Yemeni organizations demands the truth about Saada [Archives:2005/900/Local News]
SANA'A, Dec. 3 ) Parliament Member Mr. Yehya Alhothi has attacked Yemeni, Arabic and International media for what he called 'their continuous support for the oppressive authorities'; Alhothi said that the fighting in Saada was fueled by the president's speech in the military college on the 29th of last September. He added that the president's half-brother Ali Mohsen Alahmar has marshaled artillery vehicles equipped with catyusha missiles immediately after the speech, and selected officers were secluded from this 'vulgar war' as he describes it. He also requested the international community to take serious actions in order to stop this massive genocide.
In a separate address, Al-hothi called the Yemeni people not to respond to the ethnic cleansing and sectarian call of the regime; He added that the previous peace initiatives had the intention of appeasing public opinion not sorting out the issue. He also alleged that the authorities did not live up to their commitments.
According to Alsahwa-yemen.net, which is run by the Islah opposition party, 18 have died in Mazra'tain area, Saada, in the confrontations that took place in the last few days; ten of these were from the military forces and the reminder were claimed to be Alhothi followers.
In a related issue, the Yemeni expatiates in each of Canada, Britain, USA, and Egypt voiced an appeal to the president asking him to implement the amnesty resolution as the armed conflict has affected the women, elderly and children of Saada, considering the economic, political and social costs of this armed conflict.
On another front, Presidential candidate Abdulsalam Alhakaimi, who is currently residing in Egypt, has requested president Saleh as the General Commander of the Military and Security forces to stop this war which he described as a 'struggle between conflicting powers within the regime.'
Alhakaimi said in a release to Al-Tagheer.net that violence will only fuel the problem, and there is no acceptable justification for the military and civil losses'. On the other hand The London based Yemeni Organization for Human Rights Watch (YOHRW), which is headed by Lutfi Shatara, requested all international humanitarian organizations to pressure the Yemeni government to stop what it labeled as the genocide of Saada. They warned of the grim consequences, because of the usage of heavy artillery by the military forces, he demanded that an international committee should be set to investigate the conditions there.
The organization said in what it described as an urgent call that the death toll reached 150, including women, children and elderly in addition to a considerable number of serious injuries, while Health and other services in Saada are deteriorating.
In a communique which the organization distributed last week, it said that the army carries out arbitrary bombardments on civilian homes with the intention of chasing Alhothi followers out of the houses either to fight back or surrender. It said that they use all sorts of heavy weapons such as air missiles, artillery, and Katychas. The organization expressed concern over massacres being committed against opponents in Saada governorate, amid a media ban to prevent leakage of information of photos and videos.
YOHRW insisted in its call to the International Red Cross, The Red crescent, Amnesty International, UNHCR, the Arab Human Rights Organization in Britain, that a fact finding committee should be formed to stop fighting, and 'Make sure that no genocide was afflicted on the civilians, due to arbitrary bombardment,' The organization also requested the authorities to stop the military operations, so that innocent women and children could evacuated'.
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