Why Yemen crisis is Under-Reported?
YemenExtra
SH.A.
There is one story which has not been given the news coverage in mainstream media during 2017 while that it surely deserves — the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
Around 320,000 children are severely malnourished and 14 million people are worried about where they will get their next meal.
Three million children and pregnant or nursing mothers are in need of treatment and almost two million children are not receiving an education because of the war.
“The humanitarian situation in Yemen continues to deteriorate as the country faces the most serious outbreak of cholera ever recorded. Millions of Yemenis have no access to clean drinking water or sanitation,” said Tufail Hussain, UK Deputy Director of Islamic Relief.
“Yemen is on the brink of famine, and millions of women, children and men face starvation. Around half a million children under the age of five are severely malnourished and may die. We ask that all humanitarian agencies working in Yemen are given unhindered access and allowed to distribute urgent food and medical supplies to save lives,” added Mr. Hussain.
The situation has been made worse by the Saudis and their allies periodically blockading the port of Aden, preventing humanitarian supplies from entering Yemen.
Whereas the crisis in Syria was reported on European TV screens almost daily, there have been scant reports from Yemen, possibly because it is further away and there are fewer foreign journalists on the ground.
There is no sign of a military breakthrough for either side, so if the civilian death toll rises significantly and images of dying children start making it into European and US media, will 2018 will be the year when Yemen finally becomes a big issue for the world?