Ignoring Yemen

The United Nation's top humanitarian co-ordinator has said Yemen is facing "total social, economic and institutional collapse."

Stephen O'Brien was speaking directly to the UN Security Council, telling them "urgent action is required".

Yemen is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis, with almost seven million people on the brink of famine.

An outbreak of cholera has also killed 500 people, and the UN expects 150,000 cases in the next six months.

Mr O'Brien said the suffering of Yemenis was not a coincidence, or the "result of forces beyond our control" - but rather the fault of those involved and inaction by world powers.

"The people of Yemen are being subjected to deprivation, disease and death as the world watches," he said.

"Crisis is not coming, it is not looming, it is here today - on our watch," he added.

The UN envoy for Yemen, Ismael Ould Cheikh Ahmed, who had just returned from talks in the country.

But neither side has been willing to compromise, he said, and "the call for peace... is still falling on deaf ears".

This blog has drawn attention to the tragedy in Yemen quite a few times and when we havee indicated that wars are caused by capitalism, it too has fallen on deaf ears