2010 Harvest
December 2010
Another year has passed, and like other observers I would like to take a look back. What has happened and where are we, Yemenis, going?.
2010 was another year of disappointment for every Yemeni. With the sounds of guns in Sadda, and the growing unrest in Dhalea, Abyan, Lahej and Sahbwah, we were not able to celebrate the beginning of the year. The tragedy in Sadda was at the top of the events during the year. The killing of innocent Yemenis continued in many areas either for revenge reasons, in tribal conflicts, or in discriminatory manner in several governorates in the south. Tension has grown, not only in certain parts of the country, but also in cities where check points have been established, and being searched has become a daily part of every Yemeni’s life. Even with these measures the fight over land and other disputes had continued, and it was still normal to wake up to the sounds of gun shots in the middle of the night.
Securing basic needs became more difficult. The rise in the prices of gasoline had affected the prices of every item we need. Food became more expensive as well as water. Electricity bills were growing continuously, and even cook gas, which Yemen has huge reserves of, had become a burden after its price was doubled. The export of liquid natural gas did not help the government that imposed new sales taxes. Economic stability which the country has enjoyed for about a decade had fallen apart after the Riyal suddenly dropped 20% against the US Dollar. The late response of the government and the measures that were taken were able to rescue the Riyal, but has not restored the confidence that was built over the years.
Investment had suffered from the uncertainty and continued to decline leaving thousands of Yemenis jobless. Tourism was stalled after years of growth. The war in Sadda, the unreset in the south, and Al-Qaeda are just some factors. Another was the new measures taken by the Yemeni government to put more restrictions on granting entry visas to foreigners. Even if the “tourist” is able to get a visa he/she is required to report his/her whereabouts to the government. For the first time ever foreigners are not allowed to go beyond few kilometers from the center of Sana’a.
The quality of our environment continued to deteriorate. Cities became more crowded with cars and motorbikes. The city (Sana’a) is almost drowning in its dirt. Garbage collection had deteriorated and dirt was building up in every street. Cheap advertising signs are everywhere leaving no room for the eyes to see the beauty around us. The quality of our food continued to go down. The fresh vegetables and fruits are full of pesticides that are legally prohibited and the imported food is not better. The worst of all is the continuous depletion of our water, how much do we still have?.
Government services continued to go down in amount and quality. Education continued to produce hopeless generations, and medical care!, “in Jordan or Egypt”. Streets were not maintained and the millions spent on bridges just complicated our traffic. Our cities and towns continued to grow like a cancer, no planning, no future.
Politically there had been no progress. Parties continued to be used to serve personal agendas of few people. Those who failed to fulfill their promises in the past are expected to be re-elected in a few months. People continued to lose trust on “democracy” that has left them hopeless.
After all Qat continued to be our daily challenge. For those who grow it, for those who chew it, and for those who cannot understand why.
Wikileaks, no news!. Remain hopeful that the future is there.
