Yemeni Groups Call on Australia to Freeze Saudi Arabia and UAE Arms Sales

By Staff, Agencies

A group of Yemeni civil organizations and the Gulf Institute for Democracy and Human Rights [GIDHR] addressed the Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, the Foreign Minister, Senator Marise Payne, and the Defense Minister, Senator Linda Reynolds, regarding arms and military equipment deals between Australia and Saudi Arabia and UAE.

“You are, certainly, aware of the war carried out by the Saudi-led coalition since nearly six years ago. This war had killed tens of thousands of civilians, including children, women, and elderlies, and increased the number of people with disabilities,” the letter said.

“Saudi Arabia and United Arabic Emirates use the arms and weapons of their arms deals with other countries, to target Yemeni civilians and demolish their country,” it continued. “Australia had granted, between August 2019 and October 2020, 14 permits to export military goods and equipment to Saudi Arabia and United Arabic Emirates.”

“We believe that the continued supply of weapons and arms to both Saudi and Emirati governments encourage them to continue targeting the civilians and to move forward with the inhuman and illegal blockade imposed on all Yemeni ports which exacerbates the suffering of the Yemeni people and the humanitarian crisis they are facing,” it added.

The organizations ended their letter urging the Australian Government to “take a courageous stance and support the Yemeni people who are facing genocide, stop exporting weapons and military goods to Saudi Arabia and United Arabic Emirates until they stop their illegal military operations in Yemen, to hold accountable the perpetrators and those involved in committing violations against the Yemeni people, and to pressure the Saudi and Emirati led coalition to stop the war and end the blockade imposed on Yemen to achieve peace and security.”

The signatories are:

Arab Human Rights Foundation

Democracy School

International Council for Rights and Relief

Gulf Institute for Democracy and Human Rights [GIDHR]

National Organization for Combat of Human Trafficking

National Organization for Combating Violence and Terrorism “struggle” [KEEFAH]

Yemen Historical and Future Strategic Studies Centre [MANARAT]

Yemeni Women’s Union