Houthis' spending on Soleimani commemoration draws rebuke in impoverished Yemen

ADEN -- The Houthis' third anniversary commemoration of the death of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani on January 3 drew sharp criticism in Yemen, where it was widely regarded as a sign of the group's subservience to Iran.

A palpable sense of outrage prevailed in the Yemeni street against the Houthis in response to the group's lavish expenditure on commemorating the late leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force (IRGC-QF).

Ahead of the anniversary, the Houthis erected in the streets of Sanaa massive portraits of Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was killed alongside him.

The Iran-backed group also organised a large-scale commemoration ceremony, where speeches were delivered, at the Sanaa cultural centre on January 8.

"The ceremony marking the third anniversary of Soleimani's death reflects the Houthi militia's absolute subservience to Iran," Deputy Minister of Legal Affairs and Human Rights Nabil Abdul Hafeez told Al-Mashareq.

Soleimani, who also played a "hideous role" in Iraq and Syria, is not worthy of the trouble and expense the Houthis went to for the commemoration, he said.

The former IRGC-QF commander is "one of the tyrants of this era and led intelligence and direct killing operations in these three countries", he added.

The anniversary event is "a celebration of their master, who taught them terrorism", Abdul Hafeez said.

Squandering money

The Houthis' commemoration of Soleimani's death is "a commemoration of the supporter and director of the attacks carried out by the Houthis against the Yemeni people", said Deputy Minister of Justice Faisal al-Majeedi.

It is ironic, he noted, that while the Houthis are celebrating the former IRGC-QF commander, "Soleimani's pictures are being burned in Iran."

It is unacceptable that the group is spending billions of riyals on such events at a time when the Yemeni people face acute suffering, he said.

Al-Majeedi criticised "the big spending" by the Houthis on such events and other Iranian sectarian occasions "from looted financial resources, banks and various state revenue funds".

Meanwhile, the group has not yet paid the salaries of government employees in the areas under their control.

Sanaa trader Motea al-Omari complained about the Houthis' frequent imposition of tributes and solicitation of contributions to celebrate various occasions.

"We are now in a state of severe distress," he told Al-Mashareq.

Those who refuse to pay the tributes and taxes the militia imposes risk losing their trade and being charged with treason and tried in Houthi-controlled courts, he said.

"The situation has become unbearable in light of the famine and poverty that more than three-quarters of the Yemeni population suffer from, in addition to the harassment by the Houthi militia," al-Omari said.

Famine and violence

On January 11, the Houthis commenced the trial of four well-known Yemeni YouTubers on charges of spreading malicious rumours with the intention of disturbing public security.

Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Muammar el-Eryani said the four men -- Ahmed Hajjar, Mustafa al-Momari, Ahmed Elaw and Hammoud al-Mesbahi -- were facing malicious, fabricated charges.

While Elaw and al-Mesbahi have been set free since then, el-Eryani said the trial reflects the Houthis' persistence in replicating the practices of the Iranian regime, including kidnapping opponents, forcibly disappearing them and fabricating charges against them.

The Houthis are prosecuting these four "because they talked about people suffering from severe hunger", Sanaa resident Ahmed Saad said, at a time when "the poor now race to garbage cans to scavenge for something to eat".

"Meanwhile, manifestations of celebrations, extravagance and spending are visible in advertisements in the streets and the Houthi-affiliated media."

"The Houthis' suppression of rights and freedoms and their violence and persecution of dissidents and citizens who demand their rights, freedoms and salaries are at the same level as the Iranian regime's," said political analyst Ahmed al-Sabahi.

"The Houthis do not care about people's rights or their livelihood as much as they care about the military side, mobilisation and the silencing of opposition voices," he told Al-Mashareq.

Efforts towards peace

Even though human suffering is increasing by the day because of the war, the Houthis are placing obstacles on the path to peace, Abdul Hafeez said.

"The Yemeni government offers concessions, not for the Houthis' sake but for the sake of the Yemeni people and to end the suffering of eight years of war," he said.

"So far, all the concessions have been made by one side: namely, the legitimate government and the Arab coalition," al-Sabahi said.

"The world is communicating with the legitimate government and betting on it as the more rational party and the one bearing responsibility before the people," he said.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to bet on the Houthis, he added, because "they are not proponents of a peace project, but rather a war project".