Yemen’s Humanitarian Crisis – Buried Bloodshed

A family of four struggle to flee their war torn country. Their safety teeters on the edge of uncertainty, and they go to bed hungry most nights because they are unable to find work amidst the chaos. 

You may think this unfortunate story is that of a family during a world war, safely hidden in the past. However, this image is the unfortunate reality of the citizens of Yemen every day, constantly surrounded by a civil war.  Drowned out by the commotion of the west, and overshadowed by other worldwide conflicts, war, disease, hunger, and extreme poverty have silently demolished Yemen’s people, who wonder: “How did we get here? And why is nobody helping us?”

The conflict has been identified as a proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the two great powers of the Middle East. The USA has weighed in, financially backing Saudi Arabia, while Russia has close ties with its own ally, Iran. 

Undeniably, Yemen’s domestic discord over the failure to come to a consensus on sharing power has now heightened into an uncompromising, full-blown civil war. The war has erupted into a multi-party strife that appears to be intensifying as other countries join in. Pursuant to The Guardian News,  Saudi Arabia’s primary aim is to mitigate Yemen, whilst simultaneously sending an authoritative message to Iran: stop interfering in our affairs.

Most people are unaware of the grave danger Yemeni citizens are in, and how the situation has escalated to a full-blown humanitarian crisis.  The prolonged conflict has induced distressing impacts on human life in Yemen, which is grievously caught in the middle. According to Amnesty International, a global charity and awareness movement, millions of people have been displaced, and more than 40,000 people have been killed or injured. Harsh outbreaks of cholera and other diseases are ongoing, and the possibilities of famine related death loom over the citizens like a dark cloud. These may seem like just numbers that are hard to conceptualize, but every single one of the victims was somebody’s mother, or son, or husband. 

Although imagining the situation in Yemen can be overwhelming, our efforts should be focused on improving the lives of the citizens who face these challenges every day. We should also pay attention to charities such as Islamic Relief Canada and UNICEF, who are graciously fundraising for Yemen. By focusing on the powerful changes we can bring, we can turn our anger into passion, and make sure that the Yemen’s story does not become that of a forgotten war.