Yemen Monitor/Newsroom:
The General Union of Clothing, Textile, and Footwear Merchants in the capital, Sana’a, announced today a comprehensive three-day strike in protest of what it described as “unjust financial and customs decisions” issued by the Houthi group, which it said have burdened the local market and increased pressures on merchants and consumers.
In a statement, the Union confirmed that the strike declaration came after the relevant Houthi authorities ignored the memos and complaints it had submitted over the past period. It demanded a review of the decisions imposed by the Ministry of Finance, which it said have caused widespread disruption in the market and an unjustified increase in costs.
The Union called on all merchants in the sectors of hardware, household goods, toys, motorcycles, gifts and souvenirs, watches, accessories, electrical appliances, perfumes, and cosmetics to fully adhere to the strike. It indicated that this step comes after “exhausting all avenues and submitting memos without finding the slightest response or review of the unfair decisions.”
The Union’s statement described the strike as a “decisive stance,” emphasizing that the battle today is clear: “Either the merchants reclaim their rights, or these unjust decisions become entrenched as a fait accompli.”
The statement added that merchant unity at this stage represents the “strongest weapon” to confront the policy of levies and restrictions, warning that silence would mean “accepting injustice and normalizing the disruptions hitting the market.”
In a comment on the statement, the Head of the General Union of Clothing, Textiles, Footwear, and Related Activities, Yaqub Al-Moqbeli, said that the recent decisions issued by the Houthi-run Ministry of Finance were made “without study, without consideration for the reality of the market, and far from the principles of partnership with the commercial sector.”
Al-Moqbeli added that the Ministry treats merchants as the “easiest target,” ignoring the negative repercussions on prices, sales activity, and the end consumer.
