Pax Christ Germany leads
online protest against arms fuelling Yemen conflict
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| A market in Sanaa on the fifth anniversary of the Saudi-led military campaign on Yemen (ANSA) |
Peace and human rights organizations of Europe are
protesting against arms exports from Europe that are fuelling the war in Yemen.
By Robin Gomes
As the conflict in Yemen entered its 6th year
on Wednesday, human rights, peace and humanitarian groups from 10 European
countries launched an online protest against those fuelling the war.
Pax Christi Germany, together with over 30 non-governmental
peace and human rights organizations of Europe, are protesting against arms
exports from Europe fuelling the "forgotten" war in Yemen.
Among the protesters are the Italian Network for Disarmament
and the UK-based Campaign against arms trafficking (CAAT).
The conflict in the Arab world's poorest country was sparked
by the Shia-led Houthi rebels taking control of Yemen's capital Sanaa in 2014,
which sent the internationally recognized government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi
fleeing to exile.
Since March 25, 2015, a Western-backed Saudi-led Sunni
Muslim coalition that includes the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has been
fighting the Houthis.
The conflict has killed at least 12,000 people. With
some 2 million children under the age of 5, about 1 million pregnant and
lactating women and 24 million people in desperate need of humanitarian aid,
the United Nations has described it as "the worst humanitarian catastrophe
caused by man".
Europe’s arms supply
According to Pax Christi Germany, Europe bears a heavy
responsibility for the war. It said that between 2015 and 2018 European
countries exported an estimated €40-billion worth of arms to the Saudi-led
coalition.
Germany alone is reported to have approved arms exports
worth over €6.3 billion.
In the last 2 years, numerous countries have cut down on
their exports to the coalition because of court orders. However, several
arms manufacturers and governments are pressing for an end to the restrictions,
despite the fact that the war continues to claim victims, as Pope Francis has
repeatedly recalled.
Social media campaign
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Pax Christi suggested
the protest be online. European citizens have been invited to post and
share selfie photos on the social media with the appeal: “Stop arms exports for
war in Yemen!" or "No support for the coalition led by Saudi Arabia!”
A glimmer of hope for peace appeared on Thursday as Yemen's
warring parties welcomed a United Nations call for an immediate truce in the
country where a coronavirus outbreak could exacerbate the already deep
humanitarian crisis.
The Saudi-led coalition said late on Wednesday that it
backed the Yemeni government's acceptance of the U.N. appeal. The Houthi rebels
welcomed the stance but said it wants to see implementation on the ground.
Pax Christi International, based in Brussels, Belgium,
is a Catholic peace movement with 120 member organisations worldwide that
promotes peace, respect for human rights, justice and reconciliation throughout
the world.
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