By Roy Lie Atjam.
The Hague, 14 September 2018. On the occasion of the first official visit of the Yemeni “National Committee to Investigate Alleged Violations of Human Rights,” the Embassy of the Republic of Yemen in the Netherlands organized an informative morning on:
The Situation of Human Rights in Yemen “The National Committee to Investigate Alleged Violations of Human Rights”: Achievements and Challenges. The Chancellery of Yemen in The Hague was chosen as the venue. Keynote speaker was Judge Ahmed al-Muflihi. He is the Head of the National Committee on Investigation of Allegations of Human Rights Violations in Yemen.
Other speakers were: the welcome speech and briefing background on the Yemeni National Committee was delivered by Judge GehadAbdulrasol Al-Dengi and Judge Ahmed Omar Arman – the NationalCommittee’s General Executive.
A speech on the latest developments on the situation of human rights in Yemen from the perspective of the National Committee was delivered by Judge Ahmed Saeed Al Maflehy, head of the National Committee. The Providing of an overview of the fifth annual report was done by Judge Nasser Qasem AL-Awdhali and Judge Taher Hussein Al-Faieq. Delivering the latest figures of Human Rights violations, justifications of results, and investigations mechanism was done by Lawyer Hezam Mohammed Ali.
One may wonder what the National Commission to Investigate Alleged Violations of Human rights is all about.
It is an independent national mechanism to investigate all claims of human rights violations in Yemen.
The Commission was created by virtue of Republican Decree No. 140 of 2012, as amended, to conduct investigation functions in all alleged human rights violations by all conflict parties in all provinces of the Republic of Yemen starting from January 2011 until the state extends its control to the entire territory of Yemen.
This was based on the recommendations of the Human Rights Council in 2011 and 2012 and the Universal Periodic Review in January 2014.
The Commission was supported by the Human Rights Council in resolutions relevant to Yemen in sessions 30, 33 and 36 in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Its vision: the protection and enhancement of human rights to ensure the stability and security of the Republic of Yemen.
Its mission: to investigate all alleged violations of human rights and the International Humanitarian Law in the Republic of Yemen.
The objective is to ensure justice and relief to victims, provide compensations to those entitled, individual and collective redress.
The commission is respected due to the backing of the Security Council and the Human Rights Council mandate.
Furthermore, the National Commission to Investigate Alleged Violations to Humans has the authority to freely meet with victims of abuses and their family members; government representatives; local authorities; army and security officials; community leaders; political parties; non-governmental organizations; and any other relevant witnesses.
The Yemen dossier is a complex one, transparency and impartiality are therefore imperative.
According to lawyer Hezam Mohammed Ali, transitional judiciary is expected to bring about justice. The commission has interviewed over 3,000 witnesses. It issues a report every 6 months. The last one covers the period from February to July 2018. Noteworthy is the efficiency and how well documented the commission is.
The commission has established 30 types of violation of human right. Then there are over 900 murder cases, dealing with landmines, attacks on ambulances and unmanned drones.
Accomplishments of the commission. In three years of its existence, the Commission issued five periodic reports on the investigation works it carried out in addition to one specific report on prisons and detention centres.
Monitoring, documentation and investigation work: The actual activities of the commission in monitoring, documenting and investigating human rights abuses started in March 2016 following the appointment of commissioners and securing the budget. The commission monitored, documented and investigated more than 20,000 allegations of human rights abuses and stored them in its database.
Information was collected through: direct daily monitoring activities through reporters; listening to victims and eye witnesses; documenting their testimonies in legal terms using certified forms and minutes signed by victims, witnesses and reporters; and hospital records and reports. Direct investigation activities by the assistant investigators working for the commission. direct visits by commissioners to locations of violations. Engagement of military, medical and technical experts to provide descriptions and opinions.
JudgeAhmed Saeed Al Maflehy related an experience which took place about ten days ago at a market in the northern city of Sadah. Terrorists were targeting a group of experts and carry out a missile attack killing innocent people.
The latest updates show that the legitime government of Yemen controls approximately 80%of the country, which means that Houthi plotters are in control of 20% of the country. Yet some information shows that Houthi plotters control 20-30 % of the country, and most of the areas they control are in the northern part of the country.
When asked about the solution to the Yemen situation Ahmed Saeed Al Maflehy responded, the ceasing of fighting and the start of dialogue. The dialogues should be left to the Yemeni. Recent history shows that foreign intervention has failed, Libya, Lebanon and Syria are tangible proof thereof.
The official visit of the Yemeni National Committee to Investigate Alleged Violations of Human Rights to the Netherlands could be classified as successful.
