthis didn't respect his age and used his hard circumstances then pushed him to the frontline then he died (photo)
https://twitter.com/houthy_Warcrime/status/952909824349614082
(A P)
Film: Houthi militias prevent water from citizens in # Sana'a to be sold on the black market
https://twitter.com/ALyemenNow/status/955345659137282048
(A P)
Yemen's Revolutionary President bids farewell to UNOCHA coordinator Jamie McGoldrick
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485485.htm
(A P)
Yemen women rally to reinforce army in fighting Saudi aggression
Dozens of women in Manakha district of Sanaa province organized on Saturday a protest rally to confirm the importance of strengthening the steadfastness in the face of the aggression to defend the homeland.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485350.htm
(A P)
Yemen Press cutting
[A Houthi Horror report collection, by a biased anti-Houthi media of Islah Party. Two of these cases already had been reported in YPR, one of them is ascribed to the Houthis without any further knowledge. What is truth and what is propaganda, cannot be told for certain.]
Samir Abdullah Noaman, 37, a civilian, was killed by a Houthi mortar round fired on his village in al-Dhabab west of the city of Taiz
Houthis have clashed with tribesmen from Ans district, in the northern province of Dhamar, and unidentified number of people were killed and injured.
Houthis arrested Yahya al-Hindwana a chieftain of a neighborhood chieftain in al-Hasaba district in Sana'a on Saturday as he refused to recruit young people of the neighborhood to joint the rebel militia's military camps..
Members of Asayeb al-Hussein a brigade with the Houthi rebel militia have snatched 33 children in Saqayn, Mubbeh, Dhahyan and other areas in Saada to train them to be new fighters.
Mohsen Omar a teenager from Dhale'a was released today from the Houthi prison after his family paid a big ransom but signs of brutal torture are manifest in his body.
Last week Ahmed Ali Saleh Ashanni, an activist, died of torture at the hands of Houthi militants in a jail in Dhamar. He had been abducted from Sana'a two months before. #Source: Several website.
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-14798
(A)
Violent clashes between Houthis and other gunmen in Sana'a
Clashes have broken out between Houthi militants and unknown gunmen in a main neighborhood north of the capital, Sana'a.
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-14796
(A P)
Yemen calls on power countries to stop selling arms to coalition's states
Yemen's on Sunday called on power countries to stop selling arms to the Saudi-led coalition's states, as such arms have been used in the killing of the Yemeni people.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485356.htm
Remark: Sanaa government.
(* A P)
206 prisoners involved in December sedition released in Sanaa
A total of 206 prisoners who had been arrested during December sedition were released on Sunday from Sanaa central prison following an amnesty decree issued by President Saleh al-Sammad, an interior ministry official told Saba.
During the release, Interior Minister Maj. Gen. Abdulhakeem Al-Maori confirmed that the release of the civilian prisoners had been completed for 206 person.
"We will release the prisoners from the military in coordination with their military units, and there are guarantees through what we have seen from the detainees to stay away from whenever it harms the homeland and any plot aimed at its security and stability," Al-Maori said.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485441.htm
And even releasing prisoners could be used for anti-Houthi propaganda:
(A P)
Yemen’s Houthis ‘help prisoners escape in exchange for joining fight’
The Houthi militia intensified their activities aimed at helping prisoners escape from Yemen’s central prison in the Ibb governorate in an attempt to increase their numbers on battlefronts.
According to sources inside the central prison, the militia made deals with a number of prisoners saying that they would get them out if they agree to join the militia and fight on their battlefronts.
cp6 Südjemen und Hadi-Regierung / Southern Yemen and Hadi-government
(A P)
Kommersant: Yemen urges Russia to exert pressure on Iran
Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdulmalik Al-Mekhlafi held negotiations in Moscow with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in order to talk Russian authorities into mediating a settlement to the conflict in Yemen. In particular, Al-Mekhlafi asked Moscow to crank up pressure on Tehran, which the government of Yemen (and the Saudi-led international coalition) view as the main culprit for destabilization in the region, Kommersant wrote.
According to Al-Mekhlafi, Yemen wants Iran to cease interfering in the country’s affairs. The government of President Hadi and the Saudi Arabia-led international coalition accuse the Ansar Allah Houthis movement and Iran of destabilizing the country.
http://tass.com/pressreview/986392
(* B P)
Human Rights Watch: UAE commits torture in Yemen
In its 2018 World Report Human Rights Watch confirmed that “the UAE committed violations inside and outside the country in 2017. It arrested one of the most outspoken critics in the country and played a role in torturing and forcibly causing people to disappear in Yemen”.
Former detainees and family members reported abuse or torture inside facilities run by the UAE and UAE-backed forces. Yemeni activists who have criticised these abuses have been threatened, harassed, detained, and forced to disappear. The United States is working closely with the UAE in Yemen”.
“The more the United States and others praise the UAE for its decisive support in fighting terrorism in places like Yemen, the more this covers a darker reality of forced disappearance, torture and mistreatment of detainees, and confirms their potential complicity in these abuses,” Whitson said.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180122-human-rights-watch-uae-commits-torture-in-yemen/
(A P)
President Hadi abstained political activities to protest against UAE support the southern separatists
The Vice President Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar on Monday held a meeting with political leaders in Riyadh to discuss the formation of a broad political coalition which was scheduled to be held by the President Abdurbo Mansour Hadi, a military source said.
The source also said in an interview with Almasdaronline that the meeting was on the agenda of the President Hadi from earlier.
The president refrained from any activity in protest against the UAE support to the ''Southern Transition Council'', which threatened on Sunday, to overthrow Ben Daghr government within a week.
Unusually, the state-run Saba news agency reported no activity for the president on Monday; however, the meeting was to discuss the announcement of this alliance, which includes the most prominent active political parties in Yemen, which has been called for about a year, awaiting the approval of President Hadi.
http://almasdaronline.com/article/96670
https://twitter.com/sameer_alnamri/status/955563078975983621
Comment: Now: #Yemen 'president' Abdo Rabbo 'Dan Boo3' Hadi is now on strike in Saudi capital Riyadh.
Since Hadi does not do anything resembling productive presidential work, I truly wonder what Hadi on strike looks like.
https://twitter.com/BaFana3/status/955573680406441986
My comment: True??
(* A P)
Zabaidi, appointed by UAE occupation as president for separated south Yemen, Declaring an emergency state in Aden, Giving Hadi, Saudi occupation puppet,1 week ultimatum, to expel any military or civil official from north. (photos)
https://twitter.com/narrabyee/status/955297416047202306
and
(* A P)
The #UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) announced today that #SouthYemen is seceding from #Yemen and that it will begin to "topple the legitimate government." The STC gave the Hadi government and northern forces one week to leave the South. (photo)
https://twitter.com/MaherFarrukh/status/955090793429192705
(* A P)
Southern Transitional Council accuses the Hadi government of corruption resulting in "deteriorating economic, security and social situation never before witnessed in the history of south" and of focusing on southerners as the enemy rather than the Houthis
https://twitter.com/ionacraig/status/955124491826487297
(* A P)
UAE-backed group vows to 'overthrow' Yemen's government
A group of separatists in southern Yemen, backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have declared a state of emergency in the port city of Aden and vowed to overthrow the country's internationally recognised government within the next week.
Aidarous al-Zubaidi, the leader of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), said Yemen's parliament would be barred from convening in Aden or anywhere else in southern Yemen unless President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi replaced Prime Minister Ahmed bin Daghr and his entire cabinet.
Speaking at a meeting on Sunday, al-Zubaidi accused Hadi’s government of "rampant corruption" and of "waging a misinformation campaign against the southern leaders using state funds".
"The Southern Resistance Forces (SRF) declare a state of emergency in Aden and announce that it has begun the process of overthrowing the legitimate government and replacing it with a cabinet of technocrats," a statement issued by the STC said.
The SRF, an armed group that has clashed with forces loyal to Hadi for control of strategic areas including Aden airport, will "become the core of a new force that will rebuild South Yemen's security and military institutions," the statement added.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/01/uae-backed-group-vows-overthrow-yemen-government-180122051136241.html and by Press TV Iran: http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2018/01/22/549768/Yemen-United-Arab-Emirates-Saudi-Arabia-infighting-Zubaidi
and
(* A P)
Southern Yemen separatists want Saudi-backed government overthrown
Southern Yemeni separatists declared a state of emergency in the port city of Aden on Sunday and vowed to overthrow the internationally recognized government, the group said, in a move that puts the two allies on a collision course.
The announcement underscores rising tensions between southern separatists, who are allied with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s government over control of the southern half of Yemen.
At a meeting in Aden on Sunday, the Southern Transitional Council accused bin Daghr’s government of starving Yemenis and pushing the impoverished country to the verge of famine.
“The Southern Resistance Forces (SRF) declare a state of emergency in Aden and announce that it has begun the process of overthrowing the legitimate government and replacing it with a cabinet of technocrats,” the statement issued after the meeting said.
The statement did not give any details on what it intends to do to topple the government, but it said it was giving Hadi a week to comply and dismiss his cabinet before starting the process.
The SRF will become the core of a new force that will rebuild security in southern Yemen and military institutions, the statement said. It added that it banned military forces and officials from northern Yemen, including members of Hadi’s government, in southern provinces.
One of the main differences between the two sides is that the UAE, a key member of the Saudi-led coalition, is hostile towards Islamists, but Hadi’s cabinet is formed mostly by the Islah party, seen as linked with the Muslim Brotherhood.
Comment: I wouldn't worry too much. The sole function of the southern Yemen STC is to throw a loud well-timed tantrum when its sponsor UAE needs to persuade Saudi Arabia on any particular issue.
https://twitter.com/BaFana3/status/955227132103479296
These crises between Saudi & UAE proxies in #Yemen have arisen before in the past, with little actual conflict exploding. I figure it's more of a Saudi-UAE staged balancing act to keep their competing Yemeni allies off kilter
https://twitter.com/BaFana3/status/955156604919468037
On the other hand, if this rupture between Saudi & UAE interests in southern Yemen is true, we can expect actual and direct Saudi vs UAE conflict, armed or otherwise.
https://twitter.com/BaFana3/status/955159208290344960
and
(* A P)
"C’est la fin de l’unité du Yémen" : exsangue après trois ans de conflit, le Yémen menacé de partition
À Aden, dans le sud yéménite, les partisans du divorce avec le nord du pays sont de plus en plus nombreux. Ils réclament le retour aux frontières qui préexistaient à l’unification des deux Yémen en 1990.
À Aden, aucune trace du drapeau national. Ici, c’est celui de l’ex-Yémen du Sud, avec son étoile rouge, qui flotte partout, comme pour signifier que le mariage avec le nord du pays est terminé. "Une chose est sûre, c’est la fin de l’unité du Yémen, explique Mansour Saleh, fervent partisan de la partition. Le pays a sombré dans le chaos et il faut en tirer les conclusions. C’est dans l’intérêt de tout le monde et il en va de la stabilité de la région."
Car tout indique qu’en tant qu’État, le Yémen a quasiment cessé d’exister. (with Audio; french)
and
(A P)
In response to the call of STC President - The General Meeting of Southern Resistance Leaders Launched
http://en.stcaden.com/news/8146
and
(A P)
Local Leadership of the Southern Transitional Council in Adan Holds its First Meeting and Elects Chairmen and Deputies of Commissions
The local leadership of the southern transitional council in Adan held its first meeting to elect chairmen and deputies of commissions. Dr. Abd Al-Nasser Al-Waly, chairman of the local leadership, delivered a speech on behalf of general Aidarous Al-Zubaidy, president of the southern transitional council. The speech thanked citizens of Adan for their dignity and patience indicating that Adan id rich with elite patriots in all fields and this is their time to bring security, stability and development to the beloved capital of the south. Al-Waly said:
and
(* A P)
The Statement of President of Southern Transitional Council at the Southern Resistance meeting
First: our full commitment to the Arab Alliance to go side by side with them until achieving the strategic objectives of the storm of firmness and hope, and eliminate all that threatens Arab national security upon our available capabilities.
Second: Allow me to ask you, from a national and responsible point of view, to take a firm stand towards the futility of the legitimate, in a way to end the suffering of our people in the south, protecting their gains and safeguarding their national sacrifices. We stress that we will be together in the front lines to implement what is agreed on in this meeting.
Third: The clear rejection to launch the Yemeni parliament session in Aden the capital or any other region in the South, assuring this cannot be done in order to preserve our political future, and respecting to our cause that we have sacrificed for with expensive blood.
Forth: Our people fought bravely for their national goal in liberating the south and reinstating their free independent state, believing in the political and military objectives of the storm of firmness, and will never abandon the belief and commitment to these strategic goals. Based on the people mandate and the historic declaration of Aden, and our security interests, we emphasized that any existence of any northern armed military forces is against this objective, and it will be provocation to the feeling of our great people and the sacrifices of the wounded and martyrs. Therefore, we reject the presence of any northern military forces in the south, and this is clear principle for us, understanding the common interests related to the Arab Alliance in achieving its military objectives in the north, and the necessity to build northern resistance forces to fight the Houthis in the north.
Fifth:
http://en.stcaden.com/news/8147 = http://en.smanews.org/speech-of-aidarous-al-zubaidy-president-of-the-southern-transitional-council-at-the-general-meeting-of-commanders-of-the-southern-resistance
and
(* A P)
Statement of the General Meeting of Leaders of the Southern Resistance called for by STC President
Second: The southern resistance forces declare a state of emergency in the capital Aden and begin the procedures to topple the legitimate government and replace it with a government of national competencies, based on determinants and fundamental and legitimate reasons, to save our people from the hell of disaster and the death that is led by that corrupt government.
Third: The southern resistance forces reject any military activity of any northern armed forces on the land of the south or northern officials, whether inside or outside the legitimacy, while confirming and supporting any Northern Forces led by the alliance to confront al-Houthi to liberate the north from this rogue gang because its survival poses a danger to our beloved south and to regional and national security.
Fourth: We, the Southern Resistance Forces, reaffirm our full commitment to receive displaced civilians from our northern brothers and provide them with all protection and humanitarian assistance in accordance with United Nations laws, while emphasizing the right of the security services to carry out their routine duties to protect security.
Fifth: The Southern Resistance forces call on their forces throughout the regions and cities of the south to be fully alert and prepared for any emergency and to strengthen the border fronts to defend the south and secure vital places.
Sixth: We call on our southern people with all its revolutionary and living forces and social components to quickly align themselves with the southern resistance forces and march to the capital of Aden, especially the southern unions, student unions and its academic, scientific and social constituencies
Seventh, we call upon our brothers, officers, soldiers and leaders of all the southern military and security units to assume the southern national responsibility and awareness of the sensitivity of the stage, stand in the ranks of their parents and brothers and their sons and the required honorable national positions along with our southern people and call them not to comply with any orders that would break the southern, or confront our people or shed any drop of blood on the land of the South.
Eighth: We call upon his excellency President Hadi to listen to the voice of reason and to preempt our struggle with the legitimate government and to avoid the situation by sacking the Bin Dagher government and putting it on trial for crimes against our southern people.
http://en.stcaden.com/news/8149 = http://en.smanews.org/statement-of-the-general-meeting-of-commanders-of-southern-resistance-called-for-by-president-aidarous-al-zubaidy
(* A P)
The #UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) announced today that #SouthYemen is seceding from #Yemen and that it will begin to "topple the legitimate government." The STC gave the Hadi government and northern forces one week to leave the South (photo)
https://twitter.com/MaherFarrukh/status/955090793429192705
The STC declared that the Southern Resistance Forces will be the basis for re-establishing #SouthYemen's security & military institutions. This speech was given by a commander from the Hizam Security Forces, a force established by the #UAE to provide security in southern #Yemen
https://twitter.com/MaherFarrukh/status/955092000080121856
The STC reaffirmed its commitment to combat the al #Houthi movement and cooperate with the #Saudi-led coalition despite #SouthYemen seceding from #Yemen.
https://twitter.com/MaherFarrukh/status/955092430973358080
#SouthYemen secession from #Yemen raises several policy questions for the U.S. What does this mean for the U.S. in terms of the peace process, having a counterterrorism partner on the ground, support for the Hadi government? What if secession efforts turn violent?
https://twitter.com/MaherFarrukh/status/955093878775930881
The President of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) accused the Hadi government of waging a misinformation campaign against the STC. He also claimed the Hadi government views #SouthYemen as its main enemy instead of the al #Houthi movement. (photo)
https://twitter.com/MaherFarrukh/status/955095978230583296
Will the STC seek to incorporate al Hudaydah into its purview? Southern forces are participating in the #UAE-led offensive and the president of the STC visited some of the seized territory not too long ago.
https://twitter.com/MaherFarrukh/status/955099068992245760
Will be interesting to see how groups in Mahrah, eastern #Yemen react to the STC's secession from the North. The #UAE-backed STC does not have significant support in Mahrah. #SaudiArabia has been deploying forces to Mahrah and arming tribes, but #Oman has traditional held sway
https://twitter.com/MaherFarrukh/status/955174547485052929
(* A T)
#AQAP still active in Hadramawt #Yemen: Claims it launched 3 Grad rockets at Elite Forces al-Ghabar camp west of Mukalla at 12.40, 17.10 yday & 2.05 this morn. Also 6 Houthis killed by 2 bombs in al-Sawma'a, al-Bayda' Fri & 2 Security Belt injured by bomb in al-Mahfad Abyan Thurs (photos)
https://twitter.com/Dr_E_Kendall/status/955008346943361024
Remark: For Grad rockets, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BM-21_Grad
My comment: certainly not supplied by Iran – but available in Yemen.
(* A E P)
Hadi government Prime Minister Ahmed bin Daghir announced on January 21 that the Hadi government parliament will meet in Aden next month to approve the state budget. Bin Daghir reported that the state is expected to receive $2.22 billion in revenue and spend $3.32 billion. The budget includes military and civilian salaries in 12 southern governorates and education and health sector salaries in al Houthi-held territory. Saudi Arabia deposited $2 billion into Yemen’s Aden-based Central Bank on January 17 after the Yemeni riyal reached a new low of 500 to the dollar on January 16.[3]
(* A E P)
Yemen sets first budget since 2014
Yemen announced on Sunday its first budget since the country descended into armed conflict in 2014, in a sign the Saudi-backed government seeks to get a handle on a chaotic economy as millions face starvation
Prime Minister Ahmed bin Daghr told reporters the new budget set total expected revenues in 2018 at 978 billion rials ($2.22 billion) while spending would amount to 1.46 trillion rials ($3.32 billion).
“It’s an austerity budget. It includes salaries for the military and civilians in 12 provinces,” bin Daghr told journalists in Aden. “Salaries in Houthi-dominated areas will be limited to the education and health sectors,” he said.
The government has not paid most public sector salaries in northern areas for over a year, saying the Houthis have put their fighters and appointees on wage rosters - a charge the group denies.
It has also struggled to pay troops and other employees even in lands under its own control,
Comment: this is certainly not the first time the Hadi government has pledged to pay salaries
https://twitter.com/MaherFarrukh/status/955113075769737218
Comment: No actual publication of the details of this alleged #Yemen 2018 budget. I'm curious to know from what sources does this Saudi-backed Yemeni government expect (a rather fantastically unreal) 2018 revenue of US$3.9B?
https://twitter.com/BaFana3/status/955157934975135746
Comment: Hadi of course hasn't been allowed to enter Aden for almost a year - before that he made short sporadic visits to the south but was not able to leave his fortified compound whilst there due to security fears. His government is not based in Aden - they are mostly based in Riyadh. And his government - mostly from the Islah party - are drawn from a political group with whom he constantly disagreed prior to the Houthis taking over Sanaa - in fact some believe that Hadi invited the Houthi militias into Sanaa in order to help quieten the Islahis. And how much power do you think Hadi has when he is totally at the beck and call of the Saudis, and has no real constituency within Yemen - and never has. So this budget is a game, not a real political manoeuvre.
https://www.facebook.com/judith.brown.794628/posts/10156312000778641
(A P)
#UAE-backed security forces arrested three people in #Lahij, southern #Yemen, attempting to recruit young men to join the 117th brigade in Ma'rib governorate, northern Yemen.
https://twitter.com/MaherFarrukh/status/955167072216080387 referring to http://adnlng.info/news/87005/
cp7 UNO und Friedensgespräche / UN and peace talks
(* B P)
Films / Cartoon: #UN in #Yemen, by Ahmed Jahaf
https://www.facebook.com/a7medja7af/posts/1807560355956076 = https://www.facebook.com/LivingInYemenOnTheEdge/posts/1624130864306604
(* A P)
UN-Sonderbeauftragter für Jemen will zurücktreten
Laut westlichen Quellen ist der UN-Sonderbeauftragte für den Jemen Ismail Ould Sheikh Ahmed nicht mehr bereit, seinen Auftrag zu verlängern und wird Ende Februar 2018 von seiner Position zurücktreten.
Unter Berufung auf Stephane Dujarric, den Sprecher von UN-Generalsekretär Antonio Guterres, berichtete Reuters am Montag, dass Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed nach fast drei Jahren als UN-Vermittler im Jemen aufhören wird.
"Der Sondergesandte bleibt verpflichtet, durch Diplomatie ein Ende der Gewalt und eine politische Lösung zu verfolgen, die die legitimen Forderungen des jemenitischen Volkes erfüllt, bis ein Nachfolger ernannt wird", sagte Dujarric.
(* A P)
Sources: British mediator Martin Griffiths appointed UN envoy to Yemen
Sources in New York revealed that the UN appointed senior international mediator Martin Griffiths as the new envoy to Yemen.
Griffiths was the founding Director of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue in Geneva (HD Centre) where he specialized in developing political dialogue between governments and insurgents in a range of countries across Asia, Africa and Europe, according to European Institute of Peace.
He also served as Deputy to the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator in New York and as the UN Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Great Lakes and in the Balkans with the rank of UN Assistant Secretary-General.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2018/01/23/Sources-British-mediator-Martin-Griffiths-appointed-as-UN-envoy-to-Yemen.html and also https://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/un-appoints-new-yemen-envoy-report-1.698070 and by Iranian media https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2018/01/23/1635788/un-appoints-british-mediator-martin-griffiths-as-yemen-envoy
My comment: Nearly everybody will do better than his predecessor.
Look at
http://www.eip.org/en/people/staff
http://www.democraticprogress.org/team-details/martin-griffiths/
(* A P)
YEMEN ENVOY DECIDES NOT TO CONTINUE HIS MISSION AFTER THE END OF HIS PRESENT MANDATE
The United Envoy Special Envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, has informed the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Gutierrez that he does not intend to continue in his position beyond the end of his current contract ending in February 2018.
The Special Envoy takes this opportunity to express his sincere thanks to the Secretary General for his strong and determined support to reach a political solution to the conflict that has engulfed the country.
In this moment, his thoughts go first to the Yemeni people who are worn out by this conflict and are enduring one of the most devastating humanitarian crises in the world.
https://osesgy.unmissions.org/yemen-envoy-decides-not-continue-his-mission-after-end-his-present-mandate and by Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-un/u-n-yemen-mediator-to-step-down-next-month-u-n-spokesman-idUSKBN1FB2HG
Comment: This could be an opportunity for UN: - to rethink resolution 2216 which is obstructing a political solution - to re-energise peace talks, further complicated yday when Southern separatists announced intention to topple Hadi gov't
https://twitter.com/Dr_E_Kendall/status/955512436815290368
(A P)
UN envoy to #Yemen announces he will step down. Yemenis react (image)
https://twitter.com/YemenSource/status/955525181686108160
and a reminder of his predecessor:
(* B P)
Saudi Arabia couldn't stand the fact that @Jamal_Benomar was reaching a power sharing agreement between all parties, because they insisted on having their puppet Hadi rule. The one man selection-not election-of Hadi, was an insult to Yemen 's people!
https://twitter.com/Optimist2thend/status/955951558881001472
(* A P)
On Yemen UN Envoy IOCA Out in February, As ICP Reported in September, What's Next?
On January 22 the UN confirmed he's out in February, below. He never filed financial disclosure, and Inner City Press has been informed that beyond his fish and car sales businesses he's been looking into a position with a Saudi-controlled bank. But who's next? We'll have more on this. The UN says: "Yemen Envoy decides not to continue his mission after the end of his present mandate 22 January 2018, Amman – By Matthew Russell Lee
http://www.innercitypress.com/yemen1iocaexcitconfirmed012218.html
My comment: “he's been looking into a position with a Saudi-controlled bank”: That’s so odd that it’s hard to believe that. Obviously he was biased all the time, and now we know why. Incredible that such things really can happen.
(A P)
UN Envoy concludes visit to Riyadh and intensifies efforts to resume the political process
The Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary General for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, concluded a four-day visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he met with the Yemeni President Mr. Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulmalik Al-Mekhlafi as well as a number of Yemeni political and government figures.
The meetings focused on the efforts deployed to resume the political process and put an end to the conflict in Yemen.
The Special Envoy welcomed the opening of the Hodeidah and Salif ports and called for the cooperation of all parties to keep these ports open
https://osesgy.unmissions.org/un-envoy-concludes-visit-riyadh-and-intensifies-efforts-resume-political-process = https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/un-envoy-concludes-visit-riyadh-and-intensifies-efforts-resume-political-process-enar
and by Saudi media:
(A P)
UN envoy: Parties involved in Yemen to begin peace talks
The Arab Coalition supporting legitimacy in Yemen will hold a meeting in Riyadh on Monday to discuss new political negotiations and call on all parties to take proactive steps to ensure the success of this critical stage in Yemen.
Yemen’s UN envoy, Ismail Weld al-Sheikh, said that the Arab Coalition was willing to be involved in the discussions.
My comment: I doubt. There are no peace talks in sight.
cp8 Saudi-Arabien / Saudi Arabia
Siehe / Look at cp1
(A P)
#Saudi Monarchy main newspaper @alriyadh calls #American lawyer @AlanDersh a #Zionist, a pejorative in the #Arab world http://www.alriyadh.com/1656456 . This is what Washington-based Saudi front @ArabiaFdn calls tolerance
https://twitter.com/AliAlAhmed_en/status/955600937808261122 referring to http://www.alriyadh.com/1656456
(A E P)
Saudi Arabia asks banks for proposals to refinance $10 billion loan, raise more debt
Saudi Arabia has asked banks for proposals to refinance its $10 billion international syndicated loan and to help the sovereign raise funds through other means, the country’s debt management office said on Sunday.
(A E P)
Saudi energy minister urges oil producers to extend cooperation beyond 2018
and
(A E P)
Oil rises as Saudi Arabia says producers will cooperate beyond 2018
cp9 USA
Siehe / Look at cp1
(A P)
Yemen Cant Wait: Rally to End U.S. Complicity in War on Yemen 1-26-18
Rally outside of Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand’s NYC offices to demand action to end all U.S. support for the Saudi-led coalition, because #YemenCantWait.
Rally speakers are: Dr. Debbie Almontaser (Muslim Community Network), Sahar Alsahlani (CAIR-New York, Religions for Peace USA, Fellowship of Reconciliation), Kate Alexander (Peace Action New York State), and Summer Nasser (YemenAid.us).
Friday, 26 January, 2018; New York
http://www.rallylist.com/yemen-cant-wait-rally-to-end-u-s-complicity-in-war-on-yemen-1-26-18/
(* A P)
Attorneys Demand Clarity as Hundreds Seeking Refuge from War in Yemen Stranded, Unable to Rejoin Families in U.S.
Today, the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and Muslim Advocates (MA) filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request demanding documents from federal agencies related to visa denials to dozens of Yemeni families seeking entry to the U.S., stemming from President Trump’s Muslim Ban. The FOIA request seeks information on the process by which the federal government has purportedly agreed to grant case-by-case waivers from the Muslim Ban to certain individuals from countries whose citizens are otherwise denied entry to the United States. Despite the administration’s claim that the waiver process would be “robust,” the organizations have received reports of en masse denials to people who should, according to the administration’s guidelines, be eligible for a waiver, casting doubt on whether a meaningful process exists at all.
(* B P)
Study Skills: Shireen Al-Adeimi
It was no coincidence that the day civil war broke out in Yemen in March 2015, Shireen Al-Adeimi started using Twitter. The Yemeni-born doctoral student, living in the United States at the time, noticed that what friends and family back home were reporting was being virtually ignored in the media.
“They were saying, ‘We’re getting attacked!’ but there wasn’t anything in the news,” she says. She decided that she would do what she could, from Cambridge, to raise awareness. “Awareness is the number one reason I joined Twitter the day the war started,” she says. Al-Adeimi also wrote a letter to Senator Elizabeth Warren calling for an end to U.S. support for Saudi-led airstrikes in her country. She posted the letter and Warren’s reply on Twitter and eventually turned it into an online petition. Along with her husband, she held a fundraiser at MIT last year featuring Public Radio International producer Stephen Snyder to raise money for Doctors Without Borders. She continues to raise funds to help charities in the field.
https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/ed/18/01/study-skills-shireen-al-adeimi
(* B K P T)
Film: In this first episode of a six-part Blowback series, @mehdirhasan explains how U.S. drone strikes abroad produce blowback and “unintended consequences” at home.
https://twitter.com/theintercept/status/955522477085642760
Comment: The fantastic Mehdi Hasan, UK journalist, here explains why drone strikes produce more terrorists - very convincingly.
https://www.facebook.com/judith.brown.794628/posts/10156318839843641
(* B P)
Exclusive Interview with Congressman Ro Khanna on US Interventionism
In his year in Congress, Khanna has established himself as a forceful opponent of the interventionist consensus that support the the wars in Yemen, Syria, Libya, among others
Khanna condemned what he called "the neoliberal-neoconservative bent of American foreign policy in this century," and criticized the "Kissingerian worldview" that dominates US politics.
"I think our first principle in the Middle East should be, 'Let's do no harm,'" Khanna explained.
The US has sold many billions of dollars in arms to Saudi Arabia, and these weapons have been used to commit apparent war crimes against Yemeni civilians.
Without US support, it is very likely that Saudi Arabia would be unable to wage the war in the first place.
Khanna stressed that not only has the US-backed Saudi war on Yemen led to the deaths of many thousands of civilians and created the largest cholera epidemic in recorded history; it has also strengthened al-Qaeda and other extremist groups.
Interview with Rep. Ro Khanna:
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=20961
(A P)
4th Circuit splits with 2nd, rebuffs USS Cole bombing victims suing Sudan
It has been more than 17 years since Al Qaeda bombers steered a boatload of explosives into the USS Cole, a warship refueling in Yemen.
cp10 Großbritannien / Great Britain
(B K P)
British Efforts for Political Solution in Yemen in Cooperation with Saudi-Led Coalition
British Ambassador to Yemen Simon Shercliff stressed that his country is leading diplomatic efforts to reach a political solution in Yemen in cooperation with the Saudi- led coalition to support legitimacy in Yemen.
Shercliff said that his country is seeking to attract international players to find solutions to achieve peace and cooperate with the coalition forces, in collaboration with the UN Security Council.
He noted that his country continues to provide political support for the military action of the Saudi-led coalition
My comment: Britain is warring party in Yemen and is closely linked to Saudi Arabia. As peace broker, it’s really disqualified.
(* C)
Launch of DECLASSIFIED
I am about to publish on this site hundreds of UK declassified documents and articles on British foreign policy towards various countries. This will be the first time such a collection has been brought together online.
The declassified documents, mainly from the UK’s National Archives, reveal British policy-makers actual concerns and priorities from the 1940s until the present day, from the ‘horse’s mouth’, as it were: these files are often revelatory and provide an antidote to the often misleading and false mainstream media (and academic) coverage of Britain’s past and present foreign policies.
The documents include my collections of files, accumulated over many years and used as a basis for several books, on episodes such as the UK’s covert war in Yemen in the 1960s, the UK’s support for the Pinochet coup in Chile, the UK’s ‘constitutional coup’ in Guyana, the covert wars in Indonesia in the 1950s, the UK’s backing for wars against the Iraqi Kurds in the 1960s, the coup in Oman in 1970, support for the Idi Amin takeover in Uganda and many other policies since 1945.
But the collection also brings together many other declassified documents by listing dozens of media articles that have been written on the release of declassified files over the years. It also points to some US document releases from the US National Security Archive.
This collection is a beginning. It provides a snapshot only of the true history of British foreign policy since 1945 – by Mark Curtis
http://markcurtis.info/2018/01/17/launch-of-declassified/
cp11 Deutschland / Germany
Siehe / Look at cp1
(* B K P)
Rüstungsexporte in Krisengebiete laut Bericht so hoch wie nie
Einem ARD-Bericht zufolge hat die große Koalition so viele Waffen in Krisengebiete verkauft wie noch nie. Damit hätte vor allem die SPD ihr Versprechen nicht gehalten.
Mit 3,8 Milliarden Euro lag die Genehmigungssumme im Jahr 2017 noch einmal leicht über dem Wert des Vorjahres mit 3,7 Milliarden, wie aus einer Antwort des Wirtschaftsministeriums auf eine Anfrage der Linksfraktion im Bundestag hervor geht, die dem ARD-Hauptstadtstudio vorliegt.
http://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2018-01/waffenexporte-ruestungsexporte-deutschland-krisengebiete-rekordhoch und http://www.fr.de/politik/ard-mehr-ruestungsexporte-in-krisengebiete-a-1432586
und
(AK P)
Kritik an Rüstungsexporten: "Moralische Verkommenheit"
Die Bundesregierung hat so viele Rüstungsexporte in Spannungsgebiete genehmigt wie noch nie - und erntet dafür Kritik. Die Linkspartei spricht von "moralischer Verkommenheit", die Grünen von "Bankrotterklärung".
http://www.tagesschau.de/inland/ruestungsexporte-drittstaaten-103.html
(A K P)
Exportstopp: Landtag debattiert über Peenewerft
Die Lage der Wolgaster Peene-Werft beschäftigt heute den Landtag in seiner ersten Sitzung des Jahres. Anlass ist das Sondierungspapier von Union und SPD. Beide Seiten wollen einen Rüstungsexpert-Stopp in Länder, die am Krieg im Jemen beteiligt sind. Betroffen ist auch die zur Bremer Lürssen-Gruppe gehörende Peene-Werft mit ihren 300 Mitarbeitern. Die Schiffbauer in Vorpommern fertigen insgesamt 48 Patrouillenboote für die saudische Küstenwache. Der offenbar 1,5 Milliarden Euro schwere Auftrag ist seit langem umstritten, wegen der schwierigen Menschenrechtslage in dem Golfstaat und jüngst seiner Beteiligung am Krieg im Jemen.
und
(A K P)
Lürssen wartet Berliner Koalitionsgespräche ab
Die Bremer Werftengruppe Lürssen will sich derzeit nicht zu möglichen Konsequenzen äußern, die sich aus dem von der Bundesregierung verhängten Stopp von Rüstungsexporten an die am Jemen-Krieg (die OZ berichtete) beteiligten Länder.
http://www.ostsee-zeitung.de/Thema/W/Werften/Luerssen-wartet-Berliner-Koalitionsgespraeche-ab
(* B K P)
Keine Waffen mehr für Saudi-Arabien
"Wir können ja nicht nur jeden Tag beklagen, was im Jemen passiert", verteidigte Bundesaußenminister Sigmar Gabriel diesen von den SPD-Unterhändlern durchgesetzten Beschluss gegen Kritiker. Schließlich habe man es dort mit der weltweit größten humanitären Katastrophe zu tun.
Es ist höchste Zeit, diesen Wahnsinn zu beenden. Es reicht nicht, zur Beruhigung des eigenen Gewissens Hilfsgelder auf den Weg zu bringen. Ein Exportstopp für Waffen, wie ihn auch das Europäische Parlament verlangt, ist überfällig. Er wird nicht einfach durchzusetzen sein. Der überraschende Satz im Sondierungspapier einer neuen großen Koalition eröffnet jedoch eine Chance.
Allerdings muss er ernst genommen, das heißt: ins nächste Regierungsprogramm übernommen werden. Das "derzeit" des Regierungssprechers, das die Entscheidung befristet, keine Rüstungsausfuhren in Länder zu genehmigen, die am Jemen-Krieg beteiligt sind, muss auf Dauer gestellt werden.
Und präzisiert werden muss der Satz auch. Was heißt "Beteiligung"? Etliche Mitglieder der Vereinigten Arabischen Emirate gehören der von den Saudis geführten Allianz nur auf dem Papier an, besonders Katar. Die entscheidenden Kriterien sollten eine Beteiligung am Luftkrieg oder an der Hafenblockade sein. Aber was machen wir dann mit dem Nato-Verbündeten USA? – von Theo Sommer
und
(A K P)
Film: Bundesregierung will "Beteiligte" am Krieg im Jemen nicht nennen
Die Bundesregierung hat versprochen, dass man keine Waffen mehr an Länder liefern will, die am Krieg im Jemen beteiligt sind. Nur stellt sich die Frage: Wer sind diese „Beteiligten“ neben den Saudis? Die USA setzen im Jemen Navy-Seal-Teams ein und führen Drohnenangriffe durch – wird also nun nicht mehr an die USA Rüstung geliefert? Es wird geschwiegen. Auch wer die „Beteiligten“, also die Kriegsteilnehmer, überhaupt sind, wird nicht beantwortet..
Ausschnitt aus der BPK vom 22. Januar 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4nB0ikaYIM
und
(* B K P)
Kein Ende der Waffengeschäfte
Union und SPD wollen keine Rüstungslieferungen an Staaten zulassen, die im Jemen Krieg führen. Doch die Herstellerfirmen werden ihre Waren weiter los
Ist nun also endlich Schluss damit, dass deutsche Rüstungsfirmen ihr todbringendes Gerät in kriegführende Staaten im Nahen und Mittleren Osten verscherbeln?
Die Antwort auf diese Frage ist ein klares Nein – und zwar auch dann, wenn eine künftige große Koalition an der erwähnten Festlegung der Sondierungsgespräche festhalten und Saudi-Arabien, die Vereinigten Arabischen Emirate, Ägypten und weitere Länder tatsächlich mit einem wirksamen Rüstungsexportstopp belegen sollte. Wie deutsche Rüstungsfirmen auch in Zukunft ihre Produkte in Krisen- und Kriegsgebiete liefern werden, hat in der vergangenen Woche eine ARD-Dokumentation gezeigt. Die Journalisten Philipp Grüll und Karl Hoffmann konnten belegen, dass der Düsseldorfer Rheinmetall-Konzern Bomben etwa an Saudi-Arabien nicht von Deutschland aus verkauft, sondern über seine Tochterfirma RWM Italia.
Der Trick, die Produktion für heikle Kunden an einen Standort im Ausland zu verlagern, um Ärger mit der deutschen Rüstungsexportkontrolle zu vermeiden, macht längst Schule. Beispiele bieten die Schusswaffenhersteller.
Rüstungslieferungen über Auslandsstandorte sind nicht alles, was deutsche Waffenschmieden sich einfallen lassen, um Krisen- und Kriegsgebiete zu beliefern. Rheinmetall etwa nutzt seine 2008 in Südafrika gegründete Tochterfirma Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) um ganze Munitionsfabriken zu verkaufen. Die erste von ihnen nahm 2010 in den Vereinigten Arabischen Emiraten die Produktion auf. Im selben Jahr bewarb sich RDM um den Bau einer weiteren Munitionsfabrik in Saudi-Arabien, erhielt schließlich den Auftrag – und konnte das Werk, in dem unter anderem Artilleriemunition sowie 500- bis 2.000-Pfund-Bomben für die Royal Saudi Air Force gefertigt werden, im März 2016 eröffnen. Neben der knappen Viertelmilliarde, die der Bau des Werkes einbrachte, kassiert RDM dort auch weiterhin – über Zulieferungen und über Dienstleistungen für die saudische Fabrik.
https://www.jungewelt.de/artikel/325870.kein-ende-der-waffengesch%C3%A4fte.html
(A H)
DEG spendet für die Menschen im Jemen
Die Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter der DEG waren eingeladen, abzustimmen, wofür die Weihnachtsspende 2017 bestimmt sein sollte. Die Wahl fiel auf die Nothilfe im Jemen durch "Aktion Deutschland Hilft", einem Bündnis deutscher Hilfsorganisationen.
https://www.deginvest.de/Internationale-Finanzierung/DEG/Presse/News/News-Details_453120.html
(A H)
Realschüler unterstützen Ärzte ohne Grenzen
Neusässer organisieren Ausstellung und sammeln knapp 600 Euro
(B H)
"Mein Geld habe ich für Sprachkurse gespart"
Talal Al-Tarek sitzt entspannt im Ausbildungsraum der Stadtwerke Kiel. Er hat Feierabend, fährt gleich mit dem Bus nach Hause, in seine Wohnung in Kiel-Gaarden. Mittlerweile eine Selbstverständlichkeit für den 23-Jährigen, der im Oktober 2014 aus seiner Heimat nach Deutschland geflohen ist. Bis der gebürtige Jemenit aber die Ausbildung als Elektrotechniker in Kiel anfangen konnte, musste er sich durch viel deutsche Bürokratie kämpfen und zahlreiche Absagen hinnehmen
cp12 Andere Länder / Other countries
(A K P)
Finland: All presidential candidates would halt arms exports to UAE
All eight presidential candidates expressed their reservations about the export of arms from Finland to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in an election debate hosted in Sanomatalo, Helsinki, on Tuesday by Helsingin Sanomat and Ilta-Sanomat.
(A H K P)
Malaysian Armed Forces to provide humanitarian assistance in Yemen
Malaysian Armed Forces will remain in Saudi Arabia to provide necessary assistance and facilitate aid to a beleaguered Yemen.
Malaysian troops who are based in Riyadh initial task was to provide assistance and facilitate the evacuations of Malaysians in Yemen.
"However, in light of the current situation, I have instructed the Malaysian Armed Forces to remain in the Kingdom, for the sole purpose of providing humanitarian assistance and possibly contribute to rebuilding efforts in Yemen if required.
"Additionally, Malaysia had taken a proactive step to engage the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center and contribute in any way we can," he said in statement today
Hishammuddin earlier attended the emergency meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Member States of the Coalition Supporting the Legitimacy in Yemen.
My comment: Malaysia is assisting the Saudis and hardly any Yemeni.
(A P)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that the Yemeni crisis has worsened due to the “domestic conflict in [Yemen] with the involvement of the Arab coalition” during a meeting with Hadi government Foreign Minister Abdul Malik al Mikhlafi on January 22. [2]
(A P)
Lavrov: Parties in Yemen should go over from military action to talks
The Russian top diplomat hopes that "an extremely difficult humanitarian situation will prompt everyone to go over from military action to negotiations"
Moscow expects all parties to the Yemeni conflict to go over from combat actions to negotiations and a political settlement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a meeting with his Yemeni counterpart Abdulmalik Al-Mekhlafi on Monday.
http://tass.com/politics/986212
cp12a Katar-Krise / Qatar crisis
(* A P)
Gulf crisis turns Qatar into the ‘region’s Israel’
Prominent US constitutional lawyer and scholar Alan M. Dershowitz raised eyebrows when he described Qatar as “the Israel of the Gulf states.”
Known for his hard-line pro-Israel views, Mr. Dershowitz drew his conclusion following an all-expenses paid trip to the Gulf state. Mr. Dershowitz argued that Qatar like Israel was “surrounded by enemies, subject to boycotts and unrealistic demands, and struggling for its survival.” – by James M. Dorsey
http://moderndiplomacy.eu/2018/01/21/gulf-crisis-turns-qatar-regions-israel/
cp13a Waffenhandel / Arms trade
Siehe cp1, cp11 (Deutschland) / Look at cp1, cp11 (Germany)
(A K P)
Australia must follow Germany’s lead and ban arms sales to Saudi Arabia over Yemen conflict
Greens Defence spokesperson, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, welcomes the leadership of Angela Merkel in announcing a ban on all arms sales from Germany to any combatant in the Saudi Arabia – Yemen conflict and calls upon Australia to follow suit.
Senator Whish-Wilson said, “The Saudi blockade and bombing of Yemen is an artificially manufactured humanitarian disaster of unimaginable scale and Australia shouldn’t be profiting from selling military equipment of any kind that contributes to such abject human misery.
https://peter-whish-wilson.greensmps.org.au/dontprofitfromwantondestruction
(* B K P)
Le bombe fabbricate tra gli ulivi della Sardegna
È questo il contesto da tenere presente se si vuole capire qualcosa in più di Domusnovas, tornata al centro dell’attenzione nazionale perché ospita l’azienda Rwm, parte del gruppo tedesco Rheinmetall defense, che fabbrica ed esporta armi in tutto il mondo. A sollevare nuove polemiche è stato un video del New York Times che mostra alcuni ordigni prodotti in Sardegna e venduti all’Arabia Saudita, che a sua volta li utilizza nella guerra nello Yemen.
Il sindaco Massimiliano Ventura, già dalla prima telefonata tira in ballo la Rwm: “Te lo dico subito, io sto dalla parte dei posti di lavoro”. E aggiunge: “Su questa cosa sono pronto a fare le barricate”.
Lo incontro la mattina del 5 gennaio e di persona è ancora più netto: “Parliamoci chiaro, lo sappiamo tutti cosa produce la Rwm e nessuno è contento di quello che succede nello Yemen, ma alla riconversione non ci credo”.
[Italian bombs on #Yemen: this is where they come from
(in Italian)]
https://www.internazionale.it/reportage/enrico-pitzianti/2018/01/15/domusnovas-rwm-bombe-yemen
(* A K P)
Export armi: Italia non dice a chi le vende. Segreti anche con Onu
Da nove anni l’Italia non invia informazioni all'Unroca, cioè al Registro delle Nazioni Unite sulle armi convenzionali. E al Segretariato dell’Att di Ginevra non fornisce la lista dei paesi a cui esporta gli armamenti
[Italian bombs have fallen on #Yemen. In the meantime, for the past nine years, Italy has not sent information to the UNROC, the UN Register on Conventional Weapons. Top secret are also the client countries list.
https://www.osservatoriodiritti.it/2018/01/23/armi-esportazioni-italia-onu/
(A K P)
Amnesty International Canada secretary-general Alex Neve called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to join Germany in condemning what Saudi Arabia is doing in Yemen.
"Canada must now follow Germany's lead by cancelling the $15-billion light armoured vehicles deal with Saudi Arabia”
cp13b Mercenaries / Söldner
(* B K)
Report: Saudi Regime to Hire Mercenaries from Latin America as Defeat Looms in Yemen War
Although Saudi Arabia since the beginning of its war in March 2015 hired a large number of mercenaries from different countries for combat operations, the latest news talk about the Riyadh’s intention to build an all-foreign mercenary army.
The heavy casualties along with the heavy costs of the war which foist large-scale budget deficit on the national Saudi economy make it clear that the kingdom’s leaders cannot go on with the confrontation anymore. So, the decision-makers in the absolutely-ruled Arab monarchy have decided to partly pull out their forces from the battlegrounds and replace them with retired forces from a set of Latin American states. Revelations maintain that Riyadh aims to pay the mercenary fighters between $4,000 and $5,000 on a monthly basis to fight the war in Yemen. Reports suggest that the kingdom’s plan targets nearly 10,000 of those retired army personnel who in their countries receive just $250 pension per month. The MSNBC noted that by this way, the Saudis are making an undeclared withdrawal from Yemen. Earlier in 2015, reports came out to maintain that the United Arab Emirates, also a party in the anti-Yemeni war, paid Colombian mercenaries to fight beside its troops on the ground.
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13961104000911 = http://en.abna24.com/news/report/report-saudi-regime-to-hire-mercenaries-from-latin-america-as-defeat-looms-in-yemen-war_878926.html
My comment: As claimed by anti-Saudi media. The Saudis already took mercenaries from Southern America before.
(A K)
[Killed Sudanese; photos]
https://twitter.com/narrabyee/status/954954590218223616
cp13c Wirtschaft / Economy
(A E P)
Official Fx for Central Bank of Yemen
1 US$ = 250 YR
http://www.centralbank.gov.ye/ReportExchange.aspx?keyid=50
My comment: This is far from the reality of the market. – Which Central Bank (Sanaa or Aden) actually is in control of this website?
(* B E P)
As Yemeni riyal is in free fall, worst may be yet to come
Although it was announced Jan. 17 that Saudi King Salman had instructed that $2 billion be deposited at the Central Bank of Yemen to prop up the riyal, it is still up to the Yemeni government and the bank's administration to implement sound economic policies to tackle the crisis and make the most of this humble deposit. It is the central bank's responsibility to provide importers, first and foremost, and commercial banks with hard currency to mitigate the influence of the black market in dictating the riyal's exchange rate, but the riyal is expected to decline even more against the dollar in coming days. It is very unlikely that the riyal will recover to its prewar value.
The stark depreciation of the riyal will have immense, long-term effects on the distribution of wealth in this already poor country
https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2018/01/yemen-riyal-drop-value-economy-war.html
(* A E P)
Reports: US dollar again rose vs Yemeni rial on Sunday after it fell in past 2 days following a $2bl Saudi deposit in Central Bank of Yemen. Well the crux of problem lies in incompetent management of our bank, Govt being in exile & continued shutdown of oil & gas investments.
https://twitter.com/FuadRajeh/status/955206969580773383
(* B E P)
My reading list always included #Yemen Central Bank reports, issued promptly each month. The last set issued was in January 2015. We need YCB governor Dr Al Hammam back in charge, before this Yemeni monetary disaster goes terminal.
This has to be agreed to between all warring Yemeni parties: Politicizing #Yemen's Central Bank into its looming oblivion does not benefit any of you, and is a betrayal of all Yemenis.
https://twitter.com/BaFana3/status/955053171042406400 referring to http://www.centralbank.gov.ye/newslettar.aspx?KeyID=48&pid=46&lang=1&cattype=6
cp14 Terrorismus / Terrorism
(A T)
This is significant. New 15 page essay by #AQAP #Yemen Sheikh Abu al-Bara' al-Ibbi inadvertently implies 2 important points: 1 #AQAP is finding it hard to keep tribal support esp in al-Bayda' 2 Women caught up in US Navy Seals Yakla raid in Jan were #alQaeda-linked (p.6)
https://twitter.com/Dr_E_Kendall/status/955823640641228800
(A T)
Senior Yemen Qaeda leader calls for knife and car attacks on Jews
A senior leader of al Qaeda’s Yemen branch has called for knife and car attacks on Jews in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the U.S. SITE monitoring group said on Tuesday.
Citing a video recording by Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula’s al-Malahem media foundation, SITE said that Khaled Batarfi, believed to be the number two man in AQAP after Qassim al-Raymi, also warned that no Muslim had the right to cede any part of Jerusalem.
and
(A T)
Forthcoming #AQAP #Yemen video: Our Duty Towards Our Jerusalem. 1st Batarfi message since Oct. I've listened to a pre-release: More virulently anti-US/Jew than usual. But positions #jihad as global since US embassy decision stems from prior policies of UK, France & Arab agents (images; thread)
https://twitter.com/Dr_E_Kendall/status/955178437819486208
https://twitter.com/MaherFarrukh/status/955797451214086144
cp15 Propaganda
(* A P)
WaPo Editor Blames Lack of US Leadership for Famine Caused by US Leadership
“American leadership” is one of a long list of vague, seemingly benign pseudo-concepts our media throw around to justify increased spending on soft power and military adventurism. It’s a difficult concept to pin down, but it’s almost always presented as something the United States is “failing” to do when it doesn’t “engage” the world with enough war, sanctions or arbitrarily applied human rights scolding.
Lamenting a “lack of American leadership” is, therefore, a time-honored Serious Person cliche for those operating at major US papers, and one Washington Post deputy editorial page editor Jackson Diehl phoned in Sunday with his op-ed “Genocide, Famine and a Democratic Retreat—All After One Year of US Inaction” (1/21/17).
The piece began with a bizarre inversion of reality:
https://fair.org/home/wapo-editor-blames-lack-of-us-leadership-for-famine-caused-by-us-leadership/
(A P)
Saudi Ambassador to Yemen, Arab Coalition Spokesman Explain Aspects of Humanitarian Operations, in Yemen
Saudi Ambassador to Yemen, who is also the Director of Comprehensive Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, in Yemen, Mohammed bin Saeed Al Jaber and the Spokesman of the Arab Coalition Forces for the Support of Legitimacy, in Yemen, Colonel Turki Al-Malki held a meeting here today, to explain aspects of humanitarian operations, in Yemen, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the presence of a number of ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corps, aiming to meet the humanitarian needs of the Yemeni people, delivering of all shipments and oil derivatives to all Yemen regions, including Sana'a and Hodeidah.
The humanitarian plan does not only target returning of trade flows and the humanitarian situations before November 6, but also achieving levels of goods flow and significant improvement, in various aspects of life, in Yemen, they said, stressing that among the most the goals of the plan, taking into account the serious threat being posed by Iranian- backed Houthi coup militias to the security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the countries of the region and the vital waterways of international trade, as the Houthis militias fired more than 250 ballistic missiles, more than 80 of them targeting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
http://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=1712753
(A P)
Saudi Arabia's support for Yemeni people ‘will help them to cope with economic burdens’
The Saudi Cabinet has lauded King Salman’s directives to deposit $2 billion in the Yemeni Central Bank, bringing total Saudi deposits in the account to $3 billion.
Chaired by King Salman at Al-Yamamah Palace on Tuesday, the Cabinet said this step comes as an extension of the Kingdom’s support for the Yemeni people. It will alleviate their sufferings and help them to cope with economic burdens caused by the crimes of the Iranian-backed Houthi militias that have plundered the country and its revenues.
In addition, the Cabinet welcomed the comprehensive humanitarian aid plan announced by the meeting of the Arab coalition supporting the legitimacy in Yemen, recently held in Riyadh, that included the contribution of $1.5 billion by coalition member countries. This constitutes more than 50 percent of the humanitarian aid program to Yemen announced by the UN for the current year.
http://www.arabnews.com/node/1231866/saudi-arabia and similar http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/526833/SAUDI-ARABIA/Aid-to-help-Yemenis-overcome-suffering
(A P)
Coalition stands firmly behind Yemen
The UAE and Saudi Arabia are committed to putting the country back together, aiding our Arab brothers
Before Al Houthi rebels and their Iranian backers threw unrelenting violence, political turbulence and widespread chaos into the volatile mix of Yemen, it was already the most vulnerable and poorest Arab nation. And for the past three years, since Al Houthis overthrew the legitimate government and administration of President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi, an international coalition of nations led by Saudi Arabia — and in which the UAE is proud to be playing a leading role — acting on resolutions from the United Nations Security Council, is putting Yemen back together again.
The level of material aid, training, expertise and weaponry provided to Al Houthis by Iran has allowed this rebel militia to punch above its weight, spreading discord, unrest and febrile conditions where other terrorist groups can thrive, and where humanitarian challenges mount for every Yemeni on a daily basis. While the coalition is making steady and widespread progress on the battlefield, the humanitarian conditions posed by a broken infrastructure and poor sanitary circumstances make for a far more challenging enterprise.
Throughout, both the UAE and Saudi Arabia have pledged financial support for Yemen when the conflict is done, funding that will ensure Yemen can thrive under the peace and stability denied to it by Al Houthis and their Republican Guard masters
http://gulfnews.com/opinion/editorials/coalition-stands-firmly-behind-yemen-1.2161751
My comment: A full propaganda roundup again.
(A P)
Arab Coalition Countries Supporting Legitimacy, in Yemen, Kicks off, at foreign minister level
Meetings of Arab Coalition Supporting the Legitimacy, in Yemen, kicked off here tonight to review a plan on comprehensive humanitarian operations, to back up UN affiliate humanitarian organizations' workings, in the country.
At the outset of the meetings, Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir welcomed the audience.
As you know, he stated, our countries, especially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, have provided Yemen with a lot of assistance worth as many as $900 million, while in the few past years, Saudi aid to Yemen exceeded more than $8 billion, drawing attention that the Kingdom territories have been targeted by over than 90 Iranian made ballistic missiles, launched by the Iranian-backed Houthis, in addition to as many as another 250 ballistic missiles that targeted Yemeni towns and villages, alike.
Al-Jubeir confirmed that the Houthi militias shall be hold responsible for wreaking havoc, in Yemen, adding that they are keeping their old practices of looting humanitarian aid and hampering delivering it to the needy beneficiaries.
http://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=1712356
My comment: the fact that the part of Yemen which is housing ¾ of the population has been ravaged by Saudi air strikes simply is not mentioned. All Saudi “assistance” is trifles compared to these air raids. And all these Houthi missiles Jubeir is lamenting about are trifles as well compared to the Saudi air raids, Looking at all the ruins caused by these air raids, you really see who is “wreaking havoc, in Yemen”.
And thus, there is the “We are benefactors” propaganda:
(A P)
Russia Welcomes Arab Coalition’s Humanitarian Measures in Yemen
Moscow welcomed on Monday the humanitarian steps taken by the Arab Coalition in Yemen and underlined the need for a political solution to the crisis in the country.
“Russia welcomes the decision of the Arab coalition to ease the blockade of the Yemeni port of Al Hudaidah, the only transport route that connects the country’s main city and northern provinces with the outside world,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during a joint news conference on Monday with Yemen’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdul-Malik Al-Mekhlafi in Moscow.
and
(A P)
VIDEO: 3 #RSAF C-130H loaded with aid supplies were the first to land in #Safer, following the #Saudi-led coalition announcement of additional $1.5 billion of humanitarian assistance to #Yemen.
https://twitter.com/MbKS15/status/955480216427814912
https://twitter.com/MbKS15/status/955517752831369216
https://twitter.com/MbKS15/status/955742850305622016
https://twitter.com/MbKS15/status/955882848224993281
(A P)
Will Iran learn from past mistakes of other regimes?
Several factors that led to the fall of the Roman Empire, can clearly be seen in the problems now facing the Iranian regime.
When the Roman Empire was close to collapse, it had been notching up victories in foreign wars, while at home economic stagnation had taken hold, political corruption was rife, and as a result of the administration’s money wasting, much of which came in the form of military spending, the poor had taken the brunt of the country’s woes, and as a result, serious civil disturbances had broken out across the land.
My comment: LOL. The article starts with a perfect description of the late Roman Empire today’s Saudi Arabia.
(A P)
Jeddah Ministerial Meeting Calls on Iran to Stop Fueling Sectarianism
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir reiterated the Kingdom’s accusations that Iran was still supplying arms and missiles to the Houthi militias in Yemen, adding that it was stoking sectarianism in the region.
"The Iranian regime still continues to smuggle weapons and missiles to the Houthi militias in Yemen with the aim of attacking the Kingdom, its people and its vital interests,” he said during the emergency meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah on Sunday, which was held upon the request of Saudi Arabia.
The minister said that the firing of Iranian ballistic missiles from Yemen demonstrates that the regime is continuing in its aggressive approach of supporting terrorism and blatant interference in the affairs of regional countries.
My comment: There hardly can be more “sectarianism” than Wahabism.
(A P)
Iran continues to back Houthis, Saudi FM tells OIC
The Iranian regime continues to smuggle weapons and rockets to the Houthi militias in Yemen with the aim of attacking the Kingdom, its people and vital interests, said Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir.
“The Kingdom has so far provided $10.2 billion worth of humanitarian assistance to Yemen,” said Al-Jubeir.
OIC Secretary-General Yousef Al-Othaimeen condemned the actions of the Houthi militia and its refusal to respond positively to the UN and regional efforts to resolve the crisis in Yemen through peaceful means.
Al-Othaimeen expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia and backed all the actions taken by the Kingdom to protect its land.
http://www.arabnews.com/node/1230711/saudi-arabia
My comment: The old Iranian arms smuggle-story again. – And, let’s say for sure: The Yemen war at all has nothing to do with “actions taken by the Kingdom to protect its land”.
(A P)
Yemen PM thanks Kingdom for saving economy
Yemen Prime Minister Ahmed Obaid bin Daghr thanked the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for saving the Yemeni economy from collapsing.
It followed a directive issued by King Salman to deposit $2 billion with the Central Bank of Yemen.
http://www.arabnews.com/node/1230271/middle-east
My comment: “For saving economy”? LOL. By bombing everything into rubble??
(A P)
Sanaa’s Commodity-Stacked Markets Suffer Customer Purchase Power Crisis
Commodity prices in the Yemeni Houthi-run capital, Sanaa, have not shown signs of improvement when coupled with the currency recovery after the Saudi deposit, local traders and shoppers reported.
Touring the capital's shops and some of its markets reveals ample supplies yet without any customers.
More so, service shops seem to only exchange business with members of the Houthi-run coup exclusively.
Locals, speaking under the condition of anonymity, said they are living a dark era during the Houthi coup.
Residents described the Yemeni capital to be the Sanaa they have always known if you look past the coup-imposed visual distortion chanting a ‘Khomeini death curse’.
The markets are dark, the streets are full of loss, the curiosity of passers-by eyeing the buildings shows promise to save the city from militias.
My comment: Odd Saudi propaganda ascribing the effects of Saudi blockade and the destruction of the economy (mostly bay Saudi air raids) and the lack of payment (mostly thanks to Hadi government’s central bank maneuvers) to the Houthis.
Comment: Well there are many reasons for customer purchase power crisis - and Saudi Arabia's embargo and Hadi's decision to move the Central Bank are two of them. Not that I support the Houthis. But they don't have much power to change things - the money they raise in taxes is used for the expensive war - just like Saudi Arabia's wealth
https://www.facebook.com/judith.brown.794628/posts/10156312009528641
(A P)
World is silent as Houthis continue targeting Saudi Arabia with Iranian missiles
The international community remains silent to Iran’s dangerous games in the region. It is ignoring Iran’s blatant interference in Yemen, and continued support for the Houthis by supplying them with sophisticated weapons, including ballistic missiles that are being used against Saudi Arabia, which is leading the mission to restore the legitimate government in Yemen.
The Houthis' plan to target populated Saudi cities is continuing without any respite. The latest of these attacks was on Saturday when the Houthis fired a missile from Yemen’s Saada Province. It was intercepted over Najran.
According to political analysts, Iran has gone crossed all the red lines in its mission to smuggle modern weapons to the Houthi militant group
The firing of ballistic missiles at populated towns and villages is a clear violation of international law.
Despite calls by Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the US to hold Iran accountable for violating UN resolutions, the international community has remained silent, as if it has nothing to do with it. Such an indifferent attitude would only encourage Iran to spread its hegemony over the region and move freely to threaten the security of the region and the world.
http://alriyadhdaily.com/article/0e69b2bf047a4a289710b9128c7a501d
My comment: Iran has little to do with the Houthis’ actions. For more, look at comment to the following article.
(A P)
Bahraini Minister of Information Denounces Iran-backed Houthi Terrorism
Bahraini Information Affairs Minister Ali al-Romaihi denounced recurrent Houthi attacks targeting cities in Saudi Arabia with tens of Iran-made ballistic missiles in a dangerous escalation aimed to undermine the security of the kingdom, the Gulf and the Arab countries. He indicated that the Houthi attacks were a flagrant violation of all international and humanitarian conventions.
Speaking to Asharq al-Awsat, Romaihi praised the Royal Saudi Air Defence Forces, their advanced systems and military services in thwarting Houthi terrorist attacks, including the recent ballistic missile attack on Najran city that was intercepted.
My comment: Odd propaganda. Why the Houthi missile attacks should be a “dangerous escalation “, when there are Saudi coalition air raids on Yemen? – If he tells “Houthi attacks were a flagrant violation of all international and humanitarian conventions”; what about the Saudi air raids, which have a much much more horrible effect?? – If he labels these Houthi attacks as “terrorist attacks”, then the Saudi coalition air raids are even much more “terroristic”.
cp16 Saudische Luftangriffe / Saudi air raids
(* A K PH)
Saudi coalition air raids day by day
(* B K)
Film. This is done by Saudi pilots but they are firing US-made missiles from US-made jets that are refueled
This is done by Saudi pilots but they are firing US-made missiles from US-made jets that are refueled & repaired by US personnel. They have also targeted water infrastructure, a critical reason that 1,000,000 Yemeni people have cholera. The UK is also complicit.
https://www.facebook.com/StopTheWarOnYemen/videos/802229009947297/ = https://www.facebook.com/StopTheWarOnYemen/videos/vb.319595141544022/802229009947297/?type=2
(* A K PH)
At least 13 Yemeni civilians were killed and three wounded on Tuesday when the US-backed Saudi-led aggression coalition launched airstrikes on Saada province, a security official told Saba.
The airstrikes of Saudi-led aggression coalition hit and damaged a civilian's home and two cars on the main road of Munabeh district.
Also the warplanes launched four strikes on Aal-Sabhan area of Baqem district
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485641.htm
(* A K PH)
3 hours ago ,while a family of 13 people were eating in their home in Menabeh area #Saada ,suddenly 2 #Saudi air strikes targeted the house and killed the whole family and injured 3 people were outside the house #Yemen
https://twitter.com/AhmadAlgohbary/status/955905448376438785
and
(* A K PH)
Saudi aggression airstrike kills eight civilians in Saada
At least eight civilians were killed and wounded, including children and women on Tuesday by US-backed Saudi aggression airstrike on a citizen car in Saada province, an official told Saba.
The official said that the aggression warplanes targeted the citizen car in Al Ali area of Razeh border district, killing eight citizens, including four children and two women.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485611.htm and http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485649.htm
film: https://www.facebook.com/Hona.Almasirah/videos/1784396971591359/ = https://twitter.com/Hona_Almasirah/status/955933872088338437
(* A K PH)
Nine killed in Saudi-led air strike in Yemen
At least nine civilians, including four children, were killed in a Saudi-led coalition air strike in northern Yemen on Tuesday, residents and medics said
Residents said an aircraft struck a vehicle traveling in the Aal Ali region of Razeh district in western Saada province, an area of confrontation between government forces loyal to Hadi and the Houthis.
Apart from those killed, three people were wounded, including two who were being treated at a local hospital, medics said.
“We take this report very seriously and it will be fully investigated as all reports of this nature are,” a spokesman for the coalition said. “Whilst this is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
My comment: The Saudi reaction is as odd as always.
(A K PH)
Second Family-member killed in Saudi airstrike on Yemen's Saada
A man and his wife were killed on Monday when the US-backed Saudi-led aggression coalition warplane launched a raid on Sohar district of Saada province, a security official told Saba.
A woman, in her seventh month of pregnancy, and her husband were killed when the Saudi airstrike destroyed their homes in Azqul area
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485534.htm
film: https://www.facebook.com/Hona.Almasirah/videos/1783304318367291/ = https://twitter.com/Hona_Almasirah/status/955580967871238145
(* A K PH)
Report: 9 civilians killed, 6 injured in 37 Saudi aggression airstrikes, attacks on Yemen during one day
At least nine civilians were killed, including children, and six wounded when the US-backed Saudi-led coalition aggression waged over 37 airstrikes and ground attacks on several provinces of Yemen over the last 24 hours, a according to reports combined by Saba on Tuesday.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485571.htm
(A K PS)
UAE Air Force strike kills several Houthis
Planes in support mission as Yemeni government forces press on to the Hayes district of Yemen
The UAE Armed Forces has struck a military vehicle belonging to the Iranian-backed Houthis in the Yemeni district of Hayes.
A number of the Houthi militia were killed, while their vehicle carrying weapons and ammunition, was destroyed.
https://www.thenational.ae/uae/uae-air-force-strike-kills-several-houthis-1.697927
(A K PH)
2 Saudi airstrikes hit Yemen's TV
US-Saudi aggression coalition warplanes launched two airstrikes on the state television station in the capital Sanaa on Monday morning, a security official told Saba.
The strikes hit the TV building, damaging the building, nearby residents' homes and shops
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485477.htm and film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCticWpmouk
(* A K PS)
Arab Coalition strikes kill more than 30 Houthis in Yemen
The Arab Coalition forces, led by Saudi Arabia and supported by the UAE Armed Forces, has launched air strikes on the Hayes Front, killing more than 30 of the Iranian-backed Houthi militia, including prominent leaders.
http://wam.ae/en/details/1395302661634
(* A K PH)
7-member family killed in Saudi airstrike on Yemen's Saada
At least seven members of a family, including five children, were killed on Monday morning when a US-backed Saudi aggression airstrike hit the family's home in northern province of Saada, a security official told Saba.
The family, including father, mother and five children, were killed in Masaebah area of Sehar district.
Five others were wounded in the air attack, the official added.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485476.htm and by Xinhua http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-01/22/c_136915389.htm
and names of victim and injured (in Arabic)
[the children killed: 5 months, 1 year, 4 years, 6 years, 7 years; the children injured: 8, 11, 13 years]
films: https://www.facebook.com/Hona.Almasirah/videos/1783289338368789/ = https://twitter.com/Hona_Almasirah/status/955579597025923072
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvA3Toz47WI (Ruptly)
and
(* A K)
Saudi-led air strike kills seven Yemenis: residents
Saudi-led coalition aircraft on Monday struck a building in northern Yemen that housed a clinic, killing seven people, five of them children, residents said, the latest in a series of raids that have drawn international condemnation.
and
(* A K PH)
Massacre of the day, committed by the Saudis and their allies in Yemen, this time in Sahar Sa'ada province, where a medical center and a near by house were targeted by a Saudi war plane killing at least 7 people and injuring 5 others, most of them were children.
https://www.facebook.com/jamil.alabiad.9/posts/2032274893685197
and
(* A K PH)
At least seven killed after Saudi jets bomb Yemen’s Sa’ada
Saudi warplanes have conducted fresh airstrikes against the impoverished country of Yemen, leaving seven people, including five children and a woman, dead and five others injured in the northwestern Province of Sa’ada.
According to Yemen's Arabic-language al-Masirah television network, the air raids hit a house in Sahar district of Sa’ada on Monday.
Al-Masirah reported that the death toll is expected to rise due to the severity of the injuries. It said rescue and recovery operations were still ongoing.
The Saudi fighter jets also carried out seven airstrikes on Mahdah area near Sa’ada but there were no immediate reports of casualties.
http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2018/01/22/549755/Saudi-jets-Yemen-Saada
(* A K PH)
More air strikes recorded on:
Jan. 23:
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485664.htm Marib prov., hitting own militia
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485660.htm Marib prov.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485570.htm Saada prov.
Jan. 22:
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485558.htm Jizan prov.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485556.htm Saada prov.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485552.htm Jawf prov.
Jan. 21:
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485462.htm Saada prov.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485460.htm Nehm, Sanaa prov.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485456.htm Hajjah prov.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485455.htm Jizan prov.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485452.htm Saada prov.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485404.htm Serwah, Marib prov.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485360.htm Various provinces
(* B K PH)
Human Rights Report Documents : Bombing Yahya Yahya Muqate’s house Al-Mahjar area – Baqim district – Sa’ada Governorate -10 January 2018
Incident Details
In its series of crimes and genocides that Saudi Arabia and its allies have committed against Yemeni civilians, mostly children, women and elderly citizens, the Saudi warplanes at 8:30 am on Wednesday, 10 January 2018, launched an airstrike on a civilian house of Yahya Yahya Muqate in Al- Mahjar area of Baqim district, Sa’ada Governorate.
The attack resulted in the killing of two children/ Musfer Yahya Yahya Muqate 17 years old and his sister Abrar Yahya Yahya Muqeet and the wounding of the rest members of the family (5) and other two civilians from their relatives. One hour after the bombing, we hardly reached to the victims in order to aid them. The raid destroyed house completely and damaged pomegranate farm and killed a herd of cattle.
Download the Report (Arabic; photos)
http://www.lcrdye.org/en/2018/01/18/6755/ and in full http://www.lcrdye.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B2%D9%84-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%8A-%D9%85%D8%B9%D9%8A%D8%B6-%D8%A3%D8%B3%D8%B9%D8%AF-%D8%AA%D8%B4%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%BA%D9%85%D8%B1-%D8%B5%D8%B9%D8%AF%D8%A9-20180110.pdf
cp17 Kriegsereignisse / Theater of War
(A K PS)
Child killed, others injured in Houthi shelling on northern Taiz
One child was killed and several adults were injured in Houthi shelling on the northern neighborhoods of Taiz city late on Tuesday. Local sources said the militia stationed in al-Waash mountain are firing rockets and shooting heavy fire into the densely populated neighborhoods.
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-14870
(A K PS)
Saudi Arabia intercepts ballistic missile launched by Houthi militia from Yemen
Saudi air defense forces announced on Tuesday that they intercepted a ballistic missile, launched by Yemen’s Houthi militias, over Jazan at around 8:20 p.m.
It comes after Saudi forces intercepted another ballistic missile fired by the Houthis over the southern province of Najran, bordering Yemen last week.
http://www.arabnews.com/node/1227406/saudi-arabia
(A K)
Forces loyal to President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s government began an offensive to seize western Sa’ada governorate, northern Yemen on January 23. Hadi government forces entered Razih district, western Sa’ada from neighboring Jazan region in southwestern Saudi Arabia. Hadi government forces are simultaneously conducting an offensive into northeastern Sa’ada from al Buqa’.[1]
https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-january-22-2018 referring to http://www.dostor.org/2031197.
and by Saudi media:
(A K PS)
Yemen: Legitimate Army Advances in Saada, Considers Taiz a Priority
Yemen’s Armed Forces on Tuesday advanced in the province of Saada, tightening their grip on rebel militias’ main stronghold.
The Yemeni army, supported by Arab coalition jets, surprised militias by opening a new front in Saada and by succeeding for the first time in liberating strategic positions in several areas in Razeh district.
(A K PH)
Saada prov.: Several areas of Razeh district were fired by missile and artillery shells [by Saudi coalition].
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485641.htm
(A K PH)
artillery and missile shelling intensively fired on several areas of Razeh district, Munabeh district and Ghur area of Ghamer district, leaving huge damage to residents' properties and farms.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485570.htm
(B K PS)
Photos: The continued mining operations carried out by the Huthi militias in the liberated areas of the West Coast, which have become a serious threat to the lives of citizens.
https://twitter.com/YNN2018/status/955446851712536577
(* A K)
Houthi attack on Yemen’s Taiz base kills 11
11 were killed by the Houthis in southern Taiz, Anadolu Agency reported today, in a shelling attack on a military base which Major General Ali Naser Lakhshaa, Yemen’s deputy interior minister, narrowly survived.
“Eleven people were killed and dozens injured in the attack”, medical representative Moaz Mahyub said.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180123-houthi-attack-on-yemens-taiz-base-kills-11/
Remark: This is the newest figure. Earlier reports:
(* A K)
Yemen rebels fire rockets at military parade, killing 7
Yemeni security officials say Houthi rebels fired Katyusha rockets on a military parade near the central city of Taiz on Monday, killing at least seven people, including a local journalist, in an apparent assassination attempt on the interior minister and his deputy.
The officials said three civilians and four soldiers were killed, while a Yemeni correspondent for satellite broadcaster Russia Today was wounded. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to brief reporters.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/yemen-rebels-fire-rockets-military-parade-killing-52520767 and by Emirati media https://nationalyemen.com/2018/01/23/al-houthi-shelling-in-taiz-kills-7-civilians/ and also https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-14869
and
(* A K)
Houthi rebel fire kills 9, including journalist, in Yemen’s Taiz
Houthi rebel rocket fire killed nine people, including a journalist and a child, in Yemen’s southwest province of Taiz on Monday, a government official said.
A barrage of six rockets rained down during the opening of a new security facility in the town of Nashma, killing four soldiers and five civilians, the official told AFP.
The deputy interior minister of Yemen’s internationally-recognised government, as well as dozens of local residents, were in attendance, he said.
Yemen’s Belqees TV confirmed the killing of its cameraman Mohammed al-Qudsi, in a statement on its website, blaming “Houthi shelling.”
https://thedefensepost.com/2018/01/22/houthi-yemen-rocket-kills-9-taiz/ and also http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/houthi-rocket-attack-yemens-tais-kills-nine-including-journalist-1650388309
(* A K)
Another journalist killed by Houthi forces in Taiz today. Mohammed al-Qudsi is the seventh (by my count) journalist to die reporting in Taiz since March 2015 (photo)
https://twitter.com/ionacraig/status/955428187940507649
Four civilians including cameraman Mohammed al-Qadasi and 4 military personnel were killed in a rocket shelling by Houthi , south Taiz. The shelling which targeted a graduation ceremony of military and security cadets and nearby houses also wounded 10 civilians.
https://twitter.com/mohammedalqadhi/status/955400073936031745
Vice interior ministry Ali Nasser Lakhshaa , another deputy minister , deputy governor of Taiz and other government officials escaped the #Houthi shelling , south #Taiz.
https://twitter.com/mohammedalqadhi/status/955401181660098560
Film: Horrible seems and the screaming of the children and women cuz the #Houthis shelling on them homes today in #Taiz . 5 killed and dozens wounded https://twitter.com/hussamA123/status/955429357895352321
(* A K)
Missile strike kills local Yemeni photographer
The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the killing of Yemeni photographer Mohammad al-Qadasi in a missile strike allegedly by the Ansar Allah movement. Al-Qadasi, who worked for the privately owned Belqees TV station, was killed today in the Khayami area of Taiz governorate while on assignment, the channel's director general Ahmed al-Zurqa told CPJ.
According to the director, Al-Qadasi was photographing a special forces graduation ceremony near the village of al-Khayami and went to investigate a nearby recent missile strike Al-Zurqa said was fired at approximately 11 a.m. by the Ansar Allah group, commonly known as the Houthis.
Al-Qadasi's colleague, Fawaz al-Hamadi, reported on Belqees TV that he and al-Qadasi heard the blast from the first missile strikes and went to investigate the scene. While en route on their motorcycles, a missile landed next to al-Qadasi and shrapnel from the explosion hit him in the head and chest, according to al-Hamadi. Al-Hamadi said he rushed al-Qadasi to the nearby Khalifa Hospital where the photographer died.
https://cpj.org/2018/01/missile-strike-kills-local-yemeni-photographer.php
and how Houthi-controlled Saba Net tells it:
(* A K PH)
Ballistic missile hit camp in Taiz
Missile force of the army and popular committees fired on Monday a ballistic missile, Qaher m2, on Khaiami camp of Taiz province, a military official told Saba.
The ballistic missile coincided with a military parade of Saudi-paid mercenaries, killing and wounding tens of them,including leaders
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485515.htm
Ballistic missile of Qaher M2 kills 42 mercenaries in al-Khayami military camp
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news485529.htm
My comment: Where did they get these figures from??
(A K PS)
Naval Military Unite kill five Houthi Mining Experts, capture one in Midi coast
Five Houthis militants were shot dead by the naval formation unit of the Fifth Military region, and captured the sixth on Sunday in the coast of Midi district northwestern the country, a military source said.
This incident occurred ''when the militants start planting marine mines near the coast of the city», the source told Almasdaronline.
"Four naval vessels belonging to the maritime formation of the fifth area, was on a naval reconnaissance mission, and found three naval boats belonging to the Houthis, are planting naval mines''.
The unit burned one of the boats with three militants on board and took control of the second boat after killing two gunmen and capturing another, when the third boat escaped.
http://almasdaronline.com/article/96642
(A K PS)
Yemeni army dismantles scores of explosives in liberated areas of Saada
Engineers from the Yemeni army have dismantled scores of land mines, improvised explosive devices and guided missiles that were found in sites liberated last week in Saada province, the Saudi-state run news agency (SPA) said.
http://www.arabnews.com/node/1230211/middle-east
Remark: Pro-Saudi Hadi government’s army.
cp18 Sonstiges / Other
(B)
YÉMEN, TERRA INCOGNITA
Alors que le conflit qui ravage le Yémen est à l’origine d’une grave crise humanitaire, il n’est pourtant que furtivement évoqué dans les médias. Pour comprendre ce quasi-silence, Laurent Bonnefoy, chercheur au Centre de recherches internationales de Sciences Po, invite à se pencher sur l’histoire riche et fantasmée de ce pays dans son dernier ouvrage : Le Yémen. De l’Arabie heureuse à la guerre (éd. Fayard).
[Though Yemen is ravaged by a devastating humanitarian catastrophe, it is however only furtively evoked in the media.
To understand this quasi-silence, Laurent Bonnefoy, a researcher at the Sciences Po International Research Center, dedicated his latest book on the little-known #Yemen]
http://www.sciencespo.fr/actualites/actualit%C3%A9s/y%C3%A9men-terra-incognita/3447
(* B E H K)
How 'Port of Mokha' founder reclaimed coffee for Yemen's farmers
At just 24-years-old and without much knowledge on coffee, Yemeni-American Mokhtar al-Khanshali risked his life to empower coffee farmers in the birthplace of coffee amid a deadly war.
In March of the following year, and just a day before Mokhtar was due to leave for a conference in Seattle, Saudi Arabia mobilised a coalition to battle the rebels and reinstate the internationally recognised Hadi government in what would soon become a controversial and highly-criticised war leaving more than 10,000 dead.
“A night before I was supposed to leave to go to this conference I woke up in the middle of the night and heard explosions around me and what looked like laser beams being shot into the sky - they were anti-aircraft machine guns being shot at Saudi jets, thats when it began.”
The coalition’s relentless bombing campaign destroyed numerous targets, including government buildings, Houthi camps and the city’s only airport. Trapped in an unexpected war, the US citizen attempted to seek refuge with the American embassy in Sanaa but was turned down.
In the midst of the chaos, a friend told Mokhtar of a Greek ship due to leave the port of Aden. Desperate for an escape, Mokhtar travelled by car for nearly 7 hours to the southern city to catch the ship but was detained by local Adenis suspecting him of being a Houthi rebel.
After intense negotiations and help from a friend in Aden, Mokhtar was released and quickly arranged another escape through the port of Mokha, in a journey that would later become the logo to his company.
“Trying to build and sustain a company in the middle of war has been struggle. It’s expensive and difficult to figure out a passage for our coffee to exit the country.
But the action doesn’t stop here for the former activist and paralegal who intends to set up a non-profit organisation designed to create ways to impact people in Yemen and create longer developments for the war-torn country.
While the ‘Mokha Foundation’ is due to be announced this year, Mokhtar’s story, which was closely and personally followed by the award-winning author Dave Eggers, is due to be published in a much-anticipated book dubbed ‘The Monk of Mokha’ on January 30.
(B D)
Flat white from Yemen, anyone?
When it comes from a war zone, coffee at £12 a cup is cheap, Mokhtar Alkhanshali tells Richard Godwin [registered only]
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/flat-white-from-yemen-anyone-fpfgrjz79
(B)
Film: Europa Universalis 4 / Jemen Folge 7 / Hallo Afrika
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4ERMDFqlNc
Mein Kommentar: ???
Vorige / Previous:
https://www.freitag.de/autoren/dklose/jemenkrieg-mosaik-378-yemen-war-mosaic-378
Jemenkrieg-Mosaik 1-378 / Yemen War Mosaic 1-378:
https://www.freitag.de/autoren/dklose oder / or http://poorworld.net/YemenWar.htm
Der saudische Luftkrieg im Bild / Saudi aerial war images:
(18 +, Nichts für Sensible!) / (18 +; Graphic!)
http://poorworld.net/YemenWar.htm
http://yemenwarcrimes.blogspot.de/
und alle Liste aller Luftangriffe / and list of all air raids:
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