Yemen Observer: http://www.yobserver.com
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Written By: Abdul-Aziz Oudah
Article Date: Sep 7, 2010 - 11:04:38 AM
Every war has a price, and all Yemenis from the remote areas of al-Mahrah to the Saudi borders have paid this price, however Sa’dah people bear the bulk of the price. Every dispute has victims but the people of Sa’dah are the most affected and the Sa’dah children are the first among the victims with the utmost complications.
In part one of this report we talked about the main problems facing the displaced. In part two we went in depth to tackle IDPs stories focusing on children situations.
In this part, we continue revealing more facts about IDPs and their situation in the camps as will as their struggle in their original homes in case they want to return back. There are also some official opinions of some bodies who agreed to talk with us; there are others who refused to talk for reasons that we do not know.
In the end, it is essential to say that the only solution for these troubles is to reach peace in the northern region so IDPs could return back to their homes and live their normal lives just as before the wars. If the current situations continue, the relief efforts must be multiplied. Otherwise, humanitarian disaster, whose alarming indicators are currently taking place, will be worsened.
Flagrant abuse, underground cells
A range of complaints from al-Mazraq Camp residents concerning the maltreatment by the Camp security officers has emerged. “They are snobs, stuck-up and uppity”, said (S.A), an employee at one of the operating relief organizations in the camp. He said this as he was fiercely looking at a bunch of security officers on a truck roving amid the tents.
An old woman Om Mohammed confirmed that by saying: “all the problems we face are because of them “as she was warily pointing at one of the trucks nearby.
On the other side, the IDPs complain of blatant insults and assaults from Houthis as they demand the IDPs to pay Zakat and/or partake in “Jihad fighting”. Their contribution can be done either by partaking in “Jihad fighting” or paying money as Zakat; otherwise they will end up in the Houthis cells. This is what most of the IDPs had to say as they insisted on hiding their names and on not to demonstrate photos, due to their fear from the Houthis who “read the newspapers more than the government does”, according to Sadiq, one of the Razih people of Sa’adah.
Sadiq continued: “after all this they want us to come back! When the government comes back and the soldiers withdraw we will return.”
Sadiq, a forty-year-old man, is taking care of an eighteen person family for which only three 50 Kgs-wheat bags are given to them every month. He said: “ we sometimes sell some of them so that we can buy some other necessary stuffs”.
Ali Hussein Hajooli, 50 years old said his planting farm located in al-Malahid was completely destroyed by Saudi air bombing in addition to his five houses. He has been living in the camp with his ten-member family for over a year. “I will not return! My planting farm is full of mines and the houses are all wrecked, there is no security”, he mentioned.
Salman Ahmed al-Ghamdi, 55, from Haidan region said that, he, his wife and eight children have been living in the camp for a year and two months now, adding that it is not his first time they ran away from home. He had fled for six times in the previous conflicts between the Houthis and the state, saying that he is insistent never to go back again, “every time I go back, I bear countless problems and feel compelled to flee again. Last time I lost my 12 year old daughter Selma. She was the very close to my heart. She was killed during a raid on an old five story house where we were taking shelter with other families. The house collapsed on her. I buried her the next day and decided to run away with the rest of my kids.
Selman recalls that he had also lost a cow that night, concluding that “However bad things are in the camps, I will not go back until after the end of the Houthis or the end of the state. Otherwise I am staying here until I die even if I did not find a drink of water.
Ahmed Jubran Mohammed, 40, who is the chief of his village, says that the biggest reason for displacement in Sa’dah is the indiscriminant aircraft bombings, adding that they used to be under daily unabated raids, saying that they lost lives, houses, and properties that were destroyed and looted after they fled for their lives and ended up in the camp.
Mohammed Ali Mutahar agrees with Jubran that bombing is the main reason for displacement, adding that they were caught in cross fires of the bombing between the Yemeni army and the Houthis. He said that the Saudi bombing has destroyed large parts of the al-Malahiz area. He said that the worst thing from the war is to have to see your children continuously suffering from endless fear and panic. We escaped to Saudi Arabia because it was the closest to us, but they caught us and took us to al-Toal area and finally to the camps.
In response to the camps services Jubran said that they are decreasing with time, especially the food aid. Asking them why they don’t go back, he said that the subversives are still in their houses and villages. “The mines will kill those who manage to escape the war. If the war stops, the rebels will give up their arms and the state will be in control, the mines will be removed and we will be compensated and go back.
He confirmed that the displaced who returned, are caught and investigated by the Houthis. “My relatives who returned ended up in the Houthis prisons in al-Naga’h in the government schools which the Houthis have changed into prisons. Those who are not in their prisons are prevented from going back to the camps and are forced to participate in Jihad, pay alms and shout their slogans.
Lieutenant S.K, 35, from al-Zahir area is a former soldier. He fought in the last war and lost his right leg in a bomb explosion and spent four months in Sa’dah hospital. He was of the first of those who lived in al-Mazraq camp. He agrees with others over the Houthi’s treatment to the displaced, adding that the lucky ones are those who returned and the Houthis only made them pledge not to cooperate with the State and not to inform the government as well as listening to their to their decisions, in return for staying in their homes.
Saleh Haidan, 30, describes their conditions in the camps“ it is dusty, winds pull out the tents and rains wet the furniture and blankets. The high temperatures causes diseases that were are not familiar with and our grievances are not heard.
Hawriah Hassan from Haidan district has been living in the camp for eight months with her 19 family members. She works at one of the operating humanitarian organizations with YR 15,000 monthly payment. She is the only the one who takes care of the family. She said: “ the situation now is better in terms of health because of the new hospital established in the camp, but malnutrition is still a problems”.
About the problems that women face she said that the childrens’ illnesses are the main trouble for us, children here face particularly diarrhea and malnutrition. Besides, heat illnesses and garbage pollution.
“We don’t want to return as war will return too! We tried this many times, as we return; war breaks out all over again”.
Salma Mahdi from al-MAlahiz - Sa’adah was displaced with her family members including brothers and sisters, she explained her story during displacement trip: “We went out on foot. Sometimes, we had rides!” now at the camp “We run short of food and medications,” Salma said.
Official organizations Working in Camps
During his whirlwind visit to the region to lanch the new hospital for the IDPs, Farid Mojaur, Hajjah governor, said “We call the denoting organizations for betterment so that IDPs can return to their homes. Hajjah endured the biggest burden of the Sa’adah rebellion.
Many of local and international organizations have been working to serve IDPs in al-Mazraq camps- Haradh such as UNICEF, UNHCR, World Food Program, Oxfam International, Save the Children, Islamic Relief, and others local organizations.
UNICEF representative in the country Geert Cappelaere promised that UNICEF will concentrate on the concerns of the psychological status of children in IDPs camps. Adding that UNICEF will reach every single child national wide Yemen.
Cappelaere admitted that the feed program descries to 50% because of lack of funding but he said that UNICEF will try to help the IDPs help themselves through sustainable agriculture and animal husbandry.
He said the project represents a positive initiative in facing challenges, emergencies and impediments before development opportunities in the region.
Cappelaere said that 40 per cent of Yemeni children are suffering from malnutrition and 50 per cent of them are born underweight. He urged national and international organizations to take measures to combat child malnutrition, voicing also UNICEF’s readiness to help those affected by the Sa’adah war.
Oxfam representative in al-Mazraq camps Mousa al-Dahab said that Oxfam is working to provide IDPs with potable drinking water and working towards better public health as well as provide IDPs health materials. There are also efforts underway to assist in the cleanup and sanitation of the camps.
Oxfam tries to involve IDPs in its projects by hiring youths (girls and boys) to follow up and mange the projects “we want to make them feel as if they are in charge of the projects, this is the best way to protect the projects”, al-Dahab said.
Save the Children provides children toys and playgrounds activities, UNHCR provides tents and furniture and World Food Program take care of food aid with Islamic Relief and others partners.
