By: Tara Lohani
Yemen- one of the Arab world's poorest nations, a country torn apart by civil war, besieged by the threat of famine, and currently undergoing one of the world's worst economic and humanitarian crises. A country that has been plunged into darkness for the past five years, caught up in a conflict predicted to last no more than four weeks. It is 2020 now, and ending Yemen's never-ending war seems to be something that will never transpire- the UN suggests that Yemen faces what could now be "the worst famine the world has seen in a 100 years". According to the Yemen data project, 17,729 have died as a result of the bombings- a further 13 million face high risks of starvation, with almost 85,000 children under the age of five dying from a lack of food.
The beginnings of the dispute can be traced back to 2011, following a series of pro-democratic protests known as the Arab Spring, which took place in countries such as Yemen, Tunisia, Syria, Egypt, Morocco, Libya, and Bahrain. After the famed jasmine revolution in Tunisia, several protesters in Yemen demanded the resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who resorted to economic concessions, an increase in salaries, reduction in income taxes, as well as the drafting of a new constitution. His efforts were of little avail, and as tensions between protesters and Saleh supporters grew, as the rebellions grew increasingly violent, Saleh’s support from within the government itself was weakened.
The protests spread throughout the nation, attaining a foothold in regions such as the city of Taiz. On March 18th, 2011, 50 protesters were killed while demonstrating by security forces and Saleh supporters in an open fire. This provoked several government officials to resign in objection, and in November 2012, Saleh finally signed a document transferring his powers to his vice president, Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. Hadis rule was terminated within three years; the Houthi rebels, products of the Arab spring, took control of the northern region Yemen, alongside the capital Sanaa. Although a possibility of unity was broken between the rebels and the government on September 21st, the Houthis announced their withdrawal from the agreement on December 8th. Hadis place of residence was shelled on January 20th, and the cabinet alongside Hadi and prime minister resigned the next day. The Houthis consolidated power on the 6th of February, dissolving the parliament, and declaring Mohammad Ali-Houthi as the new ruler of state. Since then, Yemen has faced countless airstrikes at the hands of countries such as Iran and Saudi Arabia, alongside the U.S, UK, and France, in an attempt to restore Hadi’s government.
Three different agents hold claim to Yemen, each fighting to fulfill their own needs- the al-Houthi forces, the coalition of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Yemen, alongside the al-Qaeda and the Arab peninsula. A complex problem, one that requires a complex solution- peace, predictably, has been difficult to achieve. September 2018 saw the UN's failed attempts at organising a peace talk, with president Haidi and the Houthi militia unable to meet at the Genevan negotiations, instead resorting to the violence of the battlefield in order to resolve their differences. 2016, Kuwait- a previous attempt at peace talks, undertook by all, beneficial to none, comprising mainly of Saudi Arabia pledging loyalty to the united states. Since 2014, the security council has endeavoured to solve the conflict through implementations of sanctions, an arms embargo, and the appointment of a UN panel consisting of experts focused explicitly on constructing solutions.
What is of utmost importance as of now is discussing various methods beyond peace talks to bring about peace- peace talks are, of course, a significant factor, but looking at past failures, other solutions must be considered as well. In order to bring Yemen the peace it so clearly needs, more attention must be brought upon the fact that it is undergoing an immense amount of suffering. Primarily, the needs of the people of Yemen should be taken into focus. They are innocent civilians, unarmed, and unprepared for fighting- therefore, they must be kept away from harm, as they pose as a threat to no one, but everything, as of now, poses as a threat to them. Humanitarian aid should be provided, by unblocking ports and allowing NGOs and humanitarian parties access in order to stabilize a part of the crisis within the country itself. By overseeing the transportation between ports, further benefits are achieved, as the threat of arms trade is reduced.
Although the war in Yemen may be regarded widely to be binary, solely between Houthi rebels and the Saudi coalition, it is, in reality, a war that encompasses multiple nations. The U.S, in particular, who support the coalition through weapon sales. There is no clean slate for any country involved in this conflict; at this point in time, every single nation involved has transgressed. The Saudi-led side of the coalition has seen an increased amount of airstrikes against civilians, hospitals, and schools. Meanwhile, in September, Houthi rebels claim to have captured 2,000 troops and killed 500 Saudi soldiers. Both sides play a significant role, in shaping the present condition of Yemen- as well as its future.
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