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A ‘dangerous’ Yemen designation
Despite the best lobbying efforts of a bevy of aid groups, US President Donald Trump s administration intends to designate Yemen s Houthi rebels, Ansar Allah, as a “Foreign Terrorist Organisation”. NGOs variously decried the move as “a counterproductive and dangerous policy that will put innocent lives at risk”, one that will have a “devastating impact” on civilians, and “pure diplomatic vandalism”. Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government of President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who have been fighting the Houthis for nearly six years, backed the move. US counter-terrorist designations usually have exemptions for humanitarian work, and the statement announcing the designation – set to be made on Trump’s last day in office – said this would be no different. But humanitarian and diplomatic work is often made incredibly complex by such rules, and those trying to get aid to a hungry country and push forward stalled peace
Dozens of civil society and faith-based groups in the United States are urging President-elect Joe Biden to overturn the Trump administration’s decision to label Yemen’s Houthis a “terrorist” organisation.
In a letter (PDF) to Biden on Friday, 50 organisations including the National Council of Churches and Health Alliance International said “rather than being a catalyst for peace, these designations are a recipe for more conflict and famine”.
They will “prevent the delivery of critical humanitarian assistance to millions of innocent people, greatly hurt the prospects for a negotiated settlement to the conflict, and further undermine U.S. national security interests in the region”, the letter reads.
Dozens of fighters have been killed in clashes between the Yemeni government forces and Houthi rebels intensified in the central province of Marib, a government source said.The clashes took place in the district of Jabal Murad in southern Marib .
Displaced Yemeni families face harsh living conditions
By IANS |
Published on
Tue, Jan 12 2021 11:18 IST |
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Displaced Yemeni families face harsh living conditions. Image Source: IANS News
Sanaa, Jan 12 : Thousands of internally displaced Yemeni families are facing harsh living conditions in their displacement camps in Marib province, as the years-long conflict continue to ravage the war-torn country.
Scores of displaced people staged a protest on Sunday to denounce the deterioration of their living conditions and lack of basic needs in their camp that hosts nearly 500 families in Marib, Xinhua news agency reported.
During the protest, the displaced protesters appealed to the country s government and international organizations, especially the World Food Program (WFP), to respond to their demands and provide their families with essential food supplies.