Houthis reject initiative to resolve Yemeni crisis

Yemen’s Houthis yesterday rejected the initiative made ​​by the Presidential National Commission, in charge of negotiating with the group.

On the group’s official Facebook page, Houthis’ spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam wrote: “What was issued by the committee only represents it, and we do not agree.”

“The initiative comes in the context of attempts to circumvent the demands of the Yemeni people,” he added. “Our position is still that we stand by the Yemeni people who have gone out in a blessed popular revolution to demand their legitimate and fair rights.”

Earlier yesterday, the Presidential Committee, which is assigned to negotiate with the Houthis, presented a new initiative to resolve the crisis, including the dismissal of the current government to form a new government within a week, cutting the price of oil derivatives, and beginning the implementation of the national dialogue.

The initiative came one day after the supporters of the Houthi group cut off main streets in the capital Sanaa in response to an invitation by the group’s leader Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi. Al-Houthi invited his followers to begin the implementation of the third and final stage of the revolutionary escalation – civil disobedience aimed at overthrowing the current government and reversing its decision to lift fuel subsidies.

Since August 14, Houthis have organised demonstrations and set up tents around the entrances of the capital. They later moved their sit-in into the city centre.

In late July, as part of a plan to cut off energy subsidies, the Yemeni government lifted fuel subsidies leading to the rise of gasoline prices by 75 per cent and diesel by 90 per cent.