Yemen
Casualties and Victim Assistance
Casualties
Casualties in 2009
|
Casualties in 2009 |
19 (2008: 20) |
|
Casualties by outcome |
6 killed; 13 injured (2008: 7 killed; 13 injured) |
|
Casualties by device type |
7 antivehicle mines; 4 antipersonnel mines; 3 unknown mines; and 5 ERW |
In 2009, Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor identified 19 casualties from 10 mine/explosive remnants of war (ERW) incidents in Yemen. Adult males made up the majority of the casualties (13) including five deminers who were injured in three separate incidents. There were at least two child casualties, one boy and one girl, both of whom were injured by ERW.[1]
The 19 casualties identified in 2009 are similar to the 20 reported in 2008. However, as in past years, the Yemen Mine Action Center (YEMAC) did not have access to the Sa’daa governorate making the media the only source of casualty data there.[2]
The total number of mine/ERW casualties in Yemen through the end of 2009 was at least 5,486.[3] A Landmine Impact Survey had identified 4,904 mine/ERW casualties through July 2000 of which 2,560 people were killed and 2,344 were injured.[4]
Victim Assistance
As of the end of 2009, YEMAC had registered 2,244 mine/ERW survivors.[5] No assessment of survivors’ needs was carried out in 2009, though some service providers reported collecting this information on a regular basis when registering new beneficiaries.[6]
Victim assistance coordination[7]
|
Government coordinating body/ focal point |
YEMAC |
|
Coordinating mechanism |
Victim Assistance Advisory Committee: YEMAC with ministries of health and labor and social affairs (largely inactive) |
|
Plan |
None: victim assistance included in the National Mine Action Strategic Plan 2005–2009 |
As in previous years, YEMAC coordination of victim assistance mainly consisted of referrals to service providers and was characterized as being “weak.”[8] YEMAC reported that its operations department regularly monitored the provision of victim assistance. Survivors, their representative organizations, and other civil society organizations received information through the victim assistance program.[9]
Yemen provided details of its victim assistance program in its Article 7 report for 2009.[10]
Survivors, their representative organizations, and other civil society organizations were not included in the coordination or monitoring of the victim assistance program.[11] Survivors were involved in the implementation of victim assistance activities through the Yemen Association of Landmine Survivors (YALS).[12]
Service accessibility and effectiveness
Victim assistance activities in 2009[13]
|
Name of organization |
Type of organization |
Type of activity |
Changes in quality/coverage of service in 2009 |
|
YEMAC |
Government |
Referrals and support for medical attention and physical rehabilitation |
Slight decrease in the number of survivors assisted from 2008 |
|
Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs |
Government |
Social Fund for Development and the Fund for the Care and Rehabilitation of the Disabled assisted disability organizations |
No change |
|
Aden Rehabilitation Center/Aden Association of People with Special Needs |
National NGO |
Physical rehabilitation, inclusive education and advocacy on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; outreach services |
Improved quality of physiotherapy with addition of international technical advisor |
|
YALS |
National NGO |
Social reintegration and advocacy |
No change |
|
Yemen Mine Awareness Association |
National NGO |
Advocacy |
No change |
|
Save the Children |
International NGO |
Support for the development of community-based rehabilitation |
No change |
|
ICRC |
International organization |
Technical training and materials for three rehabilitation centers |
No change |
No significant changes to the accessibility or quality of victim assistance services occurred in Yemen in 2009. The centralization of services in urban areas remained the greatest obstacle to accessing services, as 90% of survivors were based in rural areas.[14] In early 2010, the number of new casualties in need of services was believed to have increased because of the increased population movements following the 12 February 2010 ceasefire between the government and rebel forces led by Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi.[15] The ceasefire also brought an end to military support for the medical needs of mine/ERW survivors resulting in daunting financial costs for survivors needing emergency care.[16]
Psychosocial support remained nonexistent due to a lack of funds.[17] In 2009, the quality of life of rural survivors was found to have deteriorated because of their continued isolation and lack of social integration.[18]
The law protects the rights of persons with disabilities but discrimination remained. No national law mandated accessibility of buildings for persons with disabilities.[19]
Yemen ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on 26 March 2009.
[1] There were two female adult casualties and another two casualties for whom the age and gender was unknown. YEMAC reported 12 casualties (one killed and 11 injured), and seven other casualties were identified through the media. Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor analysis of casualty data provided via email by Ahmed Alawi, Information Management System Officer, Operations Department, YEMAC, 21 March 2010; Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor media monitoring 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2009; “Two Yemeni fishermen killed in landmine explosion,” Earth Times (Sana’a), 28 May 2009, www.earthtimes.org; and “3 die as rebel-planted landmine hits Saada car,” Yemen News Agency (Sa’daa), 9 October 2009, www.sabanews.net.
[2] In 2008, nearly 50% of recorded casualties (nine of 20) occurred in Sa’daa governorate thus indicating that the number of casualties increased in 2009 in other regions of the country and that quite possibly more casualties occurred in Sa’daa but were not reported by the media.
[3] “Yemen Cleans 1.7 Mln Sq. Meters of Minefields in 2008,” Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (Sana’a), 2 November 2009, oana.antara.net.id; and Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor analysis of 2009 casualty data.
[4] Survey Action Center, “Landmine Impact Survey Republic of Yemen Executive Summary,” July 2000, p. 15.
[5] YEMAC, “YEMAC 2009 Annual Report,” presented by Mansour al-Azi Director, YEMAC, at Mine Action Committee Meeting, Sana’a, 26 January 2010. The LIS had identified 2,344 survivors by July 2000. The reason for the difference was not apparent. See Survey Action Center, “Landmine Impact Survey Republic of Yemen Executive Summary,” July 2000, p. 15.
[6] Interview with Abdullah al-Dhuhaimi, Director, Aden Rehabilitation Center, Aden, 28 February 2010; and interview with Saleh al-Dahyani, Chairperson, YALS, 10 March 2010, Sanaa.
[7] UN, “2008 Portfolio of Mine Action Projects,” New York, November 2007, p.460; interview with Mansour al-Azi, YEMAC, in Geneva, 26 May 2009; and Article 7 Report, Form I, 31 March 2010.
[8] Interview with Abdullah al-Dhuhaimi, Aden Rehabilitation Center, Aden, 28 February 2010.
[9] YEMAC, “YEMAC 2009 Annual Report,” presented by Mansour al-Azi, YEMAC, at Mine Action Committee Meeting, Sana’a, 26 January 2010.
[10] Article 7 Report, Form I, 31 March 2010.
[11] YEMAC, “YEMAC 2009 Annual Report,” presented by Mansour al-Azi, YEMAC, at Mine Action Committee Meeting, Sana’a, 26 January 2010.
[12] Nearly all of YALS staff members are landmine survivors. Laurie Freeman, “Yemen: U.S. Effort Helps Landmine Survivors Realize a Better Tomorrow,” DipNote: U.S. Department of State Official Blog, 1 March 2010, blogs.state.gov.
[13] YEMAC, “YEMAC 2009 Annual Report,” presented by Mansour al-Azi, YEMAC, at Mine Action Committee Meeting, Sana’a, 26 January 2010; US Department of State, “2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Yemen,” Washington, DC, 11 March 2010; interview with Abdullah al-Dhuhaimi, Aden Rehabilitation Center, Aden, 28 February 2010; interview with Ehab Salem, Chairperson, Aden Association of People With Special Needs, Aden, 8 March 2010; interview with Gawad Mohamed, Refugee Education Programme Officer, Save the Children, Aden, 15 March 2010; and ICRC, “Physical Rehabilitation Programme: Annual Report 2009,” Geneva, June 2010, p. 64.
[14] Laurie Freeman, “Yemen: U.S. Effort Helps Landmine Survivors Realize a Better Tomorrow,” DipNote: U.S. Department of State Official Blog, 1 March 2010, blogs.state.gov; and ICRC, “Physical Rehabilitation Programme: Annual Report 2009,” Geneva, June 2010, p. 64.
[15] Interview with Saleh al-Dahyani, YALS, Sana’a, 10 March 2010; and “One killed in second north Yemen mine blast since ceasefire started,” Yemen News Agency (Sa’daa), 19 February 2010, www.sabanews.net.
[16] “The Ever Present Landmine Threat,” IRIN (Sana’a), 3 May 2010, www.irinnews.org.
[17] YEMAC, “YEMAC 2009 Annual Report,” presented by Mansour al-Azi, YEMAC, at Mine Action Committee Meeting, Sana’a, 26 January 2010; and interview with Saleh al-Dahyani, YALS, Sana’a, 10 March 2010.
[18] Interview with Saleh al-Dahyani, YALS, Sana’a, 10 March 2010.
[19] US Department of State, “2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Yemen,” Washington, DC, 11 March 2010.