Geneva - The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Observatory, SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties, and 32 Yemeni human rights organizations, sent an urgent appeal letter to the European Union's Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, urging the European Union to intervene urgently to stop the serious humanitarian repercussions resulting from the Houthi attack on Marib city, northern Yemen.
In their appeal, the organizations said that the Houthi militia has escalated, in the last two weeks, its military operations to control Marib, and has increased its indiscriminate attacks, defying basic principles of international humanitarian law and the risks that befall the civilian population.
The organizations expressed their concern about the risks of an impending humanitarian catastrophe that might befall the city as a result of the military attack, as it includes more than 90 IDPs camps inhabited by about 2 million people, including 965 thousand children and 429 thousand women, who fled from nearby governorates during the years of conflict to Marib, which was considered a relatively safe place.
The organizations highlighted that the Houthi attack has obstructed the access of relief aid to the displaced, beside threatening their lives, and the attack may also force them to flee en masse from the city without safe passages, and without any guarantees that they will not be subjected to reprisals if the Houthi militia controls the city before they flee.
The undersigned organizations pointed out that the attack on the Marib undermines the chances of a peaceful solution to the conflict in the country that is witnessing the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, as about 80% of Yemenis depend on relief aid, and 50% of children under the age of five suffer from malnutrition, and hundreds of thousands may die. Hundreds of thousands might also die, due to the lack of humanitarian aid, which has decreased dramatically over the past two years.
In their letter, the organizations called on the European Union to urgently intervene to stop the Houthi militia’s attack on the city of Marib, in line with the recent European Parliament resolution (2021/2539 (RSP) of February 11, 2021, regarding the humanitarian and political situation in Yemen, which urged all parties to the conflict to facilitate the unimpeded passage of relief aid and other essential goods to the population, and the use of all possible mechanisms to hold accountable all those involved in gross human rights violations in Yemen.
Background
During the past two days, Yemeni sources announced that dozens of people were killed and wounded in battles between the Houthis and the Yemeni army in Marib, in the east of the country, at a time when the United Nations warned that the military attack on Marib would put, up to two million civilians in danger, and thus result in the displacement of hundreds of thousands.
The city, located about 120 kilometers east of the capital, Sanaa - where the Houthis have imposed their control since 2014 - avoided the war at its beginning, but the Houthis launched attacks to control it for nearly a year, which intensified in the last two weeks.
The ongoing conflict in Yemen since 2014 has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions, according to international organizations, while nearly 80% of Yemen's population of 29 million have become dependent on aid, in the largest humanitarian crisis in the world.
The signatories of the appeal
Euro-Med Monitor for Human Rights.
SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties.
American Center for Justice (ACJ)
Abductees Mothers Association
Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedom
Adalah for Rights and Development
Nas Development and Human Rights Center
The Yemeni Coalition for Monitoring Human Rights Violations- Rasd Coalition
Aljouf Organization for Freedoms and Human Rights
The Arabic European Center for Human Rights
Wethaq Foundation for Civil Orientation
Rights Radar for human rights
Shumoul Organization for Media and Human Rights - Dhamar
Child Voice Organization
Rased Organization for Rights and freedoms - Mahwit
Shohood organization for human rights - Sana'a
Rasd organization for freedom and rights.
Civil commission for houses Bombing victims
For Organization Freedom My Freedom and Rights Human - Hodiedah
Taiz Human Right Center - Taiz
Human Free - Saada
Dameer Foundation for Human Rights - Shabwa
Yemen Rights Organization for rights and development - Marib
Justice and Equity Organization for Development and human Rights
The National Authority for the Defense of Rights and Freedoms "Hood", Sheba region team
Monitor Center for Rights and Development Albida
The National Organization of Yemeni Reporters "SADA"
Defense Foundation for Rights and Freedoms
Musawah organization for rights and freedoms
The Arabic European Center for Human Rights
Yemeni British Forum for Peace and Democracy (YBFPD)
Socotra Organization for Rights and Freedoms
Peace Organization for Social Development and Human Rights
The Yemeni Organization for Economic and Social Development
The Yemeni Coalition for Monitoring Han Rights Violations – Rasd Coalition