KSA slams UN for ‘unacceptable’ use of ‘yellow journalism’
NEW YORK: The First Secretary of the Saudi Permanent UN Mission on Tuesday slammed the organization for relying on “yellow journalism” in a report alleging human rights abuses.
Noura Al-Jabreen also launched a staunch defense of the Kingdom’s record in Yemen after it was accused of deliberately targeting farms during military operations.
Al-Jabreen was responding to an interim report of the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on the right to food as part of the humanitarian, social and cultural committee’s work.
“It is highly disappointing that the rapporteurs of a prestigious international body like the UN chose to rely on yellow journalism as the source of information they published in their reports,” she said in a statement in New York.
Al-Jabreen stressed her country’s keenness on cooperating with the UN and its agencies to provide all information that would facilitate the work of the rapporteurs.
“The right to food is one of the basic human rights principles that Saudi Arabia is keen on consolidating,” she said. “The Kingdom seeks to provide everything that protects humans from hunger and devastation.
“My country has made every effort to ensure that everyone with no exception enjoys this right, even under the most difficult circumstances.
“It is truly disappointing that a report issued by an international body like the UN relied on yellow journalism as the sole reference without seeking precision in gathering information from official sources and according to the mechanisms the UN normally follows in preparing its reports.”
Referring to the accusation that Saudi Arabia deliberately targeted farms in Yemen, Al-Jabreen said: “Presenting such information in an international report is unacceptable.”
“I wish to remind you that my country has responded to the needs of more than 83 countries, including all countries that suffer from famine and extreme poverty and countries that suffered — or (are) still suffering — from natural disasters and wars, and provided them with over $17 billion in aid, making it the fourth largest donor in the world.”
“Yemen was among the countries that benefited most from the programs provided by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief),” she added.
“The total number of programs so far has reached 110, with a total value of over $561 million, and the total number of food, security, shelter and camps coordination projects has reached 43 across Yemen, helping nearly 20 million people with more than $236 million.”
Al-Jabreen pointed out that the Kingdom is cooperating with all UN agencies in a transparent and welldefined manner.
“My country hopes that UN officials seek precision and credibility in the information they include in their reports and rely on official sources,” she said.