In a disturbing series of events, Houthi rebels have detained 24 United Nations employees and workers from various local and international non-governmental organizations in Yemen over the past few months. According to reports, the detainees include three UN staff members and 21 workers from both local and international NGOs. This crackdown has sparked fear among aid workers and drawn international condemnation. The UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, labeled the detention of UN personnel as "unacceptable," highlighting the escalating risks faced by humanitarian workers in the region.
Yemen is one of the world's least developed countries, as noted by the UN Human Development Index. It is in the grip of one of the most severe humanitarian crises globally, with nearly half of its population requiring urgent humanitarian assistance. Among those affected are about 10 million children who are in dire need of aid. However, the situation has worsened with the recent decision by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to pause lifesaving assistance to Yemen following a freeze on operations ordered by former President Donald Trump. The US had previously funded approximately one-third of humanitarian aid to Yemen, much of it channeled through USAID.
The Houthi rebels have reportedly held some detainees for over three months without allowing any communication with the outside world. Yemeni lawyer Abdulaziz, who represents 14 of these detainees, describes the difficulty in securing support for those arrested.
"During the first three months of detention, my clients didn't communicate with anyone," Abdulaziz said.
He further noted that when communication was allowed,
"Each call was between five to 10 minutes."
The Houthis have been accused of spreading fear among the public by targeting and detaining humanitarian workers. Hanaa, an employee of a US-funded NGO, recounted her harrowing experience after her office was raided and her boss was arrested by Houthi officials. She described the chaos:
"drawers and doors smashed, and the boss surrounded by security personnel."
The designation of the Houthi rebels as a terrorist organization by the US poses additional threats to aid workers operating in Yemen. The increased targeting could further cripple humanitarian efforts in a country where the situation has been described as "nothing short of devastating" by Human Rights Watch (HRW).
Individuals like Amal, a mother of nine who relies on monthly food baskets from the UN's World Food Programme, face unimaginable hardship. Amal's food supply barely lasts two weeks, leaving her family vulnerable to starvation.
"Cutting aid would be a death sentence to us," Amal lamented.
She stressed the importance of NGO support, fearing for her children's lives if this critical supply line is severed.
"If this supply line provided by NGOs is cut, my children might die. We have no jobs, no income, nothing."
Her desperation is palpable when she admits,
"I cry a lot when I realise that I don't have a penny."
The ongoing detentions and deteriorating conditions have left aid workers like Hanaa feeling betrayed by public perception. Despite their efforts to provide essential services amidst state collapse, they are often viewed with suspicion.
"We are the only ones who have survived during the collapse of the state, in order to serve the people," Hanaa asserted.
Yet, she was devastated to discover that many perceive them as spies.
"When I checked social media, it was appalling to find out that people see us as spies," she said.
The emotional toll is significant for workers caught in this crisis.
"For three days I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stop crying," Hanaa confessed.