“This resolution reflects a shocking failure by the Human Rights Council to meet its obligation to ensure justice and accountability, and sends a message that the global community is not serious about ending the suffering of civilians in Yemen”, said James Lynch, Deputy Middle East and North Africa Director at Amnesty worldwide. The “probe” is meant to target military and political leaders who successfully conducted the offensive to totally annihilate – in Federal Bureau of Investigation description – the most ruthless terrorist organization in the world.
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What influenced “The Prince” to take two different approaches on a single issue?
Largely quiet on the matter was the United States.
A tragic incident this week in Yemen is intensifying scrutiny of a Saudi-led military campaign there, as well as the USA role in backing that Saudi offensive.
While the Saudis kept pushing for their draft resolution to be passed, the United States kept mostly silent on the debate, and didn’t voice support for the Dutch proposal. We briefly gave how Sri Lanka was targeted.
The document was opposed by Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, all members of the council, as well as the Yemeni government in exile.
Mr. Hadi’s Yemeni government is supported by Saudi Arabia and is a party to the war, commanding loyal forces in Yemen that are fighting the Houthi rebels.
“Since the conflict began, an atmosphere of impunity has prevailed in which violations of worldwide humanitarian law and gross human rights abuses and violations have gone unchecked”.
And then there’s this: Saudi Arabia may have colluded with the United Kingdom to get on the council.
Iranian-backed Houthi rebels along with troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh took over Yemen’s capital Sanaa in September 2014. Partners now estimate that 21.1 million people – 80 per cent of the population – require a few form of humanitarian protection or assistance.
An Arab coalition led by S. Arabia, performs airstrikes in Yemen targeting Houthis sites since March.
Stephen Harper was quoted in Rivière-du-Loup on Friday saying that “this is a deal, frankly, with a country (that) notwithstanding its human rights violations, which are significant, this is a contract with a country that is an ally in the fight against the Islamic State”. A spokesperson for Koenders had not yet responded to VICE News’ request for comment about the content of that discussion.
Speaking in Istanbul Al-Naimi also said that Saudi Arabia’s investments should continue in exploration production refining as well as other alternative sources such as solar energy.
In reality, the death sentence probably has more to do with the fact that al-Nimr is the nephew of an influential cleric critical of the government, who has also been sentenced to death. Homosexuality is illegal under Sharia law in Saudi Arabia and punishments for those engaging in same-sex relationships include execution, chemical castration and imprisonment.
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In the intervening years Citigroup executives have continued to visit the kingdom and express interest in returning to Saudi Arabia.
