Saturday marks one year since the Saudi-led coalition began carrying out airstrikes on rebel forces in Yemen.

So far all negotiation talks have failed to broker a peace deal and to end the airstrikes and fighting on the ground, as well as restoring life essential supply routes (ports, airports,..).

Average food prices have risen by 44%, fuel prices have risen by 55% and most of Yemens ports and roads are shut down due to the fighting.
Since Saudi Arabia launched its airstrikes on the poorest country of the Arab world, home to Unesco heritage sites, at least 3,200 civilians have been killed and 5,700 wounded, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights estimates.

The majority of the civilian deaths were inflicted by the airstrikes. The Saudi-led coalition has also used cluster bombs, as Human Rights Watch reported, likely to kill civilians and contaminate large areas of agricultural land.

Human Rights Watch suggests that there have been major Human Rights violations and potential breaches of International Humanitarian Law by both sides of the conflict in Yemen.

Apart from NGOs, the worlds leaders have not condemn Saudi actions in Yemen. A rare exception being the EU parliament’s vote for an embargo on arms sales to Saudi Arabia. However this vote does not force European states to halt deals. And one of Saudi Arabia’s most important ally, the United States, has moved forward with weapons deals with Saudi Arabia.

Although some United Nations bodies and panels have called for an international inquiry into widespread attacks on civilian targets by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, no such independent inquiry has been launched yet. A Dutch draft resolution submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council had proposed establishing an international independent inquiry into violations committed by all sides. However, the Netherlands withdrew its draft resolution as a result of pressure from Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners.

Salam For Yemen, a collective calling for peace in Yemen, remains deeply concerned with the assaults on the civilian population in Yemen, as well as with the international silence ignoring the asymmetric, deadly conflict in Yemen. SFY calls on all leaders to committ themselves to finding a peaceful solution and ensuring that food, fuel and medical supplies reach the civilian population in Yemen.