Yemen is the second largest country on the Arabian Peninsula, which has been a developing country in the vicinity of Saudi Arabia. The insurgency, the political and military turmoil in the country represents a threat both to itself and to regional powers. Yemen had a long history of factional unrest between North and South Yemen, but the recent spate began in 2011, after the Arab Spring extended its magnetic field to the Arabian Peninsula. President Ali Abdullah Saleh was overthrown and Mansoor Hadi came to power. Hadi had the support of the Sunnis (a Muslim sect) in the south, while he was not accepted by the rebel group Zaidi (another Muslim sect) known as “Hauthis” in the north. They had also been named as “Ansar Allah”. The Hauthis raised their arms and rebelled. His ferocious attacks and strategies forced President-elect Hadi to flee the capital. The president made Aden the de facto capital of Yemen, and began to live and fight there.
Worse yet, in March the Hauthis followed Hadi to Aden and he left for Saudi Arabia on a boat. This incident showed a reflection of Mehmet’s escape from Turkey, when Mustafa Kamal snatched the power from his hands and fled in a mother car. But the case of Yemen is not the same, since the rebels are not the majority in Yemen. The Hauthis make up a third of Yemen’s population, moreover, they are basically northerners and the south still backs Hadi. So this bias can lead Yemen to the division of the country, as was the case before Ali Abdullah Saleh. Yemen’s security forces are now fractious and have joined the flanks of the Hauthis or Hadi’s supporters. When the rebels set foot in Aden, it was an alarm for the regional powers. Saudi Arabia, leading a coalition of five Gulf countries and six other countries, intervened and launched airstrikes on Hauthis.
Iran is also suspected of supporting Hauthis through arms and finances. Although Iran had denied being involved in the insurgency in any way, it remains a key player in the region. Both Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia and Shiite-ruled Iran have always been in a fight for regional influence. Yemen is located on the Babul-Mandab Strait that connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. This water channel is used for oil shipping and therefore Saudia is concerned about this oil trade route. Furthermore, Saudia is also concerned about the large number of immigrants rushing to Saudia each year. The porous border and weak neighbor under the Shia-Zaidi-Hauthi insurgents pose a serious threat to Saudi Arabia. Today Yemen is in a state of civil war in the opinion of some intellectuals.
The world community has to come forward and persuade both sides to come to the table. Day by day, the military attacks are becoming more ferocious and a large number of innocent citizens lose their lives and property. If weapons are allowed to decide Yemen’s future, the results will be disastrous. Saudia can rally the Islamic world and legitimize its position on Yemen. The Security Council can facilitate an armistice and ensure a free and fair election, once again, for the people of Yemen to decide their future. Any military attempt, by regional or international actors, will make Yemen suffer severely!
Weapons are for destruction
not to decide
