Members of the U.S. Senate have directed a message to U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas, urging her to pressure the international community to condemn the practices of the Houthi militia, which have contributed to the deterioration of conditions for Yemenis and exacerbated their suffering. They warned of Iranian sectarian curricula that would plunge the country into a vortex of ignorance and regression, calling for the prevention of Houthi expansion beyond their controlled areas, especially towards Marib.
**Impunity Concerns**
Senators expressed their deep concern about the systematic and widespread human rights violations committed by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. They considered that the international community has long overlooked the atrocities committed by the Houthis, resulting in a culture of impunity, making the Houthis less willing to negotiate in good faith.
**Repressive Intelligence Agency**
In their message, they noted that the Houthis have developed a repressive intelligence apparatus to maintain power, similar to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, which operates outside state control and reports directly to Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi. They affirmed that the militia continues to violently dominate the population, using fear, repression, and intimidation to quell dissent.
**Humanitarian Catastrophe**
Additionally, Senate members voiced their hope to avert an imminent humanitarian catastrophe in the strategically important Marib governorate by highlighting the reality of Houthi rule. They requested the Security Council to use its voice to ensure that Houthi human rights violations are included in meetings, statements, and resolutions related to the conflict in Yemen. It is noted that several members of the Senate oversaw the drafting of the message, including Republican Senator Jim Risch, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Todd Young, a member of the subcommittee overseeing the Middle East, and Senator Marco Rubio, a senior member of the subcommittee overseeing human rights, along with Republican Senator Mike Crapo.
