Humanitarian Crisis Conditions in Yemen
Conditions were dire before Saudi terror-bombing began. Yemen is the region's poorest country.
Half the population is food insecure in normal times. Yemenis lack other essentials to life.
Political stability is impossible without addressing humanitarian issues responsibly.
Before Saudi aggression began, UN humanitarian coordinator for Yemen Ould Cheikh Ahmed said over 10 million Yemenis need food aid.
Half of them face acute food shortages. Millions of children face malnutrition. Tens of thousands may die.
Over a third of a million Yemenis were displaced before Saudi-led terror-bombing began.
Earlier humanitarian aid was woefully short of what's needed. Malnutrition alone was "extremely grave," said Ahmed.
Weeks before US planned and orchestrated/Saudi-led terror-bombing began, Oxfam's Grant Pritchard called Yemen's humanitarian situation a "forgotten crisis."
Over 60% of Yemenis need aid, he said - including food, clean water and medical care.
Now many more. In January, Oxfam warned of a growing "humanitarian crisis of extreme proportions."
Country director Grace Ommer said "(d)espite the challenges, we continue to deliver desperately needed aid to Yemenis…"
"But if the international community continues to stand by and watch while Yemen risks going from a fragile to a failed state, we will find it even harder to maintain this lifesaving support."
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) head of mission Marie-Elisabeth Ingress said before embassy closures were announced:
"There is a difficulty for many people to access healthcare, particularly when there are clashes, but also because many people live in extremely remote areas where there is no health provision for many miles."
"Not only does conflict cause more casualties, it also hinders access to care for patients not directly affected by the fighting."
Pre-Saudi-led aggression, OCHA said 16 million Yemenis needed aid - 8% more than in 2014.
UN partners sought three-fourths of a billion dollars to help. Hundreds of millions more aid is needed now - besides billions of dollars required to rebuild once conflict ends.
According to OCHA, "(t)he majority of targeted (Yemenis) live in areas where chronic underdevelopment and endemic poverty have potentially life-threatening consequences, leaving people in need of emergency assistance and protection support."
Children and the elderly are most affected. Current conditions are worse than ever.
Saudi terror-bombed hospitals, other medical facilities, civilian neighbors, refugee camps, power plants, food storage facilities and other nonmilitary sites made already dire conditions far worse.
An Aden resident spoke for others saying "power is out. People have no water. They have nothing."
Oxfam said blockade prevents imports of food, medical supplies and fuel from arriving.
"Yemen relies on imports to meet more than 80 per cent of national food consumption, with 90 per cent of staple food items, such as wheat, and all rice imported," it said.
Country director Grace Ommer condemned Saudi terror-bombing its Saada province food storage facilities, saying:
"This is an absolute outrage particularly when one considers that we have shared detailed information with the coalition on the locations of our offices and storage facilities."
"The contents of the warehouse had no military value. It only contained humanitarian supplies associated with our previous work in Saada, bringing clean water to thousands of households."
In March, UNICEF's Julien Harneis warned of a "major humanitarian crisis" without immediate efforts to provide substantial aid.
Saudi-led terror-bombing created catastrophic conditions for millions of Yemenis so far unaddressed.
Western leaders support US-orchestrated/Saudi-led naked aggression. They've done virtually nothing to help beleaguered Yemenis.
Saudi-led terror war continues. King Salman ordered elite National Guard forces to participate in the next phase of conflict.
Houthis claim they captured Saudi and Israeli spies. Saying they "intended to carry out military operations in Yemen after taking control of several airports and military bases."
Saudi's interior ministry said security was increased at oil facilities and shopping centers based on claimed possible terror threats.
Maybe Riyadh plans a false flag attack as pretext to resume terror-bombing.
Thousands more Yemenis may die before conflict ends. An entire nation is being raped.
It's being systematically ravaged and destroyed on orders from Washington.
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US/Saudi Blockade Prevents Vital Humanitarian Aid from Reaching Yemen
US/Saudi imposed air and sea blockade prevents vital humanitarian aid in amounts needed from reaching desperate Yemenis – including food, clean water, medical supplies and other essentials to life.
Reuters reported desperately needed vital aid is being blocked. Saudis continue “holding up food deliveries by sea” and air.
ICRC spokeswoman Marie Claire Feghali said things “were difficult enough before, but now there are just no words for how bad (they’ve) gotten.”
“It’s a catastrophe, a humanitarian catastrophe” – worsening daily.
Yemeni Human Rights Minister Izzedine al-Asbahi explained:
“The war and its results have turned Yemen back 100 years, due to the destruction of infrastructure…especially in the provinces of Aden, Dhalea and Taiz.”
Power shortages threaten to cut off telecommunications in days. The World Food Program said lack of fuel prevents delivering food and other vital supplies – what little is available.
Hospitals can’t operate properly to treat patients and save lives. Since April 21, Saudi warships blocked a commercial oil tanker from reaching Yemen. Other vessels carrying humanitarian aid are prevented from reaching Yemeni ports.
A Sanaa resident said “(t)he place is devastated. There are no roads, water (or) electricity. Nobody’s left but thieves.”
Everything is in short supply or unavailable. The UN said Saudis are blocking ships carrying food, fuel and other vital supplies.
Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Genera Mohammad Ali Jafari compared Saudi aggression to Israeli ruthlessness.
On Monday, 47 humanitarian aid agencies called on all parties to end conflict and violence.
War imposed conditions “prevent humanitarian organizations from delivering life-saving assistance,” they said.
“(I)nternational humanitarian and human rights laws must be upheld by all parties at all times,” they stressed.
A humanitarian catastrophe is happening in real time – worsening daily, threatening the lives and welfare of millions of Yemenis.
Saudi warplanes and ships block vital humanitarian aid from reaching Yemen. Small amounts only are arriving. Far more is needed. Deliveries authorized by Washington and Riyadh alone are getting in.
Iranian international affairs advisor Ali Akbar Velayati cited international law saying “(n)o other country, under any name, is allowed to interfere in the internal affairs of other independent countries. Therefore, Yemen’s airspace (and coastal waters) belong to itself.”
Iran sent multiple humanitarian aid shipments to Yemen. Some got through. Others were blocked illegally.
Iran Red Crescent Society (IRCS) international and humanitarian affairs deputy director Shahabeddin Mohammadi Araqi called conditions in Yemen “critical.”
Riyadh “prevent(s) the dispatch of aid to Yemen,” he said.
Recently replaced UN special advisor on Yemen Jamal Benomar briefed Security Council members on crisis conditions.
He warned that (US/Saudi imposed) blockade “restrict(s) the flow of much needed commercial goods and humanitarian assistance to Yemen, including food, fuel and medical supplies amongst others.”
He highlighted “the specter of food insecurity… (He said it) widened to threaten more than 12 million Yemenis” – a conservative estimate.
He stressed peace and stability can only be restored through diplomatic negotiations – “free from interference and coercion from outside forces.”
Overnight, Saudi warplanes continued terror-bombing residential areas and civilian infrastructure.
Scores were killed or wounded. Iran’s Fars News estimates over 3,000 civilians killed – “mostly women and children,” it said.
Official estimates are woefully conservative – downplaying the horrific civilian carnage and human suffering.
Yemen’s Freedom House Foundation (FHF) estimates over 3,500 killed through Monday - nearly 6,200 others wounded, many maimed for life.