March 2, 2017
An estimated 1500 boys (click here) have been verified as child soldiers in Yemen, but the actual number of children who have been drawn into the war is probably far higher, a United Nations spokeswoman said yesterday.
Most of the boys were recruited by Houthi rebels over the past three years, spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said at a press briefing in Geneva.
Recruiters often entice the boys by promising them financial rewards or social status. "Many are then quickly sent to the front lines of the conflict or tasked with manning checkpoints," Shamdasani said.
All child soldiers in Yemen must be immediately released, the UN human rights office demanded.
Meanwhile, Yemen has food reserves for only two to four months, bringing it to the brink of famine as fighting escalates, a senior official of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on his return from the country, which is on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula....
There is growing concern for the escalating famine in Yemen. Hungry children cannot be that difficult to defeat. Drop humanitarian aid from the sky and tell the children in pictures who is their friend. Given their age I doubt many can read.
27 February 2017
For almost two years, (click here) the United States has backed—with weapons, logistics and political support—a Saudi-led war in Yemen that has left over 10,000 dead, 40,000 wounded, 2.5 million internally displaced, 2.2 million children suffering from malnutrition and over 90 percent of civilians in need of humanitarian aid....
...This AP report (2/21/17) (Left) notes that “in Yemen’s conflict, nearly half a million children have ‘severe acute malnutrition’”–but it doesn’t mention the US government’s contribution to that conflict....
...A separate Guardian editorial (2/23/17), while briefly mentioning the war was“fueled in part by British and US bombs” in the text of the article, insisted in the headline the UK was “sitting by” as “disaster unfolded.” The UK is, of course, not “sitting by.” The British government has provided £3.3 billion in arms sales—as well as logistical support, surveillance assistance and political cover—to the Saudi regime primarily responsible for the disaster in question....
...Like the US, the UK has not been “sitting by” but actively contributing to famine in Yemen.
One notable exception was the New York Times (2/22/17), which expressly mentioned the US and Saudi role in the war in its report on the UN’s findings.
Over the past six months, the humanitarian crisis in Yemen—to say nothing of the US’s role in it—has been virtually nonexistent on cable and broadcast news. NBC News, Fox News and MSNBC have all neglected to cover the story. When it was covered on TV news, as with CNN (10/7/16) and ABC News(10/28/16) last October, the role of the United States in fueling the crisis was omitted altogether.
The US’s role in the war in Yemen is even more urgent of late, with President Donald Trump ramping up support for Saudi Arabia’s harsh tactics, including possibly cutting off access to the critical port of Hodeidah on Yemen’s west coast—an act that the Huffington Post (2/22/17) insists could “spark a full-blown famine in Yemen.”
A first step to putting political pressure on Trump to mitigate the suffering in Yemen is for the US public to speak out about their government’s role—a condition unlikely to be met if corporate media never bother to mention it.
1 March 2017
By Samuel Osborne
Save the Children said shipments of aid are being delayed for months, denying hundreds of thousands of people access to urgently-needed medical aid.
In the first two months of the year, the Saudi-led coalition has prevented three of the charity's shipments of medical supplies from landing at the country's main group of Hodeida, the group said, forcing them to be rerouted and delaying their arrival by up to three months.
The shipments were carrying enough aid to help around 300,000 people, including antibiotics, surgical equipment, medicine to treat diseases like malaria and cholera, and supplies to support malnourished children....
Where is the money going? All the monies from some time ago coming from Saudi Arabia is going into investments that will increase the financial relationship between the two countries, but, it does nothing for the people, yet alone ends any famine. These monies in the billions were given to Yemen in 2012. There has been nothing that came in the way of changes for the people.
Jeddah: Vice Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Prince Salman (click here) yesterday held talks with Yemeni Prime Minister Mohammed Basindawa at his office in Al-Salam Palace on major regional and international issues.
Prince Salman and Basindawa also reviewed bilateral relations and explored ways of strengthening cooperation between the two countries. Basindawa thanked Saudi Arabia for its support to Yemen in all areas. “The Yemeni government and people appreciate this continuous Saudi support,” the prime minister said.
Basindawa, who was in the Kingdom to attend a meeting of global donors in Riyadh, later flew back to Yemen.
The Riyadh meeting mobilized $ 6.4 billion aid for Yemen’s reconstruction.
Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf signed three agreements with Yemeni International Cooperation Minister Mohammed Al-Saadi detailing Saudi aid package, which includes a $ 1 billion deposit in Yemen’s Central Bank, a $ 1.75 billion grant, and $ 500 million to finance and guarantee Saudi exports to Yemen.
Throwing money into Yemen has never done anything to stabilize the country. Saudi Arabia tried and failed to elevate Yemen with such efforts. The people are never the focus and that leaves them in poverty and opens victimization by radical factions such as the Houthis.
Today, there is profound famine and child soldiers. This has to end otherwise the people will die in far larger numbers than they have already. There needs to be air drop shipments to the people. The ports won't be open because those in control are worried about arms shipments.
Air drop the relief to the people and the children and provide information to them as to who is sending the aid and why. Ask them to end any aggression and allow the fighting to stop.
11 January 2017
By Ahmed al-Haj
Sanaa, Yemen: Yemeni security officials (click here) say heavy fighting continues to rage near the strategic Red Sea strait of Bab Al-Mandab in western Yemen, leaving dozens dead and wounded.
The officials say that, since Monday, fighters aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi have been making advances and seizing more territory from Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Warplanes from the Saudi-led coalition provided air cover for Hadi’s forces, they said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
The war in Yemen is entering its second year after Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and forced Hadi to flee the country. The Saudi-led coalition has waged an extensive air campaign since March 2015 aimed at restoring Hadi’s government. The northern region remains under Houthi control.
Famine can certainly end a war. It just seems to me the war is already over and no one is realizing it.
Yemen security officials is an oxymoron.
