DEBATE PACK Number CDP - 2016/0032 | 1 February 2016 Tim Robinson Conflict in Yemen Subject specialist: Ben Smith Contents Backbench Business Committee Debate 1. Summary 2 Chamber 2. Press Articles 3 4 February 2016 3. Gov.uk 5 Initiated by Kirsten Oswald, Flick Drummond, Keith Vaz, Edward Argar and Steven Paterson 4. PQs 7 5. Debates 28 6. Early Day Motions 32 7. Petition 35 8. Further reading 37 Map courtesy of University of Texas The proceeding of this debate may be viewed on parliamentlive.tv The House of Commons Library prepares a briefing in hard copy and/or online for most non-legislative debates in the Chamber and Westminster Hall other than half-hour debates. Debate Packs are produced quickly after the announcement of parliamentary business. They are intended to provide a summary or overview of the issue being debated and identify relevant briefings and useful documents, including press and parliamentary material. More detailed briefing can be prepared for Members on request to the Library. www.parliament.uk/commons-library | intranet.parliament.uk/commons-library | [email protected] | @commonslibrary 2 Number CDP - 2016/0032, 1 February 2016 1. Summary President Ali Abdallah Saleh had been in power since 1978, an experience that he famously likened to “dancing on the heads of snakes.” As the position of Saleh became increasingly precarious, Saudi Arabia was one of the leaders in brokering a deal for a transition. The deal, backed by the UN, involved a transfer of power to Saleh’s deputy, Abd- Rabbu Mansour Hadi, which finally took place in November 2011 after months of deadly clashes between protesters and the security forces. The transfer of power to Hadi appeared to be having some success in establishing stability, but the Yemeni armed forces remained sharply divided after the defection in March 2011 of General Ali Mohsen al- Ahmar from the government to the uprising. The manoeuvrings of tribal forces were behind many clashes between different parts of the official armed forces. Throughout 2012 and 2013 Hadi continued to struggle with the various challenges to central authority including the Houthis and al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). More broadly, the 2011 ‘revolution’ did not lead to a thorough change in the leadership of the country. Huge economic and social problems continued to afflict the population and Hadi was seen by many Yemenis as ineffective. In September 2014, Houthi armed forces took control of the capital Sana’a, culminating a simmering and often violent dispute over the drafting of a new constitution, which was plagued by disagreements, particularly over its crucial decentralisation clauses. Sunni governments in the region saw Iranian interference in the success of the Houthis (although it probably had at least as much to do with support from elements loyal to the old president, Ali Abdallah Saleh). In March 2015, Saudi Arabia lead a coalition of nine Arab states in imposing a naval blockade on Yemen and bombing Houthi positions. The air operation has caused a lot of destruction and killed many civilians but has not decisively reversed gains made by the Houthis. In January 2016 the UN said that nearly 2,800 civilians had been killed. The blockade has sharply worsened Yemen’s already very fragile humanitarian situation. The UN warned in December 2015 that Yemen is on the edge of famine, with the worst affected being the 1.3 million internally displaced. As many as 14 million Yemenis are thought to be food insecure and nearly 8 million are in desperate need. The WFP blames both sides for impeding the distribution of vital food aid. Conflict in Yemen 3 2. Press Articles The following is a small selection of recent press and media articles relevant to this debate. Please note: the Library is not responsible for either the views or accuracy of external content. Al Jazeera Coalition battling rebels in Yemen to probe abuses 31 January 2016 The Guardian UN report into Saudi-led strikes in Yemen raises questions over UK role Ewen MacAskill 27 January 2016 Huffington Post How Children are Forced to the Front Lines of Yemen's War Charlotte Alfred 23 January 2016 Al Monitor How long can Saudi Arabia afford Yemen war? Amal Nasser 21 January 2016 The Independent David Cameron accused of silently taking Britain into Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen Jon Stone 20 January 2016 Voice of America Yemen Children Face Wasteland of Death, Destruction Lisa Schlein 12 January 2016 Al Monitor Oman, stuck between Saudi Arabia and Iran Giorgio Cafiero 10 January 2016 Brookings (Markaz Blog) Could the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen be fracturing? Sultan Barakat 29 December 2015 Daily Telegraph Britain told to halt arms sales to Saudi Arabia Louisa Loveluck 17 December 2015 4 Number CDP - 2016/0032, 1 February 2016 Amnesty International (News) UK Government breaking the law supplying arms to Saudi Arabia, say leading lawyers 17 December 2015 The Wall Street Journal Is Al Qaeda Winning in Saudi-Iran Proxy War in Yemen? Yaroslav Trofimov 10 September 2015 Conflict in Yemen 5 3. Gov.uk PM’s call with King of Saudi Arabia Prime Minister’s Office 27 January 2016 A Downing Street spokesperson said: The Prime Minister called King Salman of Saudi Arabia this evening to discuss plans for the Syria donors conference, taking place in London on 4 February. The call also covered Yemen. The Prime Minister congratulated the King on the first anniversary of his accession to the throne. Both leaders agreed the Syria donors conference would be an important opportunity to boost support to refugees in the region, including through significant additional funding. Agreeing to work together to make the conference the greatest possible success, the King promised high-level attendance from Saudi Arabia. On Yemen, the Prime Minister and King agreed on both the need for a political solution and for international humanitarian law to be respected at all times.” Greening: new aid for Yemen Department for International Development 25 January 2016 A new £10 million emergency support package will provide much needed help for Yemenis caught in one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, International Development Secretary Justine Greening has announced. More than 21 million people in Yemen – equivalent to more than 80% of the population – are now in need of humanitarian aid, with the conflict having disrupted the delivery of essential food, fuel and medical supplies to those most in need, putting millions of lives at risk. The UK has more than doubled its life-saving humanitarian assistance to Yemen over the last year, with new funding bringing the total to £85 million for 2015/16. The new aid, which will go to UN and NGO delivery partners on the ground, will include: • critical medical supplies and rehabilitation of health centres to improve the health of children – with 320,000 children suffering severe malnutrition •emergency food assistance and protection of livestock to help people facing critical food shortages, of whom there are now 7.6 million 6 Number CDP - 2016/0032, 1 February 2016 • thermal blankets to keep displaced families warm during winter – as 2.5 million people have been displaced by fighting • treatment for potentially fatal diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera and malaria • facilitation of essential commercial supplies entering Yemen by sea International Development Secretary Justine Greening said: “As the humanitarian crisis in Yemen continues to worsen, we do not have a moment to lose in tackling the shortages of food, fuel and medical supplies that threaten millions of lives. The UK is leading the way in responding to the crisis by committing an additional £10 million. So far our support has helped more than one million people, providing vital food, water, medical supplies, healthcare and emergency shelter. Boosting our support will save even more lives but UK support alone cannot stem this crisis. I urge the international community to step up and do their bit to prevent a worsening disaster. We also urge all parties to engage in good faith in the peace talks, which are vital to achieving the sustainable political solution that Yemen desperately needs to resolve the crisis and improve the humanitarian situation.” Foreign Office Minister welcomes progress of peace talks on Yemen Foreign and Commonwealth Office 21 December 2015 Minister for the Middle East, Tobias Ellwood, has welcomed the progress of UN facilitated peace talks for Yemen and the intention of President Hadi’s government to extend a ceasefire until 28 December. The talks were facilitated by the UN Special Envoy of the Secretary General for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, and started on 15 December. Mr Ellwood said: “It is encouraging that positive progress has been made in the peace talks. I spoke to President Hadi on Saturday and welcomed the intention of his government to extend the ceasefire until 28 December. I encourage all parties to the conflict to respect the ceasefire in order to improve access to urgent medical and humanitarian aid. The UK will continue our support for the UN-led political process and we are the fourth largest donor of aid, more than doubling our assistance to £75million over the last year.” Conflict in Yemen 7 4. PQs Yemen 1 February 2016 | 24586 Asked by: Hilary Benn To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of whether (a) cluster munitions have been used in the Yemen conflict and (b) there is a clear risk such munitions were dropped from British-made aircraft. Answering member: Philip Hammond | Foreign and Commonwealth Office We are aware of reports of the alleged use of Cluster Munitions by the Coalition in Yemen and we have raised this with the Saudi Arabian authorities.