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Dearborn area residents organize protest for war-ravaged Yemen
Arabic music fills the air as Adam Alharbi fiddles with the sound system, making sure it’s just right. Hamzah Sharif and two other men hammer Yemeni flags to sticks of plywood. This is so they will be able to hold their flags up high, showing support for their country.
Alharbi, Sharif, and six others assembled a protest in front of the Henry Ford Centennial Library Saturday. The call to action was for the country of Yemen, which has been amidst a civil war for the past month.
“This group is attacking all the cities. They’ve bombed the houses, the mosques; killed the people. It’s sad,” said Sharif about the state of his former home.
The group Sharif is referring to is the Houthis, a Shiite militia that has taken over four Yemeni cities in the past seven months. In September, the rebel group began to seize control over the Yemeni capital Sanaa, which would later lead to then President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi being placed under house arrest, CNN reports. In January, Hadi fled to Aden, the country’s second-largest city. The Houthis followed soon after, eventually forcing Hadi and his team to resign and live in exile in Saudi Arabia.
The group, which is loyal to Hadi’s predecessor Ali Abdullah Saleh, has quickly taken over the southern part of Yemen, where the majority of residents are Sunni Muslim. In addition to the capitol and Aden, Sharif said the Houthis have taken over the cities Taiz, Marib and Dhalea.
Since last month, a Saudi-led coalition have attempted to overthrow the Houthis. The campaign, titled Operative Decisive Storm, have launched several air strikes to Houthi-controlled areas. With ties to Iran, along with the backing of the Yemeni army, the Houthis remain in the war-ridden country.
The conflict has caused more than 1,000 casualties in the past month, according to the United Nations. The residents still alive must deal with the constant bombings, along with no electricity and dwindling food and water supplies said Sharif.
“Of course, this is something we don’t accept as Yemeni people” Sharif said about Saudi Arabia’s involvement with the war in Yemen. “But people are saying, there’s no other way.”
A crowd of about 50 Yemeni Americans and other Arab Americans slowly began to arrive at the library at 3 p,m,, the start time of the protest. Many people carried the Yemeni flag with them, while others also had American flags. Protesters also held up signs that expressed their opposition over the Houthis and former President Saleh. Such signs read “Houthis Equal Terrorists”, Yemen Belongs to the People”, and Yemen Most Wanted” with a picture of Saleh in the middle.
About 20 minutes into the event, Dearborn Police were called to the library. Alharbi then explained to the officer that he already received permission from the city to hold the protest. Five minutes later, the officer left and Alharbi resumed chanting with the crowd in Arabic.
Source: www.pressandguide.com