Saudi Arabia has
called upon the UN and international aid groups to remove their staff from areas that are held by Houthi rebels. Saudi Arabia says (according to Reuters reporting on 11 February 2016) that the call is intended to protect the staff of international aid organizations - "presumably from coalition air strikes". Apparently Saudi Arabia thinks it is important that there are no casualties among employees of international organizations, which is justified. However, what about the local Yemeni population? Since the Saudi led coalition of nine Arab countries started the military campaign in March 2015, almost 6,000 people have been killed. Almost half of them are civilians. Could other factors be playing a role, apart from the safety of staff working for international organizations? According to an article by Reuters on 27 January 2016 the
UN reported in January that the Saudi led coalition had targeted civilians with airstrikes, and crimes against humanity would have been committed. Possibly these are other reasons why Saudi Arabia does not want international organizations to be present in the area at this time.
Henriette Kats, persecution analyst at World Watch Research explains: "It"s not only dangerous in areas that are being held by Houthi rebels. For Christians, it is especially dangerous in areas that have been freed by the coalition. A leader of a NGO active in the country, who for security reasons wishes to remain anonymous, stated that in areas dominated or freed by Saudi-led coalition forces, local Christians had often been subsequently targeted and put under pressure by radical Sunnis. Also targeted were known Christian buildings including institutes where Christians or expatriates from Christian countries were operating. As far as we know, they were not warned to leave in advance."
Henriette Kats adds: "Besides, UN aid chief Stephen O"Brien points out that "˜the humanitarian community would continue to deliver aid impartially on the basis of need". At present, a humanitarian disaster is happening in Yemen to which the world hardly pays any attention."
