Yemeni min. calls on UN to look carefully into Houthis past

CAIRO – 17 July 2018: Yemen's Minister of Information Muammar al-Eryani highlighted the Houthi militia's continuous violations to the treaties and agreements they signed with the Yemeni government and international organizations, pointing out that this group never respects agreements or official decisions.

In a long analytical article titled "Drawing on Past Lessons for Lasting Peace in Yemen", published by Washington Institute website on July 13, Eryani said that the Houthis only call for negotiations and compromises when they become “at a disadvantage”. He explained that these so-called negotiations allow the group’s fighters to catch their breath, reposition themselves, and launch a new round of offensives.

“Thus, we ought to learn from the past and avoid repeating the same terrible mistakes that have hindered the Yemeni people’s dream for a civil, democratic, and pluralistic country,” Eryani stated in an article.

He called on the United Nations and European Union officials not to be deceived by the Houthi’s claims and calls for negotiations.

“While new talks appear to be in the pipeline, in light of the Houthi militia's political ideology, which is based on their absolute faith in the sanctity of their leader and his divine right to rule, it is unlikely that they are truly willing to cooperate. The Houthi militia's ideology endorses the transformation of Yemen into a nation in which imams, rather than law and order, are sacred, and shuns the democratic path that the Republic of Yemen has followed since its founding on May 22, 1990,” Eryani said in his article.


Martin Griffiths photo: U.N. envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths arrives in Sanaa, Yemen, July 2, 2018. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah

He stressed on the UN Envoy Martin Griffiths to seriously consider all of the previous phases and rounds of fruitless talks with the Houthi militia. He added that discussing peace with Houthis could not be a fair or comprehensive process.

“The UN Envoy must recognize that he is dealing with the armed group that killed the UN's former allies, President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and Aref Al-Zouka, and the UN's head delegate to the Kuwait negotiations,” Eryani stated, stressing that similar warnings must be given to head of the EU delegation to Yemen, Antonia Calvo Puerta.

“Just a few days ago, Puerta hosted a workshop on comprehensive peacemaking efforts and political transition in Yemen, which several Houthi representatives attended.

Unfortunately, despite Ambassador Puerta’s efforts, it does not appear that her positive and good-natured approach aligns with the Houthi militia’s political history. The militia has already criticized her in the media simply because she appeared unhappy with the assault on political leader Faeqa al-Sayed. Sayed was attacked during a mass gathering in front of the house of the murdered former President Saleh. This episode once again shows that it is hard to predict how the Houthi militia will react; one cannot trust their intentions, nor expect them to uphold their commitments,” Eryani explained in his article.

Eryani criticized the United States in his article for not labeling the Houthi militia as a terrorist organization, affirming that they are a “militia”, with no potential to become a political party or partner to any authority.

“The United States and the international community have refrained from labeling the Houthi militia as a terrorist organization in the same way they labeled the Islamic State.
The reason for this appears to be the assumption that the group operates similarly to a political party, and thus could be a potential political partner under the right circumstances."

"In reality, the Houthi militia is a doctrinal and ideologically driven combatant group that operates as an Iranian proxy, helping Tehran to expand its influence in the region.” Eryani said.

In his article, Eryani called on all officials to look carefully into the Houthi’s past and to avoid repeating the same mistakes that increase the Yemeni people's suffering.

Protecting Hudaydah civilians priority to gov't: Yemeni Min.

CAIRO - 6 July 2018: Yemen's Minister of Information Muammar al-Eryani affirmed in statements that Yemeni civilians in al-Hudaydah city are suffering mainly because of the violations of Houthi militias who use civilians as human protecting shields during clashes.