Wafaa Hanash: Taiz suffers from crisis

The Feminist Association for Community Development, located in Taiz, was negatively affected by the armed conflict in Yemen, as the association has provided many services to Yemeni women in the field of sewing and literacy, the director of the association Wafaa Hanash said.

Hanash added, in an interview to Arabs Today, that the Houthis held check points at several areas in the city before the outbreak of clashes with government forces and after the signing of the peace and Partnership Initiative.

She pointed out that the Yemeni Congregation for Reform Party, frequently called al-Islah, which is part of the Muslim Brotherhood Group, led by Hammoud Mikhlafi has refused to withdraw from the city, adding that if the elders of Taiz and Governor Ahmed Ha'el had recognized that situation, the province world have become a center of Islamist fighters and armed factions.

Hanash spoke about her association's activities before the recent incidents. She said that the workers of the association used to distribute clothes and meat in Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha in cooperation with Yemeni businessmen. She noted that the association has participated in the national dialogue program and they were honored by the General Assembly.

Arabs Today asked Hanash if the Houthis entered Taiz to allegedly fight the Islamic State militants. She said that the Houthis were actually ruling the country and their fighters existed in all provinces, including Taiz and Sanaa. However, Hanash blamed the people of Taiz for the spread of Islamist fighters in the city.

She noted that the International organizations in Yemen had special goals and supported certain political parties, adding that most of the NGOs in Yemen did not get any international support, unless they implement the agenda of funders.

Hanash revealed that the association was assaulted by gunmen loyal to the legitimate government and many houses were looted in the same area.

She said that her association worked in literacy programs for three years and served more than 500 women, as well as other old men who come to the association for learning.

Hanash warned that the humanitarian situation in Taiz is very bad, despite the presence of international organizations and the Saudi organization "King Salman Relief." The people in Taiz still suffer from the lack of clean water and food supplies due to the high prices and the low average income in the city.

Hanash said that all the warring sides are from Taiz, pointing out that she participated in a committee of prisoners exchange and all the prisoners were from Taiz, whether Moktry, Sheibani, salawi or Hakimi. She asserted that the people of Taiz arem unfortunately, fighting each other, noting that it is rare to find a fighter from outside the city.