Within days of shaming Saudi Arabia for its atrocious war abuses against Yemen – most specifically Yemeni children, the United Nations was forced to back peddle on its decision, in order to assuage Riyadh’s wrath. What a 'brave' new world we live in!
It all began with the publication of a UN report earlier this month, pinpointing the many abuses and violence perpetrated against children in conflict zones – in the case of the kingdom, Yemen. The 40-page report, which was mainly penned by Leila Zerrougui, the UN special representative for children and armed conflict — asserted the Saudi-led coalition, was responsible for about 60 percent of 1,953 child deaths and injuries in Yemen since last year.
While Zerrougui’s findings clearly ruffled Saudi Arabia’s feathers, firmly putting the kingdom as a serial human rights offender, her findings were not exactly news breaking. Saudi Arabia’s track record has long left something to be desired; may it be in Yemen, or even within its own borders.
Of course Riyadh could not let the United Nations get away with such crime of ‘Lèse majesté’. One does not criticize the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia! Not even the heavens would stand for such treachery.
And so the kingdom made the UN retract its initial statement, demanding that its good name be removed from the infamous human rights blacklist.
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