“Barran Press” - Amat Al-Ghafoor Al-Suraihi
With the words, "Enough, bring back my son," Saddam Al-Ruhani's mother responded to a question from "Barran Press" about her comment on the ongoing Muscat negotiations.
Saddam's mother expressed her intense anticipation and anxiety about the outcome of the Muscat negotiations, expressing her concern and fear for her son. She hopes that these negotiations will bring her son back after years of disappearance in the prisons of the Houthi group.
In her conversation with "Barran Press," she added, "Eight years have been stolen from his life, eight years in which his dreams, hopes, and youth were wasted. Eight years in prison, being tortured without any guilt."
Gateway to Peace
Mohammed Al-Adwafi's father, who has been a prisoner for four and a half years, spoke to "Barran Press" about the critical psychological situation that the families of the abducted prisoners are experiencing concurrently with the ongoing negotiations in Muscat.
Al-Adwafi said, "We have received false promises for four years, and we have not seen any results." He added, addressing the negotiating delegations, "We tell you this time it's different, and there is no room for evasion anymore. You will bear full responsibility."
Omar Abdulaziz Al-Aqeeli anticipates that the ongoing negotiations in Muscat will lead to the release of his father, who was abducted in 2015.
In his statement to "Barran Press," he said, "Perhaps these negotiations will be a gateway to peace for those who have been forcefully separated from their families." He added, "I hope that these negotiations will be the reason for the release of my father and all the abducted individuals."
Al-Aqeeli called on the negotiating delegation to "assume their responsibilities and to empathize with the suffering of the abducted and prisoners' families."
Warning against Compromising
Mohammed Ahmed Fare', the brother of the abducted individual by the Houthi group, Sughair Ahmed Fare', who has been sentenced to death, also hopes that the negotiations in Muscat will lead to the release of his brother and the end of "malicious" judgments.
Addressing the negotiating delegations through "Barran Press," he said, "We hope that when you sit at the negotiation table, the prisoners and the abducted become your top priority, and that you feel the suffering of their families and loved ones."
Fare' warned the participating delegations and the sponsors of the negotiations against "compromising on any abducted or prisoner, starting with Mr. Mohammed Qahtan."
All for All
On her part, the president of the Association of Abducted Mothers, Amat Al-Salam Al-Hajj, demanded the release of everyone in exchange for everyone, calling in her statement to "Barran Press" for "credibility and transparency in the course of the negotiations."
Al-Hajj stressed the necessity for "everyone to assume responsibility and adhere to the ethics of negotiation and dealing with this sensitive issue." She criticized the irresponsible behavior of some members of the negotiating delegations and their statements, which she considers a violation of human rights, especially when working in ambiguity regarding the fate of one of the abducted individuals.
Secrecy and Speculations
Al-Hajj criticized the proceedings of Wednesday's negotiation session, stating that it was characterized by "significant secrecy and speculations, and the statements made by the negotiators do not reflect their sense of responsibility."
She mentioned that there was an exchange of lists containing 400 kidnapped individuals and prisoners, considering it insufficient compared to the decisions made by the presidency. She referred to the initial agreements that promised "a comprehensive exchange deal," and she believed that what had occurred was "selective," which she considered as "unfair to many of the kidnapped individuals."
On the other hand, Radwan Masoud, the head of the National Committee for Prisoners and Kidnapped Persons, regarded the announcements of the understandings in Muscat as "media promotion aimed at marketing a fake achievement," and he considered it a hindrance to the negotiations.
Regarding the impact of this announcement on the families of the kidnapped and prisoners, Masoud stated that it was "shocking" for them because they were expecting a deal based on the principle of "all for all."
Partial Progress
According to Masoud, the negotiations have proceeded partially and are not implementable due to the obstinacy of the Houthi group. He expressed deep regret for the government delegation's acceptance of discussing the issue of the missing persons, particularly Qahtan, before visiting them. He considered this as "fulfilling the Houthis' desire, complicating the negotiations further, and continuing the forced disappearance of the kidnapped individuals."
Masoud mentioned that "Qahtan was kidnapped from his home while leading a normal life, and he should be released unconditionally according to UN Resolution 2216. The unethical treatment by the Houthi group is a crime against humanity that does not expire with time."
Addressing the government delegation through "Barran Press," Masoud said, "Unfortunately, you have been lured into a tunnel from which you will not emerge unless you announce your withdrawal from negotiations at the very least, including the visit to the forcibly hidden individuals, especially Qahtan."
An Ethical Crime
In his interview with "Barran Press," Masoud reminded the United Nations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, stating that it is unacceptable to collude with human rights violators to commit further crimes. He added that negotiating over Qahtan's fate, whether alive or dead, is an ethical crime, and unfortunately, the United Nations is a partner in that.
Last Wednesday, the internationally recognized Yemeni government delegation and the Houthi group, classified globally as a terrorist organization, announced agreements in Muscat regarding the release of the politician Mohammed Qahtan in exchange for 50 Houthi prisoners or 50 bodies if he is deceased.
The possibilities regarding Qahtan's fate, hidden in the prisons of the Houthi group for over 9 years, sparked angry responses from Yemenis and politicians, particularly the Qahtan family and the Yemeni Reform Party, who opposed the negotiating government team, accusing them of "overstepping the presidency's directives that obliged them not to proceed with any agreement before revealing Qahtan's fate."
Abdulmalik Al-Mekhlafi, the Deputy Head of the Consultative Council for Dialogue and Reconciliation, stated in a post monitored by "Barran Press," "It is politically unacceptable to agree on any agreements regarding Qahtan's fate based on assumptions, as disclosing his whereabouts should precede any agreement."
Meanwhile, Mohammed Al-Yadoumi, the leader of the Yemeni Reform Party, said, "We hoped that the legitimate government would have a representative in this meeting." In a post on the "X" platform, monitored by "Barran Press," he added, "On 25/6/2024, Yahya Al-Shuaibi, the Director of the Presidential Office, issued instructions to the negotiation team regarding prisoners and the forcibly hidden, emphasizing their obligation not to conclude any exchange deal that does not include the release of Mohammed Qahtan or at least revealing his fate."
The leader of the Reform Party further stated, "After this directive, a meeting was held in Muscat for the Houthi militia, speaking in one voice, and we had hoped that the legitimate government would have a representative in this meeting," referring to his displeasure with the stance of the negotiating government delegation.