Airstrikes
on Yemen IDP
Camp Confirmed
to ICP by UN,
But No Comment
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, March
30 -- Amid
continued
airstrikes in
Yemen, on
March 30 came
reports of an
airstrike on
an internally
displaced
persons camp
in Haradh.
Inner City
Press
immediately
sought
confirmation
(and comment)
from the UNHCR
and the UN
Spokesperson's
Office. The
latter
responded four
minutes before
the day's noon
briefing,
below.
At the March
30 noon
briefing,
Inner City
Press asked UN
Deputy
Spokesperson
Farhan Haq if
the UN had any
comment on
civilian
casualties in
the Saudi-led
offensive on
Yemen, and if
Ban Ki-moon
raised the
issue at the
Arab League
summit.
Haq said Ban
had raised it.
But what has
been said
publicly by
the UN? Haq
said the UN
pulled 100
international
staffers out
of the country
on Saturday
but still has
13
internationals
and 700 local
staff and
partners
there.
Inner
City Press
asked Haq if
any of these
713 were in
the Haradh
camp. This,
Haq did not
answer.
It was UNHCR
which answered
first, via its
Spokesperson
for Asia, Babar
Baloch:
"Dear
Matthew:
Sadly, the
reports are
correct. Our
team on the
ground
confirms the
attack on Al
Mazraq area in
Hajjah that
took place
around 11.30am
local time
with
unconfirmed
reports of 15
to 20 deaths
and as many
injured. There
are two IDP
camps in the
area that host
some 1100
displaced
families. We
are not able
to confirm how
the attack
happened, but
remain
concerned for
the safety and
security of
the
displaced."
In front of
the UN
Security
Council on the
morning of
March 30,
questions were
asked of
entering
Ambassadors -
nearly all
about Boko
Haram. Inner
City Press
asked a
spokesperson
about the
airstrike on
IDPs in Yemen
but news
seemed not to
have reached
the Security
Council.
Later, a
Council
member's
spokesperson
said they've
heard of it
but do not for
now anticipate
any meeting.
Why not?
An
hour later,
still silence
from Ban
Ki-moon and
the UN Office
of the
Spokesperson.
Finally, four
minutes before
the day's noon
briefing, this
from UN
Spokesperson's
Office:
"OCHA
in Yemen says
that its local
partners
report that
airstrikes hit
one of the IDP
camps and the
surrounding
area in Hajjah
and that there
are reports of
civilian
casualties.
The United
Nations and
partners are
working to
verify this
information."
At the
highest
levels, the UN
system is in a
sense "all -
in" with the
Saudi military
coalition,
quiet on the
fact that it
includes Sudan
and on
civilian
casualties.
, 
