UAE Press: Do Not Allow Houthis To Exploit Food Campaign

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 21st Nov, 2018) The Iran-backed Houthi militia has inflicted unimaginable misery on the Yemeni people. The war imposed by the militants has achieved nothing and, instead, has left the nation on the edge of mass starvation. Now cornered, the Houthis are realising that the negotiation table, and not senseless violence, is the only way forward.

In an editorial today, Sharjah-based newspaper The Gulf Today said that the earlier gestures by the Houthis regarding negotiations proved to be deceptive as they used the time to regroup and inflict more suffering on the Yemeni population. "This time the world community should not allow such deception. This is the best opportunity for the Houthis to seize the chance for peace," it said, adding that the "reprehensible actions of the Houthi militias are in stark contrast with the humane approach of the Arab Coalition Forces Supporting Legitimacy in Yemen and the role of the Emirates Red Crescent, which has led the humanitarian operations to curtail the impact of war."

The paper noted that the launching of a new food aid initiative, "Imdaad," by the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in cooperation with the World Food Programme and other international bodies to combat famine would go a long way in helping the Yemeni people and alleviating their hardships.

"The noble aim of "Imdaad" is to provide necessary food supplies to as many as 10-12 million Yemenis, including two million children, and will include basic food items, especially wheat, enough for a long period of four months.

"Reem Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, has well explained that the initiative aims at supporting the people of Yemen to overcome the dire humanitarian conditions being experienced as a result of Houthi militia actions and their siege of Yemeni territories, preventing the country’s citizens from securing their basic food needs."

The editorial went on to say that "it should be specifically noted that the initiative would cover all regions of Yemen, regardless of any political or geographical considerations, reaching all of Yemen’s citizens in need. Priority will be given to the most vulnerable, predominantly malnourished children aged under five and school-aged children, pregnant women, nursing mothers, the elderly and the ill.

"The Houthi militias had earlier unabashedly obstructed 65 aid vessels and 124 aid convoys from reaching persons in need."

"As minister Al Hashemy rightly points out, the international community should work closely to ensure that the food assistance provided via the "Imdaad" campaign is delivered swiftly to persons in need, especially in Houthi-controlled regions, to avoid any exploitation of the aid," concluded the editorial.