Yemenis sufferings and denial of basic rights continue considering absence of state institutions that can guarantee their rights and freedoms, where Houthis militia and pro Saleh troops are controlling highly populated areas in the western heights from Sa’da in the north to Taiz in the south, from Hodiedah in the west to Sana’a in the east, which represent 27%* of Yemeni territories, and accommodates 80%* of Yemeni population. On the other hand, people at other areas, suffers from mismanagement, falling in cross fire or confrontation zones, thereby deported to other areas, and consequently lose their residences, livelihood, also, public servants salaries were suspended for the past seven months, following exhausting of money supply, central bank reserves, and other state’s financial and monetary institutions’ reserves by Houthis militia for the war efforts. Although, the central bank was moved to Aden, the interim capital, and that new currency was printed, yet delivering it to public is still faces challenges.
Other violations that could not be documented now are forging of titles of wide lands in the outskirt of Sana’a, and agriculture lands in Tehama plain, also misuse of government institutions’ funds such as General Insurance Authority, Youth Fund, oil companies. For further information, kindly visit SAM report on Yemen for 2016, via link below.
Here to download The Forgotten Land report
During March 2017, SAM has documented 598 violations at various governorates, and included extralegal killings, arbitrary detention, seizure of properties, detonation of houses, assassinations, torture and terrorism operations, and violation to press freedom. Houthis-Saleh militia, has committed 410 of these violations, and the legitimate government, 6 violations. In addition to the press freedom, 21 due to terrorism explosions, 6 US drone attacks, however SAM monitors could not document number of victims yet. In addition to violations to the right of movement, and to political, health and economic rights.
SAM documented March 2017 violations as follows:
- Killings
During March 2017, SAM has documented 200 killings among civilians, 90 by Houthis-Saleh militia, including 20 children, 4 women, and 25 assassinations against political activists and military men opposing the coup d’etat, mostly in Taiz and 8 killings by Arab Coalition airstrikes, in Taiz and Sa’da, and one in an informal prison of military group affiliated to the legitimate government in Mareb. Also 25 Somali refugees were killed in an attack at the Red Sea near Hodiedah cost, yet perpetrators are being not yet known. Also, civilians were killed by US drones attack, but SAM could not verify related information to these incidents when this report is issued, and their information could be included in the future reports.
- Injuries
SAM organization has also documented 123 injuries among civilians, including 25 children, and 24 women, resulted from indiscriminate shelling from areas under Houthis militia and Saleh’s troops control, at residential areas in Taiz and Lahaj governorates. Among casualties also, are Somali refugees whose boat was attacked off Hodiedah coast, yet resistible party is unknown.
- Arbitrary Detention:
Similar to previous months, number of inmates and prisons are increasing since Houthis and former president troops took control over Sana’a in September 2014. SAM organization is developing report on this specific violation.
During March 2017, detention continued by Houthis group, where 201 cases of arbitrary detention were documented in this month, including 69 people in Hodiedah, 47 in Hajjah and others in Sana’a, Dhamar, and Ibb, and all are the responsibility of Houthis militia, in addition to one case by Security Belt forces in Aden and two cases in Mareb governorate.
Inmates at Houthis militia and former president forces’ prisons are subjected to cruel treatment, and torture according to their relatives, some of the detainees are also disappeared, while others were denied access to weekly visits for long periods and deprived from, medication.
- Press Freedom
SAM organization has documented detention of journalist Yasser Dhabr, Sana’a channel correspondent by the military intelligence, affiliated to the legitimate government in Mareb, on 26 March 2017 and finally released him.
- Detonation of Houses
SAM organization has monitored and documented detonation of 10 houses belongs to opposition, by Houthis-Saleh militia, in Otma district, Dhamar governorate, that witnessed wide armed confrontations associated with displacement of women and children residents and looting of houses.
- Child Recruitment:
Houthis-Saleh militia has recruited 60 children, including 40 by force, in Dhamar 39 children, and Hodiedah 16 children, and 3 in Sana’a governorate. Also 8 children were killed in Hodiedah and Amran.
- Violations against Women:
SAM organization has also documented 35 violations against women, including 5 killings, 24 injuries, 3 arbitrary detention in Hodiedah, two abducted, in Ibb.
- Mines:
SAM organization has documented 8 incidents of mine explosions during March in Taiz, and Al-Baidha, where 5 were injured, and 3 were killed.
- Siege:
SAM organization confirms that siege has continued Al-Wafi village, Jabal Habashi district, Taiz for the fifth consecutive months
Recommendations:
- SAM organization urges the UN and humanitarian organizations to provide immediate aids to the besieged population in Al-Wafi village, and to remove the siege immediately and without conditions;
- SAM Calls the Arab Coalition to avert targeting of civilians and to revise its rules of combat to avoid airstrike on civilians;
- SAM organization calls to avert children from war woes and calls upon the international community to take decisive measures against child recruitment that as escalated alarmingly;
- SAM organization for Rights and Liberties, condemns all crimes and violations documented in this statement which represent gross violation to the international humanitarian law and human rights law, particularly indiscriminate shelling, displacement, and houses detonation.
- SAM organization would like to stress that siege of civilians, indiscriminate shelling, detonation of houses is all considered crimes against humanity and war crimes that requires immediate action against perpetrators among Houthis-Saleh militia’s commanders.
These figures were extracted from the UN Panel of Expert’s report submitted to the chairman of the Security Council, on 27 January 2017
SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties
Genève,13 April 2017