Falls Church, Virginia (25/01/2022) – OLLAA expresses horror at the Saudi-led airstrike on a migrant detention centre in Saada, Yemen, that took place on Friday morning. According to Médecins Sans Frontières [Doctors Without Borders], the death toll has risen to more than 82, with more than 265 wounded. The strike, which represents an escalation of hostilities in the region, also brought down Yemen’s internet, which remains largely down. OLLAA has received reports from contacts on the ground that the migrant detention center housed many Oromo migrants, who, according to initial testimonies, make up a significant number of both the casualties and wounded. At this stage, OLLAA is unable to verify these claims, however, our previous reporting on Yemen confirms that many Oromo migrants have spent time in the notorious Saada detention center.
OLLAA would like to extend our deepest sympathies to all those affected by the strike. We are appalled that once again it is a migrant detention center that has borne the brunt of such a violent attack. That this has occurred so close to the one year anniversary of the Houthi bombing of a migrant detention centre in Sana’a that left more than 400 dead, reveals a deplorable pattern of targeting migrants. As some of the most vulnerable members of society, OLLAA urges that much more be done to offer these individuals protection and support services. According to the IOM, at least 32,000 migrants are currently stuck in disastrous conditions in Yemen. Of these, at least 80-90% are Ethiopian.
In the wake of this incident, OLLAA strongly urges the Saudi government, Houthi authorities and international community to do more to uphold international human rights standards. Ongoing reports have recounted the terrible conditions and treatment faced by migrants in these detention centers – including torture, physical and sexual abuse, as well as appalling overcrowding and insufficient food. That those detained in these centers are also subjected to such attacks represents a serious and intolerable breach of international law .
We welcome the statement by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemning the attack, as well as the call by the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken for a de-escalation in the conflict. We urge, however, that more be done to ensure migrants are protected and that the perpetrators of these attacks are held accountable. We also call on the international community to provide desperately needed humanitarian aid to respond to this disaster, as well as the many other humanitarian emergencies in the region.