Barely twenty four hours to the New Year, 2019, the Yemenis heaved a sigh of relief as the UN- led talks to end the war is under way. Both the Saudi Arabia and the Houthis have agreed to a ceasefire, and subsequently, the Yemen’s Houthi rebels have handed over control of the vital Port of Hodeidah to government forces. The transfer of the Port, according to Aljazeera reports, is part of a peace deal reached in Sweden earlier this month, aimed at ending almost four years of war which has caused a humanitarian disaster.
According to the UNICEF, the conflict in Yemen has taken a devastating toll, particularly on the most vulnerable members of the society- children.
Even before the outbreak of conflict in March 2015, Yemen faced challenges from widespread poverty, food insecurity and lack of health services.
However, it’s important to remember the scary and searing portrait of the starving Yemeni girl published in The New York Times on October, 2018 that drew an impassioned response from readers.
Amal Hussain, 7- year old wasting away from hunger. And she died later at a ragged refugee camp.
The Times has decided to publish such unsettling images, with the title: The Tragedy of Saudi Arabia’s War, and the portrait of Amal showing her emaciated body is a signal that Yemen is on the verge of collapse!
More than 22 million people and nearly all children- are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance. The country’s infrastructure has been destroyed and its health services crippled.
Reports from the BBC news, also indicated so far, the war has killed thousands and pushed millions more Yemenis to the brink of starvation.
And the malnurish children in Yemen is rising at incredible rates!
The Yemen conudrum began when the Houthis seized control of much of the country and forced president Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi to flee abroad.
Alarmed by the rise of a group they saw as an Iranian proxy, the Saudi Arabia, led a coalition with support from seven other Arab States to intervened in an attempt to restore the government.
This intervention from both Iran and Saudi Arabia, has negatively affected the Yemenis, with the rebels having the backing of the Iranian government and the KSA, backing the ousted leader.
However, the decision to convene the peace talk and to halt bombardment by the UN, is indeed a great idea to save the children, women and return the country to the path of peace.
Yemen, like any other country, need intervention urgently and an end to this mindless killing.
The world body is overwhelmed with serial killings, turmoil and needless wars, around the world. As peace advocacy group, we all call for a peaceful resolution of conflicts, as Peace is the only way to go, and its non- negotiable!
Abdullateef Tanko,
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