In
Yemen, New US
Travel
Warning,
"Humanitarian
Pause" Raised
to UNSC
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, April
3, with video
-- Amid
complaints by
Doctors
Without
Borders and
the Red Cross
that they
can't get
medical aid
into Yemen, an
urgent UN
Security
Council
meeting has
been scheduled
for Saturday,
April 4 at 11
am, on
proposal for
"humanitarian
pauses."
Beyond aid
getting in,
how might this
impact
people's
desire and
need to get
out?
Back on March
30 Inner
City Press
asked the US
State
Department if
any steps are
being taken to
evacuated
Yemeni
Americans.
On March 31 a
State
Department
official
provided Inner
City Press on
background
with this
answer:
"We
have no
current plans
to evacuate
private U.S.
citizens from
Yemen. We
continue to
watch the
situation
closely. The
protection and
safety of U.S.
citizens
overseas are
among our top
priorities."
Some of those
impacted,
including
Yemeni
Americans,
pointed out to
Inner City
Press that
other
countries, as
simply one
example
Pakistan which
is part of the
Saudi-led
coalition,
have done
evacuations.
This has been
followed by
India, China
and others.
Now on April 3
the US has
issued this
Travel
Warning:
"The
U.S.
Department of
State warns
U.S. citizens
of the
high
security
threat level
in Yemen due
to terrorist
activities and
civil unrest.
On February
11, 2015 due
to the
deteriorating
security
situation in
Sanaa, the
Department of
State
suspended
embassy
operations and
U.S. Embassy
Sanaa American
staff have
been relocated
out of the
country. All
consular
services,
routine and/or
emergency,
have been
suspended
until further
notice. The
Department
urges U.S.
citizens to
defer travel
to Yemen and
those U.S.
citizens
currently
living in
Yemen to
depart when
you are able
to safely do
so. This
supersedes the
Travel Warning
for Yemen
issued on
February 11,
2015.
"The level of
instability
and ongoing
threats in
Yemen remain
severe.
There are no
plans for a
U.S.
government-coordinated
evacuation of
U.S. citizens
at this time.
We encourage
all U.S.
citizens to
shelter in a
secure
location until
they are able
to depart
safely. U.S.
citizens
wishing to
depart should
do so via
commercial
transportation
options when
they become
available.
Keep vital
records and
travel
documents
close at hand;
U.S. citizens
should be
prepared to
depart at a
moment’s
notice.
The airports
are currently
closed, but
may open
unexpectedly;
other
unforeseen
opportunities
to depart may
also suddenly
arise.
"Additionally,
some foreign
governments
may arrange
transportation
for their
nationals and
may be willing
to offer
assistance to
others.
There is no
guarantee that
foreign
governments
will assist
U.S. citizens
in leaving
Yemen.
U.S. citizens
who choose to
seek foreign
government
assistance in
leaving Yemen
should only do
so if they can
safely make
their way to
the point of
embarkation
and have
received
confirmation
that there is
space
available.
Even if
assured there
is space
aboard
transportation,
U.S. citizens
should be
aware that
there is no
guarantee that
they will be
permitted to
board the
transport, or
may have to
wait an
indefinite
period until
they can do
so.
There is also
no guarantee
of where
travelers will
go."
Some continue
to wonder: how
could the US
not do an
evacuation
when others
have? We'll
have more on
this.
, 
