YEMEN - HUMANITARIAN CRISES GROWING BY THE DAY

The U.N, Theresa May and even Trump are pleading with the Saudis to lift the remaining blockade of Yemen as millions of civilians are on the brink of famine. The blockade was put in place in November after the Houthi rebels set a missile in the direction of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. The blockade was recently lifted slightly, but only a small amount of aid is trickling through. Leaving the worst effected areas with no hope of food and medical supplies. 

They also face the Houthi rebels directing this aid into their military leaving the civilians suffering. 

Since 2015 the Saudi collation have been performing airstrikes on the Houthi occupied area of Yemen. The Houthis' are suspected to be recieving support from Iran. This may have started as a civil war but has quickly become a proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia. 

Though it seems that they are targeting the civilians of Yemen more then the rebels. They are aiming for farms, water systems, food storage, ports and small fishing vessels that the Yemeni people rely on so much. it is estimated that 20 million Yemenis are reliant on humanitarian aid at this time. But with the blockade stopping maritime imports this number is set to grow. Famine is already present and the international community is citing this could be the worst humanitarian crises in history if the blockade is not completely lifted soon. 80% of Yemen relies on its maritime imports to sustain life and the economy. One Yemeni man said to a BBC reporter that whoever thinks they are our leader should be supporting the people of Yemen.

Not only are the Yemenis in desperate need of food and water they need medical supplies, as with famine always comes disease. This year cholera has spread rapidly throughout the country with an estimated 900,000 being effected with that number rising as the red cross expects it to hit a million before the year ends. and now the famine disease diphtheria is presenting itself for the first time in 25 years. Both these diseases hit children the hardest and with no clean water, medical supplies thousands will die. 

Photo source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-13/yemen-blockade:-sick-and-starving-trapped/9143140

All borders have been closed leaving the people of Yemen with no alternative way to seek aid. All they can do is wait and hope the blockade is lifted and aid is delivered. The international leaders and the UN need to do more to aid the people of Yemen and negotiate a ceasefire, simply asking for the blockade to be lifted is not enough. Trying to prove Iran is supplying the Houthi's with weapons to justify the U.S and U.K supplying weapons to the Saudi's that they then use to hit civilians is not good enough.

The U.K need to step up and act as they are supplying the Saudis with weapons and Yemen with humanitarian aid. Jeremy Corban the U.K opposition leader has said he believes the U.K should not be doing both, he believes the U.K need to stop supplying weapons to the Saudi military, continue to send aid and to push for ceasefire negotiations and political resolution. Also stating "we can't be spectators to children dying of cholera".

The UN needs to be pushing sanctions on the Saudis for blocking aid entering the country, for targeting water and electricity systems and for their attack on small fishing boats that are operating in supposed 'safe areas' yet being shot down from the air. Blockades are allowed as military intervention but not if they cause more threat to the civilian people than military advantage. That is what is happening now with air strikes killing more civilians than making an impact on the Houthi rebels. Just last night the Saudi coalition's latest strike killed ten civilian women during a bridal procession.

The people of Yemen are not fighting this political war, they are fighting for food, for water, for health and for safety. 

http://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-middle-east-40748158/yemen-crisis-bbc-gains-rare-access

Photo source: UNOCHA

Abdulaziz al-Husseinya, nine years old and suffering from acute malnutrition, Al-Thawra hospital, Hodeidah. Photograph: Iona Craig; sourced from the Guardian