A call for peace in Yemen

IT IS URGENT TO ACT FOR YEMEN

As human rights and humanitarian organisations working in Yemen, we welcome the unprecedented gathering of elected representatives from all over the world in Paris on the occasion of the first International Parliamentary Conference for Peace in Yemen, to demand that their governments work together to end the crisis. 14 million men, women and children face famine in Yemen – half of the country’s population. More than ever, it is urgent to act.

14 million men, women and children face famine in Yemen

We call on governments to ensure an immediate cessation of hostilities, to suspend the supply of weapons that can be used in Yemen, to guarantee the free access and free movement of vital imports for the Yemeni population, to condemn any attack against civilians and other violations of international humanitarian law by any party and to support international investigations of such violations, including the work of the Group of Eminent Experts of the United Nations on Yemen.

RESPECT INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW IN YEMEN

The events of recent weeks have added to a series of examples of Saudi Arabia’s non-compliance with the rules of the international system and have again highlighted the need for the international community, particularly the United States, UK and France, to re-evaluate their partnership with Riyadh. Any arms supplier to the coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates has the moral and legal responsibility to ensure that the coalition respects international humanitarian law in Yemen. Given the unlawful attacks on civilians by all parties to the conflict, widely documented by the Group of Eminent Experts of the United Nations ,citizens around the world reiterate the call we have been making for years to all governments to suspend arms transfers that may be used in Yemen.

We call once again on governments to suspend arms transfers that may be used in Yemen. © Reuters

CRISIS IN YEMEN: SEVERE RESTRICTIONS

The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is not the product of a natural disaster. It is a direct consequence of the severe restrictions imposed by the parties to the conflict on access to food, fuel, medical imports and humanitarian aid. The collapse of the Yemeni Rial and the non-payment of civil servants’ salaries only make things worse. In addition, the number of civilian casualties has increased dramatically since June ( 450 were killed in just nine days in August) and violence against women and girls has increased dramatically since the escalation of the conflict.

We call on governments to redouble their efforts to ensure free access to basic necessities (including fuel) throughout the country, including through the crucial Hodeidah port, where civilians haven been trapped in new fights in recently. Any indiscriminate attack against civilians and civilian infrastructure and any other violation of international humanitarian law by any party must be publicly condemned by the international community.

Only an inclusive peace process can solve the humanitarian crisis.

Parliamentarians have a special responsibility to represent the voices of their constituents and hold their governments to account. On the eve of the first Paris Peace Forum, convened by President Macron to promote peace and improve global governance, we hope this conference will be a wake-up call. There is no military solution to the war in Yemen. Only an inclusive peace process can solve the humanitarian crisis.

After almost four years of conflict, Yemenis can no longer wait.

ACAT

Action against Hunger

Asociacion pro Derechos Humanos de Espana

Avaaz

CARE International

Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies

Committee on the Administration of Justice

Control Arms

Friends Committee on National Legislation

International Federation for Human Rights

Finnish League for Human Rights

Global Center for Responsibility to Protect

Gulf Center for Human Rights

Handicap International

Hellenic League for Human Rights

International Rescue Committee Europe

Latvian Human Rights Committee

League of Human Rights

Belgian League (Francophone) of Human Rights

Liga voor of Rechten van de Mens

Doctors of the World

Mwatana Organization for Human Rights

Norwegian Refugee Council

Observatory of Armaments

Oxfam

PAX (the Netherlands)

Arab Forum for Human Rights (Yemen)

Saferworld

Salam for Yemen

Save the Children

SumOfUs

War Child

Yemen Peace Project

Donate to our Emergency Appeal now.