The call by the UN Humanitarian Affairs chief and Emergency Coordinator Mark Lowcock and the UN Special Envoy Martin Giffiths for reversing the US administration’s designation of Houthis as a terrorist organization has sparked a wide condemnations in Yemen.
The two UN officials made the call during a briefing to the UN Security Council on Thursday citing concerns about the effect on the “humanitarian” situation and what Griffiths called “the efforts to bring” the Houtis and the government together.
Yemenis had just (on Sunday) uttered a sigh of relief over the announced US intent to designate the Houthis as terrorists after six years of a devastating war that plunged Yemen in the world’s worst humanitarian crisis with the Shia theocratic extremists still refusing participatory politics.
While Houthi supporters did not welcome the UN officials’ objection, probably because that promotes the local stigma of Griffiths’ conspiracy with Houthis, there was a massive condemnation of the UN officials’ call for the designation’s reversal. Here is a sample of the reactions gathered from different media platforms:
*Government officials
President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s advisor Abdulmalik al-Mekhlafi said in a tweet: the operation to liberate Hodeidah city and restore it to the legitimate government was halted under the same pretext and with the use of the same exact words and expresses that Mark Lowcok and Griffiths used today [in the Security Council’s session]. But neither the humanitarian situation improved, nor peace materialized, nor the war stopped and nor Houthi abandoned terrorism and allowed aid flow.”
Yemen’s ambassador to Morocco Izz al-Daeen al-Asbahi said in a facebook post: The allegations by UN officials that that they are concerned ... about the humanitarian aid is a painful deception to the Yemeni people who are suffering of the Houthi daily terrorism. We feel that what is going on is an effort to promote the Iranian role, not a humanitarian concern.”
Taiz Deputy Governor for Information Affairs Aref Jamel said on facebook: The government must stop dealing with Griffiths and take a clear and firm stance towards him.
Minister of Endowments Maohammed Aydha tweeted: “Griffiths is an Imami (Shiit theocratic) envoy, not an Umami (UN) envoy. His heart is opposite [in color] to his hair.”
*General public
Popular facebook activist Mohammed Mahyoob Ali said in a facebook post: Mr. Martin Badruddin Griffiths is worried, so he is calling for the reversal of the Houthi terror designation. The picture has become clear. This man is collaborating with the Houthis.”
Khaled al-Nakhibi posted on facebook a photo of Griffiths and the following words: What eyes are these that see ugliness is beauty? The world’s ugliest in the world is the Houthis’.
Mohammed al-Muhaymid: Griffiths used to be director of the European Institute for Peace or something similar. He was a friend to a Houthi man by the name Abdulmajid Alfahd, from [the Houthism’s birthplace of] Saadah. Alfahd who has become an advisor to Griffiths is the one who persuades him of the Houthi vision and beautifies the Houthi image to him.
Obad Alsarari said on facebook: Griffiths is supporting terrorism.
Sadeq Abdulaziz tweeted: Unfortunately, the UN has been using the population under Houthis as a human shield for the militants ruling the,
Ali Fayed tweeted: The UN is an accomplice to Houthis in all the terrorist acts against every Yemeni individual and family including those who died in the Aden International Airport attack.