KSrelief Participates in “Update on the Humanitarian Situation in Yemen” Seminar in Washington, D.C.
Date:
19/09/2019
Author:
KSrelief
![image-61](/UploadData/News/2019922132557948.jpeg)
WASHINGTON,
D.C., UNITED STATES: The Supervisor General of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and
Relief Centre (KSrelief), Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, recently participated in a
seminar entitled “Update on the Humanitarian Situation in #Yemen” held at the headquarters
of the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations in Washington, D.C. The large
group of attendees included ambassadors, diplomats, and others interested in
humanitarian affairs; some media representatives were also present.
Dr.
Al Rabeeah condemned the illegal actions of Houthi militias in Yemen which interfere
with humanitarian work in the country. He called upon the international
community to address these repeated violations, which include the use of
anti-aircraft weapons to bomb civilian sites, the planting of land mines, the
forced military recruitment of children, the seizing and detention of
humanitarian aid vessels and convoys, and the illegal sale and confiscation of
aid for military purposes. The Houthis have also repeatedly intimidated
humanitarian workers, and have also shelled hospitals, schools, IDP camps and
other civilian targets. The ongoing militia offenses have resulted in civilian
deaths and injuries, serious property losses and delays in delivery and the destruction
of large amounts of humanitarian aid.
Houthi
attacks on the the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have killed 113 civilians and
injured 1,030 others; 10,357 Saudi citizens have been displaced due to these
Houthi acts of aggression. In addition,
41 schools have been damaged, and 6 schools and 20 mosques have been destroyed.
The Houthis have also launched drone attacks targeting two key oil
installations in the Dawadmi and Afif governorates in Riyadh, and a processing
unit at the Shaybah natural gas plant in the Kingdom’s eastern province. Militias
have also attacked the Abha and Jazan airports.
“KSrelief,”
Dr. Al Rabeeah stressed, “has issued more than one statement condemning the
violations of the Houthi militias, and has called for international
intervention to prevent these violations and hold the Houthis accountable.” Despite
these violations, however, the center continues to provide relief and
humanitarian assistance to all parts of Yemen, including areas controlled by the
militias.
Since
2015, the Kingdom has provided USD 14.5 billion to help Yemen – USD 2.2 billion
of this amount being provided through KSrelief to implement projects in
cooperation with 80 partners, including UN agencies, various NGOs, and other local
and international organizations. “KSrelief’s initiatives,” Dr. Al Rabeeah
stated, “are based upon the highest standards of humanitarianism, impartiality,
independence, voluntary service, unity, and respect for international human
rights law.” The center has implemented 368 projects in Yemen, 143 of which focusing
on the welfare of women (USD 317.2 million) and 150 on children (USD 483.1
million.)
KSrelief
has undertaken such vital qualitative projects as “MASAM” (the Saudi Project
for Landmine Clearance in Yemen) which, through August 2019, has deactivated
87,781 mines in the governorates of Ma’rib, Aden, Taiz, Sana’a, Al Jawf, Al
Hudaydah, Lahij, and Shabwah. MASAM has deployed 400 mine-clearance specialists
to head this project, which includes training Yemeni cadres in safe landmine
disposal practices. KSrelief also established two Artificial Limbs Centers to provide
rehabilitation services and prosthetic devices to amputees who have lost limbs
due to injuries from missile attacks and encounters with landmines.
Regarding
the serious issue of child soldier recruitment in Yemen, Dr. Al Rabeeah stated
the following: “Houthi militias have lured children into being recruited, and have
used them in military conflict. Child recruitment may turn children into future
hired assassins, a threat to local peace and security in Yemen. (The children)
may also become, without their awareness because they are just children,
dangerous terrorist tools. To help to address this issue, KSrelief launched the
Child Soldiers Rehabilitation Program, which thus far has succeeded in
rehabilitating hundreds of child soldiers, returning them to their families,
homes and schools.”
“In
Iranian-backed Houthi-militia-controlled areas, KSrelief, in partnership with
international regional and local organizations, has implemented projects in the
following sectors: 55 projects in food security and shelter (USD 544,118,000),
15 projects in health and environmental aid (USD 159,534,000), and 11 projects
in community support (USD 49,868,000). The Coalition Forces Supporting
Legitimacy in Yemen has provided USD 18.6 billion covering various humanitarian
and relief sectors.”
Dr.
Al Rabeeah added that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also responded to an appeal from
the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF with USD 66.7 million to combat the
cholera epidemic in Yemen; USD 33.7 million of this amount was provided to WHO and
USD 33 million to UNICEF.
At
the end of the seminar, the Supervisor General answered questions from the
audience.