... Menschliche Kosten der Kriegführung per Fernbedienung im Jemen – Auswirkungen des Jemen-Krieges auf die Zivilbevölkerung im Jahr 2020 – und mehr
Feb. 17, 2021: The situation of the marginalized community (Muhamasheen) – Brutal Practices and Torture in Houthis’ Prisons – The human cost of remote warfare in Yemen – Civilian impact of the Yemen War in 2020 – and more
Schwerpunkte / Key aspects
Kursiv: Siehe Teil 2 / In Italics: Look in part 2: https://www.freitag.de/autoren/dklose/jemenkrieg-mosaik-718b-yemen-war-mosaic-718b
Klassifizierung / Classification
Für wen das Thema ganz neu ist / Who is new to the subject
cp1 Am wichtigsten / Most important
cp1a Am wichtigsten: Coronavitrus und Seuchen / Most important: Coronavirus and 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 Separatisten und Hadi-Regierung im Südjemen / Separatists and Hadi government in Southern Yemen
cp7 UNO und Friedensgespräche / UN and peace talks
cp8 Saudi-Arabien / Saudi Arabia
cp8a Jamal Khashoggi
cp9 USA
cp9a USA-Iran Krise: Spannungen am Golf / US-Iran crisis: Tensions at the Gulf
cp10 Großbritannien / Great Britain
cp11 Deutschland / Germany
cp12 Andere Länder / Other countries
cp12a Katar-Krise / Qatar crisis
cp12a Waffenhandel / Arms trade
cp13b Kulturerbe / Cultural heritage
cp13c Wirtschaft / Economy
cp14 Terrorismus / Terrorism
cp15 Propaganda
cp16 Saudische Luftangriffe / Saudi air raids
cp17 Kriegsereignisse / Theater of War
cp18 Kampf um Hodeidah / Hodeidah battle
cp19 Sonstiges / 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 wen das Thema ganz neu ist / Who is new to the subject
Ältere einführende Artikel u. Überblicke für alle, die mit den Ereignissen im Jemen noch nicht vertraut sind, hier:
Yemen War: Older introductory articles, overviews, for those who are still unfamiliar with the Yemen war here:
https://www.freitag.de/autoren/dklose/jemenkrieg-einfuehrende-artikel-u-ueberblicke
cp1 Am wichtigsten / Most important
(** B H)
INTEGRATED MODEL OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE AND EMPOWERMENT (IMSEA)
Vulnerability Need Assessment for Sana’a and Amanat Alasimah
This is a report done to assess the situations of the marginalized community ( Muhamasheen) in Sana’a and Amanat Alasimah. The report assesses all areas of social protection including housing, income generation, access to water and sanitation, health & nutrition, education and child protection services. It also informs UNICEF interventions within The Integrated Model of Social and Economic Assistance and Empowerment (IMSEA) project.
Executive Summary
This report presents findings of the Vulnerability and Needs Assessment (VNA II) conducted in Amanat Al Asimah and Sana’a governorates in February 2020 covering smaller slums (10+ households) to complement the VNA I carried out in October 2018. The targeting exercise has sought to identify potential beneficiaries for the Integrated Model of Social and Economic Assistance (IMSEA) project aimed at delivering benefits and social services, and providing social and economic opportunities to destitute slum dwell ers living in those two governorates. The data was collected by the staff of the SWF with guidance, technical support, and supervision by Interaction, while the analysis and reporting were commissioned by Interaction with support from the Social Welfare Fund (SWF) and UNICEF Yemen Country Office.
The exercise aimed at identifying, quantifying and prioritizing the types of vulnerability among the target population, classifying the groups vulnerable to or already affected by the crisis, and assessing the impact of different shocks and stresses on them. Besides, the assessment has allowed creating a comprehensive baseline for analysis of the population data – at micro- or individual household-level – to provide a better grasp of the situation, and inform strategic project planning and design of the Integrated Model of Social and Economic Assistance and Empowerment (IMSEA) as well as its monitoring and evaluation.
The assessment has targeted a total of 857 households from smaller slums (10+), 44% are located in Amanat Al Asimah, and 56% - in Sana’a governorate. The targeted households are marginalized living in the slums. The majority (77%) are established residents and 23% (198) are internally displaced from other areas.
Key findings
Over half (56%) of the surveyed households live in overcrowding conditions, with the number of persons per room is on average five. Households in Amanat Al Asimah are 12 percentage points more likely to be overcrowded than in Sana’a governorate. Only 17% of the households use improved drinking water sources. Forty-six percent of the households have no latrines and largely defecate in the open or in plastic bags. Seventy percent of the households are using unsafe fossil fuel (firewood and cardboard) for cooking, and households in Sana’a governorate are 51 percentage points more likely to be using fossil fuel than those in Amanat Al Asimah. 37% of the households have no source for lighting, while 3% are using unsafe source (candles).
Of the 2,814 household members aged 10 years or more, 68% are unable to read and write. 55% of children (6-14 yrs) and 71% of young people (15-17 yrs) have not enrolled this school year.
Overall, the mean percentage of dependents in a household is 55%, which means that 55% of household members belong to the dependents age category, and there is a major concern for 17% of all the householdsand 23% of the poorest whose percentage of dependents is very high (>70 percent) reflecting a serious vulnerability problem in these households
Most of the working age population are illiterate and unqualified, with around half (43%) of them out of work. The other 57% resort to marginal work and casual labour including begging as a means for survival in view of lack of decent work. The average per capita income per day is YER288. This per capita daily income is below the US1.90 dollars per day (YER1,120 – March 2002) suggesting that all households fall below the international poverty line. The main reason for this low per capita spending is the financial and economic crisis, the lack of stable and sufficient income, volatile rise of food prices caused by the depreciated local currency and imports restrictions imposed on Yemen. The price spikes are decreasing the households’ purchasing power to the degree that poor households cannot even cover the cost of a minimum food basket.
With very limited options available, households are forced to resort to severe and very severe negative coping strategies of running out of food (51%), gone to sleep hungry at night (46%), and gone the whole day and night without eating (12%). For households adopting long term livelihood coping strategies, 55% of households were assessed to be in crisis, while 13% - in an emergency situation. The proportion of food insecure households constitutes 68%, which is the sum of households in crisis and emergency
There are various food sources that the surveyed beneficiaries use: begging is the most common source reported by 49% while benefactors come in second place (27%), then relatives (9%), and public organizations and NGOs/INGOs. A total of 44 % of the households are found in debt to make ends meet.
On food consumption, the household’s dietary diversity score shows that 70% of the households consume less than half of the recommended 11 food categories. The percentage of households who consume Vitamin A-rich vegetables or fruits is 54%. The findings revealed that 11% of the households have less than three meals a day.
In terms of health and nutrition, 77% of children (0-18 months) had all the required vaccinations, which took place in a health facility for over 52% of the children, while 41% were vaccinated by the immunization team, and 12% - by public hospitals (multiple responses were allowed). Almost all (99%) did not pay for vaccination. Sixty-three of children under the age of 6 months are on exclusive breastfeeding. The percentage of malnourished children (6-59 months) is 7%. Seventy percent of the surveyed households reported that 4 5 the delivery of the last child took place “at home”, while 27% deliveries their children in institutions – 16% in a public hospital, 7% in a health centre, 4% in a private hospital/clin - ic. Ninety five percent of all deliveries at home were attended by a household member of a neighbour, and only five percent were attended by skilled health personnel.
Regarding protection, 53% of children (0-59 months) do not have a birth certificate large - ly because they cannot afford the costs. The as sessment revealed that 62% of children under the age of 15 yrs are engaged in some form of child labour. Girls aged 15-18 yrs are 21 percentage points more likely to get married before boys of this age group
The most urgent needs reported by households in order of priority include food, shelter/ housing, and health needs, with education coming in fourth place
Of the 75 displaced households who intend to return, the homes of 51 were affected by the war. The type and scope of damage varies between complete damage reported by 30 households to damage of walls and windows (n=20), and roof (n=14). Those who wish to return voluntarily, safely, and in dignity will require support.
International humanitarian organizations, including UNICEF and its cluster partners, are called for protecting the rights of the marginalized and displaced, and address food, housing/shelter, health, nutrition, education, water and sanitation, protection and in - come-related (lack of decent work/income) challenges these households face on a daily basis through a coherent human rights-based approach rather than a narrow needsbased one.
The IMSEA project is also encouraged to be accompanied by a strong communication and advocacy campaign to address the problem of social exclusion of those poorest, marginalized and displaced Yemenis, and enhance their access to basic social services..
(** B P)
SAM Monitors Brutal Practices and Torture in Houthis’ Prisons that Amount to War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity
SAM for Rights and Liberties stated that it monitored serious violations that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity in several detention facilities run by the Houthi forces, cautioning that the way the international community still follows to deal with the Yemeni file will lead to perpetrating more violations and horrific crimes against Yemeni civilians, particularly women.
SAM mentioned that its research team obtained testimonies from former female detainees as well as the testimony of a woman who used to work at a Houthi prison which reflected the extent of grave crimes committed by these forces without taking into account the special protection that was established under the international women’s law in many international treaties.
The organization drew attention in its statement to the amount of suffering that thousands of women experience because of Houthi militia’s increased harassment and the deprivation of right to life and life with dignity in addition to domestic burden. The organization also indicated that it issued many previous reports which proved without any doubt that the Houthi militia has been perpetrating systematic violations against women including arbitrary detention and torture against approximately 200 women detained in Houthis’ detention facilities. The organization pointed out that Yemeni women are being subjected to various forms of violations, oppression and humiliation. “Sam” also stated that there were thousands of heartbreaking stories which embody the amount of women’s suffering in Houthi-held areas.
For his part, the chairperson of Sam Organization for Rights and Liberties, Tawfik Al-Hamidi said that that testimonies gathered by the team of his organization reflected Houthis’ criminal mentality which indicates Houthis’ serious practices against women without taking into consideration the special protection that was established under the international and Yemeni law.
Al-Hamidi stressed that the silence of the international community on the repeated calls regarding the status of rights and liberties in Yemen, particularly practices and violations against women, lead Houthis to commit persistent violations without regard to the international law under the implicit cover of the international community.
In the following, some of the testimonies obtained by Sam’s team in Yemen which reflect some of the crimes committed by the Houthi forces and individuals affiliated with them:
Sonia Saleh Ali Al-Ghabash, a human rights activist and chairperson of Raghm Al-Saeb organization WWD, fled from Yemen to Egypt after she had been released from a Houthi detention. She reported “I was arrested on March 6, 2019 and was imprisoned at the prison of the National Security Service. I was at a gas station in Hadda when Houthis surrounded the station with a number of military and armored vehicles and kidnapped me. I was detained for a week in the office of the deputy appointed by the Houthi militia. Then they took me to an unknown place after dawn. They placed me in a room measuring two by one meters that is called the “compressor” located underground and I remained there for four months. I was subjected to cruel torture as they removed my fingernails, skinned me using sharp instruments and they sprayed me with cold water. They tortured me using electrocution too and tied me up.” Sonia added in her testimony, “They interrogated me throughout the period of the detention and torture which continued for four months. They asked me about my job and dealing with political figures outside the country. I was also accused of collaborating with foreign forces and entreating people I we serve through our foundation so that we would benefit politically from them. The investigation time was always late at night. I was subjected to all kinds of violations. The investigation period was the hardest time in my life. I even wished to die in order to put me out of my misery. I heard the screams and cries of other women who were being tortured which increased my torture.”
Sonia added, “There were women imprisoned secretly. No one knew who they were or what they were accused of. They were placed in pre-equipped cells which are isolated from women’s section. These cells had four rooms in the size range of 6 to 10 square meters.”
Zaynab “pseudonym”
Zaynab, aged 24, was arrested from her home on 18 August 2019 in the Capital Sana’a by officials of the Criminal Investigation. She said in her statement to Sam, “They presented a search warrant and raided the house where women and children were present. They intimidated the women and children while searching the house. They blindfolded me and took me to a place that I didn’t recognize and I never knew what I was charged with.”
She added, “I was taken to the investigation which lasted throughout the night until the next morning. They used immoral methods during the investigation in addition to the unjustifiable brutality when dealing with me. They beat me on my face with their foreknowledge of my pregnancy. I was beaten with electrical cable too.”
Zaynab confirmed “I was the only pregnant woman among the detainees, and yet they didn’t take into account my special circumstances. As a result of torture, I had hemorrhage in many times. I once vomited blood while being interrogated as a result of being beaten and electrocuted. The suffering I felt in prison affected my daughter (Mira) who was with me in prison and she is still in a state of a psychological shock. She still cries whenever she sees an officer. She was denied food, and she wasn’t given even bread.”
She stated, “I still remember the man who tortured me the most. His name is (Ahmed Mater). He is in Taiz now. He used to assault and torture me from dusk until dawn. I tried to commit suicide. I thought death would be better than this torture. They treated me and threatened me by pointing a gun at my head to prevent me from talking about what happened to me in the prison. After that I was referred to the curt not knowing what my charge was. When I was taken to the judge, I didn’t speak in the fear that they would frame me any crime I didn’t commit. I was threatened by the investigators that I would have been accused of trafficking in hashish along with other crimes if I had talked about what I went through which made me to decide not to speak at all.”
Zainab remembers that “prison was time was a period of constant fear, suffering, hunger and horror. Even sleep was frightening. My husband kept looking for me for months in all places of detention without telling him my whereabouts. Then they brought me his death certificate while being detained which resulted in the deterioration of my health and psychological condition. Even after my release from the Central Prison.”
https://samrl.org/l.php?l=e,10,A,c,1,74,77,4126,html
Film: https://twitter.com/SAM4rights/status/1360950245346086915
(** B K P)
Remote Warfare: Interdisciplinary Perspectives
Modern warfare is becoming increasingly defined by distance. Today, many Western and non-Western states have shied away from deploying large numbers of their own troops to battlefields. Instead, they have limited themselves to supporting the frontline fighting of local and regional actors against non-state armed forces through the provision of intelligence, training, equipment and airpower. This is remote warfare, the dominant method of military engagement now employed by many states. Despite the increasing prevalence of this distinct form of military engagement, it remains an understudied subject and considerable gaps exist in the academic understanding of it. Bringing together writers from various backgrounds, this edited volume offers a critical enquiry into the use of remote warfare.
https://www.e-ir.info/publication/remote-warfare-interdisciplinary-perspectives/
7. THE HUMAN COST OF REMOTE WARFARE IN YEMEN
The extent of civilian harm caused by drones and special forces raids in Yemen is underreported. Moreover, the reporting that has occurred has been centred mostly around civilian casualty numbers. There are significant discrepancies between the rates acknowledged by the US – criticised for its limited and superficial investigations – and those reported by NGOs, such as Amnesty International or the Bureau of Investigative Journalism.1 The numbers of civilian casualties reported by NGOs, journalists, local populations and activists are substantially higher than those acknowledged by the US Government (North Rhine–Westphalia Higher Administrative Court 2019; the Bureau of Investigative Journalism). In 2016, the legal charity Reprieve wrote ‘the [civilian casualty] figures proposed by the US Government have been inconsistent, improbable and without even a minimal effort to provide evidentiary proof.’2 One reason for this discrepancy is the lack of comprehensive post-strike investigations, including disregard for the findings of on the ground investigations conducted by local activists, NGOs and journalists (the Bureau of Investigative Journalism 2019; Currier and Maass 2015; Evans and Spencer 2017; Reprieve 2016). The US has not publicly addressed accounts of civilian harm beyond casualties.
Though an important endeavour, thorough monitoring of civilian casualty numbers does not capture the whole picture of civilian harm. Remote warfare operations also have significant economic, educational and mental health implications for impacted communities. Understanding these impacts of remote military operations on civilian populations is a crucial step toward evaluating the legality, legitimacy, morality and strategic significance ofremote warfare.
For nearly two decades, the voices of Yemeni survivors and victims of remote warfare have been excluded from international and policy discussions on remote warfare. Drawing upon interviews with Yemenis, this chapter
highlights the significant harm experienced by local populations in Yemen caused by two aspects of remote warfare: drones and special forces operations. After providing a brief background to the situation in Yemen, the
first part of the chapter sets out two Navy SEAL raids as experienced by the survivors. Thereafter, the human impact of living below drones in Yemen will be examined based on interviews with 49 individuals, the majority of them from Marib. The chapter argues that the methods of harm measurement, specifically through casualty statistics only, are insufficient. Harm must also be measured in terms of the socio-economic, educational and mental health effects on local populations.
The analysis in the chapter is based primarily on interviews and conversations with a total of 49 people. Camilla Molyneux, a research consultant at the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Drones, spoke to people through semi-structured group conversations over the course of a week in Marib, Yemen in July 2018. Baraa Shiban, Case Worker at Reprieve and a youth delegate to Yemen’s National Dialogue, conducted another nine phone interviews with individuals based in Bayda, Marib and Sana’a in Yemen, Amman in Jordan, and Cairo in Egypt3 throughout 2018 and 2019. Molyneux and Shiban are both in frequent communication with the individuals interviewed.
For this chapter, survivors, victims and their families, witnesses and activists were interviewed. In order to provide a representative view of the human cost of remote warfare by drone and special forces, the authors took care to talk to women, children and men of different ages, geographies, socio-economic status and occupations. The final section of the chapter is largely dedicated to the experiences of women. This is particularly important because existing research on the human cost of drones, due to geographical or cultural barriers, is largely based on interviews with men.
Ahead of the interviews in Marib, Molyneux consulted with a mental health expert on trauma and conflict. This informed the interview style and questions posed. It also provided several useful techniques that could be utilised in the event of an interviewee feeling anxious or experiencing flashbacks – by Baraa Shiban and Camilla Molyneux
https://www.e-ir.info/publication/remote-warfare-interdisciplinary-perspectives/ = https://www.e-ir.info/2021/02/16/the-human-cost-of-remote-warfare-in-yemen/
(** B K)
Civilian Impact Monitoring Project: 2020 Annual Report
Executive Summary
Over 2,000 civilians in Yemen were killed or injured by armed violence in 2020 2,087 civilian casualties were reported in Yemen in 2020, a decrease for the second consecutive year, and a decrease of over a third (35%) from 3,224 civilian casualties in 2019. On average, armed violence killed or injured 174 civilians each month in 2020, with October seeing a peak of 228 civilian casualties.
1 in 4 civilian casualties in Yemen in 2020 was a child Armed violence resulted in 499 casualties among children in Yemen in 2020, a quarter of the total number of civilian casualties reported. On average, 4 children were killed or injured by shelling each week in 2020, and another 2 children killed or injured each week by airstrikes. There were 4 incidents in which over 10 children were killed or injured, 3 of which were on account of airstrikes.
For the second consecutive year, shelling caused the highest number of civilian casualties 853 civilians were killed and injured amid shellfire in Yemen over the past year, 41% of the countrywide total. This is, however, 30% fewer than in 2019. Airstrike casualties saw a greater reduction still, down 73%, from 796 to 216. Conversely, the number of civilian casualties from small arms fire (SAF) shooting incidents increased for the second consecutive year, up 22% from 267 to 342, potentially reflective of a deteriorating security situation across the country.
Shelling was responsible for more women casualties than any other type of armed violence 298 women casualties were reported in Yemen in 2020, including over 100 fatalities. Over half of the women casualties (157; 53%) were on account of shelling, including 34 women who were killed and injured when the women’s section of the central prison in AlMudhaffar, Ta’izz, was hit by shellfire. Moreover, 126 women were killed or injured while inside civilian homes.
Despite the ceasefire, Hudaydah again saw the highest number of civilian casualties, followed by Ta'izz Hudaydah saw more civilian casualties than any other governorate in 2020. 457 civilians were killed and injured by armed violence in the governorate, 61% of whom were on account of shellfire. This was closely followed by neighbouring Ta’izz, another governorate where populous urban areas have been subsumed by hostilities. 454 civilian casualties were reported in Ta’izz, of whom 61% were in Ta’izz city.
Ma’rib, Bayda and Jawf saw an increase in civilian casualties in 2020 Yemen’s northern frontlines saw an escalation at the start of the year, resulting in a heightened civilian impact, with each of Ma’rib, Bayda and Jawf seeing an increase in civilian casualties compared to 2019. The increase in Jawf was almost entirely due to an uptick in airstrikes, which killed and injured over 100 civilians in the governorate. In Bayda and Ma’rib, the increase was on account of shelling; 71% of civilian casualties in Ma’rib were on account of rocketry and shelling attacks on Ma’rib city.
Armed violence continues to result in mass civilian casualty incidents The year was punctuated by several mass casualty incidents. There were 20 incidents in which at least 10 civilians were killed or injured, 12 of which were on account of shellfire, 5 caused by airstrikes, 2 mass casualty landmine incidents and 1 mass shooting. Moreover, 4 incidents in 2020 resulted in over 30 civilian casualties, including 2 mass casualty airstrike incidents in Jawf, the women’s prison shelling in Ta’izz, and the Aden airport attack.
Attacks on telecommunications infrastructure have heightened civilians’ virtual isolation 20 incidents of armed violence impacted telecommunications infrastructure in 2020, twice as many as in 2019, exacerbating the isolating effect of the conflict by restricting virtual access for over 110,000 households, the majority in Amran and Sa’dah. All but 3 of the incidents to impact telecommunications infrastructure were on account of airstrikes.
Armed violence continues to restrict civilians’ freedom of movement, particularly in mountainous areas Transport infrastructure sites were hit 26 times by armed violence, causing widespread restrictions on civilians’ freedom of movement. Moreover, of 16 incidents to impact domestic transport infrastructure such as roads and bridges, 11 were in mountainous areas in Sa'dah and Sana'a, where damage to roads, and bridges in particular, can entirely cut communities off from essential supplies and services. Over 200,000 households faced restricted access to healthcare on account of armed violence 18 health facilities were hit by armed violence in 2020, restricting access to critical healthcare for as many as 200,486 households. This is an increase from the 12 health facilities hit by armed violence in 2019. While two thirds (65%) of the incidents to have impacted healthcare were on account of shelling, there were also reports of shootings in hospitals in Ta’izz, airstrikes on quarantine centres in Bayda and Hudaydah, grenade attacks on a hospital in Dali’ and a pharmacy in Ibb, and a clinic detonated in Bayda.
https://civilianimpactmonitoring.org/onewebmedia/2020%20CIMP%20Annual%20Report.pdf
cp1a Am wichtigsten: Coronavirus und Seuchen / Most important: Coronavirus and epidemics
(A H)
Three new cases of coronavirus reported, 2,148 in total
http://en.adenpress.news/news/32258
(A H)
9 new cases of coronavirus reported, 2,145 in total
http://en.adenpress.news/news/32232
and also https://debriefer.net/en/news-23176.html
(A H P)
[Hadi gov.] PM orders inclusive plan to distribute Covid-19 vaccines
http://en.adenpress.news/news/32235
(B H)
COVID-19 Movement Restrictions: Yemen Mobility Restriction Dashboard #21 (10 Feb 2021)
(* B H)
Yemen: Health Cluster Bulletin, December 2020
The cumulative total number of suspected Cholera cases from the 1st of January to the 31 of December, 2020 is (230540) with (84) associated deaths (CFR 0.04%). Children under five represent (26.54%) whilst the elderly above 60 years of age accounted for (5.72%) of total suspected cases. The outbreak has so far affected in 2020: (22) of 23 governorates and (300) of 333 districts in Yemen..
https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-health-cluster-bulletin-december-2020
cp2 Allgemein / General
(* A K P)
Interactive Map of Yemen War
(* A K)
Yemen War Map Updates
Feb. 16: https://southfront.org/heavy-clashes-and-saudi-led-coalition-on-the-back-foot-as-the-houthis-push-for-marib-city/ (with links to footage)
Feb. 15: https://southfront.org/military-situation-in-yemen-on-february-15-2021-map-update/
(A E K)
Film: Gravitas: Tensions spike in Yemen: How you could feel the pinch
Global oil prices have jumped after Iran backed Houthis in Yemen attacked Saudi targets. The growing tensions could have an impact on your petrol bills. WION's Palki Sharma tells you how you could feel the pinch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5svkMoT_4T0 = https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-tensions-spike-in-yemen-how-you-could-feel-the-pinch-364134
(B K P)
Yemen’s Houthis on Offensive in Bid to Gain Diplomatic Leverage
Kristin Diwan, a senior resident scholar at Washington’s Arab Gulf States Institute, says she believes that Saudi Arabia would like to extricate itself from the conflict. But the Houthis have also launched attacks on Saudi territory, showing increased daring and technical prowess.
“I think to some degree that Saudi Arabia is ready to make a deal and they scaled back what they were hoping to get out of this. If they can just get out with some security assurances," Diwan said. "The problem is exactly how do you get the Houthis to the table especially when they seem to be having the upper hand and are gaining. You can look and see what is happening around Marib and other places.”
Ahmed Nagi, a nonresident fellow at the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, says international pressure for the Saudi-led war is needed beyond the Biden administration’s decision to end support.
“Day by day, bringing peace to the country seems elusive," Nagi said. "Today Saudi Arabia is suffering a lot especially the communities which are in the borders of the kingdom. The conflict in Yemen will be even harder without any sort of resolution. Ending the support is not enough because today the conflict in Yemen is not just between Saudi Arabia and some parts inside Yemen. It needs a comprehensive approach to tackle it.”
https://www.voanews.com/middle-east/yemens-houthis-offensive-bid-gain-diplomatic-leverage
My comment: LOL. If nobody really speaks to the Houthis (when will Lenderking come to Sanaa) and Saudi Arabia since almost 6 years did not stop its attacks, what really could happen?
(A K P)
Houthi official vows more attacks if Saudi coalition operations continue
The Houthi attacks on Saudi lands will increase as long as the Saudi-led coalition continues its military operations in Yemen, member of the group's Supreme Political Council tweeted on Tuesday.
https://debriefer.net/en/news-23201.html
(* A K P)
Auf dem Weg in den Jemen. Iranische Waffensendungen vor der Küste Somalias beschlagnahmt
Das Zentralkommando der US-Seestreitkräfte gab am Dienstag bekannt, dass es die Waffenlieferung an Bord von zwei Booten in internationalen Gewässern vor der Küste Somalias beschlagnahmt hatte.
„Am 12. Februar beschlagnahmte die Fregatte der USS Winston Churchill illegale Lieferungen von Waffen und Waffenkomponenten an Bord von zwei Booten während einer Sicherheitsoperation im Seeverkehr in internationalen Gewässern vor der Küste Somalias“, so hat das 5. US-Flottenkommando der US Navy Central Befehl auf ihrem offiziellen Account getwittert.
„Die beschlagnahmten Waffen bestehen aus Tausenden von AKA-47-Sturmgewehren, leichten Maschinengewehren, schweren Scharfschützengewehren und Granatwerfern mit Raketenantrieb sowie Läufen, Munition, Scharfschützenferngläsern und Waffensystemen“, fügte er hinzu.
Ein von der US-Marine veröffentlichtes Material zeigte eine Gruppe von US-Seeleuten, die eines der beiden abgefangenen Segelschiffe inspizierten, während Hubschrauber über ihnen flogen. Fotos zeigten auch neue Kalaschnikows, die in Plastik eingewickelt waren, und Stapel von Raketenwerfern.
In ihrem Tweet hat die 5. US-Marine mit Sitz in Bahrain die Quelle der geschmuggelten Waffen nicht angegeben. Ein US-Verteidigungsbeamter sagte jedoch, dass Anzeichen zeigen, dass die Waffen laut US-Medien über den Golf von Aden in den Jemen gelangen.
(* A K P)
US Navy seizes large cache of smuggled weapons off Somalia
The U.S. Navy seized a large cache of weapons being smuggled by two small ships off the coast of Somalia, it announced Tuesday, amid the grinding war in nearby Yemen.
Among the arms seized by guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill in the Indian Ocean last week were thousands of Kalashnikov-style rifles, light machine guns, heavy sniper rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and crew-served weapons, the Navy said.
In its statement, the Navy’s Bahrain-based 5th Fleet did not identify the source of the smuggled weapons or reveal their destination. But a U.S. defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity, as he wasn’t authorized to discuss details of the seizure, said there were “some indications” the arms were bound for war-torn Yemen just across the Gulf of Aden. Authorities were continuing to investigate, the official added.
The assortment of arms aboard the dhows mirrored other shipments interdicted by the U.S. and allied forces in the region that later were found to be heading to Yemen,
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The human cost
These deaths and dire humanitarian conditions are not due to the Saudi-led coalition alone. Iran-backed Houthi rebels are also responsible, in addition to the inefficiency of the legitimate government and factional and tribal infighting. Allegations and counter allegations of hindering aid supplies have been exchanged between all parties involved in Yemen. In some cases, provision of aid – even by international agencies and UN organisations – was used as an inhumane tool in the conflict.
In an effort to end the war, which is the main reason behind the deteriorating humanitarian conditions, Lenderking visited Riyadh last week for meetings with Saudi and Yemeni officials as well as UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths.
Despite all these reports, meetings and calls, ordinary Yemenis we spoke to expressed mixed feelings. Many are not optimistic that their sufferings will be alleviated soon even if the war ended. The country is already torn apart, and local political parties and militias are entrenched for long internal conflicts. Some referred to the fact that even international aid might still be used in the conflict citing how local organisations linked to the Muslim Brotherhood affiliate Islah Party are using humanitarian assistance to garner influence in some areas
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/50/1203/404229/AlAhram-Weekly/World/The-human-cost.aspx
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Yemen: Turning the Page
The new Rome MED This Week newsletter provides experts’ analyses and informed comments on the most significant developments in the MENA region, bringing together unique opinions on the topic and reliable foresight on future scenarios. This week, Yemen takes centre stage after Biden’s recent announcements that could change the critical situation on the ground.
Experts from the ISPI MED network react to the new challenges emerging in Yemen’s evolving situation.
The only way out is through Saudi security
“President Biden’s decisions have quickly reshaped the American policy on Yemen. But a Saudi exit-strategy will not be possible as long as the Houthis escalate missile and drone attacks against civilian targets in the kingdom and the Red Sea. Yemen' war game` has changed: Saudi national security is now clearly at stake. In 2020, the Houthis strengthened coordination with Iran and pro-Iranian militias, improving capabilities and radius of threat. Washington's new presidency has understood this, and also the E3 group (France, Germany, UK): attacks against Saudi Arabia are growingly perceived, and condemned, as regional menaces, not only Riyadh's problems. The White House can spin conflict resolution if it manages to reassure the Saudis on territorial defence”.
Eleonora Ardemagni, Associate Research Fellow, ISPI
Turning the Tide in the Gulf
“Biden’s early decisions constitute a clear break from his predecessor to again prioritize diplomacy, values and allies. Saudi Arabia is a longstanding security partner, but it does not share American values on democracy and human rights. This is the crux of the challenge for bilateral relations. Biden wants to formally review the relationship, but he has been careful not to suggest that he seeks to end it. He’s halted support for Saudi offensive operations, but did not restrict support to Saudi defenses. The Saudis, meanwhile, have been sending their own positive signals by ending the Gulf rift and releasing political prisoners. These early signals bode well for the difficult but hopefully constructive discussions to come.”
William F. Wechsler, Director, Rafik Hariri Center and Middle East Programs, Atlantic Council
There’s no resolution without reconciliation
“Issues like the Riyadh Agreement underline the wider complication of the conflict and the multiplicity of actors that have emerged since its start. Reckoning with these issues will be crucial to taking steps towards paving the way towards anything resembling a sustainable end to the conflict. The Biden administration is prioritizing the track one over issues like this, though they will continue support to the larger Riyadh agreement process. Since the progress in the Riyadh agreement, a peace of sorts has held in Aden, even though tensions remain. Shoring up this calm--and helping to facilitate the wider return of government services--will be vital in not just helping to move the political process forward, but also in improving the lives of millions of Yemenis.”
Adam Baron, Political Advisor, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD)
Iran wants to keep its ‘Yemeni door’ open
“I do not expect a deeper commitment from Tehran towards the peace process. The Iranians and Houthis share the same vision in Yemen. The only difference is that Iran keeps its doors open for diplomatic efforts while the Houthis close them from time to time. Martin Griffiths believes that speaking with the Iranians will expedite bringing the Houthis to the negotiation table, given the leverage Iran has over the Houthis. While it is good to open a communication channel with all regional actors involved in Yemen’s war, the real question remains - does Iran have an interest to push the Houthis to end the conflict at this point? The answer is simply no. This is especially the case during a time of potential US return to the JCPOA. Iran would want to link the peace in Yemen with its own upcoming talks”
Ahmed Nagi, Nonresident Scholar, Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center
It’s time for EU diplomacy
“The E.U. should take any available opportunity to support the Yemeni people, through development and humanitarian financing as well as diplomatically. The E.U. is a world power, complementing the influence of its Member States. Unlike the U.N., it is not directly constrained by UNSC 2216, and therefore can both engage with Ansar Allah, and ‘talk truth to power’ to President Hadi, his allies and rivals in the anti-Houthi front. It should work with other concerned groups, beyond the established Houthi versus the internationally-recognised Government duo. Such an approach could enable meaningful exchanges of views between the numerous conflicting groups, hopefully leading to a sustainable cease-fire and usefully complement the work of the U.N.”
Helen Lackner, Visiting Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR)
https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/yemen-turning-page-29289
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Film: Yemen Dispute on the verge of a conclusion | Editorial Analysis - Feb 15, 2021
In this program, we will analyze editorials published in major English newspapers (such as The Hindu and Indian Express, etc.) for effective understanding of students. In this program, we will mainly focus on 3 things: 1. Establishing link of the editorial to UPSC syllabus. 2. Understanding the main points of editorial. 3. Discussing important concepts mentioned in the editorial or which are necessary to understand the editorial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx7Z0UxoROA
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"Wir müssen jetzt schon über den Wiederaufbau nachdenken“
Die Islamwissenschaftlerin und Sozialanthropologin Marie-Christine Heinze leitet ein akademisches Austauschprojekt mit der Universität Sanaa zu “Post-conflict Reconstruction im Jemen“. Im Gespräch mit Elisa Rheinheimer-Chabbi spricht sie über Waffen aus Deutschland, notwendige Reformen und warum es jemenitische Frauen sind, die gesellschaftliche Risse kitten.
Frau Heinze, der Jemen erlebt derzeit eine der schlimmsten humanitären Katastrophen unserer Zeit. Doch in deutschen Medien wird kaum darüber berichtet. Woher kommt diese Ignoranz?
Marie-Christine Heinze: Ich würde es nicht Ignoranz nennen. Wir haben es hier einfach mit einem hochkomplexen und schwer verständlichen Konflikt zu tun. Es gibt kaum deutsche Journalistinnen und Journalisten, die sich mit den Hintergründen auskennen. Der Jemen ist zudem weit weg und es kommen nur wenige Flüchtlinge zu uns, daher ist die Aufmerksamkeit für diesen Konflikt nicht so groß. Und noch etwas spielt eine Rolle: Bei vielen Deutschen ist eine Art Sättigungsgefühl eingetreten, was Krisen in anderen Teilen der Welt betrifft. Das ist bedauerlich, denn dieser Krieg geht uns schon deshalb etwas an, weil die Bundesregierung Waffenlieferungen an kriegsführende Staaten zu verantworten hat.
Einerseits liefert die Bundesregierung Waffen, andererseits zählt Deutschland zu den größten humanitären Geberländern in Jemen...
Heinze: Ja, und 80 Prozent der Bevölkerung sind auf humanitäre Hilfe angewiesen! Die Vereinten Nationen hatten für 2020 rund 3,38 Milliarden US-Dollar an humanitärer Hilfe für Jemen veranschlagt. Doch von diesen dringend benötigten Hilfen waren bis Dezember gerade mal 1,6 Milliarden Dollar eingetroffen. Das liegt unter anderem daran, dass die Golfstaaten, die selbst direkt am Jemenkrieg beteiligt sind, sich teilweise oder vollständig als Geberländer zurückgezogen haben. Laut der UN-Organisation OCHA hatten Saudi-Arabien und die Vereinigten Arabischen Emirate im Jahr 2018 noch jeweils 25 Millionen US-Dollar an Hilfen geleistet.
Die Welthungerhilfe warnt, in der ersten Jahreshälfte 2021 werde sich die Zahl der Hungernden im Jemen auf 16,2 Millionen erhöhen. Ist daran die saudische Blockade des Hafens von al-Hodeida, durch den wichtige Lebensmittel ins Land gelangen, schuld?
Heinze: Ich finde diese pauschale Verurteilung der saudischen Blockade problematisch. Verstehen Sie mich nicht falsch, ich bin in überhaupt kein Fan Saudi-Arabiens. Aber wir müssen fair bleiben: Die Blockade ist nur ein Element in einer sehr viel größeren Gemengelage. Der Jemen muss 90 Prozent seiner Lebensmittel importieren. Aber seit Beginn des Konflikts vor sechs Jahren haben die Importeure zunehmend Schwierigkeiten, Kredite zu erhalten.
Auch steigen die Kosten für Inspektionen und ähnliches und es gibt eine extreme Inflation des jemenitischen Rial, vor allem im Süden des Landes. Da die Menschen oft monatelang auf die Auszahlung ihrer Gehälter warten und die Arbeitslosigkeit dramatisch hoch ist, gibt es einen krassen Rückgang der Kaufkraft. Finanzpolitische Fehler, die gemacht wurden, die Zerstörung der Infrastruktur – da kommt vieles zusammen.
Um es kurz zu machen: Überall im Land liegen die Lebensmittel auf den Märkten zum Verkauf bereit. Aber die Menschen können sie sich schlicht nicht leisten. Und jetzt kommt noch Corona hinzu! Im Jemen weiß man vor lauter Problemen gar nicht, wo man anfangen soll…
Heinze: Es gibt keinerlei parlamentarische Kontrolle des Sicherheitssektors. Ähnlich wie in anderen arabischen und nordafrikanischen Ländern haben Polizei und Militär eine große Machtfülle und bilden fast eine Art Staat im Staate. In der Vergangenheit wurden hochrangige Posten im Sicherheitssektor mit Verwandten und Freunden des Präsidenten besetzt. Das System galt als unantastbar. Aber in einem Transitionsprozess muss man auch über solche Fragen reden können – auch wenn es Jahrzehnte dauern kann, bis sich etwas ändert.
Es gibt im Jemen viele Stämme, die auf lokaler Ebene für Sicherheit sorgen. Sie könnten einbezogen werden. In einem so armen Land wie dem Jemen sollte nicht alles Geld ins Polizei- und Militärbudget fließen, wie es momentan der Fall ist. Die Regierung sollte stattdessen andere, sinnvolle Investitionen tätigen und die Sicherheitsstrukturen, die es auf lokaler Ebene gibt, nutzen und einbinden.
Das würde auch dabei helfen, Vertrauen zwischen Staat und Bevölkerung wachsen zu lassen. Nötig ist außerdem ein Umdenken in den Köpfen: Die Sicherheitskräfte müssen die Sicherheit der Bevölkerung gewährleisten – nicht die des Regimes.
und
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Audio: Endlich Hoffnung auf Frieden im Jemen?
Über die Ursachen des Krieges im Jemen und die komplexen Interessen in der Region.
Gast: Dr. Marie-Christine Heinze, Islamwissenschaftlerin, Friedens- und Konfliktforscherin mit Schwerpunkt Jemen an der Universität Bonn und Vorsitzende von CARPO (Center for Applied Research in Partnership with the Orient).
Die Islamwissenschaftlerin Marie-Christine Heinze, die seit Jahren über den Jemen forscht, sieht die Chancen auf Frieden durch den US-amerikanischen Strategiewechsel zurückhaltend.
Natasa Konopitzky spricht mit Marie-Christine Heinze über die Ursachen des Krieges, die komplexe Interessenslage im Nahen Osten und die Frage, warum der Krieg im Jemen international wenig Beachtung findet.
https://oe1.orf.at/programm/20210215/627969/Endlich-Hoffnung-auf-Frieden-im-Jemen
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Does Failed Saudi Crown Prince Admit His Defeat in Yemen?
The announcement by the administration of US President Joe Biden to stop supporting the Saudi aggression against Yemen raised questions about the possibility that the Al Saud regime would admit its defeat.
Biden's team may find that withdrawing US support for offensive military action fulfills its stated commitment.
This step, however, is not sufficient to address the complicity and responsibility of the United States in the disaster that Yemen is experiencing.
Biden must insist that Saudi Arabia and the UAE withdraw completely from Yemen and end their support for the warring factions.
Given the availability of external resources supporting the warring parties in Yemen, the war will not end anytime soon.
As long as the United States remains the pre-eminent military power and the main supplier of weapons in the region, the US will remain responsible for the destruction of Yemen.
The Yemenis know this, even if not many Americans are unaware of it, the current conflict is known as the US-Saudi War in Yemen.
Wars usually end when the warring parties' resources are depleted or when one side decisively defeats the other.
It is unlikely that any of these outcomes would occur in Yemen without decisive action from the United States.
While the Hadi government wants to restore control of all of Yemen, this goal is inconsistent with the goal of the "Southern Transitional Council."
This means that the Saudis and the Emiratis now support opposing parties, despite their pledge to work together under the 2019 Riyadh Agreement.
Bin Salman may fear that ending the war in Yemen will make him appear weak, despite repeated reports that the Saudis are keen to end their failed war, especially after the unilateral ceasefire in April 2020.
Biden needs to make bin Salman and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed bin Zayed, understand that they have to choose between remaining involved in the war in Yemen, or maintaining a good working relationship with the United States.
The fact that no foreign power has yet succeeded in subduing Yemen by force is not because of lack of attempt but because of its mountainous nature and the steadfastness of its people.
Ending US support for Saudi air strikes on Yemen is an important first step for the Biden administration, but it will not be enough.
If Biden tried to get out of the Yemen issue simply by ending the US intervention, that would not stop the bleeding of hundreds of thousands of Yemenis who have already died and are dying.
Instead, Biden should demand that the Saudis and the Emiratis withdraw completely from Yemen and end their support for the factions there.
https://english.almasirah.net/post/17793/Does-Failed-Saudi-Crown-Prince-Admit-His-Defeat-in-Yemen%3F
My remark: A Houthi viewpoint. And another:
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Stopping Arms Sales, US Announces Defeat of Saudi Arabia in Yemen
Political-Military Analysis: With the announcement of the Joe Biden administration to stop US support for the war in Yemen, the course of this war starts a new page, which is supposed to be, if Washington's intentions are true, ending the aggression and the siege.
Although several data support the seriousness of that announcement, caution remains in place, in light of the evasiveness of Washington’s behavior in this issue, and its recent talk about "ending the war will be difficult."
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As talk of Yemen peace increases, the war escalates
Attacks have increased in recent days despite faint hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough
Even as diplomats struggle to find a formula to end the six-year armed conflict in Yemen, the war on the ground worsens.
In recent days Yemen’s rebel Houthis have launched several attacks on Saudi territory, showing increased daring and technical prowess, while intensifying attacks on a key northern stronghold held by forces loyal to the internationally recognised government.
Saudi-led armed forces have continued airstrikes to maintain a blockade, despite strong messages from Washington that the United States is withdrawing its support for Riyadh and attempting to bring an end to the conflict [overview article]
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/yemen-war-us-peace-hunger-diplomacy-b1802470.html
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Yemen demands int’l community to stop Houthi recruitment of child soldiers
Yemen, [Hadi ] government and independent activists, have called upon the international community against the Houthi recruitment of children to the warfronts in the six year war against the government.
Information Minister Muammar al-Eryani has called on the international community to “pressure the Houthi militia to stop recruiting child soldiers” and to guarantee children in Houthi-stricken Yemen the right of life like their peers in the rest of the world.
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-45126
and
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Film: Hajjah The Houthis admitted to killing9children who participated in #Marib [all 13-14 years old]
https://twitter.com/abduhothifi/status/1361430266225577995
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Peace in Yemen, But not Without Women’s Role in Peacebuilding
Interviewing Kawkab Al-Thaibani
“Yemeni women, peace activists and human rights activists have been doing a great job in handling this alarming situation, but the international community has to step up in supporting women’s cause,” says Kawkab, who has also been working on including women in the country’s peace building process.
“War is the face of toxic masculinity, and it will never give women space, because women are peace agents,” says Kawkab.
“The war in Yemen is the biggest challenge we are facing, but the lack of desire by the negotiators to include women in any talks, another challenge.
“The new government has zero presence of women and all parties have their own narrative of justifying this absence. On one hand it’s the Yemeni culture towards women, and on the other it’s simply the absence of women in the grassroots, women are absent from local council, they are absent from political parties, they are absent from empowering themselves through political training or political activism.
“Women are one of the most resilient groups in the society, they are unfettered by the disproportionate challenges they face, despite their work they are left completely out of peace negotiations,” says Kawkab.
Recently U.S. President Biden said that the Saudi-led war in Yemen “has to end”, and halted U.S. support for offensive military operations in Yemen and pledged, “America does not check its values at the door to sell arms or buy oil.”
Greeting this move by the U.S. with cautious relief, Kawkab says, “I am not very optimistic about these measures because they are all politically motivated, and not towards ending the war, or providing Yemeni people with stability.
“As a woman pushing for peace, I know to gain true conciliation, we also need accountability and transitional justice. International experts who are affected by colonial mindset will not be able to achieve peace and stability in Yemen, because they too keep ignoring the true voices of peace, and that’s women.” (with film)
http://www.ipsnews.net/2021/02/peace-yemen-not-without-womens-role-peacebuilding/
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Biden seeks peace in Yemen, but will the warring factions come on board?
The American moves in relation to the Houthis and the Saudis can be seen as preliminary steps towards a renewed peace effort. The Biden administration sees no military solution to the conflict and is urging "all parties to work towards a lasting political solution".
Desirable as that would be, the difficulties are not to be underestimated.
The roots of the problem can be traced back to the Arab Spring protests of a decade ago
The over-confident Saudis expected the Houthis to surrender quickly and when that didn't happen they found themselves without an exit strategy.
A way out for the Saudis?
For that reason the Saudis may not be averse to a peace initiative from Biden. It could provide a way of extricating themselves without too much loss of face but a lot hinges on what the political outcome might be.
Yemen currently has two rival governments – an internationally recognised but largely ineffectual one in the south, and the unrecognised Houthi one in the north. For most practical purposes Yemen is now divided into two states, in line with the military dispositions.
One possible outcome of a peace process would be to formalise the partition – though that would amount to acceptance of the Houthis' seizure of territory by force. The Saudis, meanwhile, would not want a Houthi state allied to Iran on their southern border.
If partition is to be avoided the Houthis would have to give up control of Sana'a and work with other political elements in a unified state, but at present there is no obvious reason why they would, at least in the short term.
Taking a longer view, though, the Houthis have a problem. They hold the most heavily populated parts of the country but lack natural resources. More sparsely populated areas to the south and east have oil and gas but are outside their control. In short, the economic prospects for a Houthi state, based on its current boundaries, are dismal.
The Houthis are well aware of that – which is why they have military designs on Marib province and its oil. So long as they retain hopes of capturing Marib they are unlikely to be amenable to compromise.
Iran is in a position where it can choose to be either constructive or obstructive and there's a risk that it might use cooperation on Yemen as a lever in negotiations about the nuclear deal that Biden is seeking to revive after it was sabotaged by Trump. Meanwhile Saudi Arabia, which strongly opposed the nuclear deal, is unlikely to welcome Biden's effort to reinstate it.
The risk here is that moves towards peace in Yemen could become entangled with disputes about the nuclear issue between two of the Yemen conflict's opposing players.
https://www.al-bab.com/blog/2021/02/biden-seeks-peace-yemen-will-warring-factions-come-board
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Diwan Episode 6 - a conversation with Munir Saeed, and Nasser Arrabyee in Sana'a
on 10yrs since the uprising in Yemen and current affairs. We discuss the situation amid further escalation on all war fronts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tcyQuPgJtM
Diwan Episode 5 - Biden's new Envoy to the Yemen Conflict
We discuss the appointment of a Special Envoy, Tim Lenderking, to the Yemen Conflict by president Biden this past Thursday. Our guests help us navigate expectations and complications that may arise, while Dr. Khoury helps us understand the inner-workings of US diplomacy and the challenges that lie ahead.
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Endless war: On why Saudi Arabia should end its Yemen blockade
Yemen is a case study for a war that has gone wrong on all fronts. When the Saudis started bombing the country in March 2015, their plan was to oust the Houthis from Sana’a and restore a pro-Riyadh government. Despite the Saudi-led attacks, the Houthis held on to the territories they captured, while the Saudi-backed government of President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi was teetering on the brink of collapse. After five years of fighting, the United Arab Emirates pulled out of the war last year. And the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council wants southern Yemen to be an independent entity. While these multiple factions continued to fight, more than 10,000 people were killed in attacks and tens of thousands more died of preventable diseases. Yemen also stares at famine. It is a lose-lose war for everyone. Saudi Arabia has failed to oust the Houthis from Sana’a and is now facing frequent rocket and drone attacks by the rebels. The Houthis are living in permanent war, unable to provide even basic services to the people in the territories they control. Yemen’s internationally recognised government practically lacks any power and legitimacy at home as the war is being fought by other players. Ending the war is in the best interest of all parties. Mr. Biden should push Saudi Arabia and its allies to end their blockade of Yemen and initiate talks with the country’s multiple rebel factions.
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Yemen donor conference expected in March, aid sources say
A fundraising event for Yemen’s humanitarian crisis is expected to take place in early March, hosted virtually by Sweden and Switzerland, four aid sources told Reuters on Sunday.
A U.N.-backed push for international donors last June fell short of its $2.4 billion target, raising only $1.3 billion for what the United Nations describes as the world’s largest humanitarian operation.
The proposed date for the new donors conference is March 1, the four sources said, but the target amount and plans have yet to be finalised. Saudi Arabia co-hosted last year’s fundraiser.
The United States’ new special envoy to Yemen, Tim Lenderking, on Thursday spoke to the president of Yemen’s internationally recognised government about a possible donors conference, President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s office said.
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[Sanaa gov.] FM to UN Security Council: Saudi Complaint Ignored All Crimes, Violations It Committed Against Yemen
Foreign Minister Hisham Sharaf on Monday sent a letter to the Chief of the United Nations Security Council.
In the letter, Sharaf referred to the complaint memorandum submitted by Saudi Arabia regarding the attack on Abha airport by the Sana'a forces and its claim of Sanaa's violation of international law.
The minister said that the Saudi complaint has ignored all crimes and violations committed by the Saudi Air Forces using all types of the internationally prohibited weapons and ammunition, against the Yemeni people and its territories since March 26, 2015.
Sharaf pointed out that Saudi Arabia and its coalition have been imposing the stifling blockade and a policy of collective punishment against the Yemeni people.
and
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Saudi Arabia will continue to treat Houthis as terrorists, says Saudi U.N. representative
Saudi Arabia will continue to treat Yemen’s Houthis as a terrorist organisation despite a U.S. decision to lift the designation on the group, according to the kingdom’s permanent representative to the United Nations.
There has been no other official response from Riyadh to the announcement on Friday by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday that Washington would, effective Feb. 16, lift the terrorist group designation.
“Despite this, we will still deal with the Houthi militia as a terrorist organisation and address its threats with military action,” Abdullah Al-Muallami, told Saudi-owned Asharq News in remarks retweeted by the kingdom’s U.N. mission on Saturday.
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Lack of international pressure on Yemen's Houthis could further complicate the war
Human rights violations against civilians and theological indoctrination by the Houthis have gone under-reported, experts say
The US decision to reverse the designation of Yemen’s Houthis as a terrorist organisation could complicate the peace process if strict conditions for a return to political engagement are not imposed on the rebel group, according to Yemeni experts.
While analysts and human rights defenders do not condone the terrorist designation, they are concerned over the lack of US and international pressure on the Houthis, as a UN special envoy visited Iran this week to discuss a resumption of peace talks.
"Removing the designation of terrorist group without asking the Houthis for a return to democratic practices and a change in their terror policies against the Yemeni population is a mistake," Bushra Nasr, a Yemeni economic development expert and human rights activist, told journalists in Geneva.
"There is no doubt that the Houthis use terror practices against civilians and are committing human rights violations, as are the members of the Gulf coalition," said Ahmed al-Dubai, a professor at Edinburgh Napier University. "And that is reason enough to peg the removal of [the] terrorist designation to a return to negotiations and democratic principles."
Addressing members of the press corps in Geneva, Yemen experts and human rights activists said that human rights violations against civilians, along with theological indoctrination by the Houthis, were being under-reported by international media.
"Both the coalition and the Houthis are responsible for blatant violations of human rights, but the international community is clearly turning a blind eye to the fact that, under the Houthis, Yemenis are becoming subjects to a theocratic regime," Nasr said.
Their isolation from the rest of Yemen's political system, estrangement of most of the population under their rule, and appalling human rights violations are playing right into the hands of the government and its Gulf allies, whose propaganda campaigns have never ceased to portray the movement as a terrorist group.
There are no clean hands in the war in Yemen. The government and coalition forces also use children as soldiers, taking advantage of the poor living conditions in which many families languish.
According to Jan Egeland, the secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, which has 300 staff in the field in Yemen, humanitarian agencies have been impeded from delivering aid by both sides.
"We have had endless problems with the Coalition and with the Saudi's shelling that has never ceased," said Egeland addressing the UN press corps. "With the Houthis too, there have been difficulties, although the situation has been improving as of late."
According to Professor Dubai at Edinburgh Napier University, the US decision to revoke the Houthis' terrorist designation will appease Iran as much as its introduction appeased Saudi Arabia: "Yemen is being used, yet again, as a bargaining chip in the geopolitical games of the region, for which Yemenis will pay the price one way or another.
"Foreign meddlers - Saudis, Emiratis and Iranians - have to be isolated and Yemenis have to start direct talks."
Foreign interference has added a layer of sectarianism to a conflict which was primarily a civil war with social, ethnic and economic roots. But comprehending this multilayered structure of Yemen politics is key to a resolution of the conflict in realistic terms.
cp2a Saudische Blockade / Saudi blockade
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The aggression coalition detain new ship
The official spokesperson of the Yemeni Oil Company, Essam Al-Mutawakel said that the US-Saudi aggression, seized a new oil ship carrying 30K tons of diesel.
The official spokesperson explained that the seizure of this vessel raises the number of detained ships to 14 vessels, all of which obtained UN permits after being subjected to examination and auditing procedures.
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3128796.htm
and also
https://en.abna24.com/news//saudi-coalition-seizes-ship-carrying-fuel-to-yemen_1115843.html
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Salvation Gov’t reveals details of disasters due to oil derivatives blockade. A number of Ministries of the National Salvation Government in #Sanaa on Sunday condemned the unjustified blockade on the country by Saudi-led countries, which has negative impact on lives of people, especially the continued detention of fuel ships. This came during a press conference held by the #Yemeni Petroleum Company (YPC) this morning along with a number of ministries and sectors affected by the lack of oil derivatives. The Ministry of Electricity condemned the coalition countries’ actions in detaining oil derivatives, and preventing them from entering the port of #Hodeida. The affected ministries indicated that drinking water stations are likely to stop within a few days, as well as other vital sectors, due to the oil derivatives blockade. For its part, the Ministry of Health confirmed that public and private hospitals throughout the country are threatened with closure during the next few days due to the suffocating oil derivatives crisis. The ministry said that it received warning calls from all hospitals and health centers about the low health services and the imminent closure of their doors if the coalition countries continued to prevent the entry of oil derivatives.
https://twitter.com/BinCoronavirus/status/1361055016761643012
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Over 2,000 trucks carrying food stuck on Yemeni roads due to Saudi oil blockade
The [Sanaa gov.] Ministry of Transport stated that Yemen is currently suffering from the suspension of road transport, due to the continued blockade of oil derivatives imposed by Saudi-led coalition forces.
The Ministry indicated that more than 2,000 truck locomotives loaded with foodstuffs are stuck in Al-Salif in Hodeidah governorate due to the lack of fuel, which is causing a humanitarian disaster.
The Ministry warned of the dire consequences of seizing oil derivatives and preventing fuel to arrive in Yemen.
and
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Very bad news! More than 2000 trucks loaded with food in #Hodeidah are stuck and couldn't deliver food to different governorates due to the lack of fuel casued by #Saudi siege, which will led to a humanitarian catastrophe! (photos)
https://twitter.com/AhmadAlgohbary/status/1361045063187505154
Films: https://twitter.com/AlShharafi/status/1361016562329784321
https://twitter.com/ypcye/status/1361043733643411463
cp3 Humanitäre Lage / Humanitarian situation
Siehe / Look at cp1
(* B H)
Blood banks in Yemen face severe shortage as demand surges
Blood banks in hospitals of Sanaa, Yemen's capital, are having difficulty providing enough blood for those in need as the demand increases rapidly, a health official said on Tuesday.
Adnan Hakimi, technical director of the National Center for Blood Transfusion and Research in Houthi-controlled Sanaa, said hospitals in the capital have seen a surging demand for blood as the war and economic crisis are creating more patients.
"We are facing a severe shortage of blood, which forces us to launch a blood donation campaign," said Hakimi.
In a statement calling for more residents to donate, the blood center said the population of Sanaa increased significantly because tens of thousands of war-displaced people from other provinces come to seek refugee here.
Moreover, the harsh living condition of most Yemenis has rendered them more susceptible to diseases, which pushed high the need for blood but decreased people's willingness to donate blood, the center added.
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-02/17/c_139747025.htm
(A H)
Malta: Container laden with humanitarian aid to be sent to Yemen
The Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs will be sponsoring the shipment of a to Yemen, following an initiative by the Malta-India Business Council to send necessary items such as clothes, blankets, baby food, baby ware and other essential items, donated by the people of Malta and Gozo, for babies and children suffering from hardship and hunger in Yemen.
The initiative, entitled ‘WICCI Humanitarian Aid Women for Peace’, is the idea of a group of Maltese women who are members of the Malta-India Business Council, which forms part of the global network ‘Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WICCI)’.
https://newsbook.com.mt/en/container-laden-with-humanitarian-aid-to-be-sent-to-yemen/
(* B H)
Film: Humanitäre Katastrophe und Kämpfe im Jemen
24 Millionen Menschen sind auf humanitäre Hilfe angewiesen. 1,8 Millionen Kinder leiden schon jetzt an Unterernährung. Die UN befürchten, dass die Zahl weiter steigen wird.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10TgYc1DVJE = https://www.tagesschau.de/multimedia/video/video-824515.html
(* B H)
Film (in Arabic): Malnutrition rate in Yemen is the highest in the world
With the continuing worsening of the humanitarian conditions in Taiz, that was affected by the war and the siege imposed by the Houthi militia, which contributed to high rates of children experiencing serious, mild, and acute malnutrition, the doctors of Al-Suwaidi Hospital warned that half of the children of Yemen will suffer malnutrition this year and hundreds of thousands of them might die because of the lack of humanitarian aid as according to the head of the hospital's ambulance department, in 2021, 519 cases of meningitis were received, including four deaths
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbqPL37vZ4U
(B H)
Linking the Rapid Response Mechanism to the Provision of Cash Assistance and Women’s Protection: Yemen Case Study
Rapid Response mechanism:
The rapid response mechanism (RRM) aims to provide a minimum package of immediate most critical life-saving assistance for newly displaced persons who are on the move, in collective sites, hard to reach areas or stranded in the military frontlines due to manmade or natural disasters or sudden urgent needs; until the first line cluster response kicks in. This is led by UNFPA in partnership with WFP and UNICEF.
Lessons from Yemen Experience
RRM as an entry point:
The importance of RRM in Yemen goes beyond the distribution of RRM kits, as the immediate response triggers and facilitates the sequencing of other critical assistance modalities for the newly displaced families. Thus, the RRM serves as an entry point for the provision of multi-purpose cash assistance and to address incidence of gender-based violence (GBV) particularly among women and girls who are displaced.
Referral to multi-purpose cash assistance:
The primary performance indicators for RRM are the timeliness of assistance and timeliness in the generation of referrals for multipurpose cash assistance and general food distribution. Significant improvements in timeliness of RRM assistance have been reported in the districts where enrolment modalities have been introduced and mainstreamed during the first quarter of 2020.
(* B E H K)
As fuel shortage worsens, Yemeni bakers return to firewood
Bakers in the Yemeni capital Sanaa have swapped diesel and gas for firewood due to fuel shortages to keep making bread in a country where hunger is widespread after years of war.
Each day workers unload tonnes of wooden logs from trucks that have travelled hundreds of miles from Yemen’s remote mountains to Sanaa’s biggest wood market.
The growing firewood business is a stark reminder of Yemen’s environmental problems which have been eclipsed by war and disease. It also puts more pressure on forests already damaged by the cultivation of the chewable stimulant qat.
“We used diesel before, then we moved to gas because of the blockade...then gas was cut off, so we moved to firewood,” said Ali al-Shebeely, a bakery owner in Houthi-controlled Sanaa.
“Demand for firewood has increased sharply with fuel and gas shortages and the blockade imposed on Yemen,” said Abdulrahman Yahya, a wood trader in Sanaa.
Both firewood and bread prices have risen.
Baker Tawfiq Abdulmughni said: “We used to buy a truckload for 130,000 riyals ($500). Now it’s for 250,000 ($1,000).”
Under pressure from authorities, bakers have been reducing the size of bread instead of raising prices.
(A H P)
Media Advisory: High-Level Pledging Event for the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen
WHAT: High-level pledging event for the humanitarian crisis in Yemen
WHEN: Monday 1 March 2021 at 09:00 ET / 15:00 CET. A question and answer session for media is scheduled at 13:10 ET / 19:10 CET
WHERE: The virtual event is webcast on http://webtv.un.org
On 1 March, the UN will convene a virtual high-level pledging event for the humanitarian crisis in Yemen co-hosted by the Governments of Sweden and Switzerland. The main purpose is for participating Member States and other donors to announce pledges to address the dire needs in the country.
Yemen remains the world’s largest humanitarian crisis and its largest humanitarian response with more than 20 million people in need of assistance. The UN will seek funding against its Humanitarian Response Plan for Yemen and other mechanisms. Donors are encouraged to seize the opportunity for peace and progress by contributing generously to meet the humanitarian needs of Yemenis everywhere in the country. A famine is looming and without support, the humanitarian situation will grow increasingly dire with aid agencies forced to cut lifesaving programmes.
(* B H P)
WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT COMES THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION
The Houthis’ current push against women’s ability to participate in the public sphere has been widely discussed on social media. Just weeks after the Internationally Recognized Government (IRG) formed a male-only government – the first in 20 years – pictures of brick walls being built in Sana’a university classrooms to segregate genders were being shared online. These events highlight the growing dangers to female political participation and education. In fact, solving the first requires tackling the second, as researcher and translator Amal Abdullah argues.
Despite the significant role Yemeni women played in the 2011 uprising and the commitment to a political representation quota they secured at the 2013-14 National Dialogue Conference (NDC), their role in national decision-making has been gradually diminishing since the onset of the civil war. The IRG’s new power-sharing agreement falls far short of the 30 percent female quota agreed during the NDC. Similarly, although there is much international discussion around improving inclusion in future peace processes in an attempt to create sustainable peace, there is little tangible movement to this effect. NGOs and INGOs have pushed to include women in peace process with efforts such as “Yemeni women’s leadership in the peace process, humanitarian space and beyond”, an event held in Geneva in 2019, which looked at issues such as women’s leadership in peace building and humanitarian response. Unfortunately, to date, this push for greater inclusion has not materialized. Zero women were included in the Riyadh agreement negotiations, and they represented just 4 percent of the delegation at the Stockholm agreement talks, with none from Ansarallah-controlled areas.
This lack of women’s participation in politics is caused in part by women’s restricted social status in Yemen, particularly within tribal communities. Religious, social, cultural and gender norms reinforce each other and severely limit the ability of women to pursue higher education, which in turn reduces their ability to take up roles or work outside the household, including in politics. Such conservative socio-cultural norms have been entrenched within Yemeni society for decades now, but these chains can be broken through university. Women who are highly educated are able to participate in the labor force and political life, while those who are deprived of their right to education are trapped within their predefined societal roles.
GENDER NORMS IN YEMEN: BARRIERS TO EDUCATION
In most societies, to be a woman is a challenge in itself but Yemen is an extreme example. As a male-dominated society heavily influenced by tribal and religious traditions, women within it are raised to fulfill specific roles: wife and mother. This is the priority – getting an education and a career remain non-essential for most. Parents are also more likely to invest any income they do have in their sons’ education because they are expected to support their families later in life, unlike their daughters. Women also lack independence in their daily life, with their male relatives able to shape their lives socially and financially. Many Yemeni women can’t leave the house, apply for a job or even visit their extended family without the permission of a man.
As a Yemeni woman, I have seen the impact of these restrictive socio-cultural norms up close.
WITH PUBERTY, GIRLS ARE SAID TO BE READY
FOR MARRIAGE
In fact, the biggest barrier to education for Yemeni women arises when she reaches the age of puberty. Younger girls have a modestly high educational attainment rate, but this falls significantly around puberty. At this age, most parents require their daughters to start wearing the hijab and begin to monitor their interaction with the opposite sex, with various freedoms gradually reduced. This is because any hint of sexual activity outside of marriage would be seen as damaging a girl’s social standing. As a result, many parents decide it is safer for their daughters to drop out of school – most of which are mixed – to avoid any possibility of interaction with boys. The numbers illustrate this clearly
THE IMPORTANCE OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOR PARTICIPATION
Although the number of universities in Yemen has gradually increased – there are now around nine public universities and 18 private ones, most located in Sana’a – women’s enrolment in higher education remains very low.
YEMENI WOMEN STAND TO LOSE ALL PROGRESS MADE
The barriers to education have persisted for decades in Yemeni society, but change can happen in the long-term. Increasing the rate of women with higher education degrees would help to break down socio-culture barriers within households and may encourage the next generation of women to expand their roles in society. Giving the current highly educated women policy-shaping positions where they can help implement solutions to issues such as gender equality and early marriage, this would help more girls to access higher education. The few women who succeed in their education and careers will shape the future of others by acting as role models to motivate and support younger females.
Higher education plays a significant role in improving women’s social and economic status in society and provides them with the necessary tools to regain their plundered rights. It also has direct and indirect effects on the kinds of roles women are able to play outside the home. If access to this does not increase, female political participation is also unlikely to rise – by Amal Abdullah
https://www.yemenpolicy.org/womens-empowerment-comes-through-higher-education/
(B H)
Film: A story of tragedy: a Houthi sniper bullet transformed Abdullah from an active farmer into a disabled
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5gpyr7x95g
(A H)
3000 students in 21 public schools in the capital Sana'a receiving breakfast meals delivered by @monarelief for the second week. The project was funded by Partners Relief and Development and will continu for 3 months. (photos)
https://twitter.com/Fatikr/status/1361467018101334020
(A H)
Based on @monareliefye 's fundraising campaign in Patreon 200 families received in Sana'a governorate on Feb 14, food aid supplies as a support from @monarelief for a month. (photos)
https://twitter.com/Fatikr/status/1361458779301281795
(A H)
500 food aid baskets were delivered on 13 Feb by @monarelief in Bani al-Qalam & Dhabi areas of Sana'a based on a fund by Partners Relief and Development. 2500 families received food supplies since Sept 2020 as a support from @PartnersRelief. Thanks partners for your help. (photos)
https://twitter.com/Fatikr/status/1361451983320793090
https://twitter.com/Fatikr/status/1361456648406056961
(* B H)
Yemen's Starving Children Cross Battlefields
Ahmed Fakin spent days traveling, with his acutely malnourished son Amir, from Yemen's northern Hajjah province to the capital of Sanaa to find medical treatment for Amir.
"It used to take about three hours. But the war changed everything," said Fakin.
The mountainous Hajjah province is a frontline between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi militia, which is now controlling Sanaa. When Amir's situation quickly deteriorated and doctors in Hajjah couldn't help him, his father decided to embark on a perilous journey to Sanaa, where a shimmering ray of hope awaited.
So, with the help of a charity group, Fakin went through checkpoints, battlefields, and even landmine fields to reach here with his ailing son, who is six-year-old but still looks like a toddler.
"Most of the malnutrition cases from remote areas couldn't survive because of the transportation difficulties. They often have to take alternative ways that are longer, harder, and more dangerous as their usual ways were cut by the conflicts," said Abdul Malik Al-Wahidi, a doctor at the malnutrition ward in Sanaa's Al Sabeen Hospital, where Amir received the treatment.
The hospital is the main health center for malnutrition treatment and receives hundreds of starved children every month. The wards are full of heartbreaking crying of the malnourished children.
Malnutrition damages physical and cognitive development, especially during the first two years of a child's life, the agencies warned.
Dunya Abdu Ghalib, a four-year-old girl that only weighs 6 kg, is one of the children with severe symptoms. She is in constant pain, and her skin is covered by large squamous, black-purple bruises.
"For years, my daughter has been suffering and we had tried to find a cure for her as much as we could, but nothing was in our hands. We are poor and no one did assistance to us," Dunya's father Abdu said.
Abdu said he felt lucky that the hospital could take his daughter in. But the hospital itself faces serious problems such as lack of funds and medical supplies.
Doctors at the hospital said humanitarian aids to the hospital are dwindling day by day. Only about half of the country's health facilities are still barely functioning and they heavily rely on humanitarian aids.
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-02/16/c_139745134.htm = https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Yemens-Starving-Children-Cross-Battlefields-20210215-0018.html
(* B H)
Film: "Yemen faces world's worst humanitarian crisis"
Four UN agencies have warned that at least four-hundred thousand Yemeni children under FIVE could starve to death this year amid the Saudi-led aggression and the coronavirus pandemic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgZcbEz9kQk
(* B H)
Yemen – Malnutrition and food insecurity (DG ECHO, UN, IPC) (ECHO Daily Flash of 15 February 2021)
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Acute Malnutrition Analysis (IPC AMN) reveals that Yemen is affected by record highs of acute malnutrition with a devastating toll on children aged 0 to 59 months. 13 out of the 35 zones of analysis were considered to be in Critical stage by December 2020, with further deterioration in the first months of 2021.
More than 1 million pregnant and lactating women, and over 2.25 million children under the age of five are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition in 2021. Of these, 400,000 are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition, an increase of 22% from 2020. Among the worst hit zones are Hodeidah Lowland, Taiz Highland, Sana’a City and Hajjah Lowland (40% of total expected cases).
Spurred by close to six years of active conflict and economic shocks, acute malnutrition in Yemen is driven by high prevalence of communicable diseases, increased levels of acute food insecurity, poor infant and young child feeding practices, poor access to nutrition and health services, and poor water, sanitation and hygiene services.
https://erccportal.jrc.ec.europa.eu/Echo-Flash#/daily-flash-archive/4115
(* B H)
UNICEF Yemen Humanitarian Situation Report - reporting period 1 Jan - 31 Dec 2020
2020 saw the on-going conflict intensify, with conflict and sporadic clashes across 43 active frontlines that affected millions of Yemenis across the country throughout the year. 4.4 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), including 1.7 million children, were heavily impacted by the ongoing conflict. Overall, the population was vulnerable to disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and socio-political and economic contexts.
- As of 31 December 2020, UNICEF had an overall HAC funding gap of 29 percent, or $124 million of the total appeal amount. Funding is urgently needed for 2021 to continue UNICEF’s lifesaving programmatic work.
- COVID-19 shaped much of 2020, impacting service and programme delivery.
Nearly 3.6 million children U5 were screened for malnutrition and 231,062 children U5 (88 per cent of annual planned figure) with severe acute malnutrition without complication were treated, and it is expected to reach the annual objective when complete reports are all submitted.
- In 2020, Yemen experienced a circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) outbreak. In response, two rounds of polio campaigns were implemented, with a total of 7.2 million children vaccinated
(B H)
RDP: Yemen: Monthly Situation Report (January 2021)
Reducing the risk of high rates of child mortality and malnutrition by supporting 12 health facilities with TSFP services in Sama and As Silw districts of Taizz gov.
Preventing further deterioration of nutritional status among CU2 and PLW by distributing blanket supplementary feeding rations through 657 FDPs in 16 districts of Ibb, Taizz, Dhamar, and Hajjah govs.
Working to strengthen the accessibility and availability of health care services through the implementation of MSP project in As Silw district of Taizz gov.
https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-monthly-situation-report-january-2021
(B H)
Yemen: Health Cluster Bulletin, December 2020
A total of 1,929 Health Facilities (16 Governorate Hospitals, 121 District Hospitals, 50 General Hospitals, 20 Specialized Hospitals, 580 Health Centers and 1,142 Health Units) are being supported by Health Cluster Partners.
https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-health-cluster-bulletin-december-2020
(B H)
Film: Jemen - Leben im Krieg
Die junge Geigerin Ahmal hat trotz der Krise und dem Krieg Hoffnung. Ihre Geige spielt dabei eine große Rolle. Und Ahmal hat Mut, denn Mädchen und Frauen haben es im Jemen schwer.
https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/video/panorama-krieg-jemen-100.html = https://www.instagram.com/p/CLU4xBEgnSM/
(B K P)
Yemen : First Standard Allocation 2020 Dashboard
The first Standard Allocation for the Yemen Humanitarian Fund 2020 was launched on 19 November 2020 with the objective to provide immediate funding to assist people in acute humanitarian needs with a view to mitigate the risks of famine and negative consequences of COVID-19 in Yemen. The allocation focused on two priorities a) activities covering high priority gaps for people in acute needs in the hardest of the hard to reach areas for four districts of Ta’iz; b) activities covering gaps for people in acute needs in the ongoing emergency response, including critically underfunded protection programmes; IDP response and pre-positioning critical life-saving emergency items. A total of $75.3 million was allocated to 34 partners implementing 58 projects across 10 clusters, including 20 multi-cluster projects, targeting 3,266,358 beneficiaries in 137 districts across 20 governorates.
https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-first-standard-allocation-2020-dashboard
(* B H)
Photos: Millions of children confront threat of starvation in Yemen
cp4 Flüchtlinge / Refugees
(B H)
IOM Yemen | Rapid Displacement Tracking (RDT) - Reporting Period: 07 - 13 Feb 2021
From 01 January 2021 to 13 February 2021, IOM Yemen DTM estimates that 1,284 households (HH) (7,704 Individuals) have experienced displacement at least once.
Since the beginning of 2021, DTM also identified other 17 previously displaced households who left the displaced location and moved to either their place of origin or some other displaced location.
Between 07 February 2021 and 13 February 2021, IOM Yemen DTM tracked 655 households (3,930 individuals) displaced at least once. The highest number of displacements were seen in:
(* A H)
I just came back from the IDP camps, 4 camps have been totally emptied due to heavy shelling I can say that all 622 families from Al-Zor camp are now displaced
900 families from the other 3 camps “Al-Swabin, Al-Milh and Al-Mostashfa” have been displaced These IDPs are facing exceptional hardships...
These displaced do not have safe means of travel and they can’t take their belongings with them and also don’t have any money to cover emergency costs. Also the new areas do not have proper shelter, most of them will sleep without no roof over their heads
There are some humanitarian interventions by some organizations but they are modest and do not meet the demand The IDPs had to move after the Houthis fired missiles on the camps, the threat on their lives is real (photos)
https://twitter.com/AlqadhiYasmin/status/1361793534420992008
(A H K pS)
Houthis indiscriminately shelled an informal camp of internally displaced persons in #Mareb, casualties include women and children.
https://twitter.com/RashaJarhum/status/1361260969259917314
and
(A K P)
[Hadi gov.] Yemeni Minister of Information Condemns Houthi Targeting on Displaced in Al-Zour Camp, Marib Governorate
https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=2192039
and
(A H K pS)
1,000+ IDPs start a new displacement journey coz of Houthi attacks in Serwah district. This #Houthi escalation puts 2 million civilians & #IDPs in #Mareb City at risk. (photo)
https://twitter.com/Yemen24/status/1361483892230934532
(A H K pS)
#Houthis today made some progress in left wing of Serwah front towards al-Zwr area. Hundreds of families and IDPs there begun fleeing as many rockets and mortars fell near their camp in Serwah western #Marib.
https://twitter.com/Alsakaniali/status/1361341507656155136
(* B H K)
IOM Yemen - Marib Response (16 - 31 January 2021)
Moving into 2021, protracted conflict continues to affect hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host community members in Marib. Civilians are bearing the devastating impact of renewed hostilities, seeing their homes and community infrastructure damaged, being forced to flee to safety. During this reporting period, the fighting has so far impacted civilian areas in Jabal Murad, Mahliyah and Sirwah districts, affecting women and children the most. Humanitarian access to many areas in Marib continues to be a challenge and basic services remain overstretched.
Increased fighting or shifts in frontlines will lead to another wave of displacement, with more people predicted to flee into Marib city and surrounding areas. IOM estimates that 106,449 people have been displaced by the fighting since January 2020, and partners estimate that significant changes to frontlines could displace an additional 385,000 people, who will likely move further into eastern Marib, Hadramaut and Shabwah. While people flee conflict-affected areas, at least 4,500 migrants are estimated to be stranded in Marib city – many of whom are unable to access basic services and in dire need of food, shelter, health and protection assistance.
Before the escalation of hostilities in 2020, Marib governorate already hosting the largest displaced population and IDP hosting site in Yemen. The surge in fighting since January 2020 has displaced an estimated 15,207 families (106,449 people), adding to the hundreds of thousands already sheltering in the governorate. More than a year since the first wave of displacements, people continue to move to Marib city and surrounding areas, a majority fleeing conflict for the second time. IOM estimates that 60 per cent of new IDPs are settling into crowded displacement sites or informal settlements with inadequate services. With the situation showing no sign of easing, there are continued concerns around the resources and capacities needed to respond.
Humanitarian gaps exist across the response, and some of the largest are in shelter maintenance, waste management and hygiene, health, food and education.
https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/iom-yemen-marib-response-16-31-january-2021
cp5 Nordjemen und Huthis / Northern Yemen and Houthis
Siehe / Look at cp1
(A P)
President Al-Mashat: US Blockade of Our People War Crime, Reveals Ugly Face of US-Saudi Aggression
(A P)
Yemeni Activists Launch Campaign Condemning Houthi Recruitment of Child Soldiers
Yemeni activists have launched a fierce social media campaign against Houthi recruitment and deployment of child soldiers to battle fronts. Human rights defenders and organizations are urging the international community to condemn the Iran-backed group.
Launched on the International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers, February 12, the campaign was joined by thousands of Yemenis who complained about Houthi human rights violations and shared documented evidence of crimes committed by the group’s militants.
Footage, information and video recordings of how Houthis are drafting minors were shared on social media platforms.
and
(B P)
Film: Houthis pushing children into battlefronts
https://twitter.com/RepYemenEnglish/status/1361757609087401986
and also https://twitter.com/RepYemenEnglish/status/1361767308272803840
(A P)
FM: European Parliament’s decision is important step for achieving peace in Yemen
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3128562.htm
(A P)
Parliament welcomes European Parliament's decision to stop war on Yemen
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3128502.htm
(A P)
[Sanaa gov.] Official Says ‘US Intention to End Yemen War Open to Doubt’
A senior Yemeni official cast doubt on the purported intention of the administration of US President Joe Biden to end the war on Yemen, demanding that the Yemeni nation’s resistance in the face of the Saudi-led aggression and siege continue.
“The United States is seeking to lessen international hatred towards itself at the same time as building up pressure on Yemeni people through a blockade. The Yemeni nation is fairly familiar with such a ploy and trusts in God,” Yemeni Information Minister Dhaifallah al-Shami stated, Middle East News reported.
(* B P)
Identity Conflicts in Kurdish and Houthi Ethnic Groups
This paper investigates the role of identity in shaping violent conflicts by comparing Houthis in Yemen and Kurds in Iraq. The paper will initially explain identity and identity politics by focusing on theories of identity as being in flux and a way of organising society into smaller groups. Thus, identity politics is based on ethnic exclusions and mobilising ethnic groups to achieve territorial claims. Moreover, this paper argues that weak central governments and power-sharing disagreements can encourage people to focus on identity politics leading to conflict. The paper will then present a new analytical tool developed by Landon Hancock (2016), to understand and analyse identity-driven conflicts. The model suggests that individuals have primary core identity and several less salient role identities that are ordered hierarchically. Conflict susceptibility is increased when the core identity is threatened.
cp6 Südjemen und Hadi-Regierung / Southern Yemen and Hadi-government
(A P)
Mahrah protesters call for international pressure to force Saudi occupation out
Mahrah sit-in committee’s officials called on the international community to pressure Saudi Arabia to remove its troops from the governorate.
In a statement, the organizing committee welcomed the approval of the draft resolution issued by European Parliament that calls for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Yemen for facilitating political dialogue among the components of the Yemeni people.
The statement called on the envoy of the new US administration to get acquainted with the reality of the situation in the provinces of Mahrah and Socotra, as well as Saudi and Emirati plans to destroy state institutions and form and support militias to consolidate control over the two provinces.
(* B P)
Secret prisons and strategic diplomacy: How the UAE masks its human rights abuses in Yemen
Disclaimer: This text was written prior to President Biden’s announcement to halt all offensive military assistance to the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.
In 2020, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) continued to invest in a “soft power” strategy to portray itself as a progressive nation.
Reports on the use of widespread torture in Emirati-led secret prisons in Yemen first began circulating in 2018. However, these have always been followed by a resolute denial on the part of Emirati forces. In June 2020, the Emirati activist Mohammed al-Qaidi unveiled new horrifying details of torture in Emirati prisons in Yemen when he described the abuse he endured at the hands of the jailors in a series of tweets. Specifically, these jailors follow a strict schedule: beatings on Saturday, torture on Sundays, rest on Mondays, and so forth. He stated that Fridays are reserved for solitary confinement. Furthermore, sexual violence is utilized as the primary tool for imposing penalties on prisoners and for extracting confessions.
In another instance, the Association for Victims of Torture in the UAE and MENA Rights Group requested the intervention of several United Nations Special Procedures on behalf of a Yemeni national (whose name was not provided) who was subjected to torture and ill-treatment by Emirati forces inside secret detention centres across the Shabwah governorate in 2018. As a result, in July 2020, the Special Rapporteur on torture, together with the Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances, and the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, sent an allegation letter to the UAE. In the letter, the UN expressed its grave concern regarding the victim.
In a recent estimate, the Geneva-based NGO, SAM for Rights and Liberties, publicly stated that the Emiratis hold in these secret prisons “thousands of Yemenis, including political opponents, opinion-makers, and even civilians, without any charge or presentation to judicial authorities” and reaffirmed the “cruel forms of torture” they receive.
(A K P)
Yemen’s MPs Call on Govt to Withdraw from Stockholm Agreement
Members of Yemen’s parliament who are loyal to the internationally recognized government have called for an urgent withdrawal from the UN-sponsored Stockholm agreement that was signed in Switzerland between the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels in late 2018.
In a letter sent to Yemen’s President, Vice President, and Prime Minister, the parliament members demanded withdrawal from the Stockholm agreement due to military escalation and not abiding by the agreement by the Iran-backed Houthi militia.
The letter demanded a letter be urgently sent to “the concerned parties” informing them of the withdrawal of the government from the Stockholm agreement.
“The criminal Houthi militia has never complied with the agreement since it was signed. The militia has been using the ports of Hodeidah and Al-Salif to smuggle ballistic missiles and drones that kill the Yemeni people across Yemen,” the MPs said.
They also demanded the battlefronts be engaged with the Houthi militia in order not to give the Houthi militia way for mobilization and reinforcement against government forces in Al Jawaf and Marib provinces.
https://republicanyemen.net/archives/27167
and also https://debriefer.net/en/news-23196.html
Letter (in Arabic): https://twitter.com/Alsakaniali/status/1361381734684762113
(A P)
PM meets STC officials in Aden
Prime Minister Dr. Ma'een Abdulmalik received on Monday in the temporary capital Aden some of the South Transitional Council (STC) leaders with the presence of the Chair of the Saudi Committee of Coordination and Liaison charged with implementing Riyadh Agreement Maj. General Mohammed bin Sa'ad Arrobayee
http://en.adenpress.news/news/32242
(A P T)
Security dismantles explosive device in Aden
http://en.adenpress.news/news/32243
My comment: “Security” = Separatist “Security Belt” militia, here propagated as protecting force.
(* A K P)
Saudi Arabia transfers British weapons, experts to Yemen’s Mahra
A Saudi ship carrying British weapons and military experts is on its way to Nashton port of Mahra province, eastern Yemen, informed sources reported on Monday.
Last week, British government ministers rejected the suspension of the United Kingdom’s arms sales to Saudi Arabia, pointing out that their country is making its own decisions on arms sales, and it is not bound by the decisions of other countries, in reference to European countries that called for stopping arms exports to Saudi Arabia because of the war on Yemen.
(A K P)
Islah Party militias confiscate shipment of Emirati drones
Islah factions have on Monday seized a shipment of UAE drone aircraft in Shabwah province, southeastern Yemen.
This was reported by Yemeni News portal, based on tribal sources.
Tribal sources said that the cargo, which includes 10 drone aircraft, was on board of locomotives coming from Al Rayyan airport in the neighbouring province of Hadhramaut.
The UAE occupation forces took Al Rayyan airport and have turned it into a military base for its forces.
According to the source, the shipment was heading to the UAE forces camp in Balhaf on the eastern coast of the oil-rich province, when they were intercepted at Najiba by the special forces of Islah.
The sources said the UAE shipment was accompanied by Saudi forces, but the latter withdrew and did not object to the decision of Islah forces to confiscate the shipment.
https://hodhodyemennews.net/2021/02/15/islah-party-militias-confiscate-shipment-of-emirati-drones/
(A)
Aden Hosts Love and Loyalty Festival
http://en.adenpress.news/news/32238
(A P)
Another STC [separatist militia] Official Abducted by Islah in Shabwa
http://en.adenpress.news/news/32237
(A P)
Arms Control Campaign Continues in Aden
The control arms campaign in Aden continues in implementing the directives of the Security Committee with a view to ensuring that weapons are not used by criminal and terrorist groups, the Commander of the Security Belt Forces, Brigadier General Jalal Nasser Al-Ruba'ie said in a statement on Sunday.
Earlier the same day, the Security Belt Forces arrested a number of armed men in al-Mansoura and Sheikh Othman districts for unlicensed possession of firearms.
http://en.adenpress.news/news/32236
My comment: Although the Riyadh agreement had required that separatist militia should leave Aden, they still sty and now disarm others. LOL.
cp7 UNO und Friedensgespräche / UN and peace talks
(A P)
5 captives of [Sanaa gov.] army, popular committees freed on Marib front
the liberation of the prisoners took place through a local mediator.
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3128516.htm
cp8 Saudi-Arabien / Saudi Arabia
(A P)
In response #Biden admin boycotting him, #MBS has ran to #Putin #Russia. He called #Putin today.
https://twitter.com/AliAlAhmed_en/status/1361818635090743300
referring to https://www.alriyadh.com/1870067
(A P)
We confirm that Dr. Muhammad Al-Hudhaif has been sentenced to 9 years in prison, after the previous 5-year prison sentence was overturned. Al-Hudhaif faces false charges due to his warning of the danger of the UAE on the Kingdom and the region.
https://twitter.com/m3takl_en/status/1361603725723230208
(A P)
#Saudi #MBS is picking up a new fight with #Iraq. Today the Saudi govt flagship media tool @AlArabiya ran primetime interview with #Saddam’s daughter who is sheltering with #Jordan’s dictator @KingAbdullahII
https://twitter.com/AliAlAhmed_en/status/1361681542729367553
referring to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSaaa9wXOa8
(A P)
Activates Reveal Grave Violations of Saudi Arabia, Demand Release of Al-Awda
Arab and international human rights activists, politicians, academics, and researchers called on Friday for the release of the prominent Saudi preacher, Salman Al-Awda, 63, who has been detained for more than three years, denouncing what they described as Western and Islamic silence regarding what he is exposed to inside his prison.
(A E P)
Saudi Arabia to stop contracting with firms without local HQ
Saudi Arabia announced on Monday that it plans to stop signing contracts with foreign companies that don’t have their Mideast headquarters in the kingdom, state-run media reported, a bold move that could escalate business competition in the region.
The decision, to take effect on Jan 1. 2024, aims to solicit foreign investment, increase efficiency of state spending and boost local employment, according to an anonymous official quoted by the state-run Saudi Press Agency. The rule applies to foreign companies that deal with government agencies, institutions and funds.
The step could put Saudi Arabia at odds with Dubai, considered the region’s commercial and tourism hub. The freewheeling city in the United Arab Emirates long has served as the headquarters for most big companies operating in the oil-rich Persian Gulf.
https://apnews.com/article/dubai-saudi-arabia-united-arab-emirates-daa7181374fac07b195fab289f690fef
and
(A E P)
Our national historian @alsab3aani sees a link between #MBS decision to limit #Saudi govt contracts with foreign companies that has its regional headquarters outside #Saudi to a case #Dubai court involving Saudi minister of labor Ahmed AlRajhi & an #Arab businessman
Arab businessman @OmarJAyesh sued AlRajihi for defrauding him out of over $1 billion & #Dubai court ruled against #MBS handpicked minister. It seems that AlRajihi is behind the decision that will impact #UAE the greatest. #UAE is headquarters for 100s of int co’s.
The #Saudi decision makes economic sense but it will reignite #Saudi #UAE conflict, that dates to the 18 Century. #Saudi in fact occupies #UAE lands, that link #Qatar & #UAE
https://twitter.com/AliAlAhmed_en/status/1361761606485610498
cp8a Jamal Khashoggi
(* B P)
How to kill a journalist: The Dissident the film about Jamal Khashoggi
The consul general of Saudi Arabia had ordered 31 kilos of meat to be grilled on the day Jamal Khashoggi , Saudi journalist for the Washington Posthe was killed in his consulate in Istanbul. The meat served to confuse the smell of another barbeque: that of Khashoggi's body burned in the oven of the consul's residence. A few hours earlier Jamal had been suffocated, torn to pieces and put in some suitcases in the diplomat's office, where he had gone to collect a document he needed to marry the young woman he had fallen in love with. It was 2 September 2018. The reconstruction was done by the Turkish authorities who recorded everything that happened inside the consulate and distributed the tapes to various countries, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Germany, France. It took a full seven and a half minutes to suffocate Jamal. One against all. Turkish investigators say they have never heard anything like this,the sentences of the journalist trying to defend himself, the noises as his body was dismembered, the jokes of the perpetrators of this atrocity, 15 agents arrived on purpose from Saudi Arabia. The vision of The Dissident, the Oscar-winning documentaryBryan Fogel on the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi is a journey to hell, inside the secrets of a nation of Saudi Arabia, which became rich with oil, the guardian of the main places of Islam, a religion he interprets according to the most radical doctrine, Wahabism.
Fortsetzung / Sequel: cp9 – cp19
https://www.freitag.de/autoren/dklose/jemenkrieg-mosaik-718b-yemen-war-mosaic-718b
Vorige / Previous:
https://www.freitag.de/autoren/dklose/jemenkrieg-mosaik-717-yemen-war-mosaic-717
Jemenkrieg-Mosaik 1-717 / Yemen War Mosaic 1-717:
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/
Liste aller Luftangriffe / and list of all air raids:
http://yemendataproject.org/data/
Untersuchung ausgewählter Luftangriffe durch Bellingcat / Bellingcat investigations of selected air raids:
Untersuchungen von Angriffen, hunderte von Filmen / Investigations of attacks, hundreds of films:
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