Bullying Yemen -- UN Impotent?

Once again, the United Nations (UN) has found itself powerless in the face of an international aggression. The UN has failed to stop the killings of the innocent Yemenis in the aerial attacks by the Saudi-led Arab coalition. The coalition consists of Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, UAE, and Sudan with the United States providing logistical support. The assault is also supported by Israel, which confirms suspicion in the region that the Arab authoritarian regimes’ policies are also aligned with Israeli interests. The unprovoked assault is in clear violation of the UN Charter.
According to the UN Yemen envoy Jamal Benomar, Yemeni factions were close to a negotiation before the March 25 Saudi-led intervention.
Yemen has one of the highest mortality rates in the world with more than half its population living in dire poverty. According to OXFAM International, ten million or approximately 40-percent of Yemenis lack basic food and 60-percent of the children suffer from malnutrition. Corruption in Yemen is an epidemic, ranked 161 among 175 countries and territories by Transparency International in 2014.
This month, in the midst the Arab’s aerial bombings of Yemen, the United States President Barack Obama met with the Arab Allies at Camp David. Reportedly, the President discussed the ongoing negotiation with Iran but failed to reason with the Saudi-led Arab coalition to stop bombing Yemen. If such an aggression was committed by Russia or China, the United States and the European Allies would have been charging the unprovoked assault as a clear violation of international law.
Perhaps, the Saudi-led Arab coalition wanted a war to distract their unhappy population. However, if the assault continues, the young may soon lose interest in the war and begin an uprising. It is in the Arabs’ interests to stop their attack on Yemen while their young people are still rallying behind it. The Arabs could address their own internal discontent and allow some freedom to their oppressed citizens.
The United States would benefit long-term by abandoning its support of the dictators and encouraging freedom and peace in the region. In Yemen, she could play a positive role by joining others in facilitating the negotiation among the factions in support of democratic representation.
The Saudi-led coalition and the United States can all come to the realization that lasting peace is only achievable through negotiation!

Dr. Mehdi Alavi, President
Peace Worldwide Organization


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