Saudi Aggression Intentionally Starving People in Southern Yemen

On Apr 17, 2021

The Yemeni occupied southern governorates have witnessed protests and sit-ins during the last period, due to the worsening humanitarian and economic conditions and the deterioration of basic services.

A report issued by the Media Center for the southern governorates stated that the organized plunder of oil resources by the countries of the US-Saudi-Emirati aggression coalition and their mercenaries exacerbated the humanitarian crisis and caused the deterioration of services, indicating that the revenues of the southern governorates amounted to 1.6 trillion riyals annually. According to the confessions of the government of Hadi.

The report emphasized that the expenditures of these governorates are limited compared to the total monthly and annual revenues from oil sales, tax revenues, customs revenues and other fees, as the expenditures for improving services do not constitute 25 percent of the total looted revenues.

Protests and sit-ins

The people of the occupied southern governorates carried out more than 87 protests in Aden, Hadramout, Shabwa, Abyan, Lahj, Al Dhale’e and a number of occupied cities, in addition to 43 sit-ins and strikes by employees working in revenue institutions.

The protests increased this year by 200%, compared to last year, as more than 63 protests and sit-ins were documented during the first quarter of this year due to the exacerbation of the electricity and water crisis and the deterioration of living and humanitarian conditions as a result of the collapse of the currency exchange rate.

The report pointed out that the Labor government has transferred billions of riyals from the revenues of the port of Aden to the Islah militia in Marib during the past two months, stressing that the government of Hadi ignored the legitimate demands of the southern governorates people and using their suffering in order to obtain financial gains and aid from a number of countries, including Kuwait.

Aden ports revenue plundering

Despite the systematic destruction of the most important national institutions in the governorate of Aden, such as refineries and ports, the tax and customs revenues, port service fees, and other revenues in Aden that are being plundered by the coalition mercenaries exceed half a trillion riyals annually.

The report emphasized that the revenues of Aden ports increased significantly after the navigation traffic of container ships was diverted to Aden.

It stated that these revenues are sufficient to improve all basic public services in the city of Aden as well as to pay the salaries of employees in the city, explaining that these revenues are subject to sharing and plundering by Riyadh and Abu Dhabi mercenaries.

Revenue and Starvation Policy

The report indicated that the countries of the Coalition pursue a policy of starvation and intimidation against citizens in the southern governorates, pointing out that what is happening to citizens is a planned action implementing the agenda and conspiracies that violate national sovereignty.

It pointed out that the revenues of the Al-Wadiah port exceeded 30 billion riyals in the past year, in addition to the revenues of air transport that were transferred to the cities of Aden and Seiyun.

Oil Revenues

The Media Center for the Southern Governorates reported the macroeconomic indicators in Yemen (2017-2020), which was issued at the beginning of this year by a media organization that is affiliated to the Aggression Alliance, about the average revenues stolen from oil sales in Hadramout sectors for the period from January 2018 to December 2020, which amounted to 4 billion and 80 million dollars, at a monthly rate of 85 million dollars.

While the revenues of the oil sectors in Shabwa during the same period amounted to 792 million dollars at a rate of 16.5 million dollars per month. It indicated that the oil revenues in the two governorates that are experiencing stifling fuel crises and a sharp deterioration in services exceeds 3.5 trillion riyals according to the exchange rate of the printed currency.

According to the media center, Shabwa oil is exported annually, amounting to more than 12 million barrels, as it is exported illegally and through smuggling channels, whose revenues go to military commanders, Saudi and Emirati leaders, and the Islah party, which controls the oil sites in the governorate.

According to the report, Saudi Arabia and the UAE deliberately prevented any oil companies from returning to explore for oil in the southern governorates, while the Islah Party was granted extensive concessions on the coasts of Shabwa governorate.

The report stated that Saudi Arabia sought to stop any new oil exploration in the Sabaatain Basin, and in return it is carrying out a large drain on extracting oil from the Shaybah oil field.