Yemeni Minister: UN Silence Raises Doubts on Neutrality of Organizations

A Houthi militant walks through the rubble in Yemen. (Reuters)
A Houthi militant walks through the rubble in Yemen. (Reuters)
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Yemeni Minister: UN Silence Raises Doubts on Neutrality of Organizations

A Houthi militant walks through the rubble in Yemen. (Reuters)
A Houthi militant walks through the rubble in Yemen. (Reuters)

Yemeni Minister of Local Administration, Head of the Higher Committee for Relief Abdul Raqib Fatah condemned the forced displacements carried out by the coup militia against the residents of the Jabal Habashi district in Taiz governorate.

He accused them of forcing the residents to leave their homes and planting mines in the vicinity of these houses, resulting in the injury of a number of people.

In a statement issued by Yemeni news agency, Fatah called on UN Resident Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs in Yemen Jimmy McGoldrick to condemn the actions of the militias and their daily violations against the people of Taiz and other governorates.

He asked McGoldrick to visit Taiz and learn about the daily crimes committed by Houthi and Saleh militias against children, women and civilians, who are forcibly being displaced. He urged him to send urgent reports to rights organizations and the UN Security Council about the people’s suffering.

Fatah considered the silence of the UN Resident Coordinator and the UN human rights organizations unacceptable, pointing out that remaining silent casts doubt on the credibility and impartiality of the organizations.

Meanwhile, founder of the Strategic Research Institute of the French Military Academy Dr. Frederic Charillon said that the Yemeni state, represented by the legitimate government, is keen not to make mistakes.

He added that the militias “do not abide by any rules, do not have any ethics and do not recognize any treaties or charters.”

The French researcher spoke during a panel discussion in Paris on Friday, entitled “How to Protect Yemen’s Cultural Heritage,” about the instability witnessed by a number of Arab states.

He pointed out that the situation in Yemen is difficult and complicated due to an asymmetry in dealing with the humanitarian and political situation.

He also called on the concerned international parties to put an end to the humanitarian tragedy that Yemen has been experiencing since the beginning of the Houthi coup.



Tunisia Groups Urge Inclusion of Rejected Candidates in Poll

FILE PHOTO: Tunisian President Kais Saied attends a signing ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China May 31, 2024. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/Pool/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Tunisian President Kais Saied attends a signing ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China May 31, 2024. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/Pool/File Photo/File Photo
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Tunisia Groups Urge Inclusion of Rejected Candidates in Poll

FILE PHOTO: Tunisian President Kais Saied attends a signing ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China May 31, 2024. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/Pool/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Tunisian President Kais Saied attends a signing ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China May 31, 2024. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/Pool/File Photo/File Photo

A petition signed by prominent Tunisians and civil society groups was published on Saturday urging that rejected candidates be allowed to stand in the October 6 presidential election, Agence France Presse reported.

Signed by 26 groups including Legal Agenda, Lawyers Without Borders and the Tunisian Human Rights League, it welcomed an administrative court decision this week to reinstate three candidates who had been disqualified.

They are Imed Daimi, who was an adviser to former president Moncef Marzouki, former minister Mondher Zenaidi and opposition party leader Abdellatif Mekki.

The three were among 14 candidates barred by the Tunisian election authority, ISIE, from standing in the election.

If they do take part, they will join former parliamentarian Zouhair Maghzaoui and businessman Ayachi Zammel in challenging incumbent President Kais Saied.

Saturday's petition was also signed by more than 180 civil society figures including Wahid Ferchichi, dean of the public law faculty at Carthage University.

It called the administrative court "the only competent authority to adjudicate disputes related to presidential election candidacies.”

The petition referred to statements by ISIE head Farouk Bouasker, who on Thursday indicated that the authority will soon meet to finalize the list of candidates, "taking into consideration judicial judgements already pronounced.”

This has been interpreted as suggesting the ISIE may reject new candidacies if they are the subject of legal proceedings or have convictions.

The administrative court's rulings on appeals "are enforceable and cannot be contested by any means whatsoever,” the petition said.

It called on the electoral authority to "respect the law and avoid any practice that could undermine the transparency and integrity of the electoral process.”