One month after the increase of prices [Archives:2005/870/Reportage]
By Hakim Almasmari
Yemen Times Staff
[email protected]
After last months destructive riots, situations had really calmed dramatically. However hearts are still boiling and minds pondering and wondering of what worse could happen. “Why not throw ourselves in a sea and stop pondering about the outcome of our disastrous future” Saleh Al-Mahweeti, a local farmer said.
Uncertainty about the future runs deep in Yemen. Questions go unresolved. People are tired and want to see hope and a better future, not remember past glories.
Many can't believe the forced situation they are going threw after the rise of prices, caused by the lifting of subsidies on fuels over a month ago. The recent increase was caused by piling pressure from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to cut subsidies on fuels and introduce sales tax on products.
The Yemeni government continuously mentions that the recent economic reforms were for the benefit of the people and the country, while it's fruits are to be visible very soon. However, local people are used to hearing such promises by officials, which only by time will prove to just be part of a political agenda to ease down the anger of the people. For this reason, last months protests and riots arose in almost every nuke and corner of the nation, causing causalities which spread threw Hudaidah, Aden, Thamar, Saa'da, Marib, Dalih, not to mention the capital Sana'a.
Some sources put the death toll in the first two days as high as 36, while scores injured and imprisoned. Tanks were deployed on main crossroads for over a month making the capital feel more like Baghdad. Tanks were finally seen evacuating the capital on the first week of August.
For many Yemeni families life is being too difficult to bear. Some prices are virtually double of what they were a year ago. Everything in the country witnessed a dramatic rise in prices from basic fundamentals like flour, rice, and sugar, to transportation and household needs.
For those millions living under the poverty line, life has lost its meaning. Local activists fear that in such critical situations, citizens would definitely flock to unlawful solutions while some will engage in prostitution, which in return would damage our long seen conservative society, furthermore, spreading diseases to an unpredictable level.
From the younger generations aspect, many children will be forced to flood local streets and beg to cover the numerous household expenses. Driving threw most cross lanes in the capital and other major cities, noticing children selling anything that comes easy from cassettes and newspapers, to cameras and swords would be part of everyday life. Many innocent children will be deprived from having the joy and happiness, which children at their age cherish, as they get older. Furthermore feeling depressed and losing hope for a bright future before starting to build one.
No jobs, no financial support, and for some people no roof to sleep under. The outcome in the long run could be a total destruction. No help yet, has been given to people living in such a critical situation.
Of Yemen's estimated 21.5 million, 11 million live below or near the poverty line. The per capita gross domestic product (GPD) of the Yemeni people is $510, compared to $40,100 that of the United States.
Sources show that there were already 40,000 beggars spread throughout the capital Sana'a, at the start of the New Year. This number is expected to rise dramatically. Yemen is one of the poorest countries in the world and by far, the poorest in the Arab rich Middle East. For the government to implement such economic reform in an unbearable situation is a full pledge catastrophe.
Prime Minister Abdul Qadar Ba-Jammal was quoted saying last month, immediately after the damages caused by the protesters, “if people had only waited for one or two weeks, they would have seen the positive side of the decision. Well Mr. Prime Minister, it has been over a month and the positive side is not to be seen yet. There seems to be a contradiction between what was said and meant on the one hand, and what is seen in reality, in the other.
An over looker over our situation will notice homeless old citizens sleeping on curbs of side streets, young children begging to survive, women selling themselves in a secrecy and in a reckonable manner while proceeding in unethical conduct, only hoping to live and support their poor families.
If no helping hand is given to such people, expect corruption to rise to an unseen level, therefore, destroying the country from within.
——
[archive-e:870-v:13-y:2005-d:2005-08-22-p:report]
