UN accused of turning a blind eye to Yemen abuses
Al Jazeera
Activists denounce the UN for ignoring human rights breaches and putting ‘politics before humanity’.
Human rights advocates from southern Yemen have accused the United Nations of turning a blind eye to human rights violations committed in areas under government control at the hands of what they described as “terrorist” groups.
Human rights lawyers also criticised the UN and its former envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, for his “piecemeal” approach to the conflict and for putting “politics before humanity” – a negotiating strategy that has led to a complete failure of the peace process, they said.
“The government of Yemen is using violence against its citizens in Shabwa, including targeted assassinations with the help of agents from extremist and terrorist groups,” said Nasr Obaid, a human rights activist with the Southern Independent Group, an NGO representing southern Yemenis.
