On Friday, April 3, San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim, the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFBA), and Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus will hold a news conference to call for the swift evacuation of U.S. citizens trapped by the current violence in Yemen, and for the issuance of travel documents to any U.S. citizens who need them to leave the country.
Amongst those trapped and seeking evacuation is Mokhtar Alkanshali, a local Bay Area resident who currently runs a Yemeni coffee farming project with the support of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). While nations such as China, Pakistan and India have evacuated their citizens, United States officials say they have no plans to rescue Americans in Yemen.
WHAT: Press Conference to Call for Evacuation of U.S. Citizens Trapped in Yemen
WHEN: Friday, April 3, 10:00am (Pacific)
WHERE: Steps of San Francisco City Hall on Polk Street Side, 1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Pl, San Francisco, CA 94102
SEE: American Civilians Left Behind in Yemen
“District 6 of San Francisco is home to many Americans of Yemeni heritage, including Mokhtar Alkanshali, who grew up in District 6. We want answers as to why these Americans are not receiving assistance in evacuating a war zone, and we want to know what the U.S. can do to help get back our community members,” said San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim.
“With many other nations mounting efforts to evacuate their citizens, it is unclear why the United States chooses to leave its citizens to their own devices in an increasingly deadly combat situation,” said CAIR-SFBA Executive Director Zahra Billoo.
“The government cannot leave these Americans to fend for themselves in an active war zone. We expect the State Department to expend every effort to ensure that Americans in Yemen are able to find a way to safety,” said Nasrina Bargzie, senior staff attorney at Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus.