On 3rd anniversary of war, Oxfam calls for peace in Yemen/Wedi tair blynedd o ryfel, Oxfam yn galw am heddwch yn Yemen

Three years since the start of the brutal conflict in Yemen, Oxfam calls for an immediate ceasefire and a push towards lasting peace.

The relentless war has claimed thousands of lives and devastated the country. To date, nearly three million people – the equivalent of the entire population of Wales – have been forced to flee their homes due to bombing and fighting.

“Over the past three years families across Yemen have experienced suffering on a horrific scale,” said Kirsty Davies-Warner, Head of Oxfam Cymru. “Thousands and thousands are struggling to live in makeshift tents, without food, without water. Urgent steps must be taken to prevent even more harm and destruction.

“We urge the UK Government to pressure all parties to the conflict to agree a ceasefire and a political solution which will also allow Yemeni people access to the food, water and other basic services they need.

“The newly appointed United Nations special envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, also offers a new opportunity to help put this country devastated by war on the path to peace. The people of Yemen need a chance to restore and heal their hearts and their homes.”

The escalating conflict sees the humanitarian situation deteriorating daily. Over four million people are malnourished, including nearly half a million children who are in a life-threatening condition. Over 14 million people are living without clean water and sanitation facilities. Over 20 million people – that’s 75 per cent of the population – need humanitarian aid.

Such large numbers sometimes lose all meaning, but the people and the stories behind those numbers bring the reality into sharp focus.

“I could not see anything because of the dust,” says Halima, 36, a mother of eight children, as she recalls the attack on their home. “All I remember is screaming the names of my children.”

Halima fled her home following intense fighting and airstrikes which killed her husband. With nowhere else to go, she fled to a camp in Amran, where she says her “suffering has doubled”.

“My children and I live on whatever food and medicine we get from people. Sometimes, I beg in markets or at people’s doors to ask for food. We only have one meal a day most of the time.”

Since the war started the cost of food has rocketed. Rice is up 131 per cent, beans 92 per cent, vegetable oil 86 per cent and flour for making bread up 54 per cent. Over the same period the number of people going hungry increased by 68 per cent to reach almost 18 million people.

Oxfam helped Halima with essential supplies such as wheat flour, rice, sugar, beans and vegetable oil.  “Oxfam provided us with aid that came at the right time. It was our first time to receive food since we arrived at the camp, saving my life and the lives of my children.”

Halima’s story is one of thousands. Across Yemen families are struggling to live in temporary tents on spreads of sands. Everyday more and more families are effected by the blistering airstrikes. People – young and old – are forced to leave their homes without even their most treasured belongings, sometimes without their family.

Dr.AliSaif, originally from Yemen, has lived in Cardiff for many years, but is still in touch with friends and family living in his home country.

“These innocent people, already living in one of the world’s poorest countries, are now living on the brink. I fear for my friends and family in Yemen. The fighting has resulted in many of the ports and harbours being destroyed. In a country where 90% of the food is imported, this is a catastrophe.

“I believe the UK, along with the international community, must apply pressure to end the senseless violence and to stop the wide-scale suffering. The people of Yemen deserve the same rights and security as we do here in Wales, and so we have a duty to our fellow human beings to call for a stop to the selling of weapons, and to influence a positive change in Yemen.”

In response to the Yemen crisis, Oxfam has reached more than 1.4 million people with water and sanitation services, cash assistance and food vouchers.

Wedi tair blynedd o ryfel, Oxfam yn galw am heddwch yn Yemen

Tair blynedd ers cychwyn gwrthdaro ciaidd yn Yemen, mae Oxfam yn galw am derfyn i’r ymladd ar unwaith yn y gobaith o gael heddwch parhaol yn y wlad.

Mae’r rhyfel didrugaredd wedi lladd miloedd ac wedi difetha’r wlad. Hyd yma, mae bron i dair miliwn o bobl – sy’n cyfateb i holl boblogaeth Cymru – wedi cael eu gorfodi i ffoi o’u cartrefi oherwydd y bomio a’r ymladd.

“Dros y tair blynedd ddiwethaf mae teuluoedd ar draws Yemen wedi profi dioddefaint ar raddfa enbyd,” dywedodd Kirsty Davies-Warner, Pennaeth Oxfam Cymru. “Mae miloedd ar filoedd yn ceisio goroesi mewn pebyll dros dro, heb fwyd, heb ddŵr. Mae angen cymryd camau ar unwaith i atal rhag mwy o niwed a dinistr.

“Rydym yn annog Llywodraeth y DU i roi pwysau ar bob ochr yn y gwrthdaro i gytuno ar gadoediad yn yr ymladd, ac i ddod o hyd i ateb gwleidyddol a fydd yn galluogi pobl Yemen i gael mynediad at fwyd, dŵr a gwasanaethau sylfaenol eraill y maent eu hangen.

“MaeCennad arbennig newydd y Cenhedloedd Unedig i Yemen, Martin Griffiths, hefyd yn rhoi cyfle newydd i helpu’r wlad hon sydd wedi cael ei difetha gan ryfel i symud tuag at heddwch. Mae pobl Yemen angen cyfle i adfer eu calonnau a’u cartrefi.”

Mae’r gwrthdaro cynyddol yn arwain at ddirywiad dyddiol yn y sefyllfa ddyngarol. Mae dros bedair miliwn o bobl yn dioddef o ddiffyg maeth, gan gynnwys bron i hanner miliwn o blant sydd mewn cyflwr a all beryglu eu bywydau. Mae dros 14 miliwn o bobl yn byw heb gyfleusterau dŵr glân a glanweithdra, ac mae angen cymorth dyngarol ar dros 20 miliwn o bobl –sef 75 y cant o’r boblogaeth.

Mae rhifau enfawr fel hyn yn aml yn colli pob ystyr, ond mae straeon y teuluoedd sydd tu ôl i’r rhifau yn dangos y realiti mor glir â haul ar bared.

“Doeddwn i ddim yn medru gweld dim byd oherwydd y llwch,” meddai Halima, sy’n 36, ac yn fam i wyth o blant, wrth iddi feddwl yn ôl am yr ymosodiad ar eu cartref. “Y cyfan yr ydw i’n ei gofio ydi sgrechian enwau fy mhlant.”

Fe ddihangodd Halima o’i chartref yn dilyn ymladd dwys ag ymosodiadau o’r awyr a laddodd ei gŵr. Gydag unman i fynd, dihangodd i wersyll Amran, ac mae hi’n dweud fod y “dioddefaint wedi dyblu” ers symud yno.

“Mae fy mhlant a minnau yn byw ar ba bynnag fwyd a meddyginiaeth yr ydym ni’n ei gael gan bobl. Weithiau, rydw i’n begera yn y marchnadoedd neu wrth ddrysau pobl i ofyn am fwyd. Un pryd y dydd gawn ni rhan fwyaf o’r amser.”

Ers i’r rhifel ddechrau mae prisiau codi wedi codi yn arthurol. Mae pris reis wedi codi 131 y cant, ffa 92 y cant, olew llysiau 86 y cant, a blawd er mwyn pobi bara wedi codi 54 y cant. Yn ystod yr un cyfnod mae’r nifer o bobl sydd heb ddigon i’w fwyta wedi codi 68 y cant, ac felly yn cyrraedd y ffigwr anhygoel o bron i 18 miliwn o bobl.

Mae Oxfam wedi helpu Halima gyda nwyddau angenrheidiol megis blawd gwenith, reis, siwgr, ffa ac olew llysiau. “Mae Oxfam wedi darparu cymorth i ni ar yr amser iawn. Dyma’r tro cyntaf i ni dderbyn bwyd ers i ni gyrraedd y gwersyll, gan achub fy mywyd i a bywydau fy mhlant.”

Mae stori Halima yn un o filoedd. Ar draws Yemen, mae teuluoedd yn ceisio goroesi mewn pebyll dros dro ar leiniau o dywod. Pob dydd mae mwy a mwy o deuluoedd yn cael eu heffeithio gan ymosodiadau ffyrnig o’r awyr. Mae pobl o bob oed yn cael eu gorfodi i adael eu cartrefi heb hyd yn oed eu heiddo mwyaf gwerthfawr, ac weithiau heb eu teuluoedd hyd yn oed.

Daw Dr. Ali Saif yn wreiddiol o Yemen, ond mae’n byw yng Nghaerdydd ers blynyddoedd. Mae’n dal i fod mewn cysylltiad gyda’i deulu a’i ffrindiau yn ei wlad enedigol.

“Mae’r bobl ddiniwed hyn, sydd eisoes yn byw yn un o wledydd tlotaf y byd, bellach yn byw ar y dibyn go iawn. Rwy’n poeni am fy ffrindiau a fy nheulu yn Yemen. Mae’r brwydro wedi dinistrio llawer o’r porthladdoedd, ac mewn gwlad lle mae 90% o’r bwyd yn cael ei fewnforio, mae hyn yn drychineb.

“Rydw i’n credu y dylai’r DU, ynghyd â’r gymuned ryngwladol, roi pwysau i roi terfyn ar y trais disynnwyr, a rhoi stop ar y dioddefaint yma sydd ar raddfa enfawr. Mae pobl Yemen yn haeddu’r un hawliau a diogelwch sydd gennym ni yma’n Nghymru, ac felly mae gennym ni ddyletswydd i’n cyd bobl i alw ar ddiwedd i’r gwerthiant o arfau, ac i ddylanwadu ar newid positif i Yemen.”

Mewn ymateb i argyfwng Yemen, mae Oxfam wedi cyrraedd dros 1.4 miliwn o bobl gyda dŵr a gwasanaethau glanweithdra, cymorth ariannol a thocynnau bwyd.