In
Yemen Saudi
and UAE
Airstrikes
Increase ICRC
Speaks Inner
City Press
Asks As
Guterres
Partners With
MBS
By Matthew
Russell Lee, CJR PFT NY
Post List
UNITED NATIONS
GATE, November 8 – UN
Secretary
General
Antonio
Guterres on March
27 lavished
praised on
Saudi Crown
Prince
Mohammed bin
Salman now accused
with respect to
Jamal Khashoggi,
accepting
a $930 million
check from the
Saudis and UAE,
with not a
word of the
Saudi led
bombing
campaign that
has killed
civilians and
caused cholera
in
Yemen. Guterres'
Youth Envoy has
an ongoing
deal with
MBS's Misk
Foundation,
even now. Another
pantomine: the UK
which
continues to
sell weapons to
Saudi Arabia, said
it was coming to
the Security
Council for
action to end
the war in
Yemen. Then it
proposed not
even a
resolution but
only a
statement,
which at least
three members
of the Council
have said it
not strong
enough. On
November 8
Inner City Press
at the UN
Delegates
Entrance Gate
asked the UK
Mission's
Political
Coordinator if
there will, in
fact, be a
UNSC resolution.
He replied politely
that it's too
early
to tell. But
it's getting
late. From the
ICRC today,
this: "As
Hodeida sees a
dramatic
escalation in
the fighting
around the
city, the
International
Committee of
the Red Cross
(ICRC) calls
on warring
parties to
protect
civilians and
civilian
infrastructure
from
unnecessary
harm,
especially in
the lead-up to
potential
talks between
parties.
“Hodeida is
once again
trapped in
violence with
hundreds of
thousands of
Yemenis caught
in the middle.
The upcoming
talks cannot
be an excuse
to disregard
the laws of
war that
protect the
lives of the
Yemeni
people,” said
Fabrizio
Carboni,
ICRC’s
regional
director for
the Near and
Middle East.
"Wars have
rules and
parties to the
conflict must
respect them,
even in the
fiercest
battles.”
ICRC teams on
the ground
have seen how
fear is rising
among Yemeni
people of
being
accidentally
hit or
purposely
targeted.
Fighting is
nearing health
centers, which
led to the
interruption
of services in
Hodeida’s 22nd
May Hospital.
The city’s
biggest
hospital,
Al-Thawra, is
mere meters
from the
frontline, and
if more health
structures are
rendered
dysfunctional,
the remaining
facilities
might not have
the capacity
to provide
regular
services or
cope with an
influx of
casualties.
The ICRC
encourages
political
efforts to put
an end to a
war that has
caused intense
misery for
Yemeni
families.
Millions of
people are
displaced in
the country
and millions
are battling
extreme hunger
as a direct
consequence of
the conflict.
“This new
attack on
Hodeida is
brushing away
the hope
sparked by the
recent
announcement
of the peace
talks,” said
Carboni.
“We´re running
out of words
to describe
how wretched
the situation
is."
We'll have
more on this.
On November
7, this from
MSF: "As
conflict
intensifies on
several fronts
across Yemen,
the
international
medical
humanitarian
organization
Doctors
Without
Borders/Médecins
Sans
Frontières
(MSF) is
receiving an
influx of
people with
war-related
injuries in
Hodeidah,
Hajjah, Aden,
Saada, and
Taiz
governorates.
Heavy ground
fighting and
aerial
bombardments
are
threatening
the lives of
thousands of
civilians.
In Hodeidah, a
major
offensive was
launched on
November 1 by
forces loyal
to President
Abdu Rabbu
Mansour Hadi,
backed by the
Saudi- and
Emirati-led
coalition
(SELC),
against Ansar
Allah troops... From
November 1 to
6, MSF teams
in Hodeidah
treated 24
war-wounded
civilians at
Al Salakhana
hospital,
including five
women and nine
children. Of
these
patients, 17
had blast
injuries and
one had a
gunshot wound.
A campaign of
massive
airstrikes by
the SELC is
ongoing across
several areas
of the
country. On
the night of
November 5
alone, MSF
teams received
16 war-wounded
patients in
Abs and 18 in
Hajjah
following
intensified
fighting on
nearby front
lines.
Daily
airstrikes are
also hitting
Haydan
district in
Saada
governorate—the
most heavily
bombed region
since the
conflict
escalated in
March 2015.
MSF works in
Haydan
hospital,
which was hit
by an SELC
airstrike
three years
ago.
MSF teams are
seeing
increasing
numbers of
war-wounded
patients from
Hodeidah and
Taiz at MSF's
trauma
hospital in
Aden. From
November 1 to
6, 16 patients
were treated
in Aden
hospital for
war wounds.
All of these
patients came
from Hodeidah,
a six-hour
drive from
Aden, to
access
much-needed
surgical care.
Separately,
MSF announced
today the
closure of its
humanitarian
project in Ad
Dhale
governorate,
southern
Yemen, due to
repeated
attacks and
threats of
violence
directed
against
medical
facilities,
patients and
health staff.
The closure
ends MSF's
support for
four health
facilities: Al
Nasr hospital
in Ad Dhale
town, Al
Salaam primary
health care
center (PHCC)
in Qatabah,
Thee Jalal
PHCC in Al
Azariq, and
Damt
PHCC." But Guterres
called the
Saudi-led coalition
"good child killers,"
and put
the Press
which
questions him
on his secret
banned list
including
"political activists."
We'll
have more on
this. On
September 25,
after
meeting the Saudi
foreign
minister,
Guterres
gushed, "The
Secretary-General
met with H.E.
Mr. Adel
Al-Jubeir,
Minister of
Foreign
Affairs of the
Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia. The
Secretary-General
and the
Foreign
Minister
discussed
regional
issues of
mutual
interest,
including
Yemen and
Syria. The
Secretary-General
expressed
appreciation
to Saudi
Arabia for its
support to the
ongoing
reconciliation
process in the
Horn of Africa
and United
Nations youth
initiatives."
Not
a word on the
bombing of
school bus. Earlier
on
September 25
the UK Mission
to the UN
closed to the
press - all
press, apparently
- its event on
Addressing
Malnutrition
in Yemen. To his
credit, ICRC's
Peter
Maurer
released his
remarks, here,
including
calling for
"ceasing the
transfer of
weapons if
there is a
clear risk of
violations of
international
law." That
should mean
the host of
the meeting
would stop
such sales - and, as
didn't
happen this week,
incoming UN
Security
Council member
Germany would as
well. We'll
have more on
this. On
September
14 the NRC's
Saleem
Al-Shamiri in
Hodeidah said,
"Stability
within
Hodeidah is
becoming worse
and fear about
what might
happen
continuing to
increase.
Those
remaining in
Hodeidah know
they could
lose
everything,
including
their lives,
but for many,
it is not a
simple
decision to
leave. To
leave is to
abandon
everything
people know
and have
worked for,
with no
certainty
about the
future. If
people leave,
they don’t
know where
they will go,
how they will
find shelter,
what they will
eat. Many fled
here already
and the war
followed.
They’re tired
of running. One
of our
colleagues
here is
expecting her
baby any day.
These are
terrifying
circumstances
for her
delivery. She
says it is now
too late, too
uncertain and
too expensive
for her family
to leave. No
baby should be
born into a
situation like
this.”
The weekend of
7-9 September
marked one of
the deadliest
in Yemen’s war
so far, with
more than 84
conflict-related
fatalities
reported
within
Hodeidah
health
facilities
alone,
according to
reports
received from
Safer Yemen.
Fighting is
now pressing
in on Hodeidah
city from
several sides,
including
heavy ground
clashes and
sustained
aerial
bombardments.
Civilians in
Hodeidah
reported
airstrikes in
close
proximity to
the city’s
southern and
eastern
borders,
including up
to fifty
strikes on the
city fringes
on Wednesday
alone.
Houses, farms,
a flour mill
and a soft
drink factory
were among
civilian
buildings hit
by airstrikes
across
Hodeidah
governorates
over the last
fortnight.
We are highly
concerned
about the
security of
the Hodeidah
Port complex,
including
milling
facilities
housing enough
to feed 3.5
million Yemeni
people.
Aid agencies
in Yemen have
identified
close to
500,000 people
that had fled
homes in
Hodeidah
between June
and August. So
far in
September,
55,000 people
have been
displaced from
across the
governorate,
leaving more
than half a
million at
heightened
risk of hunger
and exposure
to diseases,
including
cholera.
ECHO reports
that the
number of
suspected
cholera cases
in Yemen has
now increased
for the
12thweek in a
row, to 9,245
suspected
cases. This
number adds to
more that
133,000 cases
of suspected
cholera
through 2018
thus far.
By 13
September,
seven vessels
were berthed
at Hodeidah
port, carrying
a 79,000
metric tons of
food and over
30,000 metric
tons of
critically-needed
gas oil. An
additional
three vessels
are queued to
deliver food
and fuel in
the coming
days. Food and
fuel
deliveries
through
Yemen’s Red
Sea Ports have
held steady
since June but
any disruption
or threat to
the safety of
shipments
could strangle
the Yemeni
economy and
impact access
to food for
more than 20
million
people." Inner
City Press, which
previously
at the UN
Security
Council
stakeout asked US
Ambassador
Nikki Haley
questions
about Jeffrey
Feltman and Cameroon
has now been
banned from
the UN for 70
days and
counting and
so asks like this,
on September
11.
We'll have more on
this. On
September 10 the new
UN High
Commissioner
for Human Rights
Michelle Bachelet
has had this to
say on Yemen
in her
opening speech: "Regarding
Yemen, I urge
all parties to
take stock of
the gravity of
the findings
of the Group
of Eminent
Experts. They
have
identified a
number of
individuals
who may be
responsible
for
international
crimes, and
that
confidential
list is now in
the Office. It
is crucial
that there be
continued
international
and
independent
investigations
into all
allegations of
violations of
international
humanitarian
law and war
crimes –
particularly
in light of
the apparent
inability of
the parties to
the conflict
to carry out
impartial
investigations.
Last month's
shocking
strike on a
bus carrying
schoolchildren
was followed
by another
horrific
series of
airstrikes
which left
dozens of
civilians and
children
killed and
injured in Al
Hudaydah. I
note the
recent
statement by
the Coalition
acknowledging
mistakes over
the airstrike
on the school
bus in Sa’ada,
and I will be
closely
following what
steps are
taken to hold
the
perpetrators
accountable
and provide
remedy and
compensation
to the
victims. There
should be
greater
transparency
over the
coalition’s
rules of
engagement and
the measures
taken to
ensure that
such tragedies
are not
repeated. The
recent Saudi
royal order
which appears
to provide a
blanket pardon
to members of
the Saudi
armed forces
for actions
taken in Yemen
is very
concerning." So
why has
Guterres done
a favor to
Saudi Arabia
putting it on
the "good child
killer"
list? We'll
have more on
this, and on
Bachelet's
response
(or not) to
the evidence
provided to
her on and
since her
first day
about shameful
censorship
of the Press
at and by the UN
Secretariat as
it pursues
the UN's role in
Yemen,
deferring to the
Saudis and
their armers.
And on this: On
September 8
Guterres' envoy
Martin
Griffiths
lavished
praise on the
government /
Hadi
delegation he
spent three
days with
in Geneva, in
a press
conference
featuring
qestions cut
off by the UN
and
from which though
in Geneva
Inner City
Press was banned
from by New
York-based,
Moscow
junketing Alison
Smale for
Guterres, soon
to be Lisbon
bound. After
Griffiths,
Hadi's Foreign Minister
Khaled Al
Yahami took
over the UN room to
denounce coup
plotters
and deny that
Sudan and Egypt
wouldn't open
their air
space. What
about the
injured
being able to
get to Oman?
Griffiths,
vetted by the Saudis before Guterres
gave him the
post
ostensibly for
the Brits,
wouldn't say.
He said every
action has a
repurcussion.
We'll
have more on
this. On
September 7,
with
the UN declining
to answer
basic
questions from
banned Inner
City Press
including
"September
6-3: On Yemen,
what is the
SG's response
to that the
Yemeni
government is
considering
not extending
the UN teams’
missions in
the country
after they
have proven
their bias,
Yemen’s human
rights
minister
Mohamed Askar
said on
Thursday,"
this from NRC
protection
and advocacy
adviser in
Yemen Suze
van Meegen: “This
week was due
to mark a
turning point
in Yemen’s
conflict as
parties
convened in
Geneva to
chart a way
forward.
Instead, we
have passed
another week
full of
violence and
devoid of
promise. While
parties to the
conflict
continue to
operate on the
basis of
differences,
Yemenis are
united in
their
experience of
violence,
deprivation
and grief.
Yemenis I met
this week all
tell me that
they are
losing hope in
the
possibility of
any solution
to the current
situation.
They are
exhausted,
People are
reaching their
tipping
point.”
The situation
in Hodeidah
city remains
exceptionally
fragile. Heavy
fighting is
currently
taking place
at the city’s
western and
southern
outskirts,
closer than at
any other
point since
the offensive
on Hodeidah
commenced in
June,
including
around
Hodeidah
airport, on
the city’s
southern
border.
Airstrikes and
helicopter
attacks have
been reported
across several
districts
south of
Hodeidah city,
and missiles
launched from
Yemen at
targets in
both Saudi
Arabia and the
Red Sea.
Reports
indicate that
jets have been
hovering over
Hodeidah city
for up to 16
hours a day.
Citizens in
Hodeidah
described
increasingly
militarised
conditions
inside the
city this
week, with an
increasing
number of
checkpoints,
trenches and
jersey
barriers
installed
across the
city. Most
residents stay
inside their
houses to try
to protect
themselves.
Tension in and
around the
city continues
to keep
prevent tens
of thousands
of city
residents from
returning.
People
remaining in
Hodeidah
report that
more than half
of all
businesses,
shops and
services have
closed,
including
whole blocks
of shopfronts
locked up
following the
departure from
the city of
owner-operators.
A shopkeeper
selling fabric
and clothing
told NRC staff
that he had
not sold a
single item
since the
second week of
August.... On
September 4, with
the UN declining
to answer
basic
questions from
banned Inner
City Press
about the previous,
non-Saudi
approved UN
envoy, this:
"UN Special
Envoy For
Yemen Affirms
Commitment To
Southern
Participation
In The
Political
Process: Amman,
4 September
2018 - Since I
assumed my
role as
Special Envoy
in March this
year, I have
consistently
affirmed that
there will be
no peace in
Yemen if we do
not listen to
a broad
cross-spectrum
of Yemeni
voices,
including
southern
groups, and
make sure that
they are
included in
the efforts to
reach a
sustainable
political
settlement. In
the past few
months, I have
consulted with
numerous
southern
groups to
reach a
consensus on
their
meaningful
participation
in the
political
process. I
have been
encouraged by
their openness
to dialogue
and to a
peaceful
resolution for
their
concerns. I
remain
committed to
reaching a
consensus with
them on their
participation
in the
political
process, and
look forward
to continuing
our
discussions in
the coming
weeks. I
urge all
Yemeni
stakeholders
to work
together to
create a
conducive
environment
for
negotiations
to end the war
and for the
stabilization
of the economy
and delivery
of basic
services to
the Yemeni
people."
We'll
see.
Also, Spain
under Pedro
Sanchez is
said to be belatedly
reviewing
its arms
sales to the Saudis.
Better late
than never - the
UN, it seems,
never
reviews anything,
no more how
outrageous or
ultimately
incriminating.
Where was UNSG
Guterres? In
China, after rebuffing
basic
questions from
banned
Inner City
Press on
August 31, here.
On
August 2,
the day
after the implicated
UK took over
presidency
of the UN
Security
Council while
denying
Press requests
under FOIA
and for
access, British
nominated (and
Saudi
vetted) UN envoy
Martin
Griffiths was to
brief the Council
and then a Press-less
press stakeout
(which he
later
canceled) -
when, just
before the
meeting, the
Saudi and Emirati
led Coalition
reported
bombed the
Al-Thourah
Hospital in Hodeidah,
killing 55
civilians.
While Griffith in
his speech
didn't even
mention these
airstrikes
(and he has
not answered
Inner City Press' online
question to
him about
why), on August 3
the
Saudi
Mission,
dutifully
amplified by
Al Arabiya to
which the UN
gives a ten
meter long
office that
Guterres and
his Deputy and team
often cravenly
appear in, blamed
the bombing on
the Houthis.
Seems like it
might require
an objective
investigation -
unlike the scam
45 day"review"
the UN held
to ban Inner
City Press for
life,
while turning
itself over to
the likes of
Al Arabiya. On
August 24 after
yet more
killing of
civilians by
the Saudi and
Emirati
Led Coalition
from which
Antonio
Guterres
smiling took a
$930 million
check, this:
"“We are
appalled by
conflict that
appears
entirely
ungoverned by
the laws of
war and
astounded at
the silence of
the many
governments
enabling it.
We cannot
comprehend any
possible moral
justification
for killing
civilians
fleeing to
safety as
their towns
become
battlegrounds.
Attacks on
civilians have
become a
deadly trend
in Yemen’s
war. The new
media reports
of civilian
casualties
follow recent
coalition
strikes on a
busload of
school
children that
killed 51
people, and
over three
years of
ceaseless
violence from
both parties
to the
conflict on
homes,
markets,
hospitals,
schools and
farms. More
than 350,000
Yemeni people
have fled
violence along
Yemen’s west
coast since
the beginning
of June,
adding to the
three million
displaced
through the
course of the
war. People
forced to flee
are not simply
numbers, they
are
individuals
forced to
leave
everything
they have
behind in an
effort to stay
alive.
This war is
not only a
Yemeni
problem, it is
a global one.
The multiple
nations
supplying
intelligence,
arms and
logistical
support to
enable the
violence are
implicated in
a conflict
that has
killed
thousands and
will not
subside
without
conscious and
meaningful
action.
The UK, US,
France, Iran
and all others
contributing
to the
conflict in
Yemen must use
their
influence to
bring about an
immediate and
permanent end
to the
violence. We
call on the
countries
funding and
fuelling the
war to ensure
that civilians
and civilian
infrastructure
are protected
from attack,
and that
humanitarian
aid is allowed
to reach those
who need it.'" The
UK and France
are both
complicit in
the killing of
civilians in
Cameroon by
Paul Biya -
and in the
lifetime ban
Guterres'
Alison Smale
imposed on
Inner City Press on
August 17. On
August 13,
for a UN noon
briefing
Inner City remained
banned from, it e-mailed
the spokesmen
for Antonio
"$930 Million
Guterres this
question:
"August 13-2:
On Yemen, what
is the comment
of the SG and,
separately,
his envoy
Griffiths on
reports that
Saudi and
Emirati Led
Coalition-backed
militias
actively
recruit
al-Qaida
militants, or
those who were
recently
members,
because
they’re
considered
exceptional
fighters. One
Yemeni
commander who
was put on the
U.S. terrorism
list for
al-Qaida ties
last year
continues to
receive money
from the UAE
to run his
militia,.
Another
commander,
recently
granted $12
million for
his fighting
force by
Yemen’s
president, has
a known
al-Qaida
figure as his
closest aide.
In one case, a
tribal
mediator who
brokered a
deal between
the Emiratis
and al-Qaida
even gave the
extremists a
farewell
dinner. What
does the UN
know / say /
do about this?" Even when
Inner City
Press submitted the
question
again, to Guterres'
email address
and that of his
Deputy SG and
Communicator
UK USG Alison
Smale, there
has been no
answer more
than two days
later, in the
face of this:
"A senior US
official says
the UAE paid
money to
tribal leaders
in Yemen to
rout al-Qaeda
from its
strongholds.
Wednesday's
remarks
followed AP
investigation
outlining how
Emirati forces
cut secret
deals with the
militants to
get them to
abandon
territory. The
official says
money "has
exchanged
hands" and
that it often
went to
"sheikhs in
areas that
have
collaborated
or allowed
al-Qaida to
exist." He
didn't
elaborate on
how much was
paid, but says
the Emiratis'
payments to
tribal sheikhs
allowed them
to 'ally
themselves to
the Emiratis.'" One wag
might note the
handed
$930 million
check, half
Emerati, to
Guterres; the UAE
already bought the
UN's
Bernardino
Leon and, some
say, Ghassam
Salame. Today's UN
under Guterres
is corrupt,
and censors.
On
August 9, for
a UN noon briefing
Inner City remained
banned from, it e-mailed
the spokesmen
for Guterres
this question:
"August 9-3:
On Yemen, what
is the SG's
comment and
action on 'airstrikes
in northern
Yemen have
targeted a
busy market
and a bus,
killing at
least 20
people,
including
children, and
wounding as
many as 35.
ICRC said a
hospital
supported by
the
organisation
had received
dozens of
casualties
after the
attack at a
market in
Dahyan in
Sa’ada
governorate.'"
At the UN
Security
Council, from
which Guterres
has
also banned Inner
City Press, UK
Deputy
Ambassador
Jonathan Allen
was asked "the
reaction to
the bombing of
a school bus
in northern
Yemen? Dozens
of very young
children,
videos showing
many under the
age of ten
injured and/or
killed in a
strike that
the Saudis say
was justified. Allen: Well,
we've seen
those reports.
It's very
important as
we've said
repeatedly
that all
parties to the
conflict in
Yemen adhere
to
International
Humanitarian
Law. Where
there is an
incident of
this sort,
it's important
this
investigated
thoroughly and
the
conclusions of
that
investigation
are shared and
are learned
from and we'll
be calling for
that in this
incidence as
well. As
President, I'm
afraid I don't
have anything
to say on
that. This is
not something
that the
Council has
discussed
recently. Q: Has
anybody asked
the Presidency
to discuss it
in AOB?
Allen: As
of this
moment, I am
not aware of
any such
requests." At
the beginning
of the month the
UK prepped the
correspondents
it feeds cake to,
as it
sells bombs to
Saudi
Arabia -
while refusing
to answer questions
from Inner
City Press on
Yemen, Western
Sahara and Cameroon.
On
July 30 Guterres'
sleazy basis
for roughing
up and banning
Inner City
Press for 27
days and
counting was reported
in the Columbia
Journalist
Review: Guterres'
spokesman Stephane
Dujarric has
gone
further, in an article
published July
30 by the
Columbia
Journalism
Review. Dujarric - who
Inner City
Press
directed to
the CJR
reporter to -
is quoted
that " Lee
Periscoped
while
shouting, 'Fuck
you!'
repeatedly.
(Lee says he
was
complaining
that Dujarrac
had given the
Al Jazeera
crew a private
interview, and
excluded him.)
'He
creates an
atmosphere of
incivility
within our
working
environment,'
Dujarrac says."
This is a lie.
Inner City
Press on June 19
when Dujarric
gave a "private
briefing" to Al
Jazeera about
Nikki Haley
and Mike
Pompeo
announcing the
US pull out
from the UN
Human Right
Council said
in the hall
that is was a
"sleazefest."
After closing
the door of
the focus booth
it has been
confined to work in
for two years
by
Dujarric, and long
after the Al
Jazeera trio
including
James Bayes
and Whitney
Hurst were
done, said on
Periscope, F-You. Periscope
video - still
online
during this 27
day "investigation" -
here.
So
Dujarric is a
censor,
justifying the
beating up and
banning of a
journalist for
something he
broadcast in
a soundproof
booth to his
audience. This
is disgusting, all
the more so
because as
Inner City
Press has reported,
Dujarric told
an
interlocutor
on June 20,
before the two
beat-downs of
Inner City Press,
that things
would be worse
for it. Guterres and
Dujarric and
it seems Smale
are.. thugs. Disgusting.
On Yemen, the
CJR article
quotes Inner
City Press:
"The Saudis
buy UK weapons
to bomb
Yemen—but the
UN envoy to
Yemen is
British." All
true.
On July 5,
hours before
Guterres' (and
the UK's and
Saudis') envoy
Martin Griffiths briefed
the UN
Security Council,
Guterres' UN
banned Inner
City Press
from entering,
and it has
been banned
for 12 days
and counting
since. Fox
News story here
("UN roughs
up, ejects,
bans reporter
from
headquarters:
Caught on
tape");
petition to
Guterres here;
GAP blogs I
and II (“Harassment
of US
Journalist
Intensifies at
the
UN”). On
July 30 (Inner
City Press is
still banned from
the UN with no
end in sight),
US State Department
spokesperson Heather
Nauert issued a
read-out
including that
"Secretary
Pompeo met
today in
Washington, DC
with Oman’s
Minister
Responsible
for Foreign
Affairs, Yusuf
bin Alawi, who
participated
in the July
24-26
Ministerial to
Advance
Religious
Freedom.
On Yemen, they
affirmed the
importance of
continued
support for
the efforts of
UN Special
Envoy Martin
Griffiths and
emphasized the
need for all
parties to
show restraint
to avoid
further
escalation of
hostilities." All
parties. The
UK becomes
president of
the UN Security
Council on August
1; watch this
site. On
July 20, NRC
on Hodeidah said
that "airstrikes,
mortar fire,
missiles and
shelling
continue to
kill, injure
and threaten
the safety of
civilian
populations,
particularly
in At Tuhayat
and Zabid
districts. NRC’s
staff inside
Hodeidah city
have described
it as a “ghost
town”, where
the bulk of
shops and
restaurants
have been
closed by
proprietors
fleeing the
city. Through
the course of
the week,
residents of
Hodeidah city
heard
low-flying
jets and heavy
airstrikes on
the outskirts
of the city. The
price of
women’s
sanitary items
has risen by
more than 15%
since May,
creating major
challenges for
women in
already
challenging
circumstances,
many of whom
are without
access to
clean water. Ali Al
Hajori, in
Hajjah, said
that 'conditions
here are
becoming
worse. People
aren’t only
arriving from
Hodeidah now,
but from areas
in the north
too. They come
in the heat
and dust with
everything
they can
carry, but it
usually isn’t
enough for
them to
survive beyond
a few days. We
are stretching
the aid we
have to reach
as many people
as possible
but it will
never
compensate for
what they lose
by leaving
their homes.' Isaac
Ooko,NRC’s
Area Manager
in Hodeidah said
that 'people
are living in
pathetic
conditions,
not fit for
humans and
completely
untenable for
those who are
most
vulnerable. I
am incredibly
proud of our
teams for
fronting up
each day to
make it
possible for
people to live
with dignity
in a situation
that otherwise
strips it from
them. What
might appear
to be a pause
to the outside
world, doesn’t
feel the same
for those of
us seeing what
it means for
people here.'
Yemen’s
Protection
Cluster
reported
severe damage
to the main
water tanks in
Al Tuhayet
district
earlier this
month, leaving
close to
100,000 people
without safe
water and at
heightened
risk of
communicable
diseases.
NRC’s staff in
Hodeidah are
continuing to
carry out our
usual cholera
prevention
programs,
focused on
ensuring
people have
access to safe
water and
hygiene
material." The
UN has a shameful
record
with cholera,
having killed
over 10,000
people in Haiti
with the
cholera UN
Peacekeeping
brought, with
not a
penny in
restitution.
On
July 13,
unable
to go to the
UN's noon
briefing as it had
been been unable
to attend
Guterres' July
12 press
conference at which
not a single
Yemen question
was asked,
Inner City
Press wrote to
Guterres'
spokesmen: "
Saudi King
Salman has
‘pre-exonerated’
all troops
fighting in
Yemen from any
accountability
issues they
may face over
their conduct
in the war, in
which
thousands of
civilians have
been killed
and wounded. A
statement
announcing the
early pardon,
released by
Saudi Arabia's
state news
agency SPA,
said the
pardon extends
to “all
military men
across the
armed forces”
taking part in
Operation
Restoring
Hope.” Given
that the SG
accepted
Saudi's $930
Million check,
what is his
comment?" There
was no answer
for four days.
On July
17, Guterres'
deputy
spokesman Farhan
Haq e-mailed
Inner City
Press that "Regarding
your earlier
question on
Yemen, we have
the following: We
are aware of
the reported
royal decree
by King
Salman. The
United Nations
does not
endorse
amnesties for
genocide, war
crimes, crimes
against
humanity or
gross
violations of
human rights. The
Secretary-General
has
consistently
reminded all
parties to the
conflict of
their
obligation to
adhere to
international
humanitarian
law, including
taking steps
to protect
civilians and
civilian
infrastructure. We
emphasize once
again that a
negotiated
political
settlement
through
inclusive
intra-Yemeni
dialogue is
the only way
to end the
conflict and
address the
ongoing
humanitarian
crisis." So
what about
that $930 million
check? And the
ongoing ban of
Inner City
Press? We'll
have more on
this. On
June 26 as
Guterres
proposed to
Security
Council to
continue to
list the Saudi
and now Emirati
led Coalition
as "good"
child killers,
Guterres' spokesman
said this
classification
is for parties
who "engage."
Inner City
Press asked if
the $930
million check
was part of the
engagement and
Dujarric
archly said
No. On
June 29,
NRC NRC
staffer, Lolah
Alkahtani, in
Sana’a: "I
am worried
that this war
will kill my
family in
Hodeidah, and
that it will
destroy our
house which my
father built
after spending
all his life
saving for it.
The word
worried
doesn’t even
describe a bit
of how we
feel.”
NRC
staffer,
Saleem
Al-Shamiri, in
Sana’a, said
"My
family in
Hodeidah city
think any
moment a bomb
will explode,
or clashes
will reach
their homes. I
have felt this
situation
myself in
2011, and
understand the
fear and panic
they feel now. While
the past days
have been
quiet, family
and friends I
have spoken to
tell me that
people don’t
dare leave
their houses.
Only a few
grocery shops
are open, and
many people
going hungry.
I sent some
money to my
family so they
can buy food,
as most people
don’t have
anything left
in their
houses. I’m
concerned that
they won’t be
able to find
food or clean
water to
survive while
the offensive
drags on.”
NRC
continued: The
fighting in
Hodeidah
continues but
is on a
relative pause
while the UN
envoy is
allowed
further time
to mediate
between the
parties to the
conflict in an
attempt to
restart peace
negotiations.
The situation
in the wider
Hodeidah area
is volatile,
and fighting
continues in
Hodeidah’s
southern
districts.
Airstrikes
have been
ongoing around
the city
although they
have slowed
this week.
People inside
Hodeidah city
tell NRC staff
that the
situation
continues to
be calm, with
only a few
clashes
reported
during the
night. Some
roads within
the city are
reportedly
closed or
partially
blocked by
defensive
entrenchments.
People inside
the city tell
NRC that most
shops,
especially in
the southern
side of the
city, remain
closed as
shopkeepers
are too scared
to open them.
Electricity is
still
unavailable in
many areas and
water remains
scarce. Most
people do not
leave their
houses unless
it’s urgent.
Many don’t
have adequate
food in their
homes and are
at the brink
of going
hungry.
Money exchange
shops are
reported to
remain mostly
closed. This
is a serious
concern in
Yemen, where
people have
been
struggling
with an
increasing
lack of cash
liquidity in
the past few
years of the
conflict.
Without access
to cash, and
with
reportedly
rising prices
of basic
goods,
civilians who
could
otherwise
survive may be
left without
food and other
necessities." Last
week, Dujarric
spoonfed sound
bytes to Al
Jazeera and is
working with
them to try to
further restrict
Inner City
Press, here -
Inner City
Press was in
fact ousted on
June 22, video
here,
story here.
We'll have
more on this.
***
Feedback:
Editorial [at] innercitypress.com
UN Office: S-303,
UN, NY 10017 USA
Reporter's mobile (and weekends):
718-716-3540
Other,
earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in
the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.
Copyright
2006-2015 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other
permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com
for
|