Inconsistent Report: Yemen: Parties to conflict must protect prisoners and wounded and sick

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Why is the ICRC not telling the whole story? We have valued and appreciated their efforts up to this point in this atrocity. There are no injured houthis being held in Dammaaj, rather it is the severely injured students in Dammaaj that are dying as they wait on the ICRC. Every day we are told that the ICRC are trying to get in to Dammaaj but the houthis are preventing them. We had to manually pump air into one student for over a week before he finally died. One student was murdered by sniper fire from the houthis right in front of the ICRC. Again why are they not telling the whole story? Is this acceptable that the ICRC are trying to get to the injured in Dammaaj and they are prevented by the houthis? The ICRC’s address should be directed towards the houthis who are totally guilty of what they are accusing not as they have said "parties." We are total under siege and there is no way for us to prevent the ICRC or any other government official. It is known when officials come here they are treated as our guest with respect. We are still waiting on the promise of the government to have the ICRC retrieve the 40 plus bodies of students that have been left for the dogs to eat for more than a month now.

Inconsistent Report: "Dammaj copes with a lack of shelter, food and medicine"

Published on 26 November 2013
Rammah Al-Jubari (author)

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“Both groups have set up checkpoints around the area, preventing the transport of basic supplies.”   

If this journalist intends that the students of knowledge in Dammaaj have set up checkpoints then this is a clear misrepresentation of the truth. What further clarifies this is the simple question; how can the residents of Dammaaj set up check points when they are the ones under siege and constant attack? 

“A presidential committee has been unsuccessfully trying to settle the fighting in the area.”
This is very true.  And the houthis have been the reason behind this to the extent that the houthis have even murdered students whilst the Presidential Committee was present in Dammaaj!  The houthis have also raised loaded weapons in the faces of some of the members of this Presidential Committee.  Then again what do you expect from this malicious faction who has waged war against the Yemeni Government six times in the past, murdering hundreds of soldiers and wounding others?  Do we then seriously expect them to uphold the regulations set by Al-Islaam in obeying the Muslim Ruler or are we really this naïve???    

“At the beginning of November, armed tribesmen from Amran governorate rallied support for the Dammaj-based Salafis and opened a fighting front with the Houthis in the Kitaf area, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries.”

This is the perfect example of a bias report.  The truth of the matter on the other hand, is that after Shaykh Yahya bin al-Hajoori repeatedly beseeched the Yemeni Government to intervene in order for them to cease the oppressive siege which was forced upon them by the houthis and for the fighting to be brought to a halt.  However, when there was no progressive response from them and the criminality and brutality of the houthis increased the Shaykh turned towards the tribesmen as well as others for help.  As a result a number of people gathered in Kitaf region in an attempt to cease the transgressions of the houthis.  What should also be brought into consideration is that this war was started by the houthis, similar to every other war they have fought for years now. Rather the houthis have even been accused of sending fighters to Syria to help their Shia brethren. The houthis should be considered as a “war machine.”

“As the fighting escalated, pro-Salafi men in Hajja governorate blocked the road connecting Sa’ada governorate with Harad city, near the Saudi border. The road obstruction caused price hikes in oil, diesel and food commodities.”

These commendable men were only fulfilling their obligation as Muslims to their fellow Muslim brothers and sisters.  It also is quite interesting how this reporter totally overlooks the fact that this road obstruction was a result of the blockade that the houthis unjustly forced upon the residents of Dammaaj and a means in ending the unceasing bombardment of heavy weaponry of the houthis.  The reporter further states that there are price hikes in diesel and food commodities which were a result of this road obstruction, my question to him is where is your mentioning of the food commodities, oil and diesel in Dammaaj which are almost non-existent to the extent that people are unable to purchase a bottle of water or milk for their children in Dammaaj due to the oppressive siege that the houthis have forced upon the people.  Where is your justice???

There are reportedly more than 12,000 people studying Islamic theology in the Dar Al-Hadith Center in Dammaj. Students attending are accused of doing the majority of the fighting against the Houthis in the area. 

The center known as Daarul-Hadeeth in Dammaaj was founded for the teaching of the Quran and Sunnah upon the understanding of the pious predecessors, who are the Companions of the Messenger –sallaahu alahi wa salam- and the two generations of people of followed them in goodness.  Therefore, this is what is taught and studied in this blessed center and not Islamic theology. As for reporters claim of students fighting in the area, then this is yet another example of his distortion reality. These students are residents of Dammaaj who have come to this center to study.  However, they were oppressed, persecuted and murdered by the houthis they were forced to defend themselves, their families, their homes and more importantly their religion.  Therefore, the reality is that the houthis are doing the fighting in the area and these students are defending themselves and it is not from justice to distort reality and make things seem as though these students chose to fight against the houthis from their own will and accord without any reason!  Is it then totally unjust and in fact oppressive to label a person a militant, extremist, etc. when he is defending himself and others from being attacked? This is certainly one of the most unjust statements made by reporters. 

“The mission of the ICRC is to transfer the injured from Dammaj and hand them over to the local authorities in Sa’ada governorate,” he said. “The ICRC is not concerned about how, when and where they will be treated.”

The ICRC in fact agreed to take them to Sana’a instead of Sa’dah.  I remind this reporter that the residents of Dammaaj are under attack by the houthis!  Therefore, why in the world would they allow their injured to be taken to Sa’dah an area totally under the control by houthis?  Who knows what they may do to them! 

“The ICRC calls on the conflicting sides to allow the entrance of aid to Dammaj and transfer of serious injuries to specialized hospitals,”

The ICRC are well aware of the reality of this siege and know that we have no reason or even any means in preventing from entering Dammaaj to carry the wounded the them in anyway. Why would we prevent them in our condition??? 

The Salafis refused an offer in mid-Novermber to receive food aid from Sa’ada governor, Faris Mana’a.

Faris Mana’a is a well-known criminal who was illegitimately been made the governor of Sa’dah by the houthis and NOT by the Yemeni government.  For this reason, his governorship is unlawful to begin with.  It is also known that he has been supporting the houthis in this war of theirs against Dammaaj as well as the previous one.  From the statements which have been attributed to him in this war is that he said the houthis shall enter Dammaaj within three days.  The beginning to these three days was commenced with a missile which was launched by the houthis at the residents of Dammaaj just after dawn and was followed with the firing of tanks, missiles, mortar shells, anti-aircraft guns and so on at the students. This ended in the killing and wounding of hundreds of innocent people.  So is this type of criminal to be trusted and his food be excepted?!   

“Our ego is bigger than submission or taking aid from Mana’a,” a local Salafi, who asked not to be named told the Yemen Times.

Who knows who this individual is?  He could have been a reporter claiming he is a Salafi in order for this type of falsehood to be bought by the naïve.  This affair is not about ego in the least rather it is far beyond mere egoism.  Faris Mana’a has clearly proven himself to be treacherous by aiding and supporting the houthis against the residents of Dammaaj.  For this reason he is not to be trusted nor should anything be accepted from him up until he ceases his wrenched politics and makes rectification of his errors which have caused the death of many from the innocent.

“In March 2011, when the Houthis took control of Sa’ada governorate, local people appointed Mana’a as the governor. At the time, the then governor who was stationed in the government fled to Sana’a.”

It has previously been mentioned that that the governorship of Faris Mana’a is an illegitimate one.  The reason behind this is that houthis –at the time- after taking control of the area by criminal force appointed their cohort Faris Mana’a themselves as the governor.  The reporter should have also mentioned that this was the reason behind the previous governor fleeing to Sana’a.

“Though the Dammaj locals have one meal a day, they will not take the aid that Mana’a is offering in order to manipulate the public,” the Salafi source added.

Point in fact. Meaning Faris Mana’a is attempting to manipulate the public into thinking he’s trying to assist the people in Dammaaj while he is one of the main reasons behind this siege and attacks that have been going on in the region.  Not to mention that the food which he sent was not enough for everyone in Dammaaj and the houthis obstructed the vehicle which was carry the food and took what they seen to be useful for themselves before allowing it to enter in the area.

Conclusion:

It is quite apparent that the title of the article indicates one thing and what the reporter is insinuating is something different which is in opposition to reality of the current affairs here in Dammaaj.  After reading these lines it becomes seems that the reporter is attempting to place the blame for the lack of shelter, food and medicine upon the residents of Dammaaj themselves.  If this is the case than this is a great oppression and injustice upon the residents of Dammaaj being terrorized for over 2 months now and to the reader who seeks the truth.  We call the author of this article to value the integrity of being a Muslim reporter and read this response by way he may rectify his errors-may Allah give him success-, and to the repent to the Creator Allah –the All-Mighty- from this action of his in this life before he meets his Allah with this grave error.

Response to an inconsistent and false report: Son of Salafi leader killed in Dammaj fighting

Published on 27 November 2013 
Rammah Al-Jubari (author)

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“The Houthis are a group of Zaidi Shiites who have completely controlled Sa’ada governorate, which includes Dammaj, since 2011.”

The houthis took control over Sa’dah by force (war, theft, corruption, etc.). Not by upright politics. This is a fact. Our proof is our current siege and war.

“Several truces have been signed by both parties since the fighting broke out in late October through a presidential committee assigned to mediate the conflict.”

The houthis have absolutely no right to initiate a siege on us or anyone else, THEY ARE NOT THE GOVERNMENT. But the houthis remained and remains to this day in their illegal military positions surrounding the institute in Dammaaj with their snipers sniping at anything that moves. All of this after bombarding a Muslim society with heavy artillery(tanks and rocket, mortar shells, etc) that should be illegal for any non-government entity to possess. Causing major damage to Mosques and homes.

“The Salafis informed the presidential committee it was not operating neutrally, and its presence was not welcomed in Dammaj,” said Soroor Al-Wadaei, the Salafis’ spokesperson.

The houthis continued their attack on the Institute whilst the committee were present. There were a number of deaths and injuries that occurred during the committees presence.

“Meanwhile, Ali Al-Bukhaiti, a National Dialogue Conference representative for the Houthis, blamed the Salafis for violating an agreement engineered by the presidential committee, saying they did not abandon their armed posts on Jabal Al-Baraqa, a large mountain that overlooks Dammaj.”

This is  untrue.  It was already agreed by all parties that no one has the right to make the people of Dammaaj negotiate for a mountain that is on land that belongs to them. The institute and the locals agreed to surrender the mountain to upright army personnel that are not houthi affiliates knowing there is corruption in the Yemeni military.

“Abu Ausba, the head of the presidential committee tasked with negotiating with both parties, said they are working to find common ground but facing resistance from both parties.”

Again this is untrue. How do people who are being affected by an act of terrorism (siege and attack) resist help from the government? In the beginning of the siege when we would hear the government is coming, we would all run to the entrance of the Institute to greet them with hope that they would help us.  When the committee members came we noticed the discontentment in their faces not even giving the Islaamic greeting to their brothers (us). When they would leave they would say to us get back to your homes quickly (knowing the houthis were going to continue their assault). Our hearts were saddened to see that they had no real interest in helping us (this was clear from the beginning).  

“The Houthis started to move toward the Salafi strongholds after the Salafis refused to evacuate Jabal Al-Baraqa,” he said, referring to the unwillingness of both sides to put their arms down.

Do we call a person’s home a stronghold? Do we say to a person being attacked in his home to put his arms down so the attacker can attack? Everyone has the inherited right of self-defense. WE ARE UNDER SIEGE AND ARE BEING ATTACKED BY TERRORIST approximately fifty or more days now. The houthis are known perpetrators of crimes of peace and humanity throughout Yemen. This is where those who so called are seeking a peaceful solution (the government, the media, etc.) have failed us. Turning a blind eye to the criminality that the houthis are known for and at the same time making Dammaaj and its students seem like we are militants or some kind of al-Qaeda affiliate. By Allah this distortion of the truth, false reports, and the making similarties between the oppressed and the oppressor are a great oppression upon us (our Scholars, teachers, students, callers to Islaam, researchers, authors, memorizers of the Holy Qur’aan, memorizers of the authentic Prophetic Hadeeth, etc.). And Allah is sufficient as a Witness.