The head of a Christian human rights organization believes that US Department's revocation of Yemen's Houthi rebels from its designation as a terrorist group could lead to an intensified persecution against Christians in the country.
Anthony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State, released an official statement dated Feb. 12, revoking the designation of Ansarallah or the Houthi group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), recognizing Yemen's "humanitarian situation." The action also intends "to ensure that relevant U.S. policies do not impede assistance" to the citizens who are suffering from "the world's most humanitarian crisis."
But David Curry, President and CEO of Open Doors USA, thinks that the move is a "mistake" and would only "embolden" the group, The Christian Post (CP) reported.
"I would say that removing the terrorist designation from the Houthis is a mistake. It is going to embolden them. It is meant to be a signal to Iran that we [have] shifted our allegiance from the previous administration to balance over to Saudi Arabia down to favoring Iran and their Islamic regime," Curry told CP.
"What we are seeing now is what would amount to an escalation. It sets a legitimacy to the Houthis that they have the right to do this. We gravely disagree with that," he continued.
He then spoke about the rebel group's "political agenda against Christians."
"You have the crumbling infrastructure of a five-year Civil War. You have religious extremists. You have the danger of this Houthi political agenda against Christians. They are detaining [Christians]. They're torturing pastors and leaders in the country, so it's a complicating factor."
Reports of the group's harassment and detention of Christians have been revealed by some newspapers, including, the imprisonment and torture of a priest, Mushir Khalidi, as well as Houthi's continued crackdown on Christians.
Further, Curry said that Christians in Yemen are trapped in Houthi's plan "to gain control."
"They are using discrimination against Christians to try to gain control, to enforce terror in some of these communities... The Church and Christian minorities [are] being caught in the crosshairs of this. You have several thousand Christians there. But you have so many factors of oppression, discrimination, and violence against them that just makes it very, very difficult," he added.
He also believes that the revocation is part of Biden administration's agreements with Iran, hoping to have "friendlier" relations with the country.
Claire Evans of the International Christian Concern believes that the decision could have another reason, which is to freely send humanitarian aid to Yemen, also stated by Blinken in his statement. But she agrees with Curry that revoking the rebel group's designation as an FTO "emboldens" Iran and the Houthis.
"It is emboldening to Iran. It is emboldening to the Houthis to have this terrorist designation removed. To have terrorists emboldened, things tend to get more violent more aggressive, so we do have to be more concerned about that," Evans said.
Open Doors' World Watch List ranks Yemen as the seventh country in the world most challenging for Christians. Being a believer of Christianity constitutes death penalty in the country. Converts from Muslim backgrounds are the most persecuted. In addition, Christians face persecution from both the Yemeni government and rebel groups.
