A lifeline for Yemen
28 January 2019
For further information: Teresa Goncalves TGoncalves@redcross.org.uk, Senior press officer, 020 7877 7618, out of hours 07719 391703
The following letter from the chief executives of 14 international humanitarian organisations was published in The Daily Telegraph on 28 January 2019.
Dear Sir,
We the undersigned come together at the start of 2019 to remind the international community that Yemen is experiencing the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. More than 14 million people are facing starvation and an estimated 85,000 children have already died from extreme hunger since the war escalated in 2015.
Aid workers in Yemen have spoken to parents who say they are forced to give their children contaminated food and water, or nothing at all. Older people are being forced to sell their homes and belongings, just to survive another day. No-one should be forced to make these impossible choices.
There is some hope for the future, with a ceasefire brokered last month in the critical port of Hodeida largely holding and promises to restore vital imports of food and medicine into the country. But sadly, most Yemeni people do not feel this hope.
Aid and commercial goods are not yet flowing in at the level needed to address the unfolding crisis. People are hungry, they are scared and they are desperate.
Aid workers are reaching hundreds of thousands of people now with lifelines, but we simply must see greater action by all parties to allow us to reach more Yemenis before it is too late.
We urge all parties to the conflict to remember that the people of Yemen must come first.
We urge the public not to look away, not to forget the Yemeni families on the brink of starvation.
The people of Yemen cannot wait.
Signed:
Jean-Michel Grand,Executive Director Action Against Hunger
Girish Menon, CEO
ActionAid UK
Chris Roles, Managing Director
Age International
Michael Adamson, CEO
British Red Cross
Chris Bain, Director
CAFOD
Laurie Lee, Chief Executive
Care International UK
Amanda Mukwashi, CEO
Christian Aid
Rose Caldwell, Executive Director
Concern Worldwide UK
Tufail Hussain, Interim Director
Islamic Relief UK
Danny Sriskandarajah, Chief Executive
Oxfam GB
Tanya Barron, CEO
Plan International UK
Kevin Watkins, CEO
Save the Children
Nigel Harris, CEO
Tearfund
Tim Pilkington, CEO
World Vision UK
About the British Red Cross
For over 150 years, the British Red Cross has helped people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are. With millions of volunteers in over 190 countries, the British Red Cross is part of an international humanitarian Movement that’s there for people before, during and after a crisis. Together, we are the world’s emergency responders. www.redcross.org.uk