Al Houthis face stark choices
If the militiamen are serious about peace, then they need to act without waiting for orders from Tehran
It’s a little over two weeks since the proposed peace talks on Yemen collapsed, after Al Houthi officials refused to attend. Certainly, it would not be unexpected if no other peace overtures or grounds for talks were forthcoming in the near future, given the reluctance of the Iranian-backed rebels to want to come to the table in a constructive manner. And while they remain intransigent, it is the people of Yemen who are suffering as a consequence of their irresponsible course of inaction.
Given the chaos wrought by Al Houthis in overthrowing the legitimate government of Yemen more than three years ago, the suffering of our Arab brothers seems set to continue until such a time as the rebels come to their senses. Make no mistake, the international coalition of Arab nations, led by Saudi Arabia and in which the UAE is playing a key role, is acting on a United Nations Security Council resolution and will complete its mission one way or another. The choice then facing Al Houthis, who represent just 5 per cent of the Yemeni population, is clear. If they are indeed truly invested in building a Yemen that offers security and stability, then it needs to be part of the peace process. And to be part of the peace process means that the group must act in the interests of the Yemeni people, not the regime in Tehran who have armed the ragtag gangs with sophisticated weaponry, missile systems, heavy artillery and sea mines.
Through their fruitless campaign, Al Houthis have brought suffering and pestilence upon their people, have created the conditions where cholera, malnutrition and other ills are commonplace, and where terrorist cabals such as Al Qaida and Daesh fill the vacuum created on the ground. There is a clear course of action open to Al Houthis. If they want to stop the bloodshed, then they must be willing to talk peace in a meaningful and constructive manner. And that means putting their phones aside long enough to act independently rather than follow the orders issued by Tehran and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.
Al Houthis need to realise that they can be part of a solution or be defeated on the battlefield. Being part of the solution means being serious about any further peace talks and acting as responsible, independent and plenipotentiary partners. On the side lines of the UN General Assembly in New York last week, Martin Griffiths, the UN Special Envoy to Yemen, indicated that he would broker new talks soon. That’s a prospect that has been welcomed by the UAE and its Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr Anwar Gargash. The UAE is always willing and prepared to facilitate any effort that brings peace and stability.