I was able to witness the gradual growing in strength of the Houthi shiah group from the time of the Arab spring - which was a great opportunity for them to start doing dawa in Change Square because the Arab spring was "democratic" so all comers were welcome in the Square.
The Houthis have been smart and as they say, well financed by Iran. The Arab spring ousted the former president, but the ex-presidents boy was very busy making alliance with the Houthis and helping them stockpile military hardware.
The financial backing was essential because anyone can be bought. The Houthis seemed to just buy up the people of the Hashid tribal area and took control, edging closer and closer to Sana'a. Inside Sana'a Houthis had supporters-a-plenty, no need for rent-a-crowd. So once on the outskirts of Sana'a it was very easy to walk in. The Yemeni Military Forces were not in a fighting mood. Perhaps they wanted a change.
I could see some of the action in the north of Sana'a from my third floor windows, the shelling of the TV apparatus was very clear and a lot of smoke was coming out of Madhbah/Shamlan.
I was appalled quite frankly of the great treason for the past decades of the Yemeni people, ending in this walk-over coup by the Houthis. The Unity Government quickly signed a peace deal giving the Houthis more power in governance, but we all can read between the lines that the Houthis have ALL the governance in the northern region.
It will take some time for the Houthis to control the whole country. Maribi tribesmen are still fighting the Houthis, and as we move south to Shabwa and Abyan, I cannot see the tribes there flopping like what happened in Sana'a. But you never can tell - they may be swayed by wealth and sell out. We will have to wait and see.
The new Houthi government is planning some very positive policy. They need to win over the populace and the best way is through the hip pocket. Poverty has become suffocating, and people have had enough with the treacherous leadership of past years. People who formerly hated Houthis are warming up to them. The first measure - reintroducing the fuel subsidy. This move will ease the financial burden on every Yemeni as not just the fuel becomes cheaper, but all goods in the market.
There is still a lot of tension in the street, and we all wait to see what will unfold in the coming months. For muhajireen it is time to make some decisions whether to stay or go. Houthis have a reputation for killing foreigners, not to mention their aqida is shiah. Many muhajireen have made the decision to go.
We need to ask ourselves why Allah has humiliated those of "sunnah" with such a overwhelming victory to the Houthis. Everything happens for a reason. I would like us all to reflect, and ask ourselves what we did wrong and I think we can come up with many points. Such as not disseminating our knowledge widely to all levels of society - many Islamic centers were very exclusive and reclusive. Not demanding the application of HAQ. Teaching and studying Shariah and not doing anything to implement it in wider society. Abandoning the jihad - Allah has heaped humiliation upon us.
Time to wake up!
I wrote about the Houthis during the Arab Spring. you can read those posts here
Houhi Post
part one
part two
The Houthis have been smart and as they say, well financed by Iran. The Arab spring ousted the former president, but the ex-presidents boy was very busy making alliance with the Houthis and helping them stockpile military hardware.
The financial backing was essential because anyone can be bought. The Houthis seemed to just buy up the people of the Hashid tribal area and took control, edging closer and closer to Sana'a. Inside Sana'a Houthis had supporters-a-plenty, no need for rent-a-crowd. So once on the outskirts of Sana'a it was very easy to walk in. The Yemeni Military Forces were not in a fighting mood. Perhaps they wanted a change.
I could see some of the action in the north of Sana'a from my third floor windows, the shelling of the TV apparatus was very clear and a lot of smoke was coming out of Madhbah/Shamlan.
I was appalled quite frankly of the great treason for the past decades of the Yemeni people, ending in this walk-over coup by the Houthis. The Unity Government quickly signed a peace deal giving the Houthis more power in governance, but we all can read between the lines that the Houthis have ALL the governance in the northern region.
It will take some time for the Houthis to control the whole country. Maribi tribesmen are still fighting the Houthis, and as we move south to Shabwa and Abyan, I cannot see the tribes there flopping like what happened in Sana'a. But you never can tell - they may be swayed by wealth and sell out. We will have to wait and see.
The new Houthi government is planning some very positive policy. They need to win over the populace and the best way is through the hip pocket. Poverty has become suffocating, and people have had enough with the treacherous leadership of past years. People who formerly hated Houthis are warming up to them. The first measure - reintroducing the fuel subsidy. This move will ease the financial burden on every Yemeni as not just the fuel becomes cheaper, but all goods in the market.
There is still a lot of tension in the street, and we all wait to see what will unfold in the coming months. For muhajireen it is time to make some decisions whether to stay or go. Houthis have a reputation for killing foreigners, not to mention their aqida is shiah. Many muhajireen have made the decision to go.
We need to ask ourselves why Allah has humiliated those of "sunnah" with such a overwhelming victory to the Houthis. Everything happens for a reason. I would like us all to reflect, and ask ourselves what we did wrong and I think we can come up with many points. Such as not disseminating our knowledge widely to all levels of society - many Islamic centers were very exclusive and reclusive. Not demanding the application of HAQ. Teaching and studying Shariah and not doing anything to implement it in wider society. Abandoning the jihad - Allah has heaped humiliation upon us.
Time to wake up!
I wrote about the Houthis during the Arab Spring. you can read those posts here
Houhi Post
part one
part two