Arab Coalition to Prevent Democracy

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Issued: 14 May 2015

The Media Review Network (MRN) notes with grave concern that in its ongoing efforts to prevent the rise of any popularly supported government in the region, Saudi Arabia hastily formed a coalition with the Arab League countries. They have initiated a savage war of annihilation against Yemen’s northern tribal rebels, the Houthis. This act of naked aggression has resulted in food depots, water facilities, refugee camps and critical civilian infrastructures being deliberately targeted and destroyed. The United States and her allies have given the green light to this senseless and unwanted destruction that will inevitably lead to widespread famine, poverty, hardship and eventual social collapse in a region already in a fragile state.

This latest aggression by the Saudis and her regional allies began on March 26, 2015 without a United Nations mandate, ostensibly to restore the legitimate government and protect the Yemeni constitution. This rather strange message from the representative of an absolute monarchy contradicts the Saudi monarchy’s political history. Constitutional democracies are alien to Saudi Arabia and her regional allies. This alienation is supported by the US and her collaborators.

Inspired by the Arab Spring in 2011, the Yemeni masses rose up against the Saudi supported regime of Ali Abdullah Saleh. He was later replaced by Mansur Hadi as head of State, becoming the new ally of the Saudis.

The West saw this as an opportunity to introduce sectarianism into the conflict. This suited the Saudis. Sectarianism was an unknown concept to the Yemenis. This idea of sectarianism suited the Saudis hence Iran became the scapegoat.

The Saudis find themselves in a quagmire from which it is becoming almost impossible to withdraw. As an exit strategy the Saudis are now proposing a ceasefire based on their conditions. The Houthis, in all likelihood, will reject these terms.

The MRN calls on the Saudi government together with their allies in the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC), to withdraw immediately from Yemeni territory and allow the Yemenis to decide on their future through political dialogue. Aerial bombardments failed dismally to secure constitutional democracies anywhere in the world. The US did not learn from her aerial bombardment of Vietnam, Cambodia, and other South-East Asian countries. The Saudis will suffer the same fate.

Issued By:

Ibrahim Vawda

Senior Researcher, Media Review Network

MRN

The aspiration of the Media Review Network is to dispel the myths and stereotypes about Islam and Muslims and to foster bridges of understanding among the diverse people of our country. The Media Review Network believes that Muslim perspectives on issues impacting on South Africans are a prerequisite to a better appreciation of Islam.