Released, January 25, 2021.
Within 10 hours, the over 500 signatures required were obtained, and in less than a week 1K have signed.
Petition sponsored by NDP Hamilton Center Member of Parliament Matthew Green.
Canadian residents are asked to sign:
Petition to the Government of Canada
Whereas:
- According to the UN, the humanitarian crisis in Yemen remains the worst in the world with 24.3 million (80% of the population), including 12.2 million children, needing humanitarian assistance;
- According to UNICEF, a Yemeni child dies every 10 minutes from preventable war-related causes, and 85,000+ have already died;
- Thousands of schools have closed and more than 2 million children are not in school;
- The humanitarian crisis has been exacerbated by the blockade imposed by Saudi Arabia on Sana’a Airport and Hudaydah Port;
- The port city of Hudaydah, where 70% of imports enter the country, is under relentless attack from airstrikes and naval ships. Houses, farms, livestock, businesses, roads, medical facilities and water facilities have all been hit;
- As of September 9, 2020, a panel of independent experts monitoring the conflict for the UN have publicly named Canada as one of the countries helping fuel the war in Yemen; and
- Images of what appear to be captured or destroyed Canadian-made light armoured vehicles (LAVs) have been publicized.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
1) Halt arms shipments to Saudi Arabia immediately and ensure that any future arms transfers fully comply with Canada’s international legal obligations under the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty;
2) Participate in international efforts to bring an immediate end to the deliberate Saudi-led attacks on civilians which constitute war crimes; and
3) Demand and support international partners in lifting the siege on Sana’a Airport and Hudaydah Port in order to deliver humanitarian assistance;
And in French here: https://petitions.noscommunes.ca/fr/Petition/Details?Petition=e-3122
Just Peace Advocates is pleased to join as an ally with the Yemeni Community in Canada and others in sharing this petition.
Over the weekend and on Monday January 25, many actions and events happened across the country as part of the Global Day of Action to End the War on Yemen. Just Peace Advocates was pleased to join with other groups in these efforts. Read more:
- In Vancouver MAWO Vancouver and allies held a car caravan.
- In Montreal the Quebec Movement for Peace (QMP-MQP) held a protest at the US consulate and Échec à la guerre held a webinar.
- NS Voice of Women for Peace and World Beyond War held a protest outside Halifax at the Raytheon facility (media coverage).
- Labour Against the Arms Trade, World Beyond War, and allies held an action to block trucks at Paddock Transport in Hamilton. The company transports the LAVs produced in London to a port in Baltimore en route to Saudi Arabia. Amazing media coverage; see summary here
#StopArmingSaudi now!
#YemenCantWait
#CanadaStopArmingSaudi
Photo credit: Henry Evans-Tenbrinke.
