NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) – The Latin America Solidarity Committee of Western Massachusetts is supporting a Global Day of Action to stop the ongoing war in Yemen according to Mass Peace Action.
Protesters gathered outside Congressman McGovern’s Northampton office at noon on Monday to encourage the Congressman to stop the war by halting arms deals with Saudi Arabia and demanding an end to the conflict.
Civil issues have been going on for years but this recent war started when the Iran-backed Houthi rebels took control of Sanaa from the internationally recognized government in 2014 and a Saudi-led military coalition intervened against the rebels the following year.
Protestors at Monday’s rally said the U.S. has sold billions of dollars worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia and UAE.
22News spoke with Yoav Elinevsky, a protestor, who said the U.S. should help by supporting negotiations for peace, “Not supply weapons, the U.S. should support diplomatic solutions instead of violence. Then other interests are getting involved and it’s a big mess and it keeps going and going, it’s time to end it.”
Congressman McGovern has previously responded to antiwar and global solidarity protests and protesters hoped to give awareness that leads to action with this rally.
In a statement sent to 22News, Congressman McGovern said:
“Chairman McGovern is deeply grateful to those gathering around the world calling for an end the brutal, Saudi-led war in Yemen. He is proud to lead the fight in the House of Representatives to end U.S. arms sales to the Saudi Government and U.S. support for the Saudi Government’s devastating military campaign against the people of Yemen. The Saudi Government’s brutal war has resulted in the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, pushed millions of Yemenis to starvation, and decimated Yemen’s civilian infrastructure.
Sadly, on its way out the door, the Trump administration took several actions which will only exacerbate this humanitarian crisis, including approval of new U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Chairman McGovern and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Gregory Meeks have already introduced two resolutions of disapproval to prevent these arms sales. He looks forward to working with the Biden administration and his colleagues in Congress to put an end to U.S. support for this disastrous conflict.”
Congressman Jim McGovern
According to Mass Peace Action, the war in Yemen is not a localized civil war but a conflict with global ramifications, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates bombings have caused hundreds of civilian casualties.
Mass Peace Action demands are:
- An end to foreign aggression from Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E., and their allies.
- An immediate end to all weapons deals with Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E.
- Lifting the blockade against Yemen and opening all land and seaports.
- Restore and expand humanitarian aid to the Yemeni people.
Other organizations that are supported the rally are Traprock Center for Peace and Justice, The Resistance Center for Peace and Justice, Codepink Western Mass, Critical Connections, Anti-Imperialist Action Committee and Raytheon Anti-war Campaign.
For more information about the Global Day of Action visit: https://www.stopwar.org.uk/world-says-no-to-war-on-yemen-25-jan-2021/.
