Abu Dhabi will host the inaugural meeting of Friends of Yemen. The group, which includes representatives both of states, such as Yemen’s Gulf neighbors, and of intergovernmental organizations, was established at the High Level Meeting on Yemen in London on January 27. Friends of Yemen is comprised of two working groups, one on “economy and governance,†and another on “justice and rule of law.†Yemeni representatives have made clear prior to the meeting that they expect it will result in commitments for economic assistance. Human Rights Watch urged the Friends of Yemen, however, to emphasize improving justice and the rule of law to reverse the deteriorating human rights situation in Yemen, and not to offer economic support without regard to human rights concerns. On April 7, Human Rights Watch will issue a report detailing alleged violations of the laws of war by Yemeni government forces and Huthi rebels during recent fighting in Sa’da province in northern Yemen. “Yemen’s friends need to make clear that they expect improved human rights for the Yemeni people as a major part of this effort,†said Joe Stork, Middle East deputy director at Human Rights Watch. “Economic assistance alone is not enough.†Ahead of the London meeting in January, Human Rights Watch issued a briefing paper, “Seven Principles for Effective International Engagement in Yemen, †urging its allies to: 1. Increase development aid to Yemen, ensuring a cohesive strategy in collaboration with the appropriate UN agencies, and use aid to address human rights concerns that drive instability. 2. Support the establishment in Yemen of a human rights monitoring mission by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, with a mandate to report publicly on human rights abuses by all parties to Yemen's conflicts; and press the government of Yemen to cooperate in the establishment of such a mission. 3. Add effective human rights components to any bilateral aid for security forces, such as law enforcement and military training and equipment, including non-lethal methods of crowd control, respect for the laws of war, measures to combat torture, and internal accountability. 4. Stress the importance of an independent judiciary with the resources and competence to address accountability for human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests and torture. 5. Urge the government to ensure that impartial humanitarian agencies have access to all places of detention in Yemen, and end the use of private or unauthorized detention sites. 6. Ensure that no assistance goes to units of security forces implicated in unlawful killings, arbitrary arrests, torture and other serious human rights abuses. Publicly speak out when such violations occur. 7. Assist the United States and Yemen in repatriating or resettling Yemenis held without charge at Guantanamo, including the 40 Yemenis that the US government has already cleared for release. HRW
