CAFOD joins call on Jeremy Hunt to bring about Yemen ceasefire

CAFOD along with eight other aid agencies are calling on the Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, and the UK government to do more to bring the conflict in Yemen to an end. The joint letter addressed to Jeremy Hunt, calls for "an immediate end to the fighting" and for the UK Government to "use its influence to urge parties to the conflict to end violations against civilians."

The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is rapidly turning into the worst famine the world has seen for 100 years. The UN says that up to 14 million people face starvation- that's 60 per cent of the country's population.

In their letter, the group of humanitarian aid agencies state: "The catastrophic food shortages in Yemen are entirely human-made and a direct consequence of the warring parties' severe restrictions on access to food, fuel, medical imports and humanitarian aid. The collapse of the Yemeni Rial and the non-payment of public sector workers is adding to the tragic situation.

"Civilian deaths have increased dramatically in recent months - with 450 civilians killed in just nine days in August. Violence against women and girls has also risen significantly since the conflict escalated."

The bloody civil war started three years ago, between the Houthi ethnic group and supporters of Yemen's government led by President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. At the request of the Yemeni government, an international coalition led by Saudi Arabia have carried out airstrikes across the country against the Houthi. For ordinary Yemenis, the consequences continue to be catastrophic.

The letter calls on international bodies to "push warring parties towards a peaceful solution", adding that this should start with a call for "an immediate cessation of hostilities and a comprehensive ceasefire across the whole of Yemen."

In June, escalating violence in and around Yemen's port city Hodeida, the main humanitarian hub, led to hundreds of thousands of people being displaced and the closing of vital humanitarian access routes.

Giovanna Reda, CAFOD's Head of Humanitarian Programmes for the Middle East, said: "We see immense suffering in the faces of children whose young lives have been stunted by malnutrition, and the agony of their parents who can only watch their children waste away.

"Humanitarian access is vital to reach vulnerable families on the brink of famine. With 90 per cent of all Yemen's food imports passing through Hodeida port, any disruption of the port's operation will severely affect our ability to get emergency aid to where it is needed most.

"A comprehensive ceasefire across the country is urgently needed now, to halt the suffering of millions of people."

Pope Francis has called for the international community to make every effort to end the humanitarian crisis in Yemen saying:

"I'm following with concern the dramatic fortune of the people of Yemen, now extreme following years of conflict. I call for the international community to not withhold efforts and to join all parties involved for negotiations so the tragic humanitarian situation doesn't worsen even more."

The letter concludes: "Given the UK's power and influence, and your commitments to upholding our country's values, you have a unique opportunity to show leadership and deliver a lasting peace for Yemen's beleaguered civilian population."