Staying Informed: The Yemen Humanitarian Crisis
By Mary Kaitlin Enright
The world can be a chaotic, crazy place, and often times it is hard to keep up with everything that is going on, especially in countries that we do not know much about. Even though it can be difficult to keep up, and can take some extra time out of your day, staying informed about the happenings of our world is very important. To make it a little easier, here is a rundown of what is happening in a country plagued by political upheaval and rampant humanitarian crises: Yemen.
Yemen is a Middle Eastern country just south of Saudi Arabia and to the east of Africa. The country was officially formed only 39 years ago in 1990, when South Yemen and North Yemen joined after many years of fighting. The issue, though, is that even after its formation, the fighting did not end. Yemen has been in a state of perpetual civil war still, with anti-government fighters pushing against the president Ali Abdallah Saleh until he finally resigned in 2011, leaving his seat to his deputy.
So, how did it get so bad?
After the new president, Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, took the seat, protests worsened, and many stood up to support the rebels as agreement with their new president waned. Because Mr. Hadi was dealing with a number of issues within his country, he stood very vulnerable to the rebels, called the Houthis. By 2014, the country had dissolved into a state of complete civil war, causing Mr. Hadi himself to flee.
In 2015, other players stepped in. Iran backed the rebels, and together they took over the capital city. In order to combat the Houthi rebels Saudi Arabia (who at that point had become a haven for Yemen’s refugee president) and their coalition in support of the Yemeni government (which includes a total of 10 countries), began to bomb Yemen to force the rebels out. Due to the extreme poverty of Yemen, they cannot afford large numbers of ground troops, and need to win a war from the air. Countries in support of these efforts include the U.K., France, and the U.S.
The crisis escalated quickly as bombs killed many, including civilians, and destroyed much of the infrastructure of the country. But it did not take down the Houthi rebels.
What’s the situation now?
It’s been four years, and nearly nothing has changed. The Houthi rebels still hold control of Yemen via its capital city of Sanaa, and conflict is still rampant. Many countries, including the U.S. and U.K., still support the pro-government side, and a number of attempts at ceasefires and halts to the war have been attempted, though none have been successful. Many just hope for the two sides to talk things out, but that appears to be wishful thinking.
What about Yemeni people?
As you could imagine, the people of Yemen are in a state of complete humanitarian crisis, which has been dubbed the world’s worst humanitarian crisis in the past 100 years. "Figures suggest that about 80% of the population - 24 million people - need humanitarian assistance and protection," says Mark Lowcock, UN emergency relief boss. Restricted deliveries and extreme price spikes have left the people without basic human necessities, forcing over 3 million people to flee- a daunting task in a country where the airport is shut down. Amidst disease outbreaks and unbridled child hunger (it is estimated that a child dies every ten minutes), Yemen is holding on to hope with a loose grip.
With the Houthi rebels promising food to those who join their side of the war, it is no wonder that the famine-stricken Yemeni people are teaming up with the bad guys. All of this turmoil, in combination with extremist groups (including Al Qaeda) thriving off of Yemen’s instability as a platform on which to enact terrorist attacks, has made an inhabitable battleground of a place which many call home. The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project estimates that over 67,650 civilians and combatants have been killed since 2016. And many more have died as a result of the lack of nutrition, water, and basic health care that the country is facing. Though many charities have stepped forward to offer whatever aid they can provide, Yemen is far from recovery.
Why the Rest of the World Should Care
The Yemen crisis is not isolated; it is impacting the regional area around it, amplifying tensions occurring across the Middle East, and giving terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda and IS affiliates a ground on which to grow. The Yemen crisis is affecting the rest of the world each day that it continues.
Recovery begins with awareness and informity. If the world doesn’t know that Yemen needs help, then it will never get it. As Villanovans, we are blessed to have been put in a position from which we have the ability to educate ourselves on the crises of our world, and to do what we can to make a difference. What do you think is the next step for Yemen, and how might we be able to help? Learn more about the crisis in Yemen in this video, or for more articles, look here!
