Friends of Yemen: Freedom From Fear

Barely a day goes by without there being a security incident of some form in Yemen: at its most prominent, we see terrorist attacks and assassinations. We see less of the daily insecurity or food insecurity or violence against women that happens in many countries, including Yemen.

Security is a basic human right. Security can be defined in many ways, including as a freedom from fear. This freedom allows people to go about their daily business, for people to walk freely down the street and their children to go to school. Victims of crimes can expect transparent justice; those accused of crimes can expect a fair trial with legal defence; those found guilty, punished in accordance with the law. Such a system requires that the military, the security forces and the police serve the community at large.

Security is about fairness; a secure society encourages everyone to make the most of their talents, it allows advancement: for people to advance themselves, advance their families and advance their communities and country – without compromising the advancement of others.

The National Dialogue Working Group on Building the Foundations for the Security and Military Institutions produced a wide range of recommendations, which together will improve security amongst all parts of society. Many of these are easy to achieve: the inclusion of female officers in police stations specializing in women, children and domestic violence cases; the establishment of a civilian commission to monitor the performance of the intelligence organisation, and the formation of a competent body in the Ministry of Interior to be responsible for community partnerships to enhance relationship and confidence building. These and many more will contribute to the rule of law. As always in Yemen, success is not just about having the good ideas: it’s about implementing them and changing society for the better.

For those in the defence, security and police forces there are recommendations which focus upon their well being, including care for the families of martyrs; the requirement to educate officers and the ranks and file of the armed forces on the laws and regulations of the military and on respect for human rights, adequate pay, food, housing and health should be provided to all personnel. All too often, the poor soldier on the ground receives very little of the pay he has earned, because ‘cuts’ have been taken along the way.

The men and women who serve the nation and its people require a covenant: those in services are prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice of martyrdom in the defence of the nation’s values and sovereignty. In return they rightly expect that the state will look after them and their families and that the values for which they live and sometimes die are the right ones.

Security is also about food and water security. Yemen still has 14.7 million people in need of some form of humanitarian assistance – more than half of Yemen’s population and the highest figure in any one country in the world. 10.5 million people are food insecure; 8.6 million people have insufficient access to health services; more than 1 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition; and 13 million people still lack access to clean water and sanitation. There is a need for international and local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to respond to this crisis and provide emergency aid in areas of Yemen where conflicts have displaced people and destroyed infrastructure and livelihoods. But without adequate security, NGOs can struggle to reach those who need their help.

International visitors sometimes say to me ‘well, given Yemen’s problems, it should start by delivering security’. Sadly it is not that simple: security, economics and politics are all closely interlinked and movement (or not) on one can affect the others. Pipeline security is a prime example: getting the oil moving requires an application of all three. Resources are not infinite but the problems sometimes seem limitless. National Security Strategies set out and prioritise the security challenges and the resources available to manage them: I understand that Yemen is now developing such a strategy. This is welcome news.

Not least, because no country can secure its own future without working with others. Yemen and her neighbours, notably Saudi Arabia, Oman and the countries of the Horn of Africa need to work together to confront international crime including smuggling and illegal fishing, terrorism, environmental and other challenges which threaten the region.

With a National Security Strategy, Yemen’s international friends can see what Yemen needs and what we can do to support: so often, international support is well-meaning but, without a clear structure to work to, is less than the sum of its parts. The Security Working Group of the Friends of Yemen, that will be formally established on 29 April, will be an important opportunity to bring together Yemeni needs and international support in a more structured and coherent manner to support the outcomes of the NDC and Yemen’s security strategy.

The United Kingdom has a long-standing relationship with Yemen’s security forces: for many years we have offered scholarships to some of Yemen’s most promising young military leaders with the British armed forces, as well as sending Yemeni police to Bramshill Police College. In the past British military trainers have visited Yemen to offer training in maritime security with the Yemeni Coast Guard and we continue to work closely with the Government of Yemen in a view to strengthen its counter-terrorism capabilities. A UK-funded Justice and Police project supported capacity building with training in the UK for a number of Judges and policemen; it also improved infrastructure with the rehabilitation of a police station in Sana’a. And we have provided training on gathering and using forensic evidence to Yemeni police, judges and prosecutors.