Tawakkol Karman (Yemeni human rights defender) on the situation in the country - Security Council Media Stakeout

Hello.
We are delighted to present miss Tavakol Kerman, who's a Yemeni human rights defender and Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
We attach great importance to hearing independent civil society voices in this council, including voices that may offer challenging perspectives.
Today, we had planned to have a briefing by miss Kaman speaking about the importance of Yemeni owned and Yemeni led peace process that is inclusive of all aspects of Yemeni society.
We deeply regret to have faced a strong opposition to this briefing and therefore, the counsel was not able to hear from her today, but we are happy to give her the opportunity to speak to the press.
So without further ado, I give the floor to miss Caron.
Thank you so much.
Thank you so much.
Se Alekum, peace be upon all of you.
I would say some few words in Arabic, then I will return to English.
K Muhtam Imm, one unclean Sowa, write him Iy, Whariti him.
Lakin willf M in Tadimhati Bab mean Adel Alam Srakti Haus j, Mghduz M, zebe Nku McCann, Tsimhi, Awatt to Na, Awa Muhtar Medani, Aswatu Kern Must.
Nja, Sfu, Al, Ama Shapa, Way An Alam, Malemhg, Trist Asia Nimjlm and Need Esme enhala.
One and Madam edmun and Ulis, and in he Admundbh, Alam Khalil Sennar, Tim, Asa, Adam Irani, Mili Hose, Wadaf Al Hauma and Mataf DaladkYemy, Wad mad, Mosha Adlai Itt, Alhahi, Al Hal *** Pi.
At, Doula, emana, mhura, Whada, Democrata, a da, Bijianuatanan Gatt, Whad, Yak, Valladay, Vascedenlahati, Watjara Gatt what is still me.
Now I'm going to speak in English.
Good afternoon and thank you for coming.
I was invited by the Danish Embassy, the head of the Security Council.
Thank you for today to speak today before the Security Council and bring to its members the voices of Yemese their suffering and their aspirations for peace, freedom, democracy, and the restoration of their state.
Unfortunately, I was prevented from delivering my briefing after some countries objected to my participation.
But I believe that the Security Council should be a place where the voices of women, civil society are heard, not silenced because some governments do not want to hear to independent and free voices.
That is why I'm standing here today before you.
To tell you what I was not able to say inside the Security Council chamber.
I will say here they will not be able to silence me.
I will tell you and before you know, the press and the public that my full statement will be published on both the Tail Kerman Foundation and Women Journal Without Chairs website and also in Noble Women Initiative website in English and Arabic.
My central message is that the root cause of Yemen's crisis is the collapse of the state.
After more than a decade of war, millions of Yemese continue to face hunger, poverty, displacement, and grave human rights violations with women and children bearing the heaviest burden of this tragedy.
The Huss bear primarily responsibility for the collapse of the state following their seizure of Sinai and their overthrow of the transitional process in 2014.
Since then, They have dismantled state institutions, imposed their authority by force of arms, committed widespread human rights violations, restricted women's rights, arbitrarily detained and forcibly disappeared, activists, journalists, and UN personnel, and recruited children.
Iranian military, financial, and logistical support for the Houses has also prolonged the war and undermined prospects for peace.
At the same time, the poor performance, lack governance, and divisions of the international recognized government have furthermore undermined state institutions and the rule of law.
The intervention of the Saudi led coalition alongside with the UAE intervention has also weakened the internationally recognized government, deepened fragmentation, contributed to the proliferation of armed groups outside state authority, and undermined Yemen's sovereignty.
The failure of the international community to protect civilians, ensure accountability, and implement Security Council resolution has further compounded the crisis.
Today, with renewed clashes, hosting missile attacks on Yemen and Saudi Arabia and attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Babylon, the risk of another full scale war has become very real.
This is no longer a Yemeni crisis alone.
The continued collapse of the state in Yemen threatens international navigation and trade, energy security, and global supply chains, and undermines regional and international peace and security.
I call on the Security Council to pressure all parties to immediately de escalate and attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure and prevent another full scale war.
De escalation alone is not enough.
The Security Council must support an inclusive Yemeni led political process that restore Yemen's sovereignty in all its territory and independent national decision making, rebuild state institutions, unifies military and security institutions under state authority, disarms armed groups, and ensure justice, accountability, and redress for victims.
I also call on the Security Council to continue to demand the immediate and unconditional release of all those arbitrarily detained or abducted people.
Humanitarian access must unhindered and there must be independent investigation into crimes committed by all parties and accountability for those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The Council should also consider establishing a special international court mechanism for Yemen to prosecute war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Peace in Yemen cannot be sustainable without women.
Women must be full partners in peace negotiations, state building, and decision making with representation of no less than 30% in accordance with the Resolution 13 25 and the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference.
The outcomes of the UN supported National Dialogue Conference endorsed by Security Council remains the most realistic foundation for rebuilding Yemen future.
The Security Council Council must press for the protection of national economic institution, the regular payment of public sector salaries, the dismantling of war economy, the fight against corruption, and an end to the flow of weapons, financing, and military support to the Hoss and all other armed groups operating outside the state authority.
Further, the council must enforce its sanction regime and hold accountable all those who fuel human rights violations, and undermine peace or threaten Yemen's sovereignty, unity, or territorial integrity.
My final message is that Peace in Yemen cannot be reduced to a cease fire or to a fragile truth, nor to the division of power and influence among armed groups and their external backers.
Sustainable peace means restoring the Yemeni state, one united, stubborn, and democratic state that is governed by the rule of law and is accountable to its people.
Yemees are not asking the international community to build their future for them.
They are asking they are asking to stand with them, with the emees as they reclaim their country and build their own future.
15 years ago, I was honored to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for standing alongside my country and its brave people in their peaceful struggle for freedom, dignity, democracy, and human rights.
Today, I invite the Security Council to stand with the Yemeni people, not only because they deserve peace, democracy, freedom, and rule of law, but also because I united sovereign, democratic, and stable Yemen is essential to protecting international navigation and trade, energy security and global supply chains, and ultimately regional and international peace and security.
The Yemeni people are ready to be active partners with the international community in building that future.
Thank you so much.
Madam Madam Carman, on behalf of the United Nations Correspondents Association, thank you for coming to the stakeout.
My name is Edith Lettera from the Associated Press.
In light of the opposition that you faced in the Security Council, What realistic steps do you think need to be taken to both de escalate and put Yemen back on a peace process that will lead to the reunification peacefully of the country? Regardless of what happened today in the Security Council, which reflect how Yemeni people voices is neglected.
But I would convey a very important message on that thing that If the international community want global and regional peace and the peace in the Red Sea and for the international trade and for the supply chains, they have to start with supporting the Yemese people, on reclaiming their state, on restoring their state, and that will not be habit if the current authority remain divided.
If the current authority couldn't return to Yemen capital to run the country from inside.
If there is armed groups supported by outsiders, if Hussein Militia continue taking their support from Iran.
This is my message that we need to rebuild the Yemeni people and if they want sustainable peace process in Yemen, they have to start with the Yemeni people and by Yemeni people, they are the one who can create sustainable peace.
This is now without media network.
I have two questions.
Can you name the countries that prevented you from talking today at the Security Council, if not, why? Secondly, what are your thoughts on Turkey joining the Saudi led coalition to ensure what they call freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.
Thank you.
Really, I don't know what countries is the name of countries that prevents me from talking inside the Security Council.
I don't know.
I don't know, and I don't want to know.
The only thing that I want to do now is to send them a message that we are Yemeis want a real great partnership with all countries members of this UN.
We want to free our country, Yemen.
I'm here not to make any problems, any enemy acts against any countries.
I came here to convey the voice of people, the voice of civilians, the voice of Yemen, that Yemen should be again a democratic republic that ruled by rule of law, by democracy, and by equal citizenship, that the dreams of people in the peaceful revolution in February peaceful revolution in 2011 should be implemented.
I'm telling them also to start say to start to return to the national dialogue outcomes as a good reference and as a good foundation establishment for sustainable peace.
I'm not going to ask who behind because they blockade my voice like they blockade Yemen voices and people.
But here I'm trying to open gates for Yemen and to open partnership and to call for accountability to those people committed and countries committed crimes against Yemen.
By the way, who is the people who are afraid from my voice and who committed the crimes in Yenan? Can you comment on the freedom of navigation coalition, please? Yeah.
About Turkey and the coalition between Turkey and Saudi and Pakistan.
We welcome this coalition and we want this coalition to be to extend to many other countries because what is happening in the Ritzy and in the region needs all Arab people, all Muslims, people, all countries in the region to making this kind of coalition.
We need that coalition to face the collapse in the Ritz and the stability in the navigation.
So we welcome that coalition.
As an Arabic Nam Sugar and zilla, Aorumhf men who was added ad.
Alion Amor Bad rasmir, Taha, water, you had a men, Pamlum sevil am a mend Azallin Ahar ah.
A Islam, alle who will halalm Adré hapl Amaya, next to him, and Mukti It and am in and Amit Abu, Eg Mohamad, Emeli, Finke Elab Anand A Iran Fan.
Madam, could you tell us what the question English.
Yeah.
I'm afraid about my English language, by the way, what I'm trying.
Look, he was asking me about the possibility of peace or war.
Mora say? What is peace or war in Yemen.
I told him that as a Nobel peace prize laureate, as a human rights defender, as one of the leader of peaceful revolution, I always believed on nonviolent and on peaceful peaceful act for resolving conflict and also for overthrow the dictator.
So yes, there's a very big possibilities for Yemeni people to sit together and to solve the problems.
The most important problem that now we are facing that the international community didn't focus on the outcomes of the national dialogue.
That is very important outcomes that can be a great foundation for peace process.
So I'm calling them to return to them because Hoss was part of this, outcomes.
In addition to that, I believe that and I called Abdel Mk Houthi and Houthi militia to think.
I'm calling Abdu medical Hose and his militia to think about Yemen, more than to think about their affiliation with Iran.
More than attacking the sovereignty and the human rights in Yemen.
They have to lead with the Yemees and by Yemenis and they have to accept to be and we call them to be a political party.
This is what we said from the beginning of the peaceful revolution.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Other questions? Okay.
Thank you.
Everything is my statement.
And if you want the whole statement, you will find it in the well in my website.
Thank you.
Thank you.
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