In 2014, the Arab World’s poorest country imploded with tension from the Arab Spring uprisings and entered into the Yemeni Civil War—the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. The conflict between the Houthi rebel group and the Saudi-led government of Yemen has killed 100,000 people, many of whom are civilians.
Despite promises of a quick victory from Saudi officials, the war has remained in a military stalemate while widespread hunger, a deadly cholera outbreak, and American-made bombs continue to maim, mutilate, and kill innocent civilians. There is no end in sight.
An Invisible War
The catastrophic war has long been overlooked outside of Yemen. Ten million Yemenis are on the brink of starvation. Twenty-four million people require humanitarian aid. Every 10 minutes, a child dies—from preventable causes. Two million Yemeni children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition. As of 2018, there have been more than 1.2 million cases of cholera, and 2,500 people have died from cholera. Compounded with rising COVID-19 cases, the death toll will only increase.
The combination of conflict, a failing economy, food scarcity, and a lack of necessary aid has pushed Yemen to the brink of collapse.
The healthcare system is destroyed, and hospitals have been bombed out and replaced with tents. The combination of conflict, a failing economy, food scarcity, and a lack of necessary aid has pushed Yemen to the brink of collapse. It’s time that the world took notice.
How the United States is Complicit
The genocide—which is in the extermination stage, meaning that the killers do not believe their victims to be fully human—is unknown to most Americans. The war crimes of rape, torture, and arbitrary killings by the Houthi rebels and Saudi-coalition is unknown to most Americans. So, what role has the United States played in this genocide?
The lack of awareness or media attention has allowed the United States government to continue to support the Saudi coalition with bombs, intelligence, and logistics, with little to no consequence. American officials approved the sale of weapons to the Saudi coalition through American supplier Raytheon. Raytheon sells laser-guided bombs used by Saudi bombers. The United Nations High Council on Refugees found that coalition airstrikes (many of which use Raytheon bombs) have caused the “most direct civilian casualties”. The drive to boost arms sales has had extreme consequences, and yet U.S. officials seem to show no concern for the human rights violations that American-made bombs are causing.
“Hanging By A Thread”: Failure to Act
UN and humanitarian funds have struggled to deliver aid on a consistent basis, largely due to interference from both the Saudi coalition and the Houthis. Only half of the UN’s $2.4 billion goal for funding to shore up aid operations has been reached. In June, the Secretary-General of the United Nations made a plea to stand in solidarity and aid the Yemeni people. The protracted conflict has left Yemenis, “hanging on by a thread, their economy in tatters,” said Secretary-General António Guterres.
As the U.S. continues to authorize Raytheon to send bombs to the Saudi-led government, the world turns a blind eye to the human rights crisis. Between April and August of 2020, more than one-third of the UN programs in Yemen were reduced or shut down entirely due to the lack of support and funding. The obstruction of aid by the United States, as well as the rest of the world, puts millions of innocent lives at risk. Are increased arms sales worth the life of a child?
How Can We Help Yemen?
We must pay attention. We must hold our representatives accountable for indirectly supporting the genocide of Yemenis. Do not let this crisis go unnoticed.
Vote for candidates that support ending the arms deal with Raytheon, cutting off support to Saudi Arabia.
Donate to meet immediate needs for vulnerable groups, including medical supplies, housing, and food. Here are some organizations that are working to create long-term solutions that you may choose to support:
United States complicity in Genocide; United States complicity in Genocide
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