Mwatana Organization for Human Rights has strongly condemned the terrorist attacks that took place in Sana'a, the capital, which targeted Badr and Al-Hashoosh mosques on Friday, March 21, 2015. The deadly attacks claimed one hundred and forty-six lives, including thirty children, and wounded at least three hundred people. In fact, these attacks mark an unprecedented escalation of the wave of violence in Yemen.
Mwatana has stressed the need for urgent action to confront these acts of terrorism by means of strengthening the rule of law and activating the concerned security personnel to be capable of carrying out their duties. It has stated that such criminal acts were brought about due to the deep political and security polarization that the country has been embroiled in.
Mwatana has also voiced its deep concerns over the sectarian conflicts that might have given rise to such crimes, which in turn would create a breeding ground for disputes, violations, and discriminations. According to Mwatana, such incidents have to be warded off with a high sense of strict responsibility by advocating dominant comprehensive patriotic rhetoric which strengthens peace and enhances human rights, the values of equal citizenship, and the law.
Mwatana condemns the terrorist attacks and emphasizes that these attacks should be professionally and responsibly dealt with. It also warns against pointing fingers—for political reasons—at other parties, which could result in the exacerbation of the current status quo and the disruption of opportunities to uncover the truth, which would help the real perpetrators escape accountability and punishment.
Mwatana has emphasized that the concerned security personnel should carry out a strict and transparent investigation in order to disclose those who stand behind such terrorist attacks and hunt them down so as to deter the repetition of such criminal acts and save innocent lives.
There is no denying the fact that these attacks happened due to the failure of the government and its institutions to shoulder the responsibility of protecting its citizens.
