YEMEN is a big humanitarian disaster the world’s conscience seems indifferent to. The dimensions of human misery are multiplying, but still there is no sign that any of the parties involved in this bloodletting are ready to realise the criminality of their actions and call off this debilitating and senseless war. Statistics vary, but, according to one American think tank, the total military and civilian casualties stand at about 60,000. Over 70pc of the population faces starvation, cholera is rampant and nearly 400,000 children are at risk. Who is responsible is of no consequence, for all sides must share the blame for turning the Arab world’s poorest country into a charnel house. Saudi Arabia and Iran are guilty of widening what basically was an internal political problem that began with the Arab Spring in 2015. More than three years later, neither seems in sight of victory.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who orchestrated greater Saudi involvement in Yemen, went wrong in his belief that the use of US-backed air power would end the war in weeks. Instead, the Iran-supported Houthis have fought back to deny him victory. All that his air force has done is to add to the civilian death toll by bombing mosques, weddings and funerals, the yearly cost for Riyadh being $50bn. The relative cost for Iran is negligible. Obviously, for Iran and for the Saudi-led Sunni states, backed by Western powers, geopolitical aims are more important than the Yemeni people. Saudi Arabia, America, Britain and France do not want an Iranian presence in the strategic Red Sea region and, like Iran, seem hell-bent on pursuing their geopolitical aims whatever the human cost. It is unfortunate that the Arab League and the dysfunctional OIC have failed to stir themselves to negotiate peace. It should be to their shame that peace talks with an agenda limited to Hodeida port are held in Stockholm rather than in Cairo, Ankara or Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2018