February anniversary.. what remains of the Arab Spring in Yemen
English - Wednesday 09 February 2022 الساعة 07:59 am
Sana'a, NewsYemen, private:
Some of those who joined the squares with the support of the "Joint Meeting" parties will be satisfied with the leadership of the Yemeni Congregation for Islah; in commemoration of the "Arab Spring"; By changing the profiles of their accounts on social media with the slogan (February 11) as an expression of support for that revolution and the establishment of some events.
Most of them do not look at the gains and losses as much as they seek to bear all the consequences of chaos on the regime of the late President Ali Abdullah Saleh. In addition to dedicating themselves, who feel that they have been subjected to something like deception or theft, so to speak; By a group of reformers who are still mired in corruption today, and they are known by name and entity.
The anniversary comes as Yemen is experiencing its worst phase on all political, humanitarian, cultural, social and economic levels. The north is sinking into a war perpetuated by the Iran-backed Houthi militia since the invasion of Sanaa in late 2014, and it is suffering from a break with the world in one way or another.
Billions of stolen resources
The absence of oil derivatives, or the conversion of 80% of them to the black market, increased the suffering of individuals and turned their lives into a vicious circle.
Forcing them to pay royalties under several names, including holding sectarian religious events throughout the year and supporting the war effort, made life more difficult.
Not to mention the official resources such as taxes, zakat, duties and hygiene funds, which end up in the coffers of supervisors, without any oversight or accountability. In addition to privatizing electricity and selling it at exorbitant prices, which doubles the burden on the citizen.
It constitutes sectors such as: real estate, state lands, telecommunications companies, customs for imported goods, local product, education fees at all levels, and other sources; Annual income in the billions.
salary cut off
Iran’s arm took advantage of the decision of the legitimate government led by President Hadi No. (119), which stipulated the transfer of the Central Bank to the capital, Aden, in 2016, where it began to repudiate many, if not all, obligations towards citizens and state employees.
This continued despite the enormous potential and the increase in taxes and fees and other resources created by the militia amounting to 200% and more, including essential goods such as gas and gasoline.
Repercussions of war
What was reflected in the ongoing war and the complete collapse of the regime in late 2014, which came as an extension of the 2011 interventions; Exceeded all expectations. In exactly ten years, according to reports, from 350 to 400 thousand citizens were killed or wounded.
Millions of internally and externally displaced persons were monitored and counted. The situation is badly repeated whenever the conflict intensifies in a place, as is the case in the governorates of Ma'rib, Al Hudaydah, Hajjah, Saada, Al Bayda and parts of Taiz and Al Dhale'e.
On the economic level, recent government statements by the Minister of Planning stated that the Yemeni economy lost 126 billion dollars, in addition to the deterioration of the currency exchange rate by more than 300%.
These conditions resulted in a serious humanitarian crisis that affected the lives of 80% of the population. The unemployment rate rose to more than 35% and poverty to 78%. Most services, such as education in all its stages, as well as health and infrastructure, deteriorated.
An expelling phase caused by the militia
For seven years, the Houthi group has been at the forefront of the scene as the sole guardian among all components, political parties and entities; Claiming to preserve sovereignty and protect the country from the American-Israeli threat.
It did not yet realize that the country had lost all the elements that it enjoyed, not only in terms of stability, but also confiscated all aspects of freedom, from the media, the press, and a democratic civil society, even to the parliament, which completely suspended its work.
This is some of what the country is suffering from today. Recently, the Sana’a authorities have closed down nearly 6 private radio stations, otherwise they have painted the audio-visual and print media in a systematic sectarian hue, with one voice and one vision.
Numbers in the Diaspora
In the war that took place from 2014 until the beginning of 2022, Sana’a University alone lost about 115 faculty members, from various departments and colleges, more than 30 of them from the College of Arts and Humanities with its departments: history, archeology, science, sociology, philosophy, geography, and science self.
Nearly 70 plastic artists, mostly young people between the ages of thirty and forty, immigrated, some of whom settled in Cairo and some in Riyadh, Europe, Asia, America, Canada and Africa.
There are thousands of doctors who left the country or did not return to it, whether they were qualified and working in hospitals and had their own clinics, or from recent graduates who were on scholarships and the state spent millions of dollars on them.
All these numbers and the militia are continuing their policy, never stopping at one of these dilemmas that have disrupted the country and caused many problems for individuals.
The other matter is the businessmen, import and export companies, factories and factories that have stopped completely. Other than that, harassment and bombing of the rest of them, and forcing their owners to pay millions in exchange for many exits that were recently developed; This has completely paralyzed the economic infrastructure and raised unemployment to unprecedented levels.
All this resulted in investing millions of dollars in real estate, importing, establishing factories and contracting in Malaysia, Cairo, Riyadh, Istanbul and the UAE.
Displacement of journalists and artists
Journalists were harassed by Iran's arm; According to journalist and human rights defender Nabil al-Asadi, approximately 1,000 journalists have been displaced outside the country or to areas under the control of the legitimate government.
Dozens of actors have left for other capitals, as well as artists, after finding that the environment in which they live is repellent that they can never adapt to. Most of them are between the ages of 30-40.
We are talking about a real tragedy that expands every day and no one stops at it seriously and boldly; We mean a country that used to be called Happy Yemen.
