Yemeni Govt’s Latest Propaganda Ploy on Sa’ada: “Cease Fire Proposal”
Its like all the theater they do with al Qaeda. It would be nice if they were acting in good faith, but they’re not. The govt is reacting to the publicity from the strike on the refugees, not to the fact that they bombed kids. There have been thousands (no, its really not hyperbole) of air strikes on civilian targets, but the UN never noticed before or maybe they never had the videos. The thing for the international community to do now is leverage the regime’s discomfort into an actual humanitarian corridor, which requires some kind of oversight.
Yemen offers cease-fire to Shiite rebels
SAN’A, Yemen — The Yemeni government has offered a new conditional cease-fire, the second this month, to end fighting with Shiite rebels in the north of the country.
The early Saturday announcement stated the cease-fire would take effect at midday, just a day before the Muslims’ Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
The rebels have said they are considering the offer.
The move comes after international calls to implement a cease-fire to allow medical and food supplies to reach the civilians caught up in the fighting. On Sept. 4, a cease-fire was offered, but the fighting resumed hours later.
These are the terms:
1. A commitment to a ceasefire by removing road blocks and barricades, demining conflict zones, and descending from higher terrain;
2. Complete withdraw from the districts and end interference in the affairs of the local authorities;
3. Returning looted civilian and military property;
4. Releasing detained civilians and military personnel, and;
5. Adhering to the constitution and law and order.
Thats it.
Update: Announced at 2 am, but both sides kept fighting, and reportedly, the military kept bombing. With land and cell communications cut, its ridiculous to unexpectedly announce an immediate cease fire and then five minutes later, say it was breached. The rebels need time to spread the word, and the regime should have stopped bombing to show good faith.
