Patterns of Violations for IDPs in Marib

Tuesday - (March 28, 2023) - Marib

Musaala Organization for Human Rights said today that all parties to the conflict in Yemen have failed to fulfill their obligations to take all possible measures to protect civilians from the effects of hostilities and to abide by the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution in attacks. Parties to the conflict, particularly the Houthis, continue to launch indiscriminate attacks prohibited under international humanitarian law, and parties to the conflict fail to take all feasible precautions to minimize civilian casualties.

A new report issued by Musaala Organization for Human Rights today revealed civilian casualties and other harms among the internally displaced in Marib governorate as a result of their exposure to different patterns and multiple violations committed by the parties to the conflict that affected the basic rights and freedoms of the internally displaced, including direct targeting of civilians, mines and unexploded ordnance, child recruitment, arbitrary detention, torture, arbitrary disappearance, and arbitrary killing.

The “Internally Displaced Persons and The Scourge of the Conflict” report contained more than (30) incidents of land and air military attacks, (9) incidents of exploding mines and explosive objects, (14) incidents of arbitrary arrest, enforced disappearance, and torture, and (5) incidents of child recruitment, in addition to (3) incidents of arbitrary killing outside the framework of the law carried out by the conflicting parties in Yemen, which caused human and material damage among the internally displaced in Marib governorate, as a result of which more than 100 victims fell between dead and wounded among the displaced, most of them women and children, and the targeting caused the direct displacement of thousands from villages and cities.

Mahdi Balghith, Chairperson of Musaala Organization for Human Rights, said: “The IDPs are exposed to various types of violations, starting from obstructing the delivery of humanitarian aid to them, and even targeting them militarily, which doubled their misery and suffering. The aerial and ground bombardment of populated areas, and the direct targeting of IDPs camps and sites in Marib governorate, caused severe human losses among civilians and damage to civilian property.”

The results of the field research conducted by Musaala organization showed that these types of violations have led to the creation of tragic psychological, economic, and social conditions for the victims and their families, which also indicates that the parties may use these violations to spread terror among members of society; The feeling of insecurity and fear caused by the violations is not limited to the relatives of the victims, but to communities and the entire community.

Where field researchers conducted more than 100 interviews in Arabic with victims, victims’ families, eyewitnesses, and medical and humanitarian workers during the period from September to December 2022, and the information was reviewed and verified by Musaala team. These researchers relied on obtaining testimonies and information independently and securely from their primary sources, especially those related to facts of human rights violations.

It is noteworthy that the report covers the cases that Musaala for Human Rights was able to verify and document and reach the victims and eyewitnesses, which are examples of different patterns and multiple violations committed by the parties to the conflict against the internally displaced. The report does not cover all violations committed by the various parties to the conflict.

According to the report's recommendations, Musaala for Human Rights calls and recommends Ansar Allah Group (Houthis) to an immediate cessation of the use of mines of all kinds in civilian areas, the speedy detection of mined areas, and full and complete cooperation with all concerned parties to remove them from non-military areas that civilians use or may use.

The recommendations also called on all parties to the conflict to fulfill their legal, humanitarian, and moral obligations, to condemn all violations as crimes under international and national law, including the protection of civilians and civilian objects during the conflict, and to abide by the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution in attacks, and to stop launching indiscriminate attacks prohibited under international humanitarian law. and take all possible measures to protect civilians from the effects of hostilities.

Musaala Organization for Human Rights reminds all parties to the conflict of the need to take measures aimed at preventing crises and conflicts that lead to displacement or forced displacement, whether the forced displacement is arbitrary or permitted, so the authorities have a duty to provide assistance and protection to the internally displaced and support reaching durable solutions for them. Preventive measures must focus on addressing the conditions conducive to displacement and on protecting people from having to leave their homes in accordance with international standards, and must not hinder civilians from seeking safety or aim to prevent the movement of people.

Musaala Organization for Human Rights renewed its call for the formation of an independent international mechanism to investigate violations by all parties to the conflict in Yemen.

Download the PDF report : ( Click Here )