UN Secretary-General Calls for Investigation into Human Rights Violations in Yemen

On Monday, October 9, the UN Secretary-General urged the Human Rights Council to establish an independent group to investigate human rights violations and other offenses in Yemen. Ban Ki-moon specifically called for an investigation into the "horrific attack" earlier this week on a mourning ceremony by the Saudi-led Arab coalition. According to the Associated Press, he told reporters that the attack on Saturday in Sana'a, the capital of Yemen, which left 140 dead and over 525 injured, is the latest tragedy in Yemen's conflict that has left more than 20 million people – 80% of the country's population – in need of humanitarian aid. Ban Ki-moon stated, "The airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition have already caused widespread massacres and have destroyed many medical facilities and other vital infrastructure in the country." He added, "Bombing people who have gathered to mourn their loved ones is shameful." The UN Secretary-General emphasized that the recent incident necessitates a thorough investigation. "On a broader level, there must be accountability for such actions throughout the duration of the war." Earlier on Monday, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, the UN human rights chief, condemned the bombing of the mourning ceremony in Sana'a and criticized the Human Rights Council for its inaction in the face of a "climate of impunity" in the poor, war-torn country of Yemen. According to the Associated Press, al-Hussein reiterated the need for independent investigations into the bombing a few days ago in Sana'a and other human rights violations in Yemen. All 47 member countries of the UN Human Rights Council, including Saudi Arabia, did not respond to the Yemen crisis during the September session. The UN human rights chief stated, "During this war, markets, schools, hospitals, wedding celebrations, and just a few days ago even mourning ceremonies have been attacked. Many civilians have been killed in these attacks, and those responsible have not been held accountable in any way." The UN Human Rights Office announced on Monday that since March 2015, when the Saudi-led Arab coalition began its airstrikes on Yemen with US support, over 4,000 civilians have been killed and about 7,200 others injured. Just in October alone, around 370 people have lost their lives. Al-Hussein expressed concern about the escalation of violence, stating, "The international community has a grave legal and moral responsibility regarding the horrific increase in civilian casualties in Yemen, just like any other country." The Associated Press added that the German government has also expressed concern over this bombing, with Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier stating, "Those responsible for this ruthless act must be identified, and such attacks must not be repeated." He did not name those responsible for the attack, but the Saudi-led Arab coalition is the only party involved in the Yemen war that has an air force. The German foreign minister added, "The numerous victims of the attack on the mourning ceremony should serve as a warning to everyone in Yemen and the entire region that they have a political responsibility to resume peace negotiations mediated by the UN and find a peaceful solution to this crisis." On Sunday, Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's foreign minister, called on the UN Secretary-General to facilitate the flight of an Iranian plane carrying humanitarian aid to Sana'a and to transfer the injured from the attack on the mourning ceremony. In his remarks, the Iranian foreign minister expressed deep sorrow over this "catastrophic and horrifying airstrike" and demanded that the Saudi-led Arab coalition and its supporters be held accountable for "committing war crimes in Yemen over the past year and a half." In this context, dozens were killed and hundreds injured in the attack on a mourning ceremony in Sana'a following the deadly attack in Yemen, and the US is "immediately reviewing" its support for the Arab coalition. Thousands of Yemenis gathered in front of the UN office in Sana'a to protest the attack on Sunday. Zarif's letter to Ban Ki-moon regarding the Yemen crisis; a meeting between the deputy foreign minister and Helga Schmid.