Yemen yearns for peace

Yemen yearns for peace

Sanaa, Yemen
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Anxiety reigns in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, where ordinary people await the outcome of almost a month of peace talks they hope can end a devastating war.

Ahmed Hizam al-Soudi, 75, who sells traditional Yemeni curved daggers called jambiyas said he hoped wisdom would prevail among negotiating parties in Kuwait.

"We ask God to relieve us from this ordeal, which we were not expecting."

"God willing, they would agree, because we are exhausted. And if they love the country, they will stop the war that brought devastation and destruction to the people of Yemen."

. Sanaa, YEMEN. Reuters/Mohamed al-Sayaghi
"The dialogue in Kuwait is a failure, enough is enough. What was taken by force can only be restored by force. No dialogue in the world has succeeded. America plays with the world and the Middle East," said 29-year-old Mahir al-Ruzaiq Saleh, a butcher.

Life was already a struggle for many residents of one of the Arab world's poorest countries, but the onset of the conflict more than a year ago has made mere survival the priority and extreme hardship the norm.

The crump of air strikes, power outages and the deep-seated gnawing fear that their society may never emerge intact have all become part of daily life.

. Sanaa, YEMEN. Reuters/Mohamed al-Sayaghi
"The ceasefire has not changed anything in my life. The fighter jets still hover over us every day," said 29-year-old Ali Qaid al-Hubaishi, a fruit vendor. "I do not expect anything from the Kuwait talks."

Hope is hard to find, and what little exists lies with the peace delegations representing the armed Houthi movement – which controls Sanaa - its allies, and their enemies in Yemen's exiled, Saudi-backed government taking place in Kuwait.

Seemingly a world away in Sanaa, the ancient city whose old city is clustered thickly with majestic mudbrick towers, the past looks brighter than the future.

But flickers of hope still shine among some Sanaa residents.

. Sanaa, YEMEN. Reuters/Mohamed al-Sayaghi

"We are optimistic that we will see the Kuwait negotiations stop the war, especially in light of the decrease in the number of air strikes," said Abdussalam Hamad al-Harethi, 39, who sells antiques, souvenirs and silverware.

Youth activists fed up by the deadly feud among Yemen's political and military elites that has left 25 million citizens in painful limbo have come up with an incisive slogan on social media: "Don't come back to Yemen unless with a peace."

. Sanaa, YEMEN. Reuters/Mohamed al-Sayaghi

Standing amidst her fresh-faced students, Yemen's future, mathematics teacher Wafaa Mansour shared a view held by many - that the conflict has been infiltrated by so many foreign powers that only diplomatic intervention from the outside can help.

"If all sides do not make concessions, I do not think that there would be a proper solution without the intervention from one of the big states sponsoring the dialogue."

. Sanaa, YEMEN. Reuters/Mohamed al-Sayaghi

In the maternity ward of a Sanaa hospital, 28-year old nurse Hindia Abdurabu al-Zubah looks after some of the country's youngest and most vulnerable citizens and hopes the senior politicians in the land face up to the gravity of their task.

"I'm optimistic that the ongoing talks in Kuwait will unify us again and put an end to a year of war and conflict, and my message to them is: 'Yemen is your responsibility," she said.

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"We ask God to guide them (the negotiators) to reach a solution that gets us out of this crisis. God willing, this crisis will be solved and everything goes back to what it was," said Ahmed Abdussalam al-Harbi, 20, a motorcycle driver.
. Sanaa, YEMEN. Reuters/Mohamed al-Sayaghi

"We ask God to guide them (the negotiators) to reach a solution that gets us out of this crisis. God willing, this crisis will be solved and everything goes back to what it was," said Ahmed Abdussalam al-Harbi, 20, a motorcycle driver.

"I appeal to all the negotiating parties to reach a political solution that is in the interest of Yemen and preserves the rights of neighbouring countries and Arabism," said Rashid bin Ali al-Muqaladi, 29, who sells used mobile phones. "And I say to the aggressors (Saudi-led coalition): 'Beware! Yemen is a volcano ... and if it explodes, it will take the whole region. It is impossible to disgrace Yemen or impose condition on it even if it costs us all our souls and our blood. And we will not keep silent on the blood martyrs. Yemen is a support to you and not an enemy.'"
. Sanaa, YEMEN. Reuters/Mohamed al-Sayaghi

"I appeal to all the negotiating parties to reach a political solution that is in the interest of Yemen and preserves the rights of neighbouring countries and Arabism," said Rashid bin Ali al-Muqaladi, 29, who sells used mobile phones. "And I say to the aggressors (Saudi-led coalition): 'Beware! Yemen is a volcano ... and if it explodes, it will take the whole region. It is impossible to disgrace Yemen or impose condition on it even if it costs us all our souls and our blood. And we will not keep silent on the blood martyrs. Yemen is a support to you and not an enemy.'"

"My message to the negotiators in Kuwait is: 'Don't give up the rights of the people who stood fast for the whole year, because there are deaths and injuries and complete destruction of the infrastructure,'" said Muslih Ali Qaid, 59, a bookstore owner. "I hope that the dialogue will succeed in rebuilding Yemen, there is no hope otherwise."
. Sanaa, YEMEN. Reuters/Mohamed al-Sayaghi

"My message to the negotiators in Kuwait is: 'Don't give up the rights of the people who stood fast for the whole year, because there are deaths and injuries and complete destruction of the infrastructure,'" said Muslih Ali Qaid, 59, a bookstore owner. "I hope that the dialogue will succeed in rebuilding Yemen, there is no hope otherwise."

"All the negotiating parties are clinging to their positions and the people are the victims. We hope that the country gets out of this grinding war that eats everything and everybody. We are tired of this situation," said Ahmed Musaid al-Audi, 32, a car mechanic.
. Sanaa, YEMEN. Reuters/Mohamed al-Sayaghi

"All the negotiating parties are clinging to their positions and the people are the victims. We hope that the country gets out of this grinding war that eats everything and everybody. We are tired of this situation," said Ahmed Musaid al-Audi, 32, a car mechanic.

"All the negotiating parties bear the responsibility for finding a way out for Yemen and the Yemeni people from this disastrous and frightening situation," Walid Murait, 39, a religion teacher said. "I call upon all parties to give priority to the culture of wisdom, tolerance, love and building mutual trust, not the culture of exclusion."
. Sanaa, YEMEN. Reuters/Mohamed al-Sayaghi

"All the negotiating parties bear the responsibility for finding a way out for Yemen and the Yemeni people from this disastrous and frightening situation," Walid Murait, 39, a religion teacher said. "I call upon all parties to give priority to the culture of wisdom, tolerance, love and building mutual trust, not the culture of exclusion."

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