Geneva, 3 July 2017 – Last Friday, Yemen received 400 tons of life-saving health supplies through the port of Hodeidah. Among the supplies were twenty ambulances, 100 cholera kits, hospital equipment and 128’000 bags of intravenous fluids.

It is no easy task to provide for these supplies. The war led by Saudi Arabia is damaging and destroying infrastructures. Logistical issues are impending access as the flow of medicine into the country has declined by 70%. 

“People are dying in Yemen right now because they cannot access health care. The most visible example of the health system's inability to respond to the needs of the population is the ongoing cholera outbreak, which has resulted in the deaths of 1500 Yemenis in just over 2 months” stated Dr Nevio Zagaria, WHO Representative in Yemen.

In fact, because of the blockade and on air and land embargo imposed by the Saudi-led coalition keeping food and medical supplies entering the nation, more than 14 million innocent men, women and children are suffering malnutrition and are in desperate need for food and medical assistance. The Saudi-led coalition is perpetrating the genocide in Yemen with no accountability and full impunity.

The kingdom’s continuous denial of the obvious facts is exasperating. As a matter of fact, Saudi has recently claimed to be the biggest aid donor in Yemen, while at the same time bombing thousands of civilians. Dr Abdullah al-Rabeeah, supervisor general of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KS Relief), stated that there is no conflict between bombing a country while claiming to be its biggest aid donor. The statement itself is beyond ridicule.

Although the aid provided to Yemen might be a spark of hope, technical assistance is not what the genocide in Yemen deserves. All relevant stakeholders must take serious measures regarding violations in the country.

ICSFT condemns in the strongest terms the war crimes carried out by the Saudi-led forces and calls for the UN and the the international community to put an end to the genocide in Yemen and bring all perpetrators to justice. We must stand for human rights now!

International Council Supporting Fair Trial and Human Rights