By Hamidreza Gholamzadeh

Yemen mirror of global decay of morality

October 22, 2016 - 14:27

Nearly 18 months of Saudi invasion of Yemen has so far led to death of about 7,000 civilians and injury and displacement of thousands of more people. With unsanctioned attacks on Yemen and more civilian casualties especially in cases such as recent attack on a funeral ceremony, more objections to the Saudi regime and its coalition is heard. 

In this regard, we have talked to London-based human rights activist Jamila Hanan who has shared her ideas about invasion on Yemen as follows.
Q. Attack on Medicines Without Borders, air raids on a market in March killing 119 people, being on the list of child-killers, bribing to be removed from the list and now attacking a funeral… are these highlights not enough for international condemnation of Saudi invasion on Yemen?
These things should be enough to bring about international condemnation, but unfortunately many of our world leaders are compromised by connections and deals with the Saudi regime or arms sales. What we see is a global decay of morality where few of our leaders speak the truth and nearly all show a disgraceful display of double standards.

Q. Why did Saudi Arabia attack the funeral at the first place? Is it acceptable that it was a mistake while Saudi Arabia and its coalition are using advanced weapons purchased from US and UK? Or they were targeting a particular figure as the procession was for demised father of defense minister of revolutionaries in Yemen?
Saudi Arabia clearly knew that there would be several political leaders and military officers at the funeral and has little concern about killing innocent civilians so did not hesitate to bomb the funeral hall when they saw the opportunity, knowing that they can carry out their war crimes with complete impunity, as they have done previously without any consequences.

Q. White House has threatened to review it support for Saudi-led invasion of Yemen; how serious this threat is and would that change anything on the scene?
I don't take this threat by the White House to review support for Saudi's invasion seriously at all. There have been numerous calls for reviews after previous massacres and it is clear that there is still overwhelming political support for America to keep selling arms to Saudi Arabia, as demonstrated in a recent vote on the matter. If America wanted to stop the war they could stop refuelling the jets, and until they do then the rest of their talk is just the usual double standard rhetoric.

Q. UN says nearly 7000 people have so far died during Saudi war on Yemen; how many more people must die to have the world do something serious to cease hostility in Yemen?
People will continue to die in Yemen, at a far greater rate than even we are seeing now due to the famine that is taking hold and the collapsing health system. Even after the airstrike on the funeral hall the airstrikes have continued on civilian homes with another family killed even now as I answer your questions. The massacres will continue and I won't be surprised if they will grow even larger as the Saudi regime is clearly out of control. The UN has proven itself to be worse than useless when it comes to stopping such acts of genocide. 
The UN would be best now not issuing any more resolutions in regards to Yemen as their previous ones have done more harm than good. This war will stop when the USA and the UK says so, not before. It is very sad to think of how many thousands more people will die before then, whilst my own government reaps the benefits. 

Q. Why despite all these violations of human rights, western countries are still sticking to their arms deals with Riyadh?
Western countries are sticking to their arms deals with Riyadh quite simply because profit is more important to the people currently in power in the west, than are the poor Yemeni people's lives. 

Q. What can be reaction of Yemen to this attack?
Yemeni people are naturally now grieving and extremely angry. They have nothing more to lose, they will keep fighting. Many people who were peaceful are now feeling obliged to fight. Whereas the Houthis were of little threat to Saudi Arabia before the airstrikes began, they certainly are now.

Q. After about a year and half, has Saudi Arabia achieved its objectives in war on Yemen?
Saudi Arabia's initial objective of restoring the so-called 'legitimate' president Hadi to power in Yemen is long gone and everyone knows that will never be achieved. Almost everyone in Yemen hates him now, he wouldn't last 5 minutes there. Their new objectives appear to be the destruction of Yemen, so that it is of little threat to Saudi Arabia and is weakened to the point of submission to Saudi's demands and their choice of leader. Regarding the destruction, yes they have and continue to destroy Yemen's infrastructure and starve its people and cripple its health system very successfully. But regarding weakening the people into submission, I can never see that happen - it does seem that the more you bomb the people of Yemen the more determined they become to resist all forms of foreign 'intervention'.


HIGHLIGHTS:
If America wanted to stop the war they could stop refuelling the jets, and until they do then the rest of their talk is just the usual double standard rhetoric.

Western countries are sticking to arms deals with Riyadh quite simply because profit is more important to their leaders, than are the poor Yemeni people's lives. 

The more you bomb the people of Yemen the more determined they become to resist all forms of foreign 'intervention'.