A new executive order by the Iran-backed Houthi militias, amending the zakat (Islamic income tax) law in Yemen by adding what has become known in Yemen as the “Khums” (one-fifth) tax on all resources, has sparked a wave of anger among Yemeni activists who considered the measure as affirming the Houthis’ intent and actions towards laying the foundations of an apartheid system in Yemen by dividing society into classes, abolishing the national identity, and legislating to give control of the country’s wealth and state resources to the group and its cronies.
According to a document obtained by The Yemen Details, the Houthis published a decision signed by Mahdi Al-Mashat, head of the so-called Supreme Political Council, which included issuing a new executive regulation amending the 1999 Yemeni Zakat Law by adding new articles requiring Yemenis to pay the fifth, or 20%, of their resources and earmarking the proceeds to benefit the Bani Hashem clan (to which Houthis say they belong), as stated in the regulations.
The law states that everyone should pay 20 percent of whatever goods they have or obtain, on land or sea, to the Houthis for being “Bani Hashim.”
Observers expect the step taken by the Houthis to deepen the division in Yemeni society, and to exacerbate the conflict situation, which took sectarian and ethnic dimensions in recent years, with the Houthi group adopting an approach based on class, ethnic and sectarian discrimination, based on religious dogmas.
The new Houthi law had a great Yemeni reaction, denouncing the Houthi measures, in deepening differences and spreading racism, after the September 26 revolution had eliminated it, and called for equality among the people according to the Islamic religion.
New Houthis' Measures
"After the Houthi "one-fifth" Law, new measures will be taken by militias in their areas of control". A memeber in the Yemeni Comprehensive National Dialogue Conference has said.
The Politician Saleh Al Baydhani, for his part said that the Houthi "one-fifth" Law, would be followed by other executive measures, including: Putting distinct marks on personal documents for a specific category of “one-fifth” beneficiaries.
He added that these Houthi measures would be followed by the creation of a special fund that would supervise the management of schools, hospitals and universities that only the owners of green coffins and their children would join in!!
For his part, Faisal Al Shabibi said that he was not surprised by the new Houthi law, given that the militia had taken the lives of Yemenis 20 years ago in order to steal people's money unjustly.
He said that the new leaked document was enough for the deceived, racist, and Houthi ideology to review themselves and return to their senses.
He added that the new leaked document is enough for the deceived with the Houthi racist and ideology to review themselves.
Serious targeting
Information Minister Muammar Al-Iryani said the Houthi law known as Al-Khums, is racist, Yemen’s state news agency Saba new reported.
“Iran’s mercenaries did not just rob the treasury, cash reserves and general revenues, but have also imposed racist laws to continue stealing the nation’s resources and citizens’ wealth,” Al-Iryani said.
“The militants are imposing such laws without popular support or a legal ground to exist… what would they do if they ruled Yemen?” he added.
The minister said all nationals needed to recognize “the danger of the Houthis,” who have built an ideology based on “God’s choice and race supremacy” which he said was discriminatory
