Revoke the declaration of Ansar Allah as a terrorist organisation!

The long-term, good relationship with Partners Jemen cooperation, trust and solidarity we are publishing the following statement at your request. The statement reflects the views and positions of Partners Yemen. We wish our partners in Yemen good luck and continued good work!

Withdraw the Ansar Allah movement about terror to become an organisation!

PartnersGlobal and Partners Yemen strongly urge the US State Department to withdraw its designation of Ansar Allah, commonly known as the Houthis, as a terrorist organization. This decision now prevents much-needed humanitarian aid, as well as aid packages and relief workers from the United States, from reaching northern Yemen, where 70 percent of the population lives. After six years of war, nearly 80 per cent of Yemen's population is living below the poverty line, with 120 000 dead and 500 000 wounded, and more than 7 million displaced inside and outside the country. Those still alive still lack access to basic necessities - food, water and medicine. Every day the suffering of the most vulnerable families in Yemen intensifies. Millions of lives are at stake.

This designation also reverses years of peace-building efforts by the international community and halts a United Nations-led political peace process that is not in the interests of Yemenis, the international community or the United States. Therefore, we call on President Biden and his administration to rescind this decision once in office, and we call on Congress to respond immediately to the withdrawal of this designation.

For more than a decade, PartnersGlobal and PartnersYemen have been working with the communities most affected by the conflict in Yemen, including communities in northern Yemen. We have earned the trust of actors on both sides of the conflict and have worked together to mediate disputes, improve governance and service delivery, and most importantly, lay the foundations for long-term stability and peace. PartnersGlobal and PartnersYemen are part of a network of humanitarian, development and peacebuilding organisations working across the country to similarly lay the foundations for lasting stability and peace. This new designation jeopardises this work and only serves to prolong the conflict.

Scott Powell, Humanitarian Policy Officer at Oxfam US, said: "Secretary Pompeo's dangerous and unhelpful policy of designating the Houthis as a terrorist organization and putting innocent lives at risk. This designation does nothing to resolve the conflict, nor to achieve justice for the violations and injustices committed during the war, and will only increase the suffering of millions of Yemenis struggling to survive."

The former minister and businessman said: "The decision takes us back to the starting point of the conflict, when the various parties entered a phase of exhaustion and showed a willingness to make painful concessions." Unfortunately, this sentiment has been echoed by Yemeni leaders across the country, as well as by members of the international community most familiar with the conflict. We call on the United States to play a constructive role in resolving Yemen's devastating conflict and mitigating the catastrophic effects on its population. The United States is in a unique position to do so, but this new designation takes the conflict in the opposite direction.

Original English text: Reverse the Terrorist Designation of Ansar Allah in Yemen

Issued: January 15, 2020

PartnersGlobal and PartnersYemen strongly urge the U.S. Department of State to reverse the designation of Ansar Allah, commonly known as the Houthis, as a terrorist organization.

Because of this decision, desperately needed humanitarian aid, as well as goods and personnel coming from the United States of America, will be prevented from entering northern Yemen, where 70 percent of the population lives. Today, after six years of war, nearly 80 percent of Yemen's population is living below the poverty line; 120,000 have died and 500,000 have been wounded; and more than 7 million have been displaced both internally and outside the country. Those that remain lack access to basic necessities-food, water, and medicine. Every day this designation remains, the suffering of the most vulnerable families in Yemen will mount. The lives of millions are at stake.

Further, this designation counteracts years-long peacebuilding efforts by the international community and stops the United Nations-led political peace process in its tracks, which is not in the interest of Yemenis, the international community, or the United States. Therefore, we call on President-elect Biden and his administration to freeze and revoke this decision upon taking office; and we call on Congress to respond immediately to reverse this designation.

For over a decade, PartnersGlobal and PartnersYemen have been working with communities most affected by the conflict in Yemen, including those in northern Yemen. We have gained the trust of actors on both sides of this conflict and together worked to mediate disputes, improve governance and service delivery, and, most importantly, lay the foundations for long-term stability and peace. PartnersGlobal and PartnersYemen are part of a network of humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding organizations working throughout the country to similarly build the foundations for lasting stability and peace. This new designation threatens this work and only serves to prolong the conflict.

Scott Powell, Humanitarian Policy Officer at Oxfam of America said"Secretary Pompeo's designation of the Houthis as a terrorist organization is a dangerous and useless policy, and it will also endanger the lives of innocent people. This designation will not help in resolving the conflict, nor in achieving justice for the violations and abuses committed during the war; this will only escalate the suffering for millions of Yemenis who struggle to survive."

Former minister and businessman said, "The decision will return us to the starting point of the conflict at a time when the various parties had entered a phase of fatigue and found a willingness to make painful concessions."

Unfortunately, this sentiment has been echoed by Yemeni leaders throughout the country as well as those in the international community most familiar with the conflict.

We are calling on the United States to play a constructive role in resolving Yemen's devastating conflict and mitigating the disastrous effects on the population. The United States is uniquely positioned to do this, but this new designation does the opposite.