World Food Project Director Denies Rumors [Archives:2000/49/Health]

Combating starvation in Yemen has become the thorny issue that is actually in need of an increased seriousness and determination to overcome.
According to official statistics and those prepared by international organizations, Yemen is categorized among the many poor countries suffering from hunger. Low-level incomes earned by certain social segments in Yemen have made it hard to support fighting hunger; A task not easy to carry out especially in view of the huge increase in prices of many. In 1996, world food program started its activities in Yemen through distributing food ingredients to Somali and other African refugees and to students in several Yemeni provinces . Since 1998 rumors have started against the program after leakage of news reporting the discovery of more than three thousand sacks of flour full of insects, which made it not consumable by humans. What really made people angry was the news of distributing this kind of flour in the markets. On the other hand , some newspapers published that some school managers made students pay for the transportation of the flour that was supposed to be given free to students.
Al.Shumu, an independent newspaper headed by Saif Al.Hadiri,has filed a case in the court of law against the ministry of Education accusing the latter of selling on black markets large quantities of handouts offered by the program to the ministry.
Mr. Gesting Bajresha, director of world food project denied the knowledge of the saleout of any expired materials but he admitted that there is a possibility such things could happen by issuing certificates saying that those expired materials are fit for human consumption.
Official statistics refer to a sum of 8,979,000 Dollars granted to Yemen in 1996 as to cover expenses of different sectors of development. In 1997, the program gave Yemen 1,027,800 Dollars for relief purposes and support for development. In 1998, the program gave Yemen 5,853,000 Dollars covering the same areas. In 1999 the program gave Yemen a total amount of 7,705,000 Dollars.
In a press conference held in cooperation with the information center of the united nations in Sana’a, Mr.Gesting Bajresha confirmed willingness of the program to continue supporting students, refugees and people in need in Yemen. Mr. Bajresha expressed his willingness to dismiss any employee who is found to have anything to do with marketing that unedible flour. He also stressed, that the world food program believes changing destination of food sent by the program, this considered a violation for the basic rights of the human beings. According to statistics there are 89 million beneficiaries of the program activities round the globe; The program also helps people during times of catastrophes and flooding immigrants because of wars.



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