The War in Yemen Must End

On the seventh anniversary of the Saudi intervention in Yemen, six years after the war, the National Assembly Party recalls the heavy toll on all sides of this war. It also recalls that Saudi and regional interventions in Yemen have not been supportive of the demands of the Yemeni people, who have been engaged in massive demonstrations demanding their fundamental rights and promoting democracy in Yemen. Furthermore, these interventions have imposed designated solutions on Yemen that do not satisfy the people's ambition and demands. Regional interventions and conflicts in Yemen continued until they turned into armed conflicts where the Houthi forces then moved further to control Yemeni cities one by one.

Their progress was to Saudi’s preference in 2014, nevertheless, their substantial and fast-moving advancement alarmed Saudi Arabia, especially after they took control of Sana'a, then proceeded in March 2015 to Aden, where the Saudi-backed government was based. Saudi Arabia then announced military intervention on 25th March 2015, stating the title "Restoration of legitimacy". Subsequently, Houthi forces continued to control the capital, Sana'a, alongside several other major cities. The internationally supported government remained in exile, while the conflict in Yemen increased drastically. Saudi Arabia and the Houthi movement committed an extensive number of violations and abuses. Civilians, vital installations, and infrastructure in Yemen and Saudi Arabia were targeted by both sides. Saudi Arabia has been involved in recurrent airstrikes on civilians, which amounts to war crimes.

The situation particularly in Yemen continued to deteriorate, day by day, where the Yemeni crisis became the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. Nearly two-thirds of the Yemeni people require humanitarian assistance and protection. Famine threatens the lives of thousands of people where they are about to starve to death, and millions of children may suffer from malnutrition. The catastrophe of war continued to threaten civilians in Saudi Arabia and Yemen, causing serious damage to the economy of the two countries. A considerable number of soldiers suffered severe injuries and permanent disabilities. Consequently, Yemen has become far from the righteous and legitimate demands of the people who gathered up in demonstrations during the Arab Spring.

 

 

We - the National Assembly Party-, and in consideration of the foregoing state the following:

 

• We strongly denounce any attack by the forces of the Houthis or their supporters on our homeland, people, economic infrastructure, and vital facilities. We bring to attention that this war was not an option for the people, but rather individual decisions by controlling authorities that did not represent the people and did not take their views into account. Saudi people are paying for these reckless and wrong decisions; anyone who rejected this war has been punished and jailed by Saudi authorities, including several military personnel, officers, and pilots.

 

• As we denounce the attacks over our country, we also condemn war in Yemen, along with all crimes and violations against the Yemeni people.

 

• We emphasize that regional conflicts in the region must cease. Ending these conflicts could be obtained by empowering people to make their decisions without the imposition of any agenda. Conflicts over the interests of people will only take the crisis in the region to a further level. It is time for all forces to stop gambling with innocent lives, and to stop their continuing destruction of the homelands for pointless conflicts.

 

• We believe that the reinforcement of rights and democracy is the way to consolidate peace in the region. The party also believes that the democratic solution is what people aspire to. The people of the region had grown tired of any controlling and authoritarian rule, regardless of its form and shape. The people of the region persist to seek empowerment towards representing themselves, and that is what everyone must support to end the conflict.

 

• Finally, we call for an urgent end to the war, and Immediately initiate relief for those affected, reconstruction of war-affected areas, push all concerned parties to the table for serious negotiation, help Yemeni people to get out all the outside forces, guide them to entertain diplomatic solutions, re-establish Yemeni-Yemeni negotiations, and support and help them move towards recognized diplomatic solutions for rights and democracy.