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Harvey Taylor

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In February, we were thrilled when President Biden announced an end to U.S. support for Saudi-led “offensive” operations in Yemen. And again in March, when the U.S. resumed critical humanitarian assistance to northern Yemen, paused by USAID under the Trump administration.

Yet Yemenis continue to suffer.

Today, a leading driver of the suffering in Yemen, which has exacerbated all other war-related issues, has been the air, land, and sea blockade by the Saudi-led coalition. In 2015, Saudi Arabia began positioning warships in Yemeni waters and shut down access to the nation’s air and land ports shortly after. Blockade tactics have been used repeatedly over the years, preventing vital food, medicine, fuel, and all other essential supplies that could mitigate some of the negative effects of the war from reaching sick and starving Yemeni people. Instead, civilians have been completely cut off and left to contend with the dire consequences. The UN estimates that 16 million Yemenis will face hunger this year and 400,000 children younger than five years old are at risk of dying of starvation if the conflict continues and these war tactics persist. 

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has issued a Congressional letter calling on the Biden administration to leverage everything in its power to end the Saudi blockade. Today, I need you to call your senators and urge them to add their name as a signer. We have ONE WEEK until the letter is closed to new signers, so please call your senators today!

Here’s all I need you to do - 

1. Dial the Congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121.

2. Ask to speak to one of your senators.

3. When reached, urge the senator to add her/his name to Senator Warren’s letter calling on the Biden administration to demand Saudi Arabia stop using starvation as a weapon of war and to do everything it can to end the Saudi-led blockade of Yemen.

4. When finished ask to be reconnected with the Congressional switchboard, and repeat with your other senator.

In addressing the UN Security Council recently, World Food Programme Executive Director David Beasley corroborated recent reporting on the Saudi fuel blockade, noting “most hospitals only have electricity in their intensive care units because fuel reserves are so low…It is hell on earth in many places in Yemen right now.” He concluded, “That blockade must be lifted, as a humanitarian act. Otherwise, millions more will spiral into crisis.”

Please call your senators today and insist they add their name to Sen. Warren’s letter calling on the Biden administration to do everything it can to end the deadly blockade of Yemen’s ports.

P.S. If one of your senators is Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), or Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) please thank them for showing crucial leadership in already signing the letter.

Warren Letter:
May , 2021
Dear President Biden:
We write to you regarding the Saudi-led coalition’s use of blockade tactics in Yemen that has prevented food, medicine, and other crucial supplies from reaching millions in dire need during this senseless and protracted conflict. We applaud the attention that your administration has given to ending the conflict in Yemen but immediate and decisive action must be taken to end the ongoing blockade of fuel imports which is exacerbating the growing humanitarian crisis.
For seven years, Yemen has been embroiled in a devastating civil war that has completely destabilized the country. Houthi rebels and a multinational coalition led by Saudi Arabia clashed after rebels overthrew the Yemeni government in 2014.  Since then, the conflict has consumed the entire nation and spiraled into the world’s leading humanitarian crisis.  The United Nations (UN) estimates that close to 80 percent of Yemen’s 31 million citizens – more than 24 million people – are in need of assistance and protection.  More than three million people have been displaced, and experts estimate that over 230,000 people have died during the war, including tens of thousands of civilian casualties and at least 130,000 who have died as a result of a lack of health services and widespread famine.
The war has also led to the complete collapse of much of Yemen’s infrastructure, compounding the nation’s suffering. Indiscriminate warring from Houthi and Saudi coalition forces have destroyed schools, hospitals, businesses, and public services, completely disrupting all aspects of life in Yemen.  Failing health, water and sanitation systems have cut off 14.5 million people from regular access to clean water and sanitation which has led to a cholera outbreak that has infected more than 2.5 million people and killed at least 3,900. The outbreak, in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, has completely overwhelmed the nation’s already strained health care infrastructure and now many Yemeni people are completely cut off from any form of healthcare access.  The consequences of these outbreaks have been compounded by a widespread famine. Targeted bombings of farms, fishing boats, ports, and other businesses by the Saudi-led coalition have caused food shortages across the country. 16.2 million Yemenis, including 2 million children under the age of five, are now food insecure and face starvation in the next year alone.
A leading driver of the suffering in Yemen, which has exacerbated all other existing issues, has been the air, land, and sea blockade by the Saudi-led coalition. In 2015, Saudi Arabia began positioning warships in Yemeni waters and shut down access to the nation’s air and land access ports shortly after. Blockade tactics have been used repeatedly over the years, preventing vital food, medicine, fuel, and all other essential supplies from reaching sick and starving Yemeni people that could mitigate some of the negative effects of the war.  Instead civilians have been completely cut off and left to contend with the dire consequences. The UN estimates that 16 million Yemenis will face hunger this year and 400,000 children younger than five years old are at risk of dying of starvation if the conflict continues and these war tactics persist.  The most recent iteration of this back-and-forth between the warring actors has halted the importation of all commercial fuel into northern Yemen needed by nearly two-thirds of the Yemeni population and has negatively impacted food transporters and processors, hospitals, schools, and businesses.  The UN Secretary General confirmed this crisis in February noting, “no commercial fuel imports were allowed through Hodeidah Port,” exacerbating an already dire situation.
Nations and experts from across the globe have decried these blockade tactics since they began in 2015. In 2017, the UN urged Saudi Arabia to end their use of blockade tactics immediately, calling it “catastrophic,” and a threat to millions of people. Seven humanitarian organizations including the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the UN Human Rights Council also called for a full cessation of blockade tactics, citing the tremendous humanitarian impact. Congress has also repeatedly called on White House to take action in Yemen and act to end these blockade tactics. We share their concerns, and urge you to pressure Saudi Arabia to cease these tactics which disproportionately and unfairly impacts millions of innocent Yemenis.
 Since taking office, your Administration has taken several positive steps to address the conflict in Yemen. In your first weeks in office, you reversed the Trump Administration’s ill-conceived designation of Houthi rebels as a terrorist organization that would have prevented the delivery of urgent humanitarian aid. In February, you announced an end to U.S. support for Saudi-led “offensive” operations. And in March, you resumed critical humanitarian assistance to northern Yemen, paused by USAID under the Trump administration.
These are welcome steps, but we must now address the serious harm caused by ongoing blockade tactics. While we recognize that your Administration maintains that “[this] is not a blockade,” Saudi action is undoubtedly preventing much needed fuel from reaching those in need and is exacerbating an already grave humanitarian crisis and the United States must work to put an end to it.
Specifically, we request that you leverage all influence and tools available, including the potential impact on pending weapons sales, to demand that Saudi Arabia immediately and unconditionally stop the use of blockade tactics. The current commercial fuel import standoff must end today and be decoupled from ongoing negotiations. Yemen was already the Middle East’s poorest country prior to the war, but the conflict and resultant blockade tactics have worsened the situation exponentially. The United States must make clear that these cruel and senseless blockade tactics imperil millions of innocent Yemeni people and are counterproductive to peace.
We appreciate your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,