Friday, Nov 21, 2008

Gulf News

Sana'a: The Yemeni government and Al Houthi rebels continue to deprive thousands of civilians in the strife-torn northern Sa'ada province of vital humanitarian assistance, said a report released on Wednesday by a rights watchdog.

A report released by the Human Rights Watch titled "Invisible civilians: the challenge of humanitarian access in Yemen's forgotten war" demanded more local and international pressure on both sides to ensure that humanitarian aid reached people affected by conflict.

"As of October 2008, up to 70,000 people in remote areas and towns remained outside the reach of aid agencies," the report said.

In a press conference held in Sana'a on Wednesday, Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch, told reporters: "Thousands of civilians are in need for assistance, but the government and Al Houthi rebels are still depriving them of aid. This violates international law and common decency. Countries and UN agencies that provide assistance to Yemen need to press both the government and rebel forces to allow humanitarian access."

Al Houthi rebels prevent humanitarian aid from reaching areas which are still under their control, the report said.

The 46-page report is based on investigations and interviews with displaced persons and aid agencies based in Sana'a. The interviews were conducted in July in the Yemeni capital by a Human Rights Watch team which was unable to travel to areas directly affected by the conflict because the government did not grant permission to travel.

"We met with victims of human rights violations, displaced people from Sa'ada, and some officials and journalists who are familiar with the situation there" Stork said.

"We have noticed that there was a great fear of speaking to us. There is a great fear of arbitrary arrest, but we were able to get some information to prepare this report."

He said Yemeni officials contacted before the report was released had criticised the document as biased in favour of the rebels.

A Human Rights Watch researcher meanwhile voiced fears there remains a strong possibility of fresh hostilities despite President Ali Abdullah Saleh's announcement in July that the war is over "for ever".

"Sa'ada seems to be in peace and in a rebuilding stage. However some people we have met expressed their fears of a new round of the war. All donors still consider Sa'ada as an area of conflict and they are not ready to provide assistance for rebuilding," said Gerry Simpson, the Human Rights Watch researcher who prepared the report last July.

A Human Rights Watch researcher said there remains a strong possibility of fresh hostilities despite President Ali Abdullah Saleh's announcement in July that the war is over.

© Gulf News 2008. All rights reserved.

 

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