Scepticism clouds Yemen peace talks

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels must be clear about their intentions and join peace talks

Smokes billowing from a weapons depots of a Houthi-held military base following airstrikes carried out by the Saudi-led coalition in Sanaa, Yemen. Yahya Arhab / EPA

As officials from Yemen’s government in exile agreed to join renewed UN-brokered peace talks, Houthi rebels fired a Katyusha rocket on a busy market in the eastern city of Marib on Friday, killing at least 20 people. It is hardly surprising that the Houthis are focused on Marib ahead of a possible push on Sanaa by the Saudi-led coalition forces. The province is vigorously opposed to the Iranian-backed rebels and those military factions still loyal to ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

But there is more to this attack than twisted battlefield strategy. The Houthi offensive is yet another reminder of the rebels’ limited and reckless worldview, which is noticeably devoid of any concrete plans for Yemen’s future.

Aside from wreaking havoc on Yemen’s civilian population, the rebels have failed to articulate any positive way out of the present crisis. As such, the Houthis have proven themselves to be an intransigent force, united by the desire to hold the country to ransom and keen on bringing instability to the Arabian Peninsula. This is compounded by a cloud of distrust that follows the Houthi leadership and their ally, ousted president Saleh, who has a proven record of reneging on promises.

UN special envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh, announced last week that the Yemeni government and the Houthis had agreed to take part in fresh peace talks. The Houthis, however, didn’t immediately confirm their participation, leaving the government wondering if the rebels would even show up to talks. In contrast, the GCC and the Saudi-led coalition fighting to restore Yemen’s internationally recognised government have been clear and unified in their objectives for the country. Five out of six GCC member states are contributing to the Saudi-led mission to return the country to stability. Oman, the sixth GCC country, is facilitating peace talks between the Yemeni government in exile and the rebels.

The onus to end this conflict remains on the Houthi rebels and Iran. Given Yemen’s recent history though, the region and the world can’t be expected to wait for the rebels to find their voice and a way out of this morass. The only constant when it comes to the rebels is their preference for instability and chaos over peace and prosperity. Ending this dangerous cycle of violence has always been the logic behind the GCC’s involvement. It remains the most important objective for the country’s future prosperity.