Six  years  ago,  in  11  February  2011,  a  peaceful,  popular  youth  revolution  erupted  in Yemen – similar to other Arab Spring revolutions that swept other Arab countries – as an inevitable necessity to unseat a desolate

regime that had turned the country into a dynastical and failed state ruled by corruption, bribery, and nepotism.    

The  revolution  was  necessary  considering  the  stagnant  political  situation  and  the regime’s refusal and failure to respond to calls for reform. The peaceful revolution succeeded to unseat the dictator Ali Saleh and initiate a transitional period overseen by a multiparty National Unity Government led by President Abdu Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi and comprised of members and representatives from all major political parties in the country.

Although  the  transitional  process  was  and  remains  extremely  delicate  and  vulnerable, Yemen witnessed relative progress in human rights and civil liberties. Yemenis  of  all  walks  of  live  enjoyed  their  freedoms  and  rights  without  any  limitations, aggressions, or violations. This was perhaps the greatest and most significant achievement of the peaceful revolution that was moving the country towards a full-fledge democracy. 

A draft of a new constitution was accepted, following a comprehensive national dialogue that reflected and responded to Yemenis hopes and aspirations for a modern civil state. A referendum on the new constitution was set to take place within the next few months, followed by local and national elections.

Alas, on 21 March 2014, Houthi militia allied with troops loyal to the deposed Ali Saleh and  supported  and  financed  by  Iran,  occupied  Sana’a,  placing  President  Hadi  and  senior  government  officials  under  house  arrest.  The  Houthi-Saleh  forces  than  moved  East, West, and South, occupying different cities and taking control over different local municipalities and institutions.

A full-scale war broke out as a result of the coup d’etat that overthrew the transitional government. This Houthis–Saleh instigated coup is responsible for the war and for all the  destruction  Yemen  has  seen  since.  This  chronology  of  events  is  very  important  to understand Yemen’s calamity as we aspire and prepare to put an end to this devastating war and achieve a sustainable peace in our country.

This coup, staged by Houthis-Saleh counterrevolution forces, has undermined the gains of the peaceful revolution including the rights and freedoms Yemenis enjoyed during the transitional period, not least of which was freedom of expression and the press. 

On  day  one  of  the  coup,  the  situation  in  Yemen  changed  upside  down.  Newspapers, satellite  channel,  and  radio  stations  were  shut  down.  Political  parties,  human  rights  NGOs and civil societies were forced to completely and unconditionally halt all their operations.  Thousands of youth activists and opposition members were detained, tortured and disappeared.

Protests, sit-ins, strikes and all other forms of peaceful resistance, which had become part  of  vibrant  political  life  of  the  transitional  period,  became  memories  of  the  past. Oppression,  detention,  and  extralegal  killings  became  the  new  norm  in  a  militia-ruled  Yemen. These were the gains of the Houthis-Saleh coup!

Yet, despite all these challenges, our peaceful revolution has maintained its significant –  although  intangible  –  gains.  It  has  sown  the  seed  of  revolt  and  resistance  against  oppression and injustice amongst all Yemenis. In pursuant of freedom, such enthusiasm, dare and courage and dream for change is no longer limited to the pioneers who ignited the torch of revolution.      

This spirit created by the revolution will never be extinguished and will certainly lead to achieving the goals and dreams Yemenis aspire to. One day our people will enjoy the freedom, dignity, and welfare they deserve in a democratic country that ensures the rule of law, equality, and economic prosperity. This is the revolutionists’ dreams and uncompromised objectives.

We will not lose hope or abandon our dreams. There remains an opportunity to establish a democratic government and achieve stability and security. To achieve sustainable peace in Yemen, we must take these steps in the following order: 

end all procedures and processes instated by the coup; restore all pre-coup institutions and systems; implement all agreements reached during the National Dialogue, including carrying out a referendum on the draft constitution and holding elections.  

We must keep this this in mind as we negotiate an end to this war. Only the state has the right to a monopoly of violence and the possession and use of arm. This entails disarming all militias and armed groups that should transform themselves into political parties active in political processes such as elections. Violence should no longer be an option for any group or party.

Some  will  wonder :  is  this  dream  worth  all  the  sufferings  the  Yemeni  people  have  witnessed ?

Yes, indeed! Freedom will not be attained without its due price and sacrifices. And the dignity to live free certainly deserves the highest price. 

We understand that such sacrifices were enforced and imposed on us. We did not opt for war and fighting. War was waged on us as revenge to penalize us simply because we aspired for freedom and hoped for democracy.  

When we started our revolution, we understood that freedom is not free, that oppression will occur, and that victims will fall among the peaceful protestors. This was clear to us from the moment we began to call for the outset of the dictator.

We knew that we would not be welcomed with roses. Many sacrifices would happen, and we had to have courage to sacrifice, yet remaining nonviolent and not resorting to violence. Our slogan was peaceful struggle no matter how sever our sacrifices are. We had to face violence with peace, not with counter violence.

We urged protestors to face shots and bullets with roses and with bare hands, regardless  of  the  sacrifices  they  must  pay  and  despite  the  violence  of  tyranny.  Revolutions  necessitate  sacrifices,  but  they  ultimately  overthrow  the  despotic  tyrants.  And  this  is  precisely what happened.

We had two options : either a miserable life under corrupt and a failed regime; under a state of nepotism and bribery; or revolute for a better, free, and decent future for us and for generations to come. We chose to revolute.

When all attempts for political reform reached a dead-end, and the ruler failed to achieve any progress, revolution become an inevitable alternative as a logical consequence of the failures of the regime. And revolution does not seek permission; neither does it care for sacrifices.  

This is the history of revolutions. No revolution succeeded without sacrifices or without counterrevolution,  setbacks,  and  attempts  by  the  old  guard  to  restore  their  preferred status quo using all violent means at their disposal.

We wanted democracy for our people. This was the ultimate purpose of our peaceful revolution. Houthis coup backed by Iran, did not only thwarted Yemenis’ dream of change, but it has also defied all seven UN resolutions that supported the political transitional process, in  addition  to  two  other  resolutions  that  rejected  the  coup  and  called  for  immediate  cessation of its procedures.

Western media has unfortunately underestimated the Yemeni issue, they only focus on the side of the story that involves the Arab’s Coalition led by Saudi Arabia. Let me state this  clearly,  I  condemn  Saudi  Airstrikes  that  hit  civilian  areas.  However,  the  western  media have to also report on war crimes committed by Houthis and ousted president Ali Saleh.

However,  Here  from  the  Oxford  Union  ...  I  take  the  chance  to  call  for  a  sustainable peace in Yemen that is based on the following:

- An immediate cessation of hostilities in conjunction with immediate and complete hand over over of arms and weapons to the state. 

- In conjunction with Houthies’ withdrawal from cities they took over.

- Then Houthiss need to declare themselves as a political party that seek power through political means not force and violence.

- With the procedures of the Transitional Justice, we can go to the ballots to vote for the draft of constitution the Yemeni different faction agreed upon.

 

Dear 

In  fact,  we  were  looking  forward  to  the  support  and  partnership  of  the  international community  to  stand  beside  us  in  combating  despotism.  We  expected  a  lot  from  this  partnership. Alas, all our expectations were soon scattered.

Should we fight our battle for freedom and liberation alone without the support of international partners who advocate for human rights values and work to uphold international conventions and treaties?

The  governments  of  the  civilized  and  democratic  world  are  morally  responsible  to support and aid any revolution pursuing freedom and democracy.

This  responsibility  should  be  reflected  in  two  instances: when  a  peaceful,  emerging  revolution is oppressed by the tyrant, in which the government of the free world must stand beside the people and reject the violence exerted against them – as was the case in Syria by Bashar regime; and when a peaceful revolution is targeted by a counterrevolution, following the success of a peaceful revolution and the beginning of a transitional process. This is responsibility the free world should have upheld.    

But what actually happened? It is obvious the free world and all its advanced democracies left us to face our destiny, remaining indifferently to atrocities and massacres.

Bashar  regime  has  killed  more  than  half  a  million  of  its  people,  simply  because  they said they want freedom. Millions more wounded and displaced. Yet, he did not face any consequences for any of his crimes.  

In  Egypt,  Abdel  Fattah  el-Sisi’s  regime  has  killed  thousands  of  innocent  people,  detained and disappeared tens of thousands more, simply because they won in a fair and free elections. So, who is in a state of crisis now: the Arab Spring or the world’s conscience ?!   

But despite all the betrayal and suffering, we have a message for the world. 

We refuse to choose between dictatorship or chaos and killings; between dictatorship and terrorism. There is a third choice we will uphold and fight for. Freedom and dignity, protected and ensured by a democratic system.

We will struggle for this noble cause and accept any burden that comes with it. We will not quit or ask people to remain in the safety of their homes and relinquish their freedom and dignity for fear that someone will killed them for demanding their right or for fear that the international community will not stand in support of their rightful demands.

Amid this chaos brought by tyrannies, we say to those who have lost hope or fear the future:   

Your revolutions are glorious. Your demand for comprehensive change will be fulfilled. This  is  what  history  teaches  us.  Despite  the  betrayal,  the  conspiring,  the  coups,  the counterrevolutions, you will emerge victorious. This is your fate.