Appeal to Human Rights Ministry and organizations [Archives:2003/631/Local News]

Ali Ahmed Salem appealed through a letter sent to Yemen Times to the Ministry of Human Rights and other pro-HR organizations against what he called “aggression” of a prominent sheikh in al-Maafer district in the Taiz governorate.
Ali Salem, who belongs to the “Akhdam” community, which is one of the marginalized classes in Yemen, said that the sheikh destroyed his house in al-Maafer weeks ago resulting in having his family and children sleep in the streets. Furthermore, he said that the influential sheikh threatened to kill him if he does not move from the area.
Salem recently moved along with his four children and wife to Taiz City where he stays in a small room in the city. However, already the house lord threatened to kick him out if he doesn't pay the rent and because he “belongs to a deprived class in the society”.
Now he works as a sweeper with a limited salary and suffers from anemia and cannot work for too many hours. “All I dream of is to go back to my home in al-Mafer. My house was destroyed by the sheikh, who had no mercy and no respect for human rights.” he said.
According to Salem, despite his appeal to the concerned authorities, there was no positive response to his plea. “I urge you to convey my case to the Ministry of Human Rights to bring me justice and save me and my family from eminent disaster.”
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