Houthi obstacles precede the prisoners' meeting in Amman: details of the crisis
Amid preparations for a new round of negotiations in the Jordanian capital, Amman, worrying signs have emerged indicating that the Houthi militia is placing new obstacles ahead of the anticipated meeting dedicated to discussing the issue of prisoners and detainees. These developments cast a shadow over hopes for a genuine breakthrough in this complex humanitarian issue that affects the lives of thousands of Yemeni families.
Artificial complications and constant evasion
Sources monitoring the Yemeni situation indicate that the Houthi militias have reverted to their policy of procrastination and stalling before the start of the new round of talks, by presenting impossible conditions that deviate from previous understandings. These obstacles often manifest as selective application of names on the lists of prisoners and a rejection of the "all for all" principle demanded by the legitimate Yemeni government to resolve this issue definitively. These practices are not new; rather, they are a repetition of past scenarios that have led to the failure of numerous rounds of negotiations. The militias use the prisoner exchange as a political and military bargaining chip instead of treating it as a purely humanitarian matter.
Historical context: From Stockholm to Amman
The issue of prisoners and detainees is one of the most prominent provisions of the Stockholm Agreement, signed in December 2018 under the auspices of the United Nations. Despite the passage of years since the agreement, its implementation has remained slow and faltering. The issue has seen some limited progress, most notably the prisoner exchanges that took place in 2020 and 2023 under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross, which resulted in the release of hundreds of detainees from both sides. Nevertheless, thousands of Yemenis, including politicians, journalists, and activists, remain imprisoned, making each new meeting a crucial opportunity to end their suffering.
The UN role and the importance of the meeting
The Amman meeting is of paramount importance given the recent stalemate in the Yemeni political process. The office of the UN Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, is working to bridge the gap between the two sides and establish confidence-building measures. The success of this meeting would not only secure the release of detainees but also represent a crucial step toward creating a conducive environment for comprehensive peace negotiations. Conversely, continued Houthi intransigence could undermine international efforts to extend the truce and transform it into a permanent ceasefire.
Humanitarian and political repercussions
The Houthis' continued obstructionism exacerbates the humanitarian tragedy in Yemen, which the United Nations describes as one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. Families of prisoners and the forcibly disappeared live in a state of constant anticipation and anxiety, awaiting news that will end years of separation. Politically, this behavior reflects the militia's lack of seriousness in engaging in the peace process and underscores for the international and regional community the difficulty of reaching sustainable solutions without real pressure that compels all parties to fulfill their humanitarian and legal obligations.
