The Center for Political Innovation joined with 74 prominent individuals and organizations, including elected officials from across the planet to sign this letter to the Presidents of Turkey, Egypt and Pakistan urging them not join Saudi Arabia’s military campaign against the resistance forces in Yemen.
https://www.ihrc.org.uk/open-letter-to-president-erdogan-president-sisi-and-pm-sharif/
Dear Excellency President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Excellency President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Honorable Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif,
We are gravely concerned about the reports that your countries could be preparing to help Saudi Arabia in its aggression against Yemen.
Firstly, we would remind you that any involvement in the civil war in Yemen would represent a violation of that country’s sovereignty and place you squarely outside international law.
Secondly, the entry of more external actors into Yemen would further complicate an already difficult situation. Foreign interference is the single standout cause of political instability in modern Yemen. It does not need any more.
Thirdly, bringing more military force to weigh on the country would undoubtedly exacerbate the humanitarian crisis there. Yemen is still reeling from the horrific starvation, loss of life and economic damage inflicted during the previous Saudi Arabian led war (2015-2022). In joining Saudi Arabia, you would be helping one of the world’s richest countries attack one of the poorest. According to UNICEF, even before the latest escalation, an estimated 12.2 million children needed humanitarian assistance, more than 2.2 million children under five were acutely malnourished, around 3.2 million children were out of school and 40 per cent of health facilities were completely out of service or only partially functioning.
Fourthly, from a moral perspective any intervention in Yemen would place you on the wrong side of truth and justice. Despite foreign depredations, Yemen has been one of the few countries to stand tall against Zionist aggression and expansionism in the region. The forces that Saudi Arabia is fighting are the same forces that have stood valiantly against the ongoing genocide in Gaza. While much of the rest of the Muslim world has refused to defend the Palestinians or worse still, been complicit in their genocide, the people being attacked in Yemen have tried to resist, at great cost to themselves. Their readiness to stand up for what is right has been an inspiration to people everywhere.
Saudi Arabia’s involvement in Yemen cannot be seen in isolation from the genocide in Gaza. Riyadh is a key cog in the regional geo-political architecture, presided over by the US, that allows the genocide and continued occupation of Palestine. The timing of Riyadh’s direct re-entry into Yemen’s domestic conflict speaks more to fears of a potential change in this barbaric status quo rather than any threats to Saudi Arabian sovereignty.
Need we remind you that while Yemenis have been bombing Zionist targets and closing sea routes to Israeli-linked vessels to try and relieve the pressure on Palestinians, the country that you have pledged to defend has operated a land corridor to allow goods to continue to flow uninterrupted to the genocidal Zionist entity.
The main problem facing the Middle East at the moment is not Yemen’s resistance to the genocide but rather the brazen attempt by the US and Israel to establish absolute regional hegemony. Like Gaza, Yemen stands in the way of the greater US/Israel project.
We would expect that your countries avoid any interference in Yemen’s internal affairs or any action that adversely impacts the ability of Yemenis to resist the genocide. If you can’t be part of the solution, the least you can do is to not add to the problem.
Jeremy Corbyn (UK)
Parliamentary Leader of Your Party, Former Leader of the Opposition and of the Labour Party (2015 – 2020)
Richard Falk (USA)
Professor Emeritus of International Law at Princeton University and former UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (2008 – 2014) author or editor of more than 50 books on international law and global politics
Boaventura de Sousa Santos (Portugal)
One of the world’s most internationally highly cited sociologists, Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the School of Economics of the University of Coimbra, Distinguished Legal Scholar at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School, Founder of the World Social Forum & the concept of “Epistemologies of the South”, Frantz Fanon Lifetime Achievement Award (2022), Kalven Prize, Jabuti Award, Gulbenkian Science Prize
Ghada Karmi (Palestine)
Academic, Physician and author for The Guardian, The Nation and Journal of Palestine Studies, associate fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House), visiting professor at London Metropolitan University
Abbas Edalat (UK)
Professor of Computer Science and Mathematics at Imperial College London and founder of the Science and Arts Foundation (SAF) and Campaign Against Sanctions, Military and Imperial Interventions (CASMII)
Piers Robinson (UK)
Former Professor of Political Journalism, International Politics and Political Communication at Universities of Sheffield, Manchester and Liverpool, Co-Director Organisation for Propaganda Studies & Research Director at the International Center for 9/11 Justice
Claudia Chaufan (USA)
Professor of Health Policy at York University with an background in medicine, sociology, and philosophy, focused on global health policy, political economy of health, and critical studies of inequality, medicalization, and social determinants of health, critical health policy, widely cited in health policy and sociology
Saied Reza Ameli (Islamic Republic of Iran)
Full Professor of Communication and Global Studies at the University of Tehran, Head of the UNESCO Chair on Cyberspace and Culture, Founder and Dean of the Faculty of World Studies, Editor-in-chief of Journal of Cyberspace Studies, Member of Iranian Academy of Sciences as well as two High State Cultural Councils
Amin Farjudian (UK)
Associate Professor in the School of Mathematics at the University of Birmingham
Tim Anderson (Australia)
Political Economist, Director of Centre for Counter Hegemonic Studies, Former Senior lecturer at the University of Sydney
Angelo d’Orsi (Italy)
Historian of Philosophy and Professor Emeritus of History of Political Doctrines at the University of Turin
Claudio Mutti (Italy)
Former Professor at the University of Bologna, Director of “Eurasia, Rivista di Studi Geopolitici”
Denis Rancourt (Canada)
Former professor of physics at the University of Ottawa, Chair correlation-canada.org
James H. Fetzer (USA)
McKnight Professor Emeritus of the Philosophy of Science at the University of Minnesota Duluth
Kevin B. MacDonald (USA)
Professor Emeritus of Evolutionary Psychology at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB)
Kevin Barrett (USA)
Arabist-Islamologist Scholar, former Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Konrad Rekas (Poland–Scotland)
Lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, Member of Polish YES for Scotland
Ali Rastbeen
President of the Académie de Géopolitique de Paris
Cynthia McKinney (USA)
Former Congresswomen for 6 terms (Georgia), Assistant Professor and Director of the Office of External Affairs at North South University; recipient of various peace and human-rights awards (e.g., peace advocacy awards)
Chris Williamson (UK)
Former Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government (2010 to 2013), Former member of Parliament for 7 years, former leader of Derby City Council, Host of Palestine Declassified
Michael Springmann (USA)
Former Diplomat in Germany and Saudi Arabia, Attorney and Counsellor at Law, Doctor of Law
Sibel Edmonds (USA)
Exposer of corruption and intelligence failures within U.S. government agencies, PEN/Newman’s Own First Amendment Award (2006), Sam Adams Award for Integrity in Intelligence (2012)
Elizabeth Murray (USA)
Former Deputy National Intelligence Officer for the Near East at the National Intelligence Council; member of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS)
Sara Flounders (USA)
Co-director of the International Action Center and Secretariat Member of the Workers World Party
Revd Dr. Stephen Sizer (UK)
Former Vicar of Christ Church of Virginia Water in Surrey and director of the Peacemaker Trust
Imam Muhammad al-Asi (USA)
Former Imam of the Islamic Center of Washington, Research Fellow at the Institute of Contemporary Islamic Thought
Daniel Estulin (Lithuania)
Writer and international speaker, author of “The True Story of the Bilderberg Group”
Pepe Escobar (Brazil)
Geopolitical Analyst and Journalist who has written for Asia Times, Mondialisation.ca, CounterPunch, Al-Jazeera, RT, Sputnik, Strategic Culture Foundation and Guancha
Hamja Ahsan (UK)
Multi-disciplinary Artist, Writer, Curator and antiwar activist. A artist, his practice has involved conceptual writing, building archives, performance, video, sound and making zines.
David Rovics (USA)
Singer and Songwriter, Musician focused on US wars, globalization, anarchism, social justice and labor history, ASCAP Deems Taylor Award
Aran Martin (Australia)
Managing Editor of the Institute of Postcolonial Studies (IPCS), Professor at University of Melbourne, Executive Director of Global Security Foundation, Editor of Postcolonial Studies
Christian Bouchet (France)
Anthropologist, Former Politician and Antiwar Activist
Father Dave Smith (Australia)
Anglican priest, Social Educator, Boxer, 2022 Candidate in Federal Election – United Australia Party (Grayndler)
Paul Larudee (USA)
Founder of the Free Gaza Movement and the Free Palestine Movement, Member of the International Solidarity Movement, co-speaker of the 2010 Gaza Freedom Flotilla
Caleb Maupin (USA)
Founder of Center for Political Innovation, Journalist
Massoud Shadjareh (UK)
Chair of Islamic Human Rights Commission-London, holding consultative status at the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Sandew Hira (Netherlands)
Founder of Decolonial International Network known for his Decolonial Theory, Director of International Institute for Scientific Research
Dogan Bermek (Turkey)
President of Alevi Philosophy Center Association, Former President of the Alavi Federation of Turkiye
Asa Winstanley (UK)
Reporter and associate editor at The Electronic Intifada
Dragana Trifković (Serbia)
Director General of the Center for Geostrategic Studies & President of the Eurasian Media Forum
Revd Frank Gelli (UK)
Anglican priest and cultural critic
Gordon Duff (USA)
Former UN Diplomat in Iraq, Vietnam War Marine
Joe Iosbaker (USA)
Coordinator of the March on the Democratic National Convention 2024 to Stand With Palestine
Arzu Merali (UK)
Editor of the magazine ‘The Long View’
Eric Walberg (Canada)
Geopolitical Expert and Author
Margherita Furlan (Italy)
Journalist and director of Casa Del Sole TV
Finian Cunningham (Ireland)
Author and Journalist at Strategic Culture Foundation
Richard Haley (Scotland)
Chair of Scotland Against Criminalising Communities
Kim Petersen (USA)
Co-editor of the Dissident Voice newsletter
Dave Cannon (UK)
Chair of Jewish Network for Palestine
Ken Stone (Canada)
Treasurer, Hamilton Coalition To Stop The War
Judith Bello (USA)
Board Member and Web Administrator: Sovereignty Support Movement, United National Antiwar Coalition
Jonathan Coulter (UK)
Co-founder of the non-partisan group CAMPAIN (Campaign against Misrepresentation in Public Affairs, Information and the News
Mohideen Abdul Kader (Malaysia)
Citizens International Board Member
Houman Mortazavi (Canada)
Lawyer, Economist, Legal Scholar and University Professor
Aly Bakkali (Belgium)
President of Partie Islam, antiwar activist
Rich Ray (USA)
Antiwar activist
Silvija Germek (USA)
Antiwar activist
Michele Linnen (USA)
Antiwar activist and Social worker
Abbas Ali (UK)
Chair of InMinds Human Rights Group
Mnar Adley (USA)
Director of MintPress News
Demir Mahmutčehajić (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Activist and political analyst
Andrea Meza Torres (México)
Researcher at UAM-Iztapalapa
Zita Holbourne (UK)
FRSA, MRHistS, Hon. Fellow UWTSD, National Chair of Black Activists Rising Against Cuts
Delia Mattis (UK)
Black Lives Matter Coalition UK
Ibrahim Hewitt (UK)
Former Senior Editor, Middle East Monitor
Dr Les Levidow (UK)
Visiting Fellow, OU
Shaheeda Blaikie (UK)
Decolonise the Mind
David Miller,
Former professor at Bristol University, Founder of Spinwatch, and presenter on Palestine Declassified (UK)
Latifah Abouchakra (UK)
Journalist with Palestine Declassified
Sheikh Suliman Gani (UK)
Imam at Purley Masjid
Rajiv Sinha (UK)
Organiser-Activist at Hindus for Human Rights UK
Haim Bresheeth-Žabner (UK)
Professorial Research Associate, SOAS, University of London & Author
Mick Napier
Political Officer of Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign