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The Will of the Yemeni People Is the Key to the Solution

Strategic Reflections

By: Mustafa bin Khalid

London, 22/12/2024

The Will of the Yemeni People Is the Key to the Solution

Anyone observing the current situation in Yemen, and the tragic state of affairs endured by Yemenis amidst deadly divisions and conflicts fueled by local, regional, and international actors, sees a country gripped by warring militias, contradictory alliances, and escalating popular suffering day after day.

Comprehensive Fragmentation

The destruction that has overtaken Yemen, both north and south, is evident.

Provinces have become fragmented cantons ruled by rival militias, each under the influence of regional and international backers. This fragmentation has gone beyond geography to tear apart the social fabric, leaving citizens victims of all parties—north, south, east, and west.

What is happening in Sana’a, Aden, Taiz, Al Hudaydah, Marib, Hadramout, and Al Mahrah—along with the siege of areas by one another—reflects a complete collapse of the concept of a central state. It has been replaced by militias controlling the fate of millions of citizens without regard for their basic rights.

Siege and Famine: Voiceless Victims

The tragedy of a dual siege—internal and external—is silently killing citizens. Salaries are unpaid, services are nonexistent, and the economy is paralyzed. Meanwhile, famine and epidemics have become the daily reality, making slow death an inevitable fate for many.

The Economy, Education, and Culture

The situation is catastrophic. The collapse of financial institutions, capital flight, the smuggling of artifacts, the tampering with historical sites, and the erosion of education and culture are all tools dismantling the country’s future. How can a starved, sick, and besieged people find the opportunity to recover or resist?

Corruption and Tyranny

Rampant corruption within the competing ruling entities has caused citizens to lose faith in any authority, leaving them despondent about the possibility of change. The tyranny of the rulers—who see the people only as tools for domination and survival—deepens divisions and shuts the doors to dialogue and reconciliation.

Regrettably, and we say this with sorrow, these militias and their leaders see no interest in a political solution because a solution entails sharing or relinquishing power, something unpalatable to those accustomed to ruling through force and dominance.

The Regional Crisis and Its Impact on Yemen

Yemen’s tragedy cannot be separated from the broader regional context. The crises in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Sudan, and Libya are all part of an integrated system that reflects the collapse of the Arab order and its submission to dismantling plans orchestrated by international and regional powers.

Tyranny and corruption have weakened Arab populations, stripping them of the ability to defend themselves. Under these conditions, the Arab citizen now views external forces—even as invaders—as saviors from the oppression of their rulers.

What Is the Solution?

The solution cannot come from outside; this is the truth that every honorable Yemeni must grasp. Relying on the United Nations or the Security Council will achieve nothing but prolonging the crisis. Similarly, depending on regional and international forces that invest in the conflict will only bring further devastation.

The real solution begins from within through:

 1. Sincere National Dialogue:

Inclusive of all segments of Yemeni society, free from exclusion or marginalization.

 2. National Reconciliation:

As an initial step to overcoming the painful past and building a shared future.

 3. Elevating the Voice of Civil Society:

Mobilizing the public with peaceful demands for basic rights.

 4. Rejecting Foreign Dependency:

Breaking the illusion that foreign powers care more about Yemenis’ interests than Yemenis themselves.

The Importance of Popular Will

Throughout their history, Yemenis have proven their ability to rise from the rubble. The will of the Yemeni people is the key to the solution, but this will requires organization and unity beyond partisan, sectarian, and regional divides.

“Yemen cannot be ruled by one entity” is a phrase that sums up the country’s history and the nature of its people. Pluralism and acceptance of others are the only paths to saving the nation and rebuilding the state on the foundations of justice and equal citizenship.

Conclusion

The facts are harsh and painful, but we still hold hope in the Yemenis’ ability to overcome their crisis by themselves. The people have no choice but to rise and force all parties waging proxy wars for foreign interests to return to dialogue and reconciliation, prioritizing reason and national interest over narrow self-interests.

Yemen does not need to wait for salvation from outside. It needs a strong internal will to restore dignity and sovereignty and to build a future free from illusions of dominance and exclusivity.

And Allah is the ultimate source of guidance.