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Lack of fuel could cause more deaths than violence: Oxfam
A shortage of fuel in Yemen, caused by continuing conflict and restrictions on imports, could ultimately be responsible for even more deaths than the fighting in the country, Oxfam has warned
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shortage of fuel in Yemen, caused by continuing conflict and restrictions on imports, could ultimately be responsible for even more deaths than the fighting in the country, Oxfam has warned.
Fuel shortages have affected water supplies, food deliveries and health services for 84 percent of Yemenis in need of aid, the international agency says.
'In Yemen, fuel is critical. Without adequate supplies of it, water pumps no longer operate, and the limited quantities of food and medicine in Yemen's main ports and warehouses spoil, as they can't be transported to the 21 million people in need of aid,' Oxfam's country director in Yemen, Philippe Clerc, said on Tuesday.
Oxfam said that since late March, restrictions on imports by the Saudi-led coalition have reduced the amount of fuel in Yemen to only 20 percent of what is needed.
'Supplies of food and medicine have been intermittently allowed into Yemen, but they are insufficient to address the scale of the crisis,' it said.
'Too often supplies remain stuck in warehouses and ports due to the lack of fuel ' and ground fighting is hindering the distribution of food and fuel to communities in need.'
Ground fighting is ongoing and the Saudi-led coalition is still restricting imports into Yemen despite the announcement of a six-day humanitarian pause beginning last Friday.
'After more than 100 days of fighting, people in Yemen need a sustained flow of supplies into the country, and a permanent ceasefire to allow fuel and other supplies to be moved around, otherwise, many more people will die unnecessarily,' Clerc said.
Without urgent action, shortages could kill more people than bullets or bombs.'
Oxfam reports that due to fuel shortages, water authorities are unable to pump clean water, and 20 million people, or 80 percent of the population, are now in need of safe water, while food supplies have been cut further. Ten million Yemenis were already struggling to get enough to eat before the crisis began in late March. (ebf)(++++)
