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Last Updated on April 21, 2021.

WASHINGTON — Today, over 250 grassroots activists heard from leading, independent Yemeni experts to learn about the state of the conflict in Yemen, while Win Without War charted urgent next steps in the fight to end the United States’ destructive policy toward the country.

What: Justice For Yemen: Where do we go from here?

Who: Organized by Win Without War, the event brought together over 250 grassroots activists, and featured the following speakers:

• Mr. Abdulwasea Alsocotri, Policy & Advocacy Lead, Oxfam in Yemen
• Dr. Shireen Al-Adeimi, Assistant Professor, Michigan State University
• Ms. Sama’a Al-Hamdani, Director, The Yemen Cultural Institute for Heritage & the Arts
• Ms. Kate Kizer, Policy Director, Win Without War

Where: The event took place virtually. Watch the webinar in full here.

When: Thursday March 25, 2021; 12:00pm ET

Note: the following quotes represent the views of each speaker alone, and do not constitute an endorsement by all webinar participants.

“Without US involvement and complicity, it’s difficult to imagine the Saudis and Emiratis would have been able to wage a war for this long,” said Dr. Shireen Al-Adeimi, Assistant Professor, Michigan State University. “This is the third administration actively fueling this war. Despite recent promises — and there have been positive developments — the war is still going and the bombs are still dropping with U.S. support, even if that support looks a little different… We must focus first on ending U.S. complicity… we can’t put out the fire while arsonists are still at work, and we can’t expect the arsonists to turn around and become firefighters either… How can the US talk about peace in Yemen while it is still engaged in the bombing of civilians, the starving of civilians?”

“For the past six years, Yemenis have endured multiple crises while the international community watched – and in some cases even contributed to the suffering by supporting the parties to the conflict,” said Mr. Abdulwasea Alsocotri, Policy & Advocacy Lead, Oxfam in Yemen. “Right now, the threats of conflict, COVID-19, extreme hunger and more are only growing worse. Recent shifts in US policy have restored some hope for an end to the devastating conflict, but it’s not enough. We need all parties to put the lives of Yemenis first and fully commit to peace in Yemen.”

“Violence did not stop violence… This was the predictable result of trying to use force,” said Ms. Sama’a Al-Hamdani, Director, The Yemen Cultural Institute for Heritage & the Arts. “Did this war prevent the loss of innocent lives in Yemen? No. Did it harm Yemenis? Yes… We have to ask: is the United States just interested in ending its own role, or is it truly interested in the wellbeing of 30 million Yemenis who need a just participant in the process for peace?”

“Last month’s announcement was a clear sign of the power of the pro-peace movement,” said event moderator and Win Without War Policy Director Kate Kizer. “We’re grateful for the Biden administration’s initial steps toward progress. But it’s not enough. Going forward, President Biden faces a choice: continue with only minor tweaks to the failed status quo, or recognize the need for transformative change to make the United States a truly credible actor for peace.”

Watch the webinar in full here.

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Win Without War is a diverse network of activists and national organizations working for progressive foreign policy in the United States.

March 25, 2021