Iranian doctors urge UN action over civilian death toll in Yemen

Crescent International

Sha'ban 01, 1436 2015-05-19

Daily News Analysis

by Crescent International

With thousands of civilians murdered in "Saudi" bombing raids in Yemen, the Medical Academy of the Islamic Republic of Iran has urged the UN Secretary General to take note of the ongoing genocide and urged immediate action. The Iranian doctors have asked the UN chief to not only stop the genocide but also facilitate the delivery much needed medicines and food to the injured people of Yemen.

Tehran,
Tuesday May 19, 2015, 09:14 DST

The Academy of Medical Sciences of the Islamic Republic of Iran has urged the UN to adopt “immediate” measures to stop the Najdi Bedouins’ murderous assault on Yemen resulting in heavy civilian toll. Launched on March 26, the Najdi Bedouins and their equally primitive allies have killed 3,979 civilians, according to the Freedom House Foundation figures. Much of Yemen’s infrastructure has also been destroyed.

In a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, President of the Iranian Academy of Medical Sciences Dr Seyyed Alireza Marandi urged the world body to live up to its responsibility and prevent “further loss of life and injury to civilians” in the Middle East’s poorest country. Dr Marandi, a former Minister of Health in the Islamic Republic, criticized the UN for remaining tight-lipped in the face of barbaric attacks by the Najdi Bedouins on defenceless civilians in Yemen. He said: “It is wholly disappointing that the United Nations, a body that was established to resolve international conflict, is indifferent to the suffering of the people of Yemen.”

Describing the Najdi Bedouins’ attack on Yemen as “nothing short of genocide” Dr Marandi wrote in his letter to UN chief that “this episode will also be remembered as a failure of the United Nations through its silence and inaction.” The Iranian physician also drew attention to the “Saudi” regime’s naval and air blockade of Yemen preventing humanitarian aid being delivered to the injured and homeless people of Yemen.

In his letter, Dr Marandi said: “The injured and those left homeless are deprived of basic medical and health provision and are without safe places in which to seek shelter from the ongoing Saudi military campaign.” In addition to writing to the UN chief, some 4,000 Iranian physicians and medical workers also sent a letter to the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maure on May 17, urging immediate action to dispatch medical aid to the besieged Yemeni people.

The Najdi Bedouins’ savage bombing campaign has resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries but because of the illegal blockade a la the Zionist blockade of Gaza, the injured cannot receive timely medical attention. Yemen is desperately short of even basic medicines resulting in wounds being infected causing more deaths.

At the time of filing this report, an Iranian aid ship carrying 2,500 tons of food, water and medicine is on its way to Yemen and is expected to dock at Hodeida in two days’ time. The ‘Iran Shahed’ named Nejat (meaning relief) is chartered by Iran’s Red Crescent Society and has on board in addition to a large number of Iranian medics, also international peace activists. We reproduce the full text of the letter from Dr Seyyed Alireza Marandi to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Dear Mr. Secretary General

With respect, during the past two months we have witnessed inhumane crimes in Yemen. Unfortunately, because of extreme censorship, the actual depth of these crimes has not been fully exposed.

The Saudi regime is engaged in bombing cities. It is destroying infrastructure—including hospitals, schools and relief facilities—and killing women, children, and innocent civilians. The injured and those left homeless are deprived of basic medical and health provisions and are without safe places in which to seek shelter from the ongoing Saudi military aggression. Even international aid organizations have been prevented from helping civilian casualties. A plane carrying Iran Red Crescent medical aid for injured children and women was forced to cancel its humanitarian mission as Saudi planes bombed the airport.

As the crimes of the Saudi regime escalate on a daily basis, the international community has remained silent and failed to condemn this military attack against a sovereign nation. It is extremely disappointing to note that the United Nations, a body that was established to resolve international conflict, is indifferent to the suffering of the people of Yemen.

The actions of the Saudi regime are nothing short of genocide and will be remembered in history as such. This episode will also be remembered as a failure of the United Nations through its silence and inaction. We, therefore, expect the Secretary General to take immediate and effective action against the Saudi regime to prevent further loss of life and injury to civilians and the destruction of civil infrastructure.

The Academy of Medical Sciences of the Islamic Republic of Iran declares that the Iranian medical community is ready to help and assist the oppressed people of Yemen in any way possible.

Sincerely,
Seyed Alireza Marandi , M.D.
President
Academy of Medical Sciences